The Detroit Pistons are the first NBA franchise in the league's history to lose 27 regular season games in a row. The not-so-flattering historic achievement arrived on Tuesday night, December 26, after the Nets defeated the Pistons 118-112.
As things stand, the Pistons get their chance to end this streak against the Celtics this upcoming Friday. However, projections have them losing 77 games this season, making it hard to imagine the Piston being allocated favorite odds by bookie apps for the remainder of the season.
At the time of writing, there is no official announcement if head coach Monty Wiliams will be fired. Williams assumed the helm this summer with an epic six-year contract guaranteeing $78.5 million.
Previous holders of this honor were the 76ers in the 2013-14 season and Cavaliers in 2010-11. Both teams had 26 consecutive defeats, the most experienced by a team in a regular NBA season at that time. The 76ers hold the overall record of 28 consecutive losses, but that was over two seasons. Their losing streak picked up steam at the end of the 2014-15 season and continued at the start of 2015-16.
Valiant Efforts to Prevent A Disaster
Detroit did not go down in history without a fight, as fans at Little Caesars Arena created a playoff atmosphere with their cheering. Despite an early lead, the Nets took over the momentum in the second quarter and went into halftime with a 7-point advantage, something the Pistons could not return from.
Cade Cunningham made a valiant effort with 41 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists, keeping the team in the game until the last seconds. Forward Bojan Bogdanovic scored 23 points, while this year's fifth overall draft pick for the Pistons, Jaden Ivey, netted only 9 points. Fans responded to the disappointing loss with chants, "Sell the team!"
One of the Longest Losing Streaks in Professional Sports
The last time the Pistons celebrated a victory was on October 28 against the Bulls, which marked their second win this season. After three games played, having two wins did not indicate the forthcoming meltdown of the team, whose current record stands at 2-28 in the 2023-24 campaign. Their current NBA title odds at the best betting sites for free bets are +100,000.
Going two months without a win is rare in professional sports. The Pistons have surpassed previous records held by NHL, WNBA, and MLB teams. To find a longer losing streak, one has to go to college sports, where Chicago State’s women’s college basketball lost 59 consecutive games in the 2016-18 season.
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