Horry Scale

Horry Scale: Kelly Olynyk's turnaround caps wild OT finish for Pistons

Detroit big man Kelly Olynyk scores 13 in the 4th quarter before beating the buzzer with an overtime game-winner vs. Charlotte.

Kelly Olynyk nails a jumper at the buzzer in overtime to snap Detroit's 15-game losing streak against the Hornets.

A reminder on The Horry Scale: It breaks down a game-winning buzzer-beater (GWBB) in the categories of difficulty, game situation (was the team tied or behind at the time?), importance (playoff game or garden-variety night in November?) and celebration. Then we give it an overall grade on a scale of 1-5 Robert Horrys, named for the patron saint of last-second answered prayers.

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The Detroit Pistons, after scooping Cade Cunningham with the No. 1 overall pick in 2021, have been mired at the bottom of the NBA standings yet again. But they snuck in a victory over the Celtics prior to the All-Star break, and split the first two games coming out of it. Then, with a matchup against the suddenly struggling Charlotte Hornets, a back-and-forth battle developed, with 20 lead changes and 16 ties into overtime ultimately ending on Kelly Olynyk’s buzzer-beating turnaround jumper.

Suddenly, it’s 3-1 for the Pistons in their last four, and there’s light streaming into the Eastern Conference basement.

GAME SITUATION: Cunningham, who’s spent the season gradually looking more and more like a player worthy of the No. 1 overall selection, played a dominant fourth quarter, putting up 12 points (4-6 FGs) and three assists as the Pistons surged in front during the final minute of regulation.

But he missed the second of two free throws with 9.7 seconds remaining, providing an opening the Hornets were only too happy to take advantage of, tying the game on a putback with 4.1 to play (and nearly winning it at that buzzer when LaMelo Ball stole the inbound pass and flung up a fallaway that kissed back rim.)

The Hornets opened overtime on a 7-2 run, which the Pistons nearly matched, pulling within a point 89 seconds from the finish. Neither team could put down another point as time ticked away, and an offense-for-defense substitution put Kelly Olynyk on the floor with 6.8 seconds to play. Cody Martin’s take foul set up a sideline inbound with 2.1 left for one final possession, and Killian Hayes found Olynyk on the move for the winner.

DIFFICULTY: Olynyk, back down to 9.0 ppg after a career-high 13.5 last season (split between Miami and Houston), had sniffed double digits only twice in the past 11 games. On Sunday, he found his stroke in the fourth quarter, popping off for 13 points while shooting 4-for-7 after going 2-for-5 in the three periods prior. When the final play turned over to the Pistons, his substitution seemed inevitable.

With the Pistons clustered on the right wing to provide multiple targets for Killian Hayes, Olynyk patiently waited as the others peeled off before making his move to bail out Hayes. Moving toward the ball, he received Hayes’ bounce pass in stride moving left, then pivoted into the turnaround and released from 14 feet as momentum carried him out of bounds over the baseline near the right corner. P.J. Washington Jr. made a solid contest, but Olynyk’s aim was true.

Here's the breakdown of Kelly Olynyk's game-winner and why the play worked.

CELEBRATION: The ball hung long enough for Olynyk to watch and will the shot through the hoop. That led to a slow walk with the head nod, talking his … smack right into a crowd of closing teammates. Jubilation.

GRADE: Maybe it’s health, maybe it’s catching the right moments on either side of the All-Star break. But things are looking up for the moment in Detroit. Who says you can’t have fun on the way through the rebuild? Four Horrys.

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