The Detroit Pistons (15-14) kicked off their road trip on Wednesday night in Minneapolis with a victory over the Timberwolves, 129-123, thanks to two 30+-point performances. Blake Griffin led the way for the Pistons, pouring in 34 points, grabbing eight rebounds, and facilitating four assists, going 5-of-10 from downtown in the process. Reggie Bullock added 33 points of his own, shooting 12-of-21 from field goal range and 7-of-12 from deep. Griffin and Bullock are the main reason why Detroit currently ranks fifth in the NBA in three-point shooting percentage, averaging a collective 37.3 percent from beyond the arc. The league's rebounding leader, Andre Drummond, delivered another double-double with 16 points and 16 boards, while Reggie Jackson posted 24 points and six dimes in the team's fifth road win this season. The Pistons' inability to string an extended series of victories together keeps them mired in the mid-tier logjam in the Eastern Conference, where they currently sit in sixth place, a half game ahead of their opponents on Friday evening.

Wednesday night saw the Charlotte Hornets (15-15) snap a two-game skid, defeating the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers, 110-99. The team managed the feat despite shooting only six free throws on the night, led once again offensively by Kemba Walker, who had 30 points and six assists in an 11-of-26 outing from the paint. Through 30 games, Walker is averaging 25.1 points and ranks 11th in the league in scoring. Marvin Williams and Jeremy Lamb both logged double-doubles, Williams with 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Lamb behind 18 points and 12 boards. Subs Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and veteran Tony Parker recorded 12 points apiece for a Hornets outfit that will wrap up 2018 with a visit to the Boston Celtics and a back-to-back series with the red-hot Brooklyn Nets.