10 amazing facts about Detroit Pistons' record-breaking 28-game losing streak
The Detroit Pistons have become the team with the longest losing streak in a single NBA season. After the loss against the Boston Celtics, they passed the previous record held by the Philadelphia 76ers and the Cleveland Cavaliers. While they started the season 2-1, they have not won since. The Pistons are in freefall and stats are flying out highlighting their issues this season.
Here are 10 facts about the Pistons' 28 consecutive losing streak:
10 amazing facts about Detroit Pistons' record-breaking 27-game losing streak
#1, Longest losing streak in a single season in the NBA
The Detroit Pistons have lost 27 consecutive games this season. Their 27th loss came against the Brooklyn Nets and they now hold the longest losing streak in a single season.
#2, Second-longest losing streak in NBA history
Despite the horrible condition that the Pistons are in this season they still have one more back-to-back loss from being equaling the longest losing streak. The Philadelphia 76ers still hold the longest losing streak in the NBA at 28 games over two seasons. The 76ers lost 26 games during the 2014-15 season and their first two games in the 2015-16 season.
#3, Second longest losing streak in the North American Pro League history
The Pistons are two losses away from equaling the record for the longest losing streak by a North American Pro League sports team. The longest losing streak in North American sports is held by the Chicago Cardinals, who lost 29 NFL games between 1942 and 1945. However, several players from the team had gone to serve in World War II.
#4, Pistons have the second-highest paid coach in the NBA
The Pistons have the second-highest-paid coach in the NBA. Monty Williams is behind only Gregg Popovich in terms of his contract.
This offseason, Williams signed a six-year, $78.5 million contract with the Pistons, making him one of the highest-paid coaches in the league. He is also the ninth highest-paid coach in all American sports.
#5, 2nd time Pistons have a 20 or more games losing streak
This is not the first time in their franchise history that the Detroit Pistons have lost 20 or more consecutive games in the season. However, the Pistons are also not alone in this record.
The Philadelphia 76ers and the Cleveland Cavaliers have also achieved this unfortunate record twice in their franchise history.
#6, Worst win percentage ever by a team in first 30 games
The Pistons now hold the record for the worst winning percentage in their first 30 games in NBA history. Before the Pistons, the Chicago Packers held the record, with a winning percentage of .267 during the 1961-62 season.
#7, Worst clutch team in the league
The game against the Brooklyn Nets was a close game with the Detroit Pistons being within 2 points from the Nets with less than a minute remaining. However, they lost the game.
So far into the season, they have had 13 games where there was a five-point differential between them and the opponents with 5 minutes remaining in the game. They have lost all 13.
#8, Worst shooting percentage from wide-open three-point shot
The Detroit Pistons have the worst shooting percentage on a wide-open three-point shot. According to the league's standard, the wide-open three-pointer is considered when the defender is at least 6 feet away from the shooter.
As compared to the league's 39 percent, they only shoot 34.6 percent on a wide-open three-point shot.
#9, Historically the worst shooting percentage in the clutch time
As bad as the Detroit Pistons are this season, a good part of their losses have come in the clutch time. However, they have shot historically bad from the field during this time.
They are last in the league in Effective Shooting Percentage from the field in clutch time with 23.7 percent. The worst recorded in the NBA.
#10, Won fewer games in this calendar year than the Detroit Lions
NFL teams play far fewer games in a single season than NBA teams. Despite playing only 17 games in a season, the Detroit Lions have won 13 games, while the Pistons have won only 9 in the entire 2023 calendar year, across two seasons.