Pistons losing streak: Detroit ties 76ers all-time NBA record with 28 consecutive losses

Scott Rafferty

Pistons losing streak: Detroit ties 76ers all-time NBA record with 28 consecutive losses image

The Pistons are knocking on the door of NBA history — and not the good kind.

Detroit showed some promise to start the 2023-24 season with wins over the Hornets and Bulls, but it has been almost two months since the Pistons last picked up a victory.

If that sounds like a lot of consecutive losses, it is.

The Pistons have now lost 28 games in a row, which is the most in a single season and ties the "Process" 76ers for the longest losing streak in NBA history.

If Detroit can't pick up a win over the Raptors on Saturday, Dec. 30, it will stand alone as the longest NBA losing streak of all time.

Here's everything you need to know about the Pistons' series of misfortunes.

MORE: Here are the 10 players who should start in the All-Star Game

How Pistons can break NBA losing streak record

The Pistons have lost 28 games in a row, which is the longest single-season losing streak and ties longest losing streak in NBA history.

With Tuesday's loss to the Nets, the Pistons broke a tie with the 2010-11 Cavaliers and 2013-14 76ers for the longest single-season losing streak. With Thursday's overtime loss to the Celtics, they tied the 76ers, who lost 28 straight games between the end of the 2014-15 season and the start of the 2015-16 season.

Here are the longest losing streaks in NBA history:

Rank Team Year Losing streak
1 Philadelphia 76ers 2015* 28
  Detroit Pistons 2023 28
3 Cleveland Cavaliers 2010-11 26
  Philadelphia 76ers 2014 26
5 Cleveland Cavaliers 1982* 24
6 Charlotte Bobcats 2012 23
  Denver Nuggets 1997-98 23
  Vancouver Grizzlies 1996 23
9 Detroit Pistons 1980* 21
10 Houston Rockets 2021 20
  LA Clippers 1994* 20
  Dallas Mavericks 1993 20
  New York Knicks 1985* 20
  Philadelphia 76ers 1973 20

* Streak spanned over two seasons

Pistons schedule 2023-24

Following their loss to the Celtics on Friday, Detroit has one last chance to snap the streak against the Raptors on Saturday before they set the NBA's all-time record.

Here are the next five games on Detroit's schedule:

Date Opponent Time (ET) TV channel
Dec. 30 vs. Raptors 6 p.m.
Jan. 1 at Rockets 8 p.m.
Jan. 3 at Jazz 9 p.m.
Jan. 5 at Warriors 10 p.m.
Jan. 7 at Nuggets 8 p.m.

When did the Pistons' losing streak begin?

The first loss the Pistons suffered in this streak came on Oct. 30.

The Thunder defeated the Pistons by a final score of 124-112. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City with a game-high 32 points while Jaden Ivey finished with a team-best 20 points in 19 minutes off the bench for Detroit.

During their losing streak, the Pistons have lost by an average of 13.5 points per game. They've struggled on both ends of the court, ranking 29th in offensive efficiency and 27th in defensive efficiency.

Date Opponent Result Streak
Oct. 30 at Thunder L, 124-112 1
Nov. 1 vs. Trail Blazers L, 110-101 2
Nov. 2 at Pelicans L, 125-116 3
Nov. 5 vs. Suns L, 120-106 4
Nov. 6 vs. Warriors L, 120-109 5
Nov. 8 at Bucks L, 120-118 6
Nov. 10 vs. 76ers L, 114-106 7
Nov. 12 at Bulls L, 119-108 8
Nov. 14 vs. Hawks L, 126-120 9
Nov. 17 at Cavaliers L, 108-100 10
Nov. 19 at Raptors L, 142-113 11
Nov. 20 vs. Nuggets L, 107-103 12
Nov. 24 at Pacers L, 136-113 13
Nov. 27 vs. Wizards L, 126-107 14
Nov. 29 vs. Lakers L, 133-107 15
Nov. 30 at Knicks L, 118-112 16
Dec. 2 vs. Cavaliers L, 110-101 17
Dec. 6 vs. Grizzlies L, 116-102 18
Dec. 8 at Magic L, 123-91 19
Dec. 11 vs. Pacers L, 131-123 20
Dec. 13 vs. 76ers L, 129-111 21
Dec. 15 at 76ers L, 124-92 22
Dec. 16 at Bucks L, 146-114 23
Dec. 18 at Hawks L, 130-124 24
Dec. 21 vs. Jazz L, 119-111 25
Dec. 23 at Nets L, 126-115 26
Dec. 26 vs. Nets L, 118-112 27
Dec. 28 at Celtics L, 128-122 (OT) 28

Scott Rafferty

Scott Rafferty Photo

 

Scott Rafferty is an experienced NBA journalist who first started writing for The Sporting News in 2017. There are few things he appreciates more than a Nikola Jokic no-look pass, Klay Thompson heat check or Giannis Antetokounmpo eurostep. He's a member of the NBA Global team.