The Detroit Pistons blew a 21-point lead to the Boston Celtics and tied the Philadelphia 76ers for the longest overall losing streak in NBA history with 28 consecutive losses. The Pistons can set a new record for inefficacy on Saturday when they play the Toronto Raptors. Who will be the team the Pistons beat to finally end their horrendous streak?
Pistons’ Next Three Games
The Pistons next three games are against the Raptors on Saturday, at the Houston Rockets, and at the Utah Jazz.
It is likely that the Pistons’ losing streak ends sometime over these next three games. Mainly because it’s really hard to lose 31 straight. Despite their record the Pistons are professional basketball players, and there are other bad teams in the league.
The Raptors are 12-18 and seemingly on the verge of trading away Pascal Siakam and/or OG Anunoby. But they are a good defensive team, ranked 14th in aDRTG.
The Pistons struggle on both ends of the floor, as their 2-29 record suggests. But they are really bad offensively, 29th in the league. When it’s difficult to score, a team tends to lack the energy and connectedness needed on the defensive end of the floor.
The Rockets are 15-14 and boast the league’s sixth-best defense. Head coach Ime Udoka has brought a level of accountability and defensive focus that suggests the Pistons are not a team they will lose to.
A Bad Team Trying Not To Win
That brings us to the Jazz. They have the league’s 26th-ranked defense, and CEO of basketball operations Danny Ainge is not trying to win games right now. He seems to be in the draft capital-acquiring business, and the rumors are swirling that All-Star Lauri Markkanen is on the trade block.
The game against the Jazz is the exact type of game that you can see the Pistons winning. They know they are not a good basketball team, but they desperately want a win to feel good about themselves. A team like the Jazz, who may or may not be tanking and who plays terrible defense, is an opportunity for a win.
“I just told them that it takes a lot of character and integrity to do what they’re doing,” Pistons coach Monty Williams said after Thursday’s loss. “I’ve been in the league for a while, and I’ve seen teams give into circumstances that are less than what we’re dealing with. That was admirable. Obviously, we had a tough third quarter, and the ability to fight back and have it even in the fourth was tremendous.
“I hurt for them. We feel like we’re just getting so close to not just winning one game but winning a lot of games if we play that way.”
Williams might be overstating how “close” the team is to winning a lot of games. This team just needs to win one, and they need to break it down to its simplest components. Start by winning possessions one at a time, one quarter at a time, and eventually win one game.
