The edge goes to the Pistons at home against the Hornets on Saturday, March 20, at about 75%. That is a real edge, but the Hornets are far from out of it.
How the Win Meter reads
The Win Meter reads the Pistons 75%, with a projected score of Charlotte Hornets 111, Detroit Pistons 118. The rating gap is 91 points in favor of the Pistons, and home court and rest add about 101 rating points for the Pistons on top of that.
A reading this high has real meaning, but upsets of this size happen. Nearly one game in 4 like it goes the other way.
Recent form
The Hornets are 3-1 this season and 3-2 in their last 5 games, with an average margin of -11.8. The Pistons are 3-0 this season and 4-1 in their last 5 games, with an average margin of +5.6.
The Hornets were beaten 128-81 at home by ATL not long ago.
The Pistons' best recent win was 115-94 on the road against CLE.
The Pistons were beaten 125-94 at home by CLE not long ago.
Offense against defense
The Hornets score 104 a game and allow 111. The Pistons score 118.3 and allow 105.7. Pairing each offense with the other defense points to about 104.9 for the Hornets and 114.7 for the Pistons, a simple check on the Win Meter's projection.
The Pistons should find points against the Hornets' defense, which has been giving up 111.
Injuries to watch
Out: Coby White (CHA), expected back Oct 31, 2026, Kon Knueppel (CHA), expected back Oct 31, 2026, Grant Williams (CHA), expected back Oct 31, 2026, Kylan Boswell (CHA), expected back Nov 2, 2026, and Jalen Duren (DET), expected back Nov 9, 2026.
Day to day or questionable: Ausar Thompson (DET), Isaiah Joe (DET), Elijah Harkless (DET), and Isaac Jones (DET). Their status can change before tip-off.
The season series
In our records of recent meetings, the Pistons lead 5-2, with the Pistons outscoring the Hornets by an average of 8.7 points per game. The last meeting was DET 118, CHA 100.