Pistons’ Isaiah Stewart Ejected As Detroit Drops 21st Straight

Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart was ejected Wednesday night after striking Philadelphia 76ers guard Patrick Beverley and earning a flagrant foul. The ejection did not prove too impactful as Detroit limped home to a 129-111 loss, their 21st straight this season.

Stewart fouled Beverley in the third quarter when he was defending and seemed to unintentionally drive the guard to the ground. Officials reviewed the play and ruled that it required a two-call foul, resulting in an immediate ejection. But while Stewart’s absence hurt Detroit, the team was already trailing and did not make a compelling comeback bid thereafter.

With the latest loss to the Sixers, the Pistons extended their losing streak to 21 games. They have not won since October 28 and are now tied with the 1979-80 and 1980-81 Pistons for the eighth-longest losing streak in NBA history. The all-time record in 28.

To say that the Pistons have been historically bad this season would not be an exaggeration, as the team currently holds a 2-22 record. Somewhat humorously, this means that they began the season with a 2-1 record. Detroit has effectively been eliminated from playoff contention for weeks and the postseason is still months away. Though the team is young and it was often predicted that players would go through growing pains, incompetency of this caliber is impossible to forecast.

“I don’t want anyone to be happy in this situation,” Pistons coach Monty Williams said after the game Wednesday. “I want to see an ornery locker room that’s tired — not just of losing, but tired of missing shots and tired of giving up 39-point quarters.”

Over time, the Pistons could eventually build an effective system around the likes of young stars Cade Cunningham and Ausar Thompson. But the 2023-24 season will likely be one to forget as the team tries to find its identity in the cellar of the Eastern Conference.