When will the Detroit Pistons win again? Here's who is left to play in 2023.

Wednesday’s 133-107 loss to the L.A. Lakers at Little Caesars Arena brought the Detroit Pistons to a new low: The defeat was their 15th straight this season, setting a franchise record for consecutive losses in a single season (breaking the previous mark set during the 1979-80, 1993-94 and 2021-22 seasons).

The good news for the Pistons: It’s still not the franchise’s overall mark for consecutive losses — that was set during the 1979-80 and 1980-81 seasons, when Detroit lost 14 straight under interim head coach Richie Adubato (who had taken over for Dick Vitale) and then seven straight to open the following campaign under new coach Scotty Robertson, for a total of 21 straight.

The bad news for the Pistons: There are still 64 games left this season, with 14 left in the 2023 calendar year — in other words, there’s still plenty of time to set the overall franchise losing streak record. (There’s still quite a ways to go to reach the NBA’s all-time single-season and overall marks, set by the Philadelphia 76ers — TRUST THE PROCESS — during the 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons: 26 and 28 losses, respectively.)

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But how bad could it get for the Pistons? Of their next 14 games, just three feature teams that entered Thursday with a losing record. Here’s a quick look at the foes through the end of December — losses in all of these games would give the Pistons both the NBA’s single-season and overall records:

(All records and statistics entering Thursday.)

Thursday: At New York Knicks (10-7)

The buzz: Unsurprisingly, coach Tom Thibodeau’s club is tough on defense, with its 105.1 points allowed per game tops in the league. Jalen Brunson leads the attack with 24.1 points and 5.2 assists per game with plenty of help from Julius Randle (19.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, 5.2 assists) and RJ Barrett (19.9/3.8/2.5).

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Saturday: Cleveland Cavaliers (10-8)

The buzz: The Cavs have six players averaging double figures in scoring, led by perennial Pistons “what if” Donovan Mitchell at 28 points per game (albeit in only 13 games). But the most motivated of the might be center Evan Mobley, who’s averaging 16.3 points and 10.9 rebounds a game this season after the Pistons passed on him in 2021 to take Cade Cunningham at No. overall.

Wednesday: Memphis Grizzlies (4-13)

The buzz: The first of two In-Season Tournament consolation-round games provides perhaps the Pistons’ best shot at a victory, especially at Little Caesars Arena. Then again, the Grizz are 1-8 at home and a solid (relatively, at least) 3-5 on the road, with former Michigan State basketball star Jaren Jackson Jr. averaging 19.4 points and 6.1 rebounds a game.

Dec. 8: At Orlando Magic (13-5)

The buzz: The Pistons’ In-Season Tournament experience finally comes to an end in Orlando, which appears to have hit on its own No. 1 overall pick; second-year forward Paolo Banchero is averaging 19.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists. (Former U-M first-rounder Franz Wagner is having a nice year, too: 20.2 points and 5.6 rebounds a game.)

Dec. 11: Indiana Pacers (9-7)

The buzz: The Pacers have a ridiculous EIGHT players with double-digit scoring averages, but none better than guard Tyrese Haliburton, who’s putting up 25.9 points a game to go with 11.9 assists and 3.78 rebounds. (The Pistons, of course, passed on Haliburton in favor of guard Killian Hayes with 2020’s No. 7 overall pick.) The Pistons were tied with the Pacers in the fourth quarter last week; they allowed a 30-7 run over the final 7:58.

Dec. 13: Philadelphia 76ers (12-6)

The buzz: Reigning MVP Joel Embiid almost makes us feel bad for the “PROCESS” joke earlier, as he’s averaging 32 points, 11.3 rebounds and 6.6 assists a game. He put up 33 points (including a 16-for-19 mark on free throws) in Philly’s Nov. 10 win at LCA over the Pistons, in which Detroit got to the line just 22 times (making 18).

Dec. 15: At 76ers (12-6)

The buzz: The Sixers are also getting good production from former Piston Tobias Harris — the 31-year-old is averaging 18.2 points (third on the roster), 6.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists in just over 35 minutes a game. (Another ex-Piston, Marcus Morris, is averaging 4.3 points and 10.6 minutes a game.)

Dec. 16: At Milwaukee Bucks (13-5)

The buzz: The blockbuster offseason trade that brought Damian Lillard to Milwaukee appears to be working out, as the guard is putting up 26 points, 6.4 assists and 4.4 rebounds a game, pairing well with Giannis Antetokounmpo (30.1 points, 10.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists).

Dec. 18: At Atlanta Hawks (8-9)

The buzz: Will this be a Double Bogey? The Hawks’ Bogdan Bogdanovic (from Serbia) has been healthy all season, shooting 39.1% on 3-pointers while putting up 15.9 points and 3.2 rebounds a night; the Pistons’ Bojan Bogdanovic (from Bosnia and Herzegovina) is back practicing but has yet to appear in a game this season.

Dec. 21: Utah Jazz (6-12)

The buzz: The franchise's top 2023 draft pick Taylor Hendricks (No. 8, UCF) has played just one game, but the Jazz are getting some good work from fellow first-rounder Kevonte George (No. 16, Baylor), who’s averaging 9.8 points and 4.9 assists a game.

Dec. 23: At Brooklyn Nets (9-8)

The buzz: Mikal Bridges, who came over from the Suns in February as part of the Kevin Durant trad, is averaging 21.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 34.8 minutes a game.

Dec. 26: Nets (9-8)

The buzz: It’s a return to Detroit for former Pistons second-rounder Spencer Dinwiddie (No. 38 overall in 2014). After recovering from a brutal knee injury in 2020, Dinwiddie is averaging 14.6 points, 6.4 assists and four rebounds a game at age 30.

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Dec. 28: At Boston Celtics (14-4)

The buzz: The NBA leaders have yet to lose at home in eight tries. Gulp. Trading away guard Marcus Smart hasn’t hurt the Celtics much, thanks to the additions of guard Jrue Holiday (12.4 points, 7.4 rebounds) and Kristaps Porzingis (18.9 points, 6.7 rebounds). Having All-Everything star Jayson Tatum, who already has eight 30-point games this season, doesn’t hurt, either.

Dec. 30: Toronto Raptors (9-10)

The buzz: Scottie Barnes, the 2021-22 Rookie of the Year after going fourth in the 2021 draft, is hitting the next level, shooting 37.9% from 3-point range while averaging 19.1 points, 9.2 rebounds and 5.5 assists. He had 17, nine and seven, respectively, in the Raps’ Nov. 19 blowout of the Pistons in Toronto, in just 25:14 on the court.

Contact Ryan Ford at rford@freepress.com. Follow him on X (which used to be Twitter, y’know?) @theford.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Pistons schedule: When will they stop record losing skid?