The Detroit Pistons are making history.
Just the wrong kind.
I dunno about you all, but I’ll remember where I was the day Detroit established a new franchise low by losing their 22nd-straight game. I was at home, on my couch, addressing Christmas cards with my wife while sipping on egg nog and watching the Pistons.
Comfort and joy. And pain.
Is it really painful anymore?I mean, collectively, we’ve all gotta be numb to it now. The 124-90 annihilation at the hands of the Philadelphia 76ers is just the latest “new low” as Detroit has passed the 1979-80 (and 1980-81) team(s) that lost 21-straight games over the course of two seasons.
Yep, Troy Weaver’s restoration apparently required a detour to the worst team in Detroit history. That was all part of his plan.
I don’t even know if I can appropriately analyze the basketball. Detroit just did not care. The team let go of the rope. They gave Philly a nominal effort on Wednesday. Tonight they just rolled over after an encouraging first quarter.
With Joel Embiid (35 points, 13 rebounds) on the bench, the Sixers started the second with a little run to make it a double-digit lead. Detroit, faced with adversity, folded like a cardboard box.
They had 21 turnovers. They shot 4 of 21 from 3-point range. James Wiseman led the way with 20 points and 13 rebounds off the bench, because of course Wiseman would have a great game in one that the Pistons lost by 32 points.
Cade Cunningham was horrendous, finishing with 4 points (2/9 shooting) with 3 rebounds and 2 assists. He hasn’t been good enough in this nightmare stretch, but tonight even he looked checked out. That is bad.
Isaiah Stewart had 4 points and 4 rebounds and Ausar Thompson had 6 points and 2 rebounds. You wouldn’t even know they played, honestly. That’s how little impact they had.
Jaden Ivey gave a crap, playing hard, albeit not well, with 10 points and 3 assists off the bench. Bojan Bogdanovic score 17 on 6 of 12 shooting. He’s not good enough to save them from games like this, but him shooting well is good for his trade value.
But that brings up another elephant in the room, albeit smaller than the historically embarrassing losing streak: Tom Gores has to wake up and do something here, right?
Like, I’ve given y’all my thoughts on this, but is he really going to give Weaver the opportunity to make another move with Bojan representing their only veteran asset that can bring back something that might help?
It’s a slippery slope. If Gores lets Weaver make that deal, you probably aren’t firing him… which feels insane right now. But if Gores won’t let him make the move, that is also insane because at that point just fire him.
I guess we’ll just have to see if they break the 76ers’ record of 28-straight losses, because I think that’s what it’s gonna take for Gores to do anything.
It’s all terrible, but I don’t need to remind you of that.
Let’s talk about it in the comments. The Milwaukee Bucks are on deck tomorrow for the Pistons.
I’m sure that’ll go well.