BROOKLYN Nets sent Detroit Pistons to NBA record 27th consecutive defeat with a 118-112 victory in the 2023-2024 NBA Season on Tuesday night (Wednesday in the Philippines) at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan.
Cameron Johnson spearheaded the offense with 24 points, including four three-point conversions, while Mikal Bridges chipped in 21 points, four rebounds, and three assists for the Nets.
Cameron Thomas and Dorian Finney-Smith contributed 17 and 11 points, respectively, while Nicholas Claxton and Day’Ron Sharpe had an identical double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds as the Nets improved to 15-15 record.
Down 92-97 early in the fourth quarter, the Nets turned things around with a massive 13-0 scoring run behind Bridges, Sharpe and Finney-Smith as they established a 105-97 advantage.
The Pistons still tried to salvage the game as they cut the deficit to 106-109, but back-to-back three-pointers from Johnson and Finney-Smith followed by free throws by Bridges secured the win for the Nets.
Cade Cunningham tallied 41 points, nine rebounds and five assists; Bojan Bogdanovic added 23 markers; and Alec Burks and Jalen Duren ended with 15 and 12, respectively, as the Pistons dropped to 2-28 mark.
This was the Monty Williams-mentored Pistons’ 27th consecutive defeat this season since scoring back-to-back wins against Charlotte Hornets (111-99 on Oct. 28) and Chicago Bulls (118-102 on Oct. 29).
The current losing skid of the Pistons also surpassed the previous NBA losing record of 26 straight by Philadelphia 76ers in the 2013-2014 season and Cleveland Cavaliers in 2010-2011.
The Pistons is also in danger of not attaining a victory for the second straight month as they will end the year against league-leading Boston Celtics on Dec. 29 and Toronto Raptors on New Year’s Eve.
Meanwhile, Andre Drummond made most of a rare start to lead Chicago Bulls (14-18) to a 118-113 victory over Atlanta Hawks (12-18) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
Drummond, who started in the absence of Nikola Vucevic, hauled season-high 25 rebounds to go with 24 points to spearhead the Bulls to a come-from-behind win./PN
BOX SCORE:
BROOKLYN 118 – Johnson 24, Bridges 21, Thomas 17, Claxton 11, Sharpe 11, Finney-Smith 11, Dinwiddie 9, O’Neale 8, Smith 6.
DETROIT 112 – Cunningham 41, Bogdanovic 23, Burks 15, Duren 12, Ivey 9, Stewart 7, Knox 3, Thompson 2, Sasser 0, Wiseman 0.
Quarterscores: 25-31, 61-54, 88-85, 118-112.
