Pistons set record for longest skid in a single season

The Detroit Pistons became the NBA’s first team to lose 27 straight games in a season, falling 118-112 to the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday.

The Nets beat the Pistons on Saturday in Brooklyn, handing them their 26th consecutive defeat to match the 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers and 2013-14 Philadelphia 76ers for the most losses in a row within one season.

Detroit no longer shares the unwanted mark.

Next up is the overall record of 28 straight losses, set by the Philadelphia 76ers from late in the 2014-15 season through early 2015-16.

At least matching the record seems likely with a game Thursday night against the NBA-leading Boston Celtics on the road.

The game against Brooklyn, like the season, started with some hope.

Detroit led 9-1 and had a 14-point lead in the first quarter before poor shooting, defense coupled with turnovers paved the way for Brooklyn to extend the Motor City’s misery. The Nets outscored the Pistons by 13 in the second quarter to lead 61-54 at halftime.

Cade Cunningham had 18 of his 41 points in the third quarter and made a threepointer early in the fourth to give Detroit a 97-92 lead.

Just as fans who nearly filled Little Caesars Arena started cheering with passion heard at a playoff game, the Nets went on a 13-0 run to take the lead for good.

Cunningham did his part to give the team a shot to finally win, but he didn’t have much help. Bojan Bogdanovic scored 23 points before fouling out, and after leaving Cam Johnson wide open for a three-pointer that gave Brooklyn a six-point lead with 1:40 to go. Jaden Ivey, the No. 5 pick last year, missed nine of 12 shots as the Nets backed off him and welcomed the guard to shoot.

In the final minute, fedup fans started to chant, “Sell the team!” though Pistons owner Tom Gores was not in the building to hear it.

Bulls center Nikola Vucevic sat out Tuesday night’s game against Atlanta because of bruised muscles around his left hip and groin, leaving Chicago without two star players. Coach Billy Donovan was not sure how long the two-time All-Star will be out. Zach LaVine sat out his 13th consecutive game because of inflammation in his right foot . ... Luka Doncic scored 50 points to eclipse 10,000 for his career and had 15 assists, lifting the Dallas Mavericks to a 128-114 win over Phoenix on Monday night . ... Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 31 points, and Miami coach Erik Spoelstra improved to 9-0 on Christmas as the Heat beat Philadelphia 119-113.