Detroit Pistons finally stop losing streak after 28 games
DETROIT — The locker room reaction described by Detroit coach Monty Williams sounded almost like a championship celebration.
It was far from it, but the sense of relief for the Pistons was palpable: At long last, they are winners again — even if just for one night.
Cade Cunningham had 30 points and 12 assists as Detroit ended its NBA record-tying losing streak at 28 games with a 129-127 victory over the shorthanded Toronto Raptors on Saturday night.
“I’ve been in a ton of locker rooms my whole life, but that’s a first for me,” Williams said. “Guys were screaming. I was almost in tears. I’m just so happy for our guys and for everyone in the locker room.”
The Pistons, who hadn’t won since beating the Chicago Bulls 118-102 on Oct. 28 in a 2-1 start to the season, matched the Philadelphia 76ers’ league record of 28 consecutive losses, split over the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons. They finished one shy of the record for the four major American and Canadian leagues; the NFL’s Chicago Cardinals lost 29 games in a row from 1942-45.
“I feel amazing,” Cunningham said. “We just kept battling. It’s been a long stretch, all these losses, but I’m just happy to be part of a group of guys who don’t quit.”
Jalen Duren had 18 points and 17 rebounds for Detroit (3-29) while Kevin Knox II scored 17 points.
“I’m just so happy we were able to get that,” Duren said. “We’ve been fighting hard for a couple of months to get one, and we’ve been through a lot of adversity.”
Pascal Siakam had 35 points and Dennis Schroder scored 28 for Toronto, which was coming off Friday night’s 120-118 loss to the Boston Celtics — who beat the Pistons in overtime on Thursday to extend their skid.
The Raptors also traded OG Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa and Malachi Flynn to the New York Knicks earlier Saturday. They received RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, but they were not available in Detroit.
“It was a very emotional day for everyone,” Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic said. “I’m really proud of the energy our guys had, taking everything into account.
“I also don’t want to take anything away from what Detroit did. They played a really good game and hit some very, very timely shots.”
The Pistons led 90-86 going into the fourth quarter, and neither team was able to put together a run until back-to-back 3-pointers by Cunningham and Jaden Ivey stretched Detroit’s lead to 110-99 with 5:50 to go.
Toronto responded with an 8-2 run, including six points from Scottie Barnes, but Cunningham’s jumper made it 114-107, and the Pistons got three straight stops against Siakam. Another jumper by Cunningham moved the margin to nine with 1:34 to play.
Siakam’s 3 made it 126-122 with 17 seconds left, but the Pistons clinched the game from the foul line. Gary Trent Jr. hit a 3-pointer with a second left, but the celebration was already beginning.
The Raptors trailed by eight points at halftime, but Siakam and Trent scored 24 points in eight minutes to put Toronto ahead 75-74. Siakam finished with 20 of Toronto’s 42 points in the quarter, and more importantly, drove Cunningham to the bench with four fouls.