Pistons’ record losing streak breaks previous marks set by 76ers, Cavaliers
It’s official: the Detroit Pistons own the NBA single-season record for consecutive losses. Detroit’s 118-112 loss to the Brooklyn Nets Tuesday night sealed the record that’s lasted 60 days and counting.
The Pistons take over the single-season record from the 2013-14 Philadelphia 76ers and 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers. The team’s currently on pace for a 6-76 record this season which would break the record for fewest wins in a season in NBA history.
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A lot has happened in the last 60 days. Here are some of the more notable events in the sports world that’ve happened since Oct. 28 – the date of the Pistons’ last win, a 118-102 victory over the Chicago Bulls.
Arizona Diamondbacks won a playoff game
These events both happened on the same day. Game 2 of the World Series between the Diamondbacks and eventual champion Texas Rangers and the Pistons’ win over the Bulls happened on Oct. 28.
But the Pistons wrapped up their second win of the season at 9:10 p.m. ET that Saturday night. Texas Rangers catcher Mitch Garver’s line drive to third base for the final out of the ninth inning sealed the win for the Diamondbacks at 11:02 p.m. ET on the 28th. By a matter of hours, the World Series runners-up have a more recent victory than the Detroit Pistons.
Josh McDaniels was fired as coach of the Las Vegas Raiders
Two days after the Pistons’ most recent win, the 3-4 Las Vegas Raiders took on the 6-2 Detroit Lions on the road. The Lions won 26-14 but the score belied a lopsided game in which Detroit outgained Las Vegas 486-157. The Raiders allowed six sacks and managed just 77 net pass yards.
A day later, Las Vegas announced McDaniels and Dave Ziegler were fired from head coach and general manager positions, respectively. Interim coach Antonio Pierce has led the Raiders to the cusp of the playoffs in the months since then.
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Victor Wembanyama played his first regular season game on the road
A day after the Pistons’ most recent win, Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs headed west to take on the Los Angeles Clippers.
The rookie sensation had a rough game with just 11 points, five rebounds, and one block to go along with five turnovers. The Spurs lost 123-83 in the second-biggest defeat of the season for the worst team in the Western Conference. If it weren’t for a win over the Los Angeles Lakers on December 15, the Spurs’ losing streak would be right there with Detroit’s.
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James Harden was a Philadelphia 76er
Harden spent most of October at odds with Daryl Morey, the 76ers’ president of basketball operations, requesting a trade to get out of Philadelphia.
Three days after the Pistons’ last win over the Bulls, Morey finally found his disgruntled All-Star a new home in Los Angeles. A three-team deal with the Clippers and Thunder featuring players and multiple future draft picks brought Harden to the Western Conference once again.
In the end, the 76ers received:
Los Angeles received:
Oklahoma City received:
- A 2027 first-round pick from Los Angeles
It’s a laundry list but changed the trajectory of multiple teams. Harden’s since averaging 17.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 7.7 assists with the Clippers. Los Angeles is fourth in the Western Conference as of Wednesday afternoon.
