The 2023-24 Detroit Pistons wrote an unfortunate new chapter in the NBA history books on Tuesday, becoming sole owners of the league's longest single-season losing streak.
Detroit lost to the Brooklyn Nets 118-112 at Little Caesars Arena, their 27th loss in a row. The team's 26-game losing streak was previously tied with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2010-11 and the Philadelphia 76ers in 2013-14 as the longest defeats in a season.
Against the Nets, Pistons guard Cade Cunningham scored 41 points, sinking 15 of 21 field goals and 3 of 4 from behind the arc. In 29 games played and started this season, the third-year guard posted a team-high 22.4 points and 7.1 assists. Still, it wasn't enough.
“A lot of the burden is entrusted to me – on the pitch, in the dressing room. Every day I try to lead the team,” said Cunningham after the historic defeat. “I wasn’t successful with that; 2-28. It is only right that I speak for it and be the face of it. In this locker room, everyone cares.”
The Pistons could tie the league's losing record (28 games) on Thursday against the Boston Celtics and break it on Saturday against the Toronto Raptors. This record is currently held by the 76ers, who lost 28 consecutive games between the end of the 2014/15 season and the start of the 2015/16 season.
The Pistons (2-28) last won a game on Oct. 28, defeating the Chicago Bulls 118-102 in the third game of the season. The victory gave coach Monty Williams, who signed a six-year, nearly $100 million contract this offseason, his only winning record against Detroit – an improvement to 2-1.
“I was brought here to change this thing, and it's probably more on me than anyone else,” Williams said.
The NBA's longest losing streak in a season
| team | season | losses |
|---|---|---|
Detroit Pistons | 2023-24 | 27 |
Philadelphia 76ers | 2013-14 | 26 |
Cleveland Cavaliers | 2010-11 | 26 |
Charlotte Bobcats | 2011-12 | 23 |
Denver Nuggets | 1997-98 | 23 |
Memphis Grizzlies | 1995-96 | 23 |
How did the Pistons get to this point?
I always go back to the fourth game of the season, a game in which the Pistons, who were 2-2 at the time, blew an 18-point lead and lost at home to the Portland Trail Blazers by 10 points. There was an eerie feeling in the locker room. Heads were dropped, ghosts torn from bodies and placed next to the dirty laundry. The team that thought it had matured and overcome its own bugbears was back where it was a season ago. The pistons were never the same after that. They looked up and four defeats in a row turned into seven. Seven becomes twelve. Twelve becomes 20. And so on and so forth. A young team without much experienced help looked for an answer, but it never came. The young Pistons, who have never won at this level, were asked to climb out of a hole that very few players ever achieve.
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Where does the Pistons' losing streak rank in sports history?
Which veterans should Detroit target and which young stars should it keep?
Detroit should go for experienced wingers or forwards who can shoot, preferably ones who can shoot and defend. Jerami Grant is an interesting name to keep an eye on as a possible candidate. Also Tobias Harris. Experienced players like Eric Gordon or even Royce O'Neale would help make Detroit more complete. However, it takes two to tango, and Detroit can't make a trade without sending someone out.
For me, the only untouchable young players are Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren. I would rather keep Isaiah Stewart, but he has drawn a lot of interest around the league.
What other adjustments can Monty Williams make?
Now that the Pistons are relatively healthy for the first time, Williams should stick with the Cunningham-Ivey-Bogdanovic-Stewart-Duren starting lineup until a trade occurs. This group delivered solid results against the Nets. Secondly, he needs to stop sitting on the bench so much. Bench play was one of the main reasons the Pistons were in such a slump.
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(Photo: Brad Penner / USA Today)