NEW YORK (AP) — The Detroit Pistons have matched the NBA record for the longest losing streak within one season, falling 126-115 to the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night for their 26th straight loss. The Pistons joined the 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers and 2013-14 Philadelphia 76ers, dropping to 2-27 in their first season under Monty Williams. The Nets put them away with a 15-0 run to open a 21-point lead and ensure that Detroit would remain winless since Oct. 28. The teams will meet again Tuesday in Detroit, with the Pistons nearing the overall longest skid in league history. The 76ers lost 28 consecutive games from late in the 2014-15 season through early 2015-16.
Elsewhere in the NBA:
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — LeBron James scored a season-high 40 points and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 129-120 on Saturday night to snap a four-game losing streak. Anthony Davis, who had called this a must-win game, added 26 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists for the Lakers. Rui Hachimura scored 21 points and Austin Reaves chipped in 11 points and 10 assists for Los Angeles, which had gone 1-5 since winning the In-Season Tournament. The 38-year-old James was 13 of 20 from the field, hitting five 3-pointers without a miss, and made all nine of his free throws. He also had seven rebounds, seven assists and two blocks. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 points for Oklahoma City.
MIAMI (AP) — Erik Spoelstra was part of 12 Christmas games as a staff member, assistant coach or head coach in his first 20 seasons with the Miami Heat. And in the eight seasons that followed, the Heat played on Christmas only once. He says playing on Christmas beats not playing on Christmas. The Heat return to the league’s holiday slate for the first time since 2020 on Monday, when they meet the Philadelphia 76ers as part of the NBA’s traditional Christmas quintuple header. The other games are Milwaukee at New York, Golden State at Denver, Boston at the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas at Phoenix.
