The Detroit Pistons find themselves on the cusp of an undesirable NBA record as they struggle through a challenging phase in the 2023-24 season. While the team exhibited promise initially by securing victories against the Hornets and Bulls, their performance took a sharp downturn afterward, resulting in an unprecedented losing streak of 26 consecutive games. It’s been nearly two months since the Pistons last celebrated a triumph.
This prolonged streak places the Pistons in a tie for the longest single-season losing streak in NBA history. They currently share this dubious distinction with two other teams. However, Detroit is teetering dangerously close to surpassing this unwanted milestone, being just two losses away from breaking the all-time record, which spanned across multiple seasons.
To contextualize this predicament, the Philadelphia 76ers hold the record for the longest losing streak in NBA history, enduring 28 consecutive losses that bridged the end of the 2014-15 season and the start of the 2015-16 season. Notably, the Pistons now find themselves in the company of the 2010-11 Cavaliers, the 2013-14 76ers, and their current plight in the 2023-24 season, all sharing the ignominy of a 26-game single-season losing streak.
The looming challenge for the Pistons is to break free from this unenviable streak and reverse their fortunes before etching their name in the annals of NBA history for the wrong reasons.
Here are the longest losing streaks in NBA history:
| Rank | Team | Year | Losing streak |
| 1 | Philadelphia 76ers | 2015* | 28 |
| 2 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 2010-11 | 26 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 2014 | 26 | |
| Detroit Pistons | 2023 | 26 | |
| 5 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 1982* | 24 |
| 6 | Charlotte Bobcats | 2012 | 23 |
| Denver Nuggets | 1997-98 | 23 | |
| Vancouver Grizzlies | 1996 | 23 | |
| 9 | Detroit Pistons | 1980* | 21 |
| 10 | Houston Rockets | 2021 | 20 |
| LA Clippers | 1994* | 20 | |
| Dallas Mavericks | 1993 | 20 | |
| New York Knicks | 1985* | 20 | |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 1973 | 20 |
Pistons schedule 2023-24
| Date | Opponent | Time (ET) | TV channel |
| Dec. 26 | vs. Nets | 7 p.m. | — |
| Dec. 28 | at Celtics | 7:30 p.m. | NBA TV |
| Dec. 30 | vs. Raptors | 6 p.m. | — |
| Jan. 1 | at Rockets | 8 p.m. | — |
When did the Pistons’ losing streak begin?
| Date | Opponent | Result | Streak |
| Oct. 30 | at Thunder | L, 124-112 | 1 |
| Nov. 1 | vs. Trail Blazers | L, 110-101 | 2 |
| Nov. 2 | at Pelicans | L, 125-116 | 3 |
| Nov. 5 | vs. Suns | L, 120-106 | 4 |
| Nov. 6 | vs. Warriors | L, 120-109 | 5 |
| Nov. 8 | at Bucks | L, 120-118 | 6 |
| Nov. 10 | vs. 76ers | L, 114-106 | 7 |
| Nov. 12 | at Bulls | L, 119-108 | 8 |
| Nov. 14 | vs. Hawks | L, 126-120 | 9 |
| Nov. 17 | at Cavaliers | L, 108-100 | 10 |
| Nov. 19 | at Raptors | L, 142-113 | 11 |
| Nov. 20 | vs. Nuggets | L, 107-103 | 12 |
| Nov. 24 | at Pacers | L, 136-113 | 13 |
| Nov. 27 | vs. Wizards | L, 126-107 | 14 |
| Nov. 29 | vs. Lakers | L, 133-107 | 15 |
| Nov. 30 | at Knicks | L, 118-112 | 16 |
| Dec. 2 | vs. Cavaliers | L, 110-101 | 17 |
| Dec. 6 | vs. Grizzlies | L, 116-102 | 18 |
| Dec. 8 | at Magic | L, 123-91 | 19 |
| Dec. 11 | vs. Pacers | L, 131-123 | 20 |
| Dec. 13 | vs. 76ers | L, 129-111 | 21 |
| Dec. 15 | at 76ers | L, 124-92 | 22 |
| Dec. 16 | at Bucks | L, 146-114 | 23 |
| Dec. 18 | at Hawks | L, 130-124 | 24 |
| Dec. 21 | vs. Jazz | L, 119-111 | 25 |
| Dec. 23 | at Nets | L, 126-115 | 26 |