Pistons try to avoid 27th straight loss and a new NBA single-season record Tuesday against Nets

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The Detroit Pistons are on the precipice of an unwanted historical milestone, and they are acutely aware of it. For the past two months, they have been hurtling toward an unenviable record, and there is no denying the gravity of the situation. Coach Monty Williams candidly acknowledged, “I could sit here and say I don’t think about it, but I mean, it’s in my face.”

If the Pistons can’t ward off their looming fate on Tuesday night, they will etch their name into the annals of NBA history with the longest single-season losing streak ever recorded. Detroit is currently grappling with the challenge of avoiding their 27th consecutive loss when they face off against the Brooklyn Nets in the second leg of a home-and-home series.

The Nets handed Detroit their 26th consecutive defeat with a 126-115 victory in Brooklyn on Saturday. The Pistons now share this dubious distinction with the 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers and the 2013-14 Philadelphia 76ers, each of which suffered similar losing streaks within a single season.

The next milestone on the horizon is the all-time record of 28 consecutive losses, a record set by the 76ers from late in the 2014-15 season through early 2015-16. The Pistons’ season started promisingly with a 2-1 record under Coach Williams, but they haven’t tasted victory since their home opener against Chicago on October 28th.

The loss in Brooklyn mirrors the pattern of many of their games this season. They often perform admirably for the majority of the contest, only to be undermined by crucial errors in the latter stages. In the game against the Nets, Detroit’s turnovers proved costly, with the Nets capitalizing for 22 points off those miscues. Center Isaiah Stewart lamented, “We continue to shoot ourselves in the foot. If we do that, we’re not going to really win any games doing that. We’re not good enough to recover from those kinds of mistakes.”

Looking ahead, the path to ending this dismal streak does not appear any less challenging. Their next matchup is against the formidable Boston Celtics, who boast the best record in the league at 23-6. Following that, they will host the Toronto Raptors on December 30th, but their subsequent journey consists of a four-game road trip that culminates with back-to-back contests against the reigning NBA champions, the Golden State Warriors and the Denver Nuggets.

Coach Williams praised the resilience and determination of his players in the face of adversity. Despite the losing streak, the team’s commitment to improvement remains unwavering. Williams remarked, “I’ve been around a lot of teams, and not many teams have that type of resilience. Our guys don’t want to be a part of any losing streak, whatever, but every day they come back with focus and drive and grit trying to win a game.”

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More about Losing Streak

• Detroit Pistons: Official website of the Detroit Pistons.
• NBA Records: NBA’s official records page for historical statistics and records.
• Monty Williams: Profile of Coach Monty Williams on the NBA’s official website.
• 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers: Information about the 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers on Basketball Reference.
• 2013-14 Philadelphia 76ers: Information about the 2013-14 Philadelphia 76ers on Basketball Reference.
• Philadelphia 76ers’ Consecutive Losses: Details about the Philadelphia 76ers’ consecutive losses in NBA history.
• Boston Celtics: Official website of the Boston Celtics.
• Golden State Warriors: Official website of the Golden State Warriors.
• Denver Nuggets: Official website of the Denver Nuggets.