NBA Game Notes (Dec. 26, 2023)

Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on December 26, 2023.

Pistons Set Ignominious Record

Cade Cunningham compiled 41 points, nine rebounds, and five assists, but it wasn’t enough as the Detroit Pistons fell to the Brooklyn Nets 118-112. It’s the 27th consecutive loss for the Pistons, breaking a tie for the longest single-season losing streak in NBA history:

• 27 — Detroit Pistons (2023-24)

• 26 — Cleveland Cavaliers (2010-11)

• 26 — Philadelphia 76ers (2013-14)

• 23 — Vancouver Grizzlies (1995-96)

• 23 — Denver Nuggets (1997-98)

• 23 — Charotte Bobcats (2011-12)

If streaks that span multiple seasons are included, the Pistons’ losing skid is the second longest in NBA history. The record of 28 losses in a row is held by the Philadelphia 76ers, who lost their last 10 games in 2014-15 and then dropped their first 18 games of the 2015-16 season.

Cunningham shot 15-21 from the field and made eight of his 10 free throws. The last Piston to record a 40-point game with 70% shooting from the floor was Jerry Stackhouse on Jan. 14, 2001.

Cunningham has scored at least 22 points in each of his last five games, including two 40-point outings. He’s averaging 31.8 PPG and 6.8 APG with 58/41/83 shooting splits over that span.

Pistons center Jalen Duren scored 12 points on 6-11 shooting from the field, also hauling in a game-high 15 rebounds. Cunningham and Duren were the only Pistons to make at least half of their shots from the floor. The rest of the team combined to hit just 19 of 58 attempts, a field goal percentage of 32.8%.

The Nets’ Cameron Johnson scored a team-high 24 points, going 9-13 from the field with four 3-pointers made. Teammate Mikal Bridges scored 21 points, although he shot just 6-14 from the field and 9-15 from the free throw line.

Nets center Nic Claxton recorded a double-double, scoring 11 points (5-5 field goals) with 11 rebounds and three blocks. His backup, Day’Ron Sharpe, also recorded a double-double, producing 11 points, 11 rebounds, and a career-high four blocks in just 22 minutes of action.