The Detroit Pistons pulled off one of the biggest comebacks in NBA history on Friday. Their 117-105 win over the Toronto Raptors locked in their spot in the playoffs — just one season after they had the league’s worst record, winning only 14 games.
No other team in NBA history has ever made the playoffs after such a poor season.
“Honestly, it’s hard to describe what we’re feeling right now,” said Pistons center Jalen Duren. “This just shows how much hard work we’ve put in since day one. But we’re not satisfied yet — we’re going to keep pushing and growing.”
From a Historic Losing Streak to a Winning Record
Just last year, the Pistons seemed hopeless. They went on a brutal 28-game losing streak — the longest in NBA history — and nearly broke the record for the longest losing streak in all of major American sports. That record belongs to the Chicago Cardinals, who lost 29 straight NFL games between 1942 and 1945.
Ironically, it was a win over the Raptors in December 2023 that ended Detroit’s losing streak. They finished last season 14-68 — but this year, they’ve turned everything around. They’ve tripled their win total, something no NBA team has ever done before.
With 43 wins so far, the Pistons are on track for their first winning season since 2015-16 and their first playoff appearance since 2018-19. Right now, they’re sitting at the No. 5 spot in the Eastern Conference.
“This is a big moment,” said Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff. “We don’t always stop to look back, but this team should take a moment to recognize what they’ve accomplished together. To go from where they were to making the playoffs — it’s huge.”
In Friday’s win, Duren scored 21 points and grabbed 18 rebounds. Tim Hardaway Jr. added 23 points, showing the team’s offense can still shine even without star player Cade Cunningham.
Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics made history too. Payton Pritchard hit the team’s 1,364th three-pointer of the season, setting a new NBA record and breaking the one previously held by the Golden State Warriors.