Celtics send Pistons to 28th straight setback

BOSTON: The Pistons’ 28th loss in a row was unlike any of the many, many other defeats that came before it in what is now tied for the longest losing streak in NBA history.

The result was the same.

Detroit opened a 21-point lead against the league-best Boston Celtics on Thursday (Friday in Manila) and then rallied from a six-point deficit in the final minutes to force overtime before the Celtics recovered to win 128-122. It was the first time all season the Pistons led by more than 20 points, and the first time they had gotten to overtime in the two months since their last win.

“I’m unbelievably proud of the group, the way they bring it,” Pistons coach Monty Williams said. “They’ve heard all the stuff about our team and they just keep bringing it. I know it’s going to pay off.”

Detroit fell to 2-29 and matched the “Trust the Process” Philadelphia 76ers with 28 consecutive losses; the Pistons need a victory at home against Toronto on Saturday night to avoid breaking the NBA record for longest losing streak

In major North American sports, only the NFL’s Chicago Cardinals, who lost 29 straight from 1942-45, have had a longer losing streak.

“I’m not interested in just winning one more game this year — you know what I mean? To stop this. That would be soft, in my opinion,” said Pistons guard Cade Cunningham, who scored 22 points in the first half but missed a potential-winning 3-pointer with seven seconds left in regulation.

“Our goals are a lot higher than that. We have what it takes to win a game, that’s nothing. But to put games together, to find our system, find what’s clicking and allow us to sustain winning. That’s all we’re looking for.”

Tatum had 31 points and 10 assists for Boston, which won its fourth straight and its ninth in the last 10 games. The Celtics, who were without Jaylen Brown, are 15-0 at home this season and have the league’s best record, 24-6.

Ivey had 22 points and 10 rebounds, Jalen Duren had 15 points and 14 rebounds and Bogdanovich had 17 points and 12 boards.

The Pistons set the NBA record for most consecutive losses in a season Tuesday night with their 27th in a row, a 118-112 loss to Brooklyn. The Sixers’ streak stretched over two seasons, 2014-15 and 2015-16.

Nuggets 142, Grizzlies 105

In Denver, Nikola Jokic was perfect from the field and free throw line, finishing with 26 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists as the Denver Nuggets posted their highest point total of the season.

Jokic was 11 for 11 from the field, hit his only 3-point try and went 3 for 3 from the line. The performance followed another near-perfect outing after he converted all 18 free throws Monday in a 120-114 win over Golden State.

It was the 116th regular-season triple-double of Jokic’s career, and that ranks fourth all-time in NBA history and 22 behind Magic Johnson for third place. Russell Westbrook tops the list with 198, and Oscar Robertson has 181 all-time.

Jokic went to the bench after feeding Christian Braun for a dunk with 1:31 left in the third quarter and completing his 11th triple-double of the season.

Memphis played without Ja Morant, who was sidelined due to illness. Morant missed his first game since returning from a 25-game suspension at the start of the season. The Grizzlies had won all four games in which Morant has played since making his season debut December 19 at New Orleans.

Desmond Bane led Memphis with 23 points, and Marcus Smart scored 17. Memphis is 6-20 when Morant is out of the lineup.

Jamal Murray scored 20 or more points for the fourth straight game, finishing with 23 points and nine assists. Peyton Watson scored a career-high 20 for Denver, which has won six in a row, also a season best. Murray had 10 points in a high-scoring third quarter when the Nuggets’ lead rached 32 points, before the Grizzlies cut it to 23.

Denver outscored Memphis 41-35 in the period and led by as many 38 in the fourth.

Pacers 120, Bulls 104

In Chicago, NBA assists leader Tyrese Haliburton had a career-high 20 without a turnover and scored 21 points.

“You don’t get 20 assists without guys making a lot of shots,” Haliburton said after the Pacers shot 50.6 percent from the field. “I’ve done a terrible job of taking care of the ball lately, so it’s good to see zero turnovers again.”

Questionable to play before the game because of a sore lower back, became the fifth player in NBA history to have 20 or more assists without a turnover, following Kevin Porter (1978), John Lucas (1983), Rickey Green (1984) and Chris Paul (2016).

Myles Turner led Indiana with 24 points, and Buddy Hield added 19 points. The high-scoring Pacers were 19 of 42 from 3-point range en route to their second straight victory.

Patrick Williams led Chicago with 22 points, and DeMar DeRozan had 21. The injury-riddled Bulls have lost two of their last three amid a six-game homestand.