The relief was huge: The Detroit Pistons have the longest negative streak in the history of the North American professional basketball league N.B.A completed. Against the Toronto Raptors Dennis Schröder won again after 28 defeats. The team out Detroit won on Sunday night (December 31, 2023) with 129:127 (52:44).
“The boys screamed. I was almost in tears. I’m just so happy for our guys and for everyone in the locker room” said Pistons-Trainer Monty Williams. Detroit had the mark of 28 defeats Philadelphia 76ers discontinued in 2015. In all four major US sports leagues, only the NFL team has Chicago Cardinals (today Arizona Cardinals) lost one more game in a row – during World War II.
Schröder scored 30 points for the Raptors for the first time, and the playmaker also had nine assists. RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, who were signed by the New York Knicks before the game, were not yet allowed to take part. Toronto gave away OG Anunoby, among others, for this.
Haliburton writes history, James with frustration on his birthday
The New York Knicks, with Isaiah Hartenstein in the starting lineup, lost to the Indiana Pacers 126:140. Hartenstein only scored two points, but he had nine rebounds, six assists and four ball wins. For the Pacers, Tyrese Haliburton shone with 22 points and, above all, 23 assists. He is only the third player (alongside John Stockton and Magic Johnson) in NBA history to have at least 20 points and 20 assists in two consecutive games.
In the Western Conference, the Minnesota Timberwolves spoiled LeBron James’ 39th birthday with a narrow 108:106 win against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers’ star player started the game sickly and struggled with the end of the game. His supposed equalizer three seconds before the end was changed from a three-point throw to a two-point throw, but with the final siren he missed the last throw of the game. James ended up with 26 points, Anthony Davis shone with 17 rebounds and 33 points.
Luka Doncic led the Dallas Mavericks to a 132-122 road win at the Golden State Warriors with 39 points.