Who cares that the Toronto Raptors were short-handed, or executed a big trade earlier in the day, or were playing the second game of a back-to-back on the road?
For the Detroit Pistons, just one win meant everything.
And win they did, barely (129-127), but a win it was. After 28 straight losses to break the NBA season record, that was good enough.
“I’ve been in a ton of locker rooms my whole life, but that’s a first for me,” Pistons coach Monty Williams told reporters. “Guys were screaming. I was almost in tears. I’m just so happy for our guys and for everyone in the locker room.”
Not surprisingly, guard Cade Cunningham led Detroit (3-29) with 30 points and 13 assists. The former No. 1 overall draft pick has been great all season — despite the team’s results.
“I feel amazing,” Cunningham said. “We just kept battling. It’s been a long stretch, all these losses, but I’m just happy to be part of a group of guys who don’t quit.”
Detroit finished one short of the record for consecutive losses in all four major American and Canadian leagues, set by the NFL’s Chicago Cardinals during World War II.
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