Pistons tie NBA record for longest losing streak in a season at 26 with loss to Nets

Pistons players sat in stunned silence in one corner of the locker room, stared blankly ahead in another.

The worst stretch of basketball in their lives now ranks as one of the worst in NBA history.

Detroit matched the league record for the longest losing streak in a single season, falling 126-115 to the Brooklyn Nets in New York on Saturday night for its 26th straight loss.

"None of us went through this, ever," centre Isaiah Stewart said. "This is the hardest thing probably all of us went through, especially being in the pros."

The Pistons joined the 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers and 2013-14 Philadelphia 76ers, dropping to 2-27 in their first season under Monty Williams. They were in the game in the second half before 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.

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The teams will meet again Tuesday night 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.

"Everybody wants to win, everybody hates losing, so it's hard," guard Cade Cunningham said. "We've got to be realistic as well. Can't just keep saying the same things over and over, like we'll get the next one. There has to be like a plan of action, so we're just trying to figure that out."

The Nets shot 52 per cent from the field, showing plenty of energy in their second night of back-to-back games after losing to the NBA champion Denver Nuggets on Friday. They got some easy baskets thanks to the Pistons, whose 14 turnovers led to 22 points.

Williams said he didn't feel like their bad play was leading to bad luck