Reeling Pistons turn into Hornets' road kill

Charlotte, N.C. — The short road trip started the way the home stand ended.

Badly. Really badly.

In the midst of their chase for the final playoff spot in the East, the Pistons put up another lackluster effort from both their starting and reserve units, falling into a 13-point deficit after the first quarter and struggling to dig out of it.

It was a recurring theme before the All-Star break and seems to have gotten worse in the two games since the break, continuing the Pistons’ downward trend.

This time, it was a 114-98 drubbing to the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday afternoon at Spectrum Center. The Pistons are reeling, with their fifth loss in the last six games — on the heels of a five-game win…