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Pistons-Spurs matchup to make ugly history
The Detroit Pistons and San Antonio Spurs will make ugly history when they square off on Wednesday night.
The Spurs and Pistons are a combined 8-64 this season (.111 win pct)
— ESPN BET (@ESPNBet) January 10, 2024
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, that is the worst combined win percentage entering a game in NBA history (min. 20 games played each team). pic.twitter.com/NKJg8qRy6E
While the future looks bright for the Pistons and Spurs with No. 1 overall picks in guard Cade Cunningham and big man Victor Wembanyama leading their respective franchises, the short-term prognoses look dire for fans in both the Motor City and the Alamo City.
Remarkably, it was less than two decades ago when Detroit and San Antonio were on top of the league's two conferences, as the former fell to Gregg Popovich's Spurs in the 2005 NBA Finals. Of course, while Popovich remains courtside for the five-time champions, a lot has changed since that seven-game series.
In Detroit, the franchise made the Eastern Conference Finals in the next three seasons, but they haven't made it that far since 2008, have qualified for the postseason just twice in the last 14 years and are on a current five-year playoff drought.
When the Spurs defeated the Pistons in the 2005 championship, Detroit's now-first-year head coach Monty Williams was months away from earning his first assistant coaching gig in the association. Cunningham was likely picking up a basketball for the first time at three years old and promising center Jalen Duren was not even two years old, so probably still in diapers.
Long gone are the likes of now Hall-of-Fame center Ben Wallace (now the Pistons basketball operations and team engagement advisor), star big man Rasheed Wallace and sharpshooting guard Richard "Rip" Hamilton. Two more contributors on that team (Chauncey Billups and Darvin Ham) are now head coaches for the Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Lakers, respectively.
Though Popovich still leads the Spurs, "Wemby," like Duren, was one year old and potentially still learning to walk.
"Pop's" trio of Hall of Famers from that Finals squad (Manu Ginobili, Tim Duncan and Tony Parker) won't be taking the court again anytime soon. Parker is currently a majority owner of ASVEL Basket in the LNB Pro A of the EuroLeague and Duncan served as a Spurs assistant for the 2019-2020 season, while Ginobili is serving as San Antonio's special advisor to basketball operations.
One of the most glaring differences when looking at the 2005 NBA Finals box scores is how low-scoring the tilts were compared to the modern game. The Spurs and Pistons were two of the top three teams in defensive rating during the 2004-05 season, so seeing just one game feature a team scoring 100 points shouldn't be a stunner.
Still, looking at the abysmal state of the Detroit franchise now, it was just last week when the Pistons scored a whopping 148 points (and still lost).
Detroit recently snapped their record 28-game losing streak but are now riding a five-game skid. San Antonio lost 18 in a row earlier this season and enters Wednesday having dropped five consecutive as well.
Something will have to give.
More must-reads:
- The Spurs could look to reunite with this former guard
- Forgotten NBA stars from the LeBron era
- The '20 PPG as an NBA rookie' quiz
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TODAY'S BEST
Jared McCain's return could shake up the 76ers rotation
Jared McCain’s rookie season didn’t end the way it was supposed to. The Sixers guard was turning heads early on and looked like a serious Rookie of the Year candidate, averaging 15.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists across his first 23 games. He even won Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month in November. But everything came to a halt when he tore the lateral meniscus in his left knee. Just like that, his promising first year was over. For the Sixers, that injury was just one piece of a nightmare season. Joel Embiid missed time, Paul George dealt with nagging injuries and Tyrese Maxey couldn’t carry the whole thing on his own. Philly ended the year with just 24 wins and didn’t even sniff the playoffs. Yet, through all that, McCain had shown real flashes. He played with confidence, poise and a scoring feel that looked way more polished than expected from a rookie. That’s what makes his upcoming return so intriguing. He’s reportedly progressing well in rehab, taking his time but eyeing a full comeback for the 2025-26 season. In the meantime, the Sixers added more youth to the mix. They drafted VJ Edgecombe with the third overall pick — a high-motor two-way guard with a strong frame and a lot of upside. The plan is clearly to build around Maxey, McCain and Edgecombe as the new core in the backcourt. McCain and Edgecombe already seem to have good chemistry. They were spotted hanging out during Summer League, and Edgecombe’s mentioned how excited he is to share the floor with him. It’s not hard to imagine the Sixers trying lineups with both young guards alongside Maxey, especially as Paul George ages and Embiid’s health remains a question. McCain’s role this year is a bit of a mystery. If he looks sharp in training camp, he could easily challenge for a starting spot. At the very least, he should be a key bench piece with a real shot to close games, thanks to his shooting and shot creation. With his ability to stretch the floor and Edgecombe’s slashing and defense, there’s a lot of potential here if things click. The Sixers’ coaching staff will likely take it slow. Coming off a knee injury, McCain won’t be rushed. But there’s a quiet urgency around the franchise after such a bad year. The 76ers need wins, and they need their young guys to step up. That makes McCain’s return one of the biggest stories heading into the new season. If he picks up where he left off, Philly’s backcourt rotation suddenly looks deep and dynamic. Maxey is already an All-Star-level player. Edgecombe is raw but promising. McCain could be the bridge between them — polished enough to produce now, young enough to grow alongside them. Of course, there’s always the possibility he struggles to find his rhythm or needs more time to trust the knee. That’s normal. But if McCain proves he’s back and ready, the Sixers may have found a long-term piece right when they needed one most.
Seattle Storm Get Big Boost for Sky Game Amid Unexpected Angel Reese News
The Seattle Storm are looking to make things right after Tuesday’s 87-63 blowout loss to Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings. They get a chance to do so on Thursday when they return to action against the Chicago Sky in a road game at Wintrust Arena. The Storm got a big boost ahead of the Sky matchup, which comes in the form of seven-time All-Star Skylar Diggins returning to action after a one-game absence. After registering the first triple-double in WNBA All-Star Game history on Saturday, Diggins was unable to suit up against Dallas on Tuesday due to personal reasons. The 5-foot-9 guard was not listed on Seattle’s injury report for the Sky game, though, which means that Diggins should be back in the starting lineup come Thursday. This is a crucial development for the Storm, who will be looking to improve on their 14-10 record. In 23 games played this season, Diggins has produced averages of 17.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.5 triples per game. Chicago Sky List Angel Reese as Questionable to Play Against the Seattle Storm While the Storm got some good news ahead of Thursday’s clash, the same cannot be said for the Sky. This is after two-time All-Star forward Angel Reese was added to the injury report with a back problem. The silver lining is that Reese, who missed Chicago’s last game before the All-Star break with a leg injury, is listed as questionable to play, which means that there’s still a chance that she’s able to suit up against Seattle. Reese looked fine on Tuesday as Chicago suffered a 91-68 blowout loss to the Minnesota Lynx, posting an 11-point, 11-rebound double-double. It is unclear exactly when Reese sustained the injury, but it has now placed her status against Seattle in jeopardy. It is worth noting that Michaela Onyenwere (knee) and Ariel Atkins (leg) have also been ruled out for the Storm game, as they continue to recover from respective injuries. This only means that Chicago will be significantly shorthanded on Thursday, especially if Reese also ends up sitting out.
Bengals finally reach agreement with first-rounder Shemar Stewart
The Cincinnati Bengals have finally reached an agreement with first-round pick Shemar Stewart, putting an end to what became the story of the offseason for the team. Stewart, drafted 17th overall in this year's draft, has finally agreed to a four-year, fully guaranteed $18.97 million deal that includes a $10.4 million signing bonus, according to his agent Zac Hiller of LAA. Now with this deal done, every first-round pick is signed. The road to this deal was a bumpy ride. For months, negotiations between Stewart’s camp and the Bengals front office stalled due to disagreements over contract language, particularly around guarantees. The team pushed to include contract language that could void the deal under certain off-field circumstances, but since other Bengals first-round picks did not face similar terms, Stewart stood firm and refused to sign. Both sides remained firm throughout the offseason, leading to a long standoff and a lot of reports of frustration from both sides. Despite the frustration and disagreement, the Bengals and Stewart’s group continued to engage in conversations, trying to find a resolution to the issue. And finally, after weeks of back and forth and weeks of controversy surrounding what Stewart may be forced to do, both parties appear to have met in the middle and found common ground. For the Bengals, getting Stewart signed and ready for training camp is a major win. Stewart was viewed as a developmental prospect who needed plenty of on-field reps to reach his full potential. Stewart's absence from earlier camps had slowed a lot of his progress. With the contract dispute resolved, he can now focus entirely on gaining important reps and continuing his development over the coming weeks. Now with this contract done and over with, the team can put their full focus on Trey Hendrickson, who is also seeking a long term deal. If the Bengals can get a deal done with Trey before the season kicks off, they would secure their edge-rushing room for not only 2025, but for years beyond. For a team looking to go all in on making the playoffs, signing Stewart was long overdue. Now it will be vital for the team to get Stewart up to speed with the rest of the roster, and allow him to get as many reps as possible before the 2025 season begins.
Steelers' Mike Tomlin Shares Excitement Over The TD Pass From Aaron Rodgers To DK Metcalf: 'That's What I Envisioned All Summer'
The Pittsburgh Steelers' training camp has officially begun, and it’s already been full of excitement. Training camp gives fans a first look at how the team’s many new additions are starting to come together on the field. Among those fresh faces, two veterans have already generated a lot of talk for their growing connection, and that's wide receiver DK Metcalf and quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The chemistry between them has caught the attention of fans across the league, and they’re quickly becoming one of the most anticipated quarterback-receiver duos heading into the season. With training camp also comes plenty of media coverage, and it’s been interesting to hear everyone's thoughts, especially with so many changes to the team. During a recent media session, Head Coach Mike Tomlin spoke about a standout touchdown pass from Rodgers to Metcalf. Tomlin couldn’t hide his excitement, sharing that this is exactly what he was hoping for, all while smiling proudly. This play sparked even more excitement, especially given that Rodgers’ very first pass in camp in team drills, which was also intended for Metcalf, was intercepted by linebacker Patrick Queen. This moment got a lot of attention, particularly from those already skeptical of Rodgers. However, he responded calmly, acknowledging that the interception wouldn’t be his last, but there would be plenty of touchdowns too. Just a day later, he backed up that mindset by delivering a highlight-reel play, quickly shifting the narrative in a more positive direction. Others also agreed that the play was worthy of being on a highlight reel. Steelers insider and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter Gerry Dulac shared his take, saying that if the pass from Rodgers to Metcalf had happened during a regular season game, it would have been the talk of the league. He went on to describe the play as "perfect," emphasizing just how impressive it was. "If that were a regular season game, every highlight show in the country would show that play because it was so artistically perfect that you just sit there and you go, 'Wow,'" Dulac said. It’s clear that Rodgers is locked in as the starting quarterback and Metcalf is established as the team’s wide receiver one (WR1). What’s been especially encouraging is how quickly they’ve started building chemistry, and it's something that’s been clear both on and off the field. During training camp, they’ve even been suite mates, giving them even more time to connect with each other. Long before Rodgers officially signed with the Steelers, the two made headlines when they were spotted working out and playing football together, sparking early excitement about their potential as a dynamic duo. The bigger question has been who will step into the WR2 role, and Wide Receivers Coach Zach Azzanni recently confirmed that Calvin Austin III will be the one to take on that spot as training camp gets underway. Rodgers has already started building a connection with Austin through conversations, making it exciting to see how their chemistry will develop on the field. With Metcalf and Austin as targets, and Rodgers' talent and knowledge leading, there’s plenty of hope that the offense will deliver more big plays like the one we’ve already seen, but this time in real games. The Steelers Have Confidence In Rodgers At 41 years old, Rodgers’ age has raised some concerns, but plays like the recent touchdown to Metcalf remind everyone why he’s a likely Hall of Famer and why he’s had such a successful career. The Steelers have made a clear effort to surround him with top talent, adding key weapons throughout the offense to give him every opportunity possible to succeed. With this potentially being Rodgers’ final season in the NFL, it makes watching how the team comes together even more exciting.
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