The Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, and Washington Wizards are a combined 1-48 in their last 49 games this season. Detroit (0-19), San Antonio (0-16), and Washington (1-13) are currently on pace to finish with the best odds to secure the top lottery pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Detroit is 2-20, and the club’s losing streak is the longest in one season in franchise history and second-longest overall behind a 21-game skid at the end of the 1979-80 season and the start of 1980-81. The streak is the longest in the NBA since the Houston Rockets lost 20 straight in 2020-21.
The Pistons, Spurs, and Wizards are a combined 1-48 in their last 49 games 😬
🧱 Detroit: 0-19
🧱 San Antonio: 0-16
🧱 Washington: 1-13
The 1 win is when Detroit got to play Washington. pic.twitter.com/KcPM8J0qpf
— BrickMuse (@BrickMuse) December 9, 2023
The Philadelphia 76ers hold both NBA records, setting the single-season mark at 26 in a row in 2013-14 and the overall mark at 28 at the end of 2014-15 and start of 2015-16. However, their losses paid off for them at the end of the 2013-14 season. Philly selected Joel Embiid third overall in the 2014 draft.
Moreover, the Pistons are the first team to lose 20 of their first 22 games of a season since the 2015-16 Sixers. Detroit is also the fifth team since 2000 to lose 20 of its first 22 games in a season with a point differential per game of minus-10.0 or worse, per ESPN Stats & Information.
Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs’ slumps mark third NBA season with multiple teams on 16-plus-game losing streaks
Not only did Detroit lose its 19th straight game, but the Spurs also lost their franchise-record-tying 16th in a row. San Antonio is now 3-18 this season, its worst start in franchise history through 21 games.
Washington is arguably the best of the worst, having won three of its last 21 games this season. The Wizards’ nine-game losing streak was snapped on Nov. 27 against none other than Detroit. Though, Washington went on to lose its next four contests.
Plus, the Wizards haven’t made the playoffs since 2020-21. Washington’s last conference semifinals appearance was back in 2016-17. Likewise, the Pistons and Spurs haven’t qualified for the postseason since 2018-19.
The Pistons have lost 19 consecutive games 😬
The longest losing streak in NBA history is 28 games. pic.twitter.com/Bxdb4jwd7T
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) December 9, 2023
This marks the third season in NBA history to feature multiple teams on losing streaks of 16-plus games at the same time. The other instances were the San Diego Clippers and Cleveland Cavaliers in April 1982, and Minnesota Timberwolves and Wizards in March 2010.
Additionally, the Pistons, Spurs, and Rockets all had a 14% chance to land the top pick in the 2023 draft, the best odds of any team. Of course, San Antonio went on to win the lottery and select Victor Wembanyama first overall in this year’s draft.
Wembanyama is the first NBA player to record at least 350 points, 50 assists, 25 steals, and 50 blocks in his first 20 career games.
At 19 years and 338 days, he also became the youngest player in league history to post 20 points and 20 rebounds in a single game, passing the mark held by Dwight Howard in 2005 by just four days.
