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Dec. 27 (UPI) -- Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham called on his team to stay together after a setback to the Brooklyn Nets, which resulted in an NBA record 27th-consecutive loss. Cunningham scored a game-high 41 points, but the effort proved not enough in the 118-112 setback Tuesday in Detroit. The Pistons allowed the Nets to make 50% of their shots from the floor, including 40.9% from 3-point range. They shot 44.4% overall and 36% from downtown.
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"Don't jump off the boat," Cunningham told reporters, when asked about the loss. "We've gotta stay together. Right now is the easiest time to stand off and be on your own.
"We need to continue to lean on each other and continue to push each other and hold each other accountable more than ever now."
The Nets outscored the Pistons 36-20 off the bench. Outside of Cunningham, Pistons players made 36% of their shots, including 28.5% of their 3-point attempts. Cunningham scored 37 of their 58 points (63.7%) in the second half.
The Pistons (2-28) haven't won since an Oct. 28 victory over the Chicago Bulls. They earned their only other victory a day earlier against the Charlotte Hornets.
They've scored the third-fewest points per game (109.3) and allowed the fifth-most points per game (120.8). They've averaged the most fouls and second-most turnovers.
"You have to be real about where we are," Pistons coach Monty Williams said. "Nobody wants something like this attached to them, and the bottom line is it is my job. Coaches are graded on their records."
Cunningham and the Pistons led 31-25 through the first 12 minutes. The Nets then outscored the Pistons 36-23 in the second quarter and led 61-54 at halftime.
Cunningham poured in 18 in the third quarter, helping the Pistons outscore the Nets 31-27. The Pistons still trailed 88-85 to start the fourth.
They then went on a 12-2 run early in the fourth to take a 97-92 lead with 8:10 remaining. The Nets responded with 11 unanswered points to take back control. Cunningham cut the lead to two points with under a minute remaining, but the Pistons could not close the gap.
The third-year guard scored 19 points, including 17 of the Pistons' final 18, in the fourth quarter. He also scored all of the Pistons' final 12 points of the night.
The Pistons broke a tie with the Cleveland Cavaliers (2010-11) and Philadelphia 76ers (2013-14) for the most-consecutive losses in a single regular season (26). The 76ers hold the record for the most-consecutive losses (28), but that streak stretched between two seasons.
The 2010 Cavaliers, who traded LeBron James before that season, went 19-63 and later picked Kyrie Irving with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.
The 2013 76ers also went 19-63. They picked Joel Embiid with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.
The Pistons will face the Boston Celtics at 7:30 p.m. EST Thursday in Boston. The Celtics (23-6) own the best record in the NBA.
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