NBA world reacts as Pistons suffer record-tying 28th straight loss in crushing fashion

The Detroit Pistons had a prime opportunity to pull off the unimaginable on Thursday night.

On the brink of matching the longest overall losing streak in NBA history, Detroit raced out to a 21-point first-half advantage over the league-best Celtics at TD Garden in Boston.

While Boston erased Detroit's 19-point halftime lead in the third quarter, the Pistons didn't allow the C's to run away with the game in the fourth. Both teams made buckets inside the final 10 seconds of regulation as the game went into overtime.

The goaltending on Tatum's layup gives the Celtics a 108-106 lead 👀

8 seconds remaining, Pistons ball on NBA TV!

Pistons-Celtics | Live on NBA TV
📲 https://t.co/Q9lUtN6Nv0 pic.twitter.com/7dF48U1sSS

— NBA (@NBA) December 29, 2023

Bogdanovic's putback ties it up with 4.6 seconds remaining ‼️

Pistons-Celtics | Live on NBA TV
📲 https://t.co/Q9lUtN6Nv0 pic.twitter.com/2dAnpoSxg6

— NBA (@NBA) December 29, 2023

But in the extra period, the Celtics put the Pistons' upset hopes to bed, securing a 128-122 victory.

The crushing road defeat gives the Pistons 28 consecutive losses, tied for the longest overall losing streak in league history. The Philadelphia 76ers also lost 28 straight from the end of the 2014-15 season into the beginning of the 2015-16 campaign.

The Pistons previously broke the single-season NBA record for consecutive losses on Tuesday when they suffered their 27th straight defeat at the hands of the Brooklyn Nets.

Here's how the NBA world reacted to Detroit's latest historic loss:

The Detroit Pistons blew a 19 point halftime lead and have now lost 28 straight games😬

pic.twitter.com/XVbONUY2tn

— Fanatics Sportsbook | PB (@fanaticsbook_pb) December 29, 2023

The Celtics decided to give the Pistons a head start and still won… pic.twitter.com/qVzReDKKPD

— Celtics Junkies (@Celtics_Junkies) December 29, 2023

the pistons are like watching a 16th seed try to beat a 1 seed but every single night over and over again. elite content.

— alex (@steven_lebron) December 29, 2023

The Celtics after avoiding being the team the Pistons snapped the losing streak against pic.twitter.com/btBI7zUas1

— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) December 29, 2023

NEW DETROIT PISTONS BANNER 🫡 pic.twitter.com/k1iOj5NyKW

— Kofie.bsky.social (@Kofie) December 29, 2023

"What was the Pistons' 28th consecutive loss like?" pic.twitter.com/SBqe9VZG5N

— FanDuel (@FanDuel) December 29, 2023

pistons fans never getting them damn wings pic.twitter.com/91NkgmKF3M

— 𝐬𝐞a✬ (@destroynectar) December 29, 2023

If they just put the Pistons on National TV every game until that streak ends I wouldn’t complain

— RB (@RyB_311) December 29, 2023

You know this losing streak means something when my mom who doesn’t watch basketball is texting me live updates about the Pistons

— ry (@NinjaBands) December 29, 2023

We are 4 days away from 2024 and the Texas Rangers have still won a game more recently than the Detroit Pistons

— lynzie ✭ (@lynziekate) December 29, 2023

Pistons are easily the best team to ever lose 28 straight games.

— Frank Isola (@TheFrankIsola) December 29, 2023

Detroit, which hasn't won a game since Oct. 28, will now have to beat the Toronto Raptors at home on Saturday to avoid a record-breaking 29th straight loss.

“I’m not interested in just winning one more game this year -- you know what I mean? To stop this. That would be soft, in my opinion,” Pistons guard Cade Cunningham said.

“Our goals are a lot higher than that. We have what it takes to win a game, that’s nothing. But to put games together, to find our system, find what’s clicking and allow us to sustain winning. That’s all we’re looking for.”

The now-2-29 Pistons also find themselves in danger of recording one of the worst seasons in league history. The 1972-73 Sixers own the record for most losses (73), the 1947-48 Providence Steam Rollers own the record for fewest wins (6) and the 2011-12 Charlotte Bobcats own the record for worst winning percentage (.106).

The Associated Press contributed to this story.