DETROIT (AP) — Kelly Olynyk scored 25 points and the short-handed Utah Jazz beat Detroit 119-111 on Thursday night for the Pistons’ 25th straight loss — one short of the NBA single season record.
The 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers and 2013-14 Philadelphia 76ers share the record at 26. The 76ers hold the overall mark at 28, a skid that started in the 2014-15 season and carried over into 2015-16.
Back in action Saturday night in Brooklyn, the Pistons are 2-26 under first-year coach Monty Williams.
Utah played without four of its top seven scorers — Lauri Markkanen, Jordan Clarkson, Keyonte George and Talen Horton-Tucker — on the second night of a back-to-back after losing at Cleveland on Wednesday.
Collin Sexton added 19 points for Utah, and Ochai Agbaji had 18.
Cade Cunningham led Detroit with 28 points and 10 assists. Jaden Ivey added 24 points and Marvin Bagley III had 22.
PELICANS 123, CAVALIERS 104
CLEVELAND (AP) — Trey Murphy III scored 28 points while starting in place of New Orleans star Zion Williamson — out with an illness — and the Pelicans pulled away in the second half to beat undermanned Cleveland.
Williamson didn’t travel with the Pelicans, who have been battling a flu bug that has been making its way though the team and affecting several other players in the past few days. Murphy started for the first time this season and made six 3-pointers as the Pelicans won for the fifth time in six games.
Dean Wade had 20 points for Cleveland. The Cavaliers played without their top three scorers — Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland and Evan Mobley.
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