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.
Thunder Rout Timberwolves
In a matchup between two of the top three teams in the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder routed the Minnesota Timberwolves 129-106. The Thunder outscored the Timberwolves 63-46 in the second half, shooting a blistering 25-39 from the field (64.1%) over the final two periods.
The Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander produced team highs of 34 points, nine assists, and six rebounds, the former two figures also game highs. Gilgeous-Alexander shot 14-19 from the floor and hit six of his seven free throws.
It’s the 20th time Gilgeous-Alexander has scored at least 30 points in a game this season, one shy of Luka Doncic’s league-leading 21 such games. He’s shot at least 50% from the field in 15 of those games, again one shy of the league leader (Giannis Antetokounmpo, 16).
Gilgeous-Alexander was one of four Thunder players to score at least 20 points on 60% shooting from the field. The others were Jalen Williams (21 points, 7-11 field goals), Luguentz Dort (20 points, 7-9 field goals), and Chet Holmgren (20 points, 8-13 field goals). The last time the franchise had four such players in a game was Nov. 15, 1980, when Vinnie Johnson, Jack Sikma, James Bailey, and John Johnson turned the trick for the Seattle SuperSonics.
Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves with 25 points, adding team highs of seven rebounds (tied) and six assists. Edwards has scored at least 25 points in each of his last six games, averaging 30.3 PPG, 6.0 RPG, and 5.8 APG over that span.
Backcourt mate Mike Conley scored 17 points, shooting 6-10 from the floor with five 3-pointers made. He did not commit a turnover or personal foul in 25 minutes of action.
Quick Hitters
Additional tidbits from last night’s games:
Franz Wagner had team highs of 28 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds to lead the Orlando Magic to a 127-119 victory over the Washington Wizards. Teammate Paolo Banchero scored 24 points and dished out eight assists, while Anthony Black chipped in with career highs of 23 points (9-13 field goals) and four steals. Jordan Poole scored a game-high 30 points for the Wizards, shooting 11-20 from the floor with six 3-pointers made. Wizards center Daniel Gafford scored 13 points (6-7 field goals) and recorded game highs of 13 rebounds and three blocks.
The Spurs have dropped 23 of their last 24 games, the latest setback a 130-118 loss to the Utah Jazz. Utah’s Lauri Markkanen tallied game highs of 31 points and 12 rebounds, making 12 of his 17 attempts from the field. Teammate Jordan Clarkson came off the bench to produce 24 points, eight assists, and six rebounds, while fellow guard Collin Sexton scored 20 points (8-10 field goals) and dished out six assists. The Spurs’ scoring attack was led by Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell, who scored 26 and 22 points, respectively. Spurs center Victor Wembanyama scored 15 points, grabbed a team-high seven rebounds, and blocked a game-high five shots in just 24 minutes played. It’s the fifth time Wembanyama has recorded at least 15 points and five blocks in a game, the most such games by a rookie since Tim Duncan in 1997-98 (12).
The Memphis Grizzlies have won all four games since Ja Morant’s return from a suspension, the latest a 116-115 overtime win over the New Orleans Pelicans. Morant scored a game-high 31 points to go with seven assists, while backcourt mate Desmond Bane scored 27 points and also dished out seven assists. Brandon Ingram recorded team highs of 24 points and seven assists for the Pelicans, while Zion Williamson contributed 23 points and 11 rebounds.
Tyrese Haliburton recorded game highs of 33 points and 10 assists in the Indiana Pacers’ 123-117 victory over the Houston Rockets. Haliburton shot 13-21 from the field, making seven of his 13 attempts from 3-point range. Alperen Sengun scored a team-high 30 points for the Rockets, adding a game-high 16 rebounds, five assists, and four steals.
The Chicago Bulls’ Andre Drummond took advantage of his first start of the season, scoring 24 points (11-13 field goals) and hauling in a game-high 25 rebounds in a 118-113 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. Drummond has 45 career 20-point, 20-rebound games, six more such games than the next three closest active players combined. Teammate DeMar DeRozan scored a game-high 25 points and also distributed a team-high six assists. Trae Young had 21 points and a game-high 13 assists for the Hawks, but made just six of his 17 shots from the field. Young has recorded at least 20 points and 10 assists in each of his last eight games, the longest such streak of his career and the fourth-longest such streak since the ABA-NBA merger.
Anfernee Simons scored a team-high 29 points as the Portland Trail Blazers raced past the Sacramento Kings 130-113. Teammate Duop Reath came off the bench to produce career highs of 25 points and nine rebounds, while rookie Scoot Henderson scored 17 points and handed out a career-high 11 assists. The Kings’ De’Aaron Fox led all scorers with 43 points, shooting 16-26 from the field with a career-high seven 3-pointers made. Kings center Domantas Sabonis scored a season-high 34 points (14-19 field goals) to go with a game-high 12 rebounds and a team-high five assists. Fox and Sabonis were the only Kings to score in double figures.
The LA Clippers’ James Harden tallied game highs of 29 points and eight assists in a 113-104 win over the Charlotte Hornets, handing the Hornets their eighth straight loss. Paul George added 25 points for the Clippers, surpassing 17,000 career points on a 3-pointer with 1:26 left in the fourth quarter. Clippers center Ivica Zubac scored 18 points on 7-11 shooting from the floor, also grabbing a game-high 14 rebounds. The Hornets’ Mile Bridges recorded team highs of 21 points and 11 rebounds, also handing out five assists.