Pistons end NBA record-tying losing streak at 28 games, beating Raptors 129-127

Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons drives to the basket between Gary Trent Jr. and Jakob Poeltl #19 of the Toronto Raptors during the first half at Little Caesars Arena on Dec. 30, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. (GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP)
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Updated 31 December 2023
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Pistons end NBA record-tying losing streak at 28 games, beating Raptors 129-127

  • Luka Doncic scored 25 of his 39 points in the second half in his return to the Dallas lineup to help the Mavericks beat Golden State
  • The Pistons, who hadn’t won since Oct. 28, matched the Philadelphia 76ers’ record of 28, split over the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons

DETROIT: The Detroit Pistons ended their NBA record-tying losing streak at 28 games with a 129-127 victory over the short-handed Toronto Raptors on Saturday night as Cade Cunningham had 30 points and 12 assists.

The Pistons, who hadn’t won since Oct. 28, matched the Philadelphia 76ers’ record of 28, split over the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons. They finished one shy of the record for the four major American and Canadian leagues, set by the Chicago Cardinals during World War II.

Jalen Duren had 18 points and 17 rebounds for Detroit (3-29) while Kevin Knox II scored 17 points.

Pascal Siakam had 35 points and Dennis Schroder scored 28 for Toronto, who were playing the second half of a back-to-back. The Raptors traded OG Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa and Malachi Flynn to the New York Knicks earlier in the day. They received RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, but they were not available Saturday.

TIMBERWOLVES 108 LAKERS 106

Anthony Edwards scored 31 points, Naz Reid added 21 off the bench and Minnesota held on to beat Los Angeles on LeBron James’ 39th birthday.

Rudy Gobert had 13 points and 13 rebounds as West-leading Minnesota overcame 19 turnovers to win for the fourth time in five games. Two of those wins have come against Los Angeles.

Anthony Davis had 33 points, 17 rebounds and eight assists for Los Angeles, which has lost seven of 10 since winning the In-Season Tournament. James, who was questionable for the game with a non-COVID-19 illness, added 26 points.

Minnesota is 14-1 at home.

PACERS 140, KNICKS 126

Tyrese Haliburton tied the Indiana record with 23 assists and had 22 points, becoming only the third player in NBA history with consecutive 20-20 games in those categories, and the Pacers beat New York.

Haliburton, who picked up his 23rd on a pass to Andrew Nembhard with 1:05 remaining, joined Hall of Famers Magic Johnson (Dec. 18-19, 1984) and John Stockton (March 1 and March 3, 1994) as the only players with consecutive outings of at least 20 points and 20 assists. Jamaal Tinsley set the Indiana assists mark with 23 against Washington on Nov. 22, 2001.

Haliburton has 43 assists and two turnovers in the last two games, raising his NBA-leading assist average to 12.8. Indiana won its third in a row to improve to 17-14.

Donte DiVincenzo scored a career-high 38 points for New York. The Knicks were undermanned in their third straight loss after trading RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and a 2024 second-round pick to Toronto on Saturday in exchange for OG Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa and Malachi Flynn.

MAVERICKS 132 WARRIORS 122

Luka Doncic scored 25 of his 39 points in the second half in his return to the Dallas lineup to help the Mavericks beat Golden State.

Doncic added 10 assists and eight rebounds after sitting out Thursday night at Minnesota because of soreness in his left quadriceps.

Dante Exum scored 19 points to help Dallas improve to 19-14. Josh Green had 18 and Dereck Lively II added 12 points and 14 rebounds.

Stephen Curry led Golden State with 25 points and seven assists. Chris Paul had a season-high 24 points and became the 37th player in NBA history to surpass 22,000 career points. The Warriors have lost three straight to fall to 15-17.

BULLS 105, 76ERS 92

DeMar DeRozan scored 24 points, Coby White added 20 and Chicago took advantage of NBA MVP Joel Embiid’s absence to beat Philadelphia in the opener of a home-and-home set.

Sidelined by a sprained right ankle, Embiid could return when the teams meet again Tuesday night in Philadelphia.

Andre Drummond had 15 points and 23 rebounds for the Bulls, They’ve won five of seven and have taken both meetings with Philadelphia.

Tyrese Maxey had 20 points and seven assists for the 76ers.

JAZZ 117 HEAT 109

Collin Sexton had 22 points, Keyonte George scored 12 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter and Utah ended Miami's winning streak at four.

Jimmy Butler returned for Miami after missing the four straight victories because of strained calf, but left in the third quarter because of a foot injury. He had eight points in 23 minutes.

Bam Adebayo led Miami with 28 points and 16 rebounds. Tyler Herro added 25 points.


England comeback win against New Zealand gives Pakistan last shot at T20 World Cup semifinals

Updated 28 February 2026
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England comeback win against New Zealand gives Pakistan last shot at T20 World Cup semifinals

  • Pakistan have to beat Sri Lanka by 64 runs or chase down the co-host in 13.1 overs
  • England have already qualified but completed Super Eights three-for-three unbeaten

COLOMBO: New Zealand failed to clinch a Twenty20 World Cup semifinals place when it lost to England by four wickets on Friday, leaving Pakistan a last chance to qualify.

New Zealand looked set to join England in the semifinals when it reduced England to 117-6 in the 17th over in pursuit of 160. But big hits by Will Jacks and Rehan Ahmed got England over the finish line with three balls remaining in a thriller.

“Would have made our lives easier if we won,” New Zealand captain Mitch Santner said. “We played a pretty good game. Credit to England. Jacks and Rehan with the finishing touches, it was a good bit of batting.”

The odds still favor New Zealand going through from the Super Eights but Pakistan has a last-ditch chance on Saturday against Sri Lanka in Pallekele.

Pakistan has to beat Sri Lanka by 64 runs or chase down the tournament co-host in 13.1 overs.

England had already qualified but completed the Super Eights three-for-three unbeaten.

That record was in jeopardy for much of the chase.

Phil Salt was out in the first over and fellow opener Jos Buttler for a two-ball duck in the second over. Buttler has only 62 runs in seven matches and his 10th career duck set the all-time record for England in T20s.

“He’s played 150 games for England,” captain Harry Brook said of Buttler, “and people need to take a little step back. He’s probably the best white-ball player to play the game. He’s in a rut but it’s exciting to know what he could produce in the next few games.”

Brook and Jacob Bethel were gone inside nine overs then Tom Banton and Sam Curran struggled to share 42 runs in 35 balls. England was left needing 43 runs off 19 deliveries with four wickets on a used pitch that was turning.

Ahmed replaced Jamie Overton because of the pitch and took 2-28, and he made his bat also count.

He sent the second ball he faced over the long-on fence as he and Jacks turned the game with 22 runs in the 18th over bowled by Glenn Phillips. They plundered 16 runs from the 19th bowled by Santner and cruised home.

Jacks was unbeaten on 32 including a six and four boundaries. Ahmed faced seven deliveries for 19 which included two sixes and a boundary.

“Having gone out on a knife edge I’m over the moon,” Jacks said after his fourth player of the match award in the tournament. “Rehan played a brilliant innings. Everyone struggled to get going on that pitch and the six he hit second ball got them rattled and I fed off him.

“Feel confident right now, calm in the middle. That can be vital. We’re going in the right direction, three wins in the Super Eight, we’re very happy.”

Santner chose to bat first, as both teams wanted, and his team made 159-7.

Tim Seifert and Finn Allen opened with 64 in seven overs but they lost wickets frequently from then on. Phillips top-scored with 39. New Zealand scored only 24 runs in the last three overs.

Spinners Jacks, Adil Rashid and Ahmed took two wickets each.