Kelly Olynyk’s 25 points led a depleted Utah Jazz team to a 119-111 victory over the Detroit Pistons, handing Detroit their 25th consecutive loss, just one shy of the NBA’s single-season record. However, the longest losing streak of all-time spanned 28 games by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2015 but occurred over multiple seasons.
Pistons coach Monty Williams expressed deep frustration, particularly given the loss came against a Jazz team that had played the night before and was missing several key players. The Pistons, now with a record of 2-26, faced disapproval from their fans, who loudly chanted for the team’s ownership to sell the franchise.
“I want to be careful with my words, because this one hurts more than most of them,” Williams said. “A team that played last night got (50) points off turnovers and rebounds. It is unbelievably hard to understand how we can get outworked in those categories.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Kelly Olynyk, Utah Jazz, Detroit Pistons Updates
Despite the disheartening record, Pistons player Cade Cunningham, who scored 28 points with 10 assists, remained optimistic about the team’s potential for improvement.
“We’re not 2-26 bad — no way are we that bad,” Cunningham said. “I think we can turn this around. We can play a much better brand of basketball.”
Utah, playing without top scorers Lauri Markkanen, Jordan Clarkson, Keyonte George, and Talen Horton-Tucker, secured the win on the back of a collective team effort, highlighted by Jazz coach Will Hardy.
“That’s a really, really good team win for us,” Hardy said. “That’s a hard game to play [on the] second night of a back-to-back on the road with a bunch of guys out.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Kelly Olynyk, Utah Jazz, Detroit Pistons Updates
Collin Sexton contributed 19 points for Utah, while Ochai Agbaji added 18. The Pistons’ Jaden Ivey and Marvin Bagley III scored 24 and 22 points, respectively, but the rest of the team struggled offensively.
The Jazz, led by a slim margin entering the fourth quarter, capitalized on Detroit’s poor shooting to build their lead. Despite a brief rally by the Pistons, highlighted by a three-pointer from Bojan Bogdanovic, Utah held on, with key plays from Olynyk and Sexton sealing the win.
Coach Hardy emphasized Utah’s focus on rebounding, a key aspect of their offensive identity, as they finished with 15 offensive rebounds. The Pistons’ struggles continued into the fourth quarter, particularly from the three-point line.
“Rebounding is something we’ve emphasized all season, and it is definitely part of our identity on the offensive side of the ball,” Hardy said.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Kelly Olynyk, Utah Jazz, Detroit Pistons Updates
Cunningham reflected on the team’s performance, acknowledging the historical implications of their losing streak and the need for improvement.
“We had a chance to win it down the stretch, and we just weren’t solid enough,” Cunningham said. “This is history no one wants to be a part of.”
Looking ahead, the Jazz are set to play in Toronto, while the Pistons will face Brooklyn, both games scheduled for Saturday night.
