Detroit Pistons players on Saturday sat in stunned silence in one corner of the locker room, staring blankly ahead. The worst stretch of basketball in their lives now ranks as one of the worst in NBA history.
Detroit matched the league record for the longest losing streak in a single season, falling 126-115 to the Brooklyn Nets for their 26th straight loss.
“None of us went through this, ever,” center Isaiah Stewart said. “This is the hardest thing probably all of us went through, especially being in the pros.”
Photo: Brad Penner-USA TODAY
The Pistons joined the 2010-2011 Cleveland Cavaliers and 2013-2014 Philadelphia 76ers, dropping to 2-27 in their first season under Monty Williams.
They were in the game in the second half before the Nets put them away with a 15-0 run to open a 21-point lead and ensure that Detroit would remain winless since Oct. 28.
The teams meet again tomorrow in Detroit, with the Pistons nearing the overall longest skid in league history. The 76ers lost 28 consecutive games from late in the 2014-2015 season through early 2015-2016.
“Everybody wants to win, everybody hates losing, so it’s hard,” guard Cade Cunningham said. “We’ve got to be realistic as well. Can’t just keep saying the same things over and over, like we’ll get the next one. There has to be like a plan of action, so we’re just trying to figure that out.”
Mikal Bridges had 29 points, seven assists and six rebounds for the Nets, who put seven players in double figures and snapped their five-game losing streak. Cam Thomas scored 20 points.
The Nets shot 52 percent from the field, showing plenty of energy in their second night of back-to-back games after losing to the NBA champion Denver Nuggets on Friday. They got some easy baskets thanks to the Pistons, whose 14 turnovers led to 22 points.
Williams said he did not feel like their bad play was leading to bad luck for the Pistons.
“We had a lot of tough breaks this year, but I try not to look at life that way. It just happens,” he said. “When you turn it over 14 times you don’t expect 22 points, but it happens. Those live turnovers, they’re basketball death for possessions and we’ve had a lot of those this year.”
Elsewhere, LeBron James scored a season-high 40 points, as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 129-120 to snap a four-game losing streak.
The 38-year-old James was 13 of 20 from the field, hitting five three-pointers without a miss, and made all nine of his free throws. He also had seven rebounds, seven assists and two blocks.
Oklahoma City trimmed what had been a 26-point deficit with 3 minutes, 32 seconds left in the third quarter to eight points midway through the fourth quarter. James then took over, scoring 11 points in the final 4:29 to help the Lakers hold on.
“To know I can go out and still make game-winning plays, can affect the game in multiple ways and can still close out a game in the fourth quarter when our team needed when they started making a run is always a good feeling for sure,” James said.
In Saturday’s other games, the Boston Celtics dominated the Los Angeles Clippers 145-108, the Minnesota Timberwolves outplayed the Sacramento Kings 110-98, the Dallas Mavericks topped the San Antonio Spurs 144-119 and the Memphis Grizzlies survived the Atlanta Hawks 125-119.
The Milwaukee Bucks took down the New York Knicks 130-111, the Denver Nuggets defeated the Charlotte Hornets 102-95 and the San Francisco Warriors beat the Portland Trail Blazers 126-106.
The Houston Rockets edged the New Orleans Pelicans 106-104, the Toronto Raptors overcame the Utah Jazz 126-119, the Orlando Magic beat the Indiana Pacers 117-110 and the Cleveland Cavaliers bested the Chicago Bulls 109-95.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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