Bennedict Mathurin scored 30 points and the Indiana Pacers handed the Detroit Pistons their 20th straight loss, winning 131-123 on Monday night.
Tyrese Haliburton had 14 points and 16 assists for Indiana in its first game since Saturday’s 123-109 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA In-Season Tournament final.
Detroit’s losing streak is the longest single-season stretch in franchise history and matches the NBA’s longest since the Houston Rockets lost 20 straight in 2020-21. Detroit lost 21 straight between the end of the 1979-80 season and the start of 1980-81.
The Philadelphia 76ers hold both NBA records, setting the single-season mark at 26 in a row in 2013-14 and the overall mark at 28 at the end of 2015-16 and start of 2016-17.
Miles Turner added 23 points for Indiana.
Cade Cunningham scored 23 points and Ausar Thompson had 20 for the Pistons, who have dropped 44 of their last 48 games dating to last season’s trading deadline.
Indiana led 98-93 at the start of the fourth quarter, and both teams were able to successfully get to the basket early in the period. Aaron Nesmith hit the only 3-pointer of the first six minutes, helping the Pacers move the margin to 115-108 with six minutes left.
Turner’s three-point play made it a 10-point game and six straight points from Haliburton made it 129-114 with 3:31 to go.
Mathurin scored 18 points in the first half, including five in a 9-0 run to close the half. The Pacers shot 58.3% to Detroit’s 53.7%.
UP NEXT
Pacers: At the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday
Pistons: Host the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
Detroit Pistons
Indiana Pacers
National Basketball Association
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