The Boston Celtics heaped more misery on the Detroit Pistons with a 128-122 overtime win on Thursday night to hand them their 28th defeat of the season, as they tied the Philadelphia 76ers for the NBA’s all-time record of consecutive losses.
Although the Pistons’ defeat at the TD Garden was unlike many others, as they fought valiantly for a dub, they eventually succumbed to the more superior and experienced Celtics, who continued to stake their claim as the best team in the league this season.
Detroit came out guns blazing in the first two quarters, heading into halftime with a 19-point lead that rose to about 21 points in the third quarter. However, Boston showed why they currently have the league’s best record, fighting back to take a six-point lead in the final quarter.
The Pistons were equal to the task, and they drew themselves level on point with a 26-26 fourth quarter to force overtime, but the home side had too much firepower, claiming a 20-14 win in overtime to seal victory by six points.
Final pic.twitter.com/As62Nj9G0e
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) December 29, 2023
Thursday night’s game was the first time this season that the Monty Williams-led Pistons side had led by more than 20 points and the first time they had gotten to overtime in the two months since their last win.
Although they tallied the 76ers record of 28 straight defeats, theirs is more jarring as it has occurred in a single season, with Philadelphia’s record spread across two seasons (2014–15 and 2015–16).
Kristaps Porzingis led all scorers with 35 points along with 8 rebounds; Jayson Tatum finished with 31 points, 7 rebounds, and 10 assists; and Derrick White poured in 23 points to help Boston seal their 24th win of the season and their fourth in a row.
Former No. 1 pick Cade Cunnigham led the Pistons with 31 points, 6 rebounds, and 9 assists, scoring 22 points in the first half. Jaden Ivey finished with a 22-point and 10-rebound double-double; Bojan Bogdanović added 17 points and 12 rebounds; and 20-year-old Jalen Duren poured in 15 points and 14 rebounds as the Pistons fell to 2-29 this season.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Pisons set the NBA record for most consecutive losses in a season with their 27th in a row in a 118-112 loss to the Brooklyn Nets.
They will be looking to stop the bleeding quickly and not outright own the unwanted record of the NBA’s all-time record of consecutive losses when they host the Toronto Raptors at the Little Caesars Arena on Saturday night.
