The train rolls on for the Detroit Pistons in the worst possible way. After their 18-point loss to the 76ers on Wednesday, the team has now dropped 21 straight games dating back to October 28th, and have an abysmal record of 2-22 mid-way through December. They are making history with every passing game, and now have the 8th longest losing streak in NBA history.
NBA: The Pistons Have Lost 21 Straight Games
The Pistons have lost 21 straight games. pic.twitter.com/Pmkcwkfl9r
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) December 14, 2023
It began before Halloween. The Pistons actually jumped out to a 2-1 record to start the year, with the one loss being a one-point margin against the defending Eastern Conference Champions. Things were looking up after that first week, and there hasn’t been a single reason for celebration since.
It has now been 47 days since Detroit last won a basketball game, and the Pistons aren’t losing by narrow margins. 11 of the 21 losses have come by double digits, including 29, 26, and 23 point losses. The closest contest was their 120-118 defeat at the hands of the Bucks, which was the 6th loss in the streak.
Their current mark ties them on the NBA all-time board with another Pistons team. Between two seasons in 1980 and 1981, Detroit lost 21 in a row on their way to finishing with the worst record in the East, and it looks as though this year’s version of the franchise is going to eclipse that mark. The next two games on the schedule are coming against two of the top teams in the conference in the 76ers and Bucks, making a 23-game skid a real and likely scenario.
Do They Have A Shot At Breaking The All-Time Record?
The Pistons have now lost 21 consecutive games.
They are 6 losses away from breaking the record for the longest losing streak in NBA history. 😬 pic.twitter.com/cEVIyaGCR8
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) December 14, 2023
Should they get to that unfortunate mark, they’ll be tied for the 5th longest streak ever. No team has finished with 22 straight losses, but three teams are currently tied with 23, the most recent being the 2011-2012 Charlotte Bobcats.
Many of the teams that are credited with long losing streaks had theirs happen over the span of two different seasons. When it comes to single-season skids, the current Pistons have the 6th-longest in NBA history.
They aren’t alone in their futility. In the West, the San Antonio Spurs are putting together their own miserable streak, as they have now lost 18 games in a row after falling to the Lakers on Wednesday night.
The longest losing streak in NBA history is 28 games, which spanned over two seasons in 2015 for the 76ers. Should the Pistons continue their losing ways through the holidays, then the record-breaking game would come on December 30th against the Toronto Raptors.
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