The Detroit Pistons have completed one of the most dramatic turnarounds in recent memory. After finishing with the worst record in franchise history last season, Detroit has stormed out to a stunning 15-2 start, already surpassing last year’s win total and positioning itself as a legitimate force in the East. Monday’s victory pushed the streak further, reinforcing how far this young group has come.
“We never talked about it,” Cade Cunningham said, via Detroit Free Press. “We wanted to find our way to the top of the league. We have seen the bottom of the league before. It is pretty cool that we had the worst streak in franchise history and now we have an opportunity to go have the greatest streak in franchise history.”
As Cunningham reflected on Detroit’s journey from last year’s historic lows, he made it clear that the group values growth and resilience as much as wins. The contrast between then and now has not gone unnoticed, especially for a team that has fought to rebuild its identity.
“We are excited about the opportunity, but this is just a product of the work,” Cunningham continued. “This is not what we were going for. We still have bigger things to do.”
It has been a wild turnaround for Cade and the Pistons, who tied the NBA record for most losses in a row during the 2023-24 season (28). The team won just 14 games total that year, finishing with the league’s worst record.
In just two years, Cunningham has led Detroit to a stunning revival, elevating them to a position of power in the Eastern Conference. As the star of the show, he has emerged as an early MVP candidate with averages of 27.1 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 9.6 assists per game on 44.4 percent shooting (28.4 percent from three).
The Pistons have also gotten key contributions from Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren, Ausar Thompson, and Tobias Harris. With a mix of internal development and roster additions, they have successfully turned their misery into success, and victory has been sweet.
As winners of 13 straight, the Pistons are not just thriving, they are dominating right now, but Cade will not let his team lose focus. With flashbacks of the losing streak a few years ago, he knows how quickly things can turn.
That is why the Pistons must play for more than just regular-season wins. If they want to build something lasting, the opportunity comes in the postseason, when the stakes are at their highest.
Ultimately, only time will tell if this Pistons run is a fluke, but it takes a special team to win this many games in a row. For Cade, the belief and confidence are there, now it is just a matter of executing on the court to bring everything together.
With the way Detroit is playing, the confidence is earned, but the real test will arrive when the games start to carry postseason weight. The Pistons know this run means nothing if they cannot sustain it when it matters most. For now, though, they are enjoying the climb while keeping their eyes on something bigger. If they stay locked in, this turnaround could be only the beginning.
