NBA roundup: Hornets, Magic, and Pistons claim wins on quiet night of play

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/charlotte-hornets/xftMikUg/"]Charlotte[/a] forward [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/knueppel-kon/YDOmqcSE/"]Knueppel[/a] rattled in six three-pointers as part of an impressive all-round team shooting display to help the Hornets [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/charlotte-hornets-xftMikUg/new-york-knicks-WCNO4nbt/?mid=AVmUmku9"]extend their winning streak to five games[/a] as they chase a postseason ticket.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ball-lamelo/fskMOC1n/"]LaMelo Ball[/a] finished with 22 points, six assists and five rebounds, one of five Charlotte players to finish in double digits.[/p][p]The Hornets have now won 23 of their last 29 games since late January, and are firmly in the thick of the Eastern Conference race for the playoffs.[/p][p]With sixth-placed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/toronto-raptors/CxtbCMdU/"]Toronto[/a] occupying the last automatic playoff spot at 40-32, Charlotte are part of a cluster of teams jostling for position just below them.[/p][embed guid="18b158f7-6c9d-4c1d-bd79-8561ac472629" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2037359146043924885?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/philadelphia-76ers/vwRW2QSh/"]Philadelphia[/a] occupy seventh place on 40-33 while Charlotte, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/orlando-magic/QZMS36Dn/"]Orlando[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/miami-heat/CQ7AXnT5/"]Miami[/a] all have identical 39-34 records.[/p][p]Charlotte's blistering form is part of a remarkable turnaround this season for the franchise, who finished just one place off the bottom of the Eastern Conference last season with just 19 wins.[/p][p]Orlando kept pace with Charlotte on Thursday [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/orlando-magic-QZMS36Dn/sacramento-kings-CvwE1OCB/?mid=0Gf1t7Xr"]with a 121-117 defeat[/a] of the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sacramento-kings/CvwE1OCB/"]Sacramento Kings[/a], thanks to 30 points from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/banchero-paolo/06ii067b/"]Paolo Banchero[/a] and 23 from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bane-desmond/dCwE0YA5/"]Desmond Bane[/a].[/p][p]In Thursday's other game, the Eastern Conference-leading [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/detroit-pistons/UcjMRj6J/"]Detroit Pistons[/a] bounced back from Wednesday's overtime defeat to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/atlanta-hawks/xAO4gBas/"]Atlanta[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/detroit-pistons-UcjMRj6J/new-orleans-pelicans-U3yc9SkP/?mid=UX3VoT9L"]with a comfortable 129-108 defeat[/a] of the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/new-orleans-pelicans/U3yc9SkP/"]New Orleans Pelicans[/a].[/p][p]With [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cunningham-cade/0YleT8PG/"]Cade Cunningham[/a] still absent as he recovers from a collapsed lung, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/duren-jalen/xva6ve5b/"]Jalen Duren[/a] took on the offensive duties with 30 points and 10 rebounds.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/huerter-kevin/tUwoQbXR/"]Kevin Huerter[/a] added 22 points while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jenkins-dannis/xzVAqNCs/"]Daniss Jenkins[/a] chipped in with 19.[/p][p]The Pistons improved to 53-20 and enjoy a comfortable four-and-a-half game lead at the top of the East.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/basketball/usa/nba/"][b]Follow all of the NBA action on Flashscore.[/b][/a][/p]