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As the 2024 NBA season unfolds, the Detroit Pistons find themselves on a trajectory that could make them the league's worst team, joining two Philadelphia 76ers teams and the 2012 Charlotte Bobcats.
Let's delve into the five most dismal season records in NBA history, assessing whether the performances of the Pistons positions them to join this infamous group.
NBA teams with the worst single-season record
In the NBA, the contrast between success and challenges is always evident. Let's focus on teams with extreme difficulties in securing victories in a season. The Detroit Pistons have a winning percentage of .095 and are on pace to be the worst team:
5) 1993 Dallas Mavericks & 1998 Denver Nuggets - 0.134%
The 1993 Dallas Mavericks lacked significant talent, relying heavily on Derek Harper and a young Jim Jackson, which resulted in only 11 wins. Other players in this team were basketball analyst Tim Legler along with Terry Davis and Doug West.
Instead of one prolonged losing streak, the Mavs subjected fans to multiple ones, enduring 12, 15, eight, 19, five, four and three-game slumps. Despite nearing the all-time losing record, they won their last two games.
Also carrying the same season record during the 1997-98 season, the Denver Nuggets had just 11 wins. Despite their overall poor record, they faced formidable opponents, losing all 32 games against teams with at least 47 wins.
The team featured Johnny Newman as their top scorer with 14.7 points, while LaPhonso Ellis was not too far behind with 14.3 points per game.
4) 1948 Providence Steamrollers - 0.125
The Steamrollers secured their place as one of the league's original 11 franchises. Their record for the fewest games won in a season stands is six out of 48 games.
In a somewhat redeeming accomplishment that year, they featured the oldest player in league history, with 46-year-old Nat Hickey taking the court and setting a record that still stands.
3) 2016 Philadelphia 76ers - 0.122
The 2015-16 Philadelphia 76ers season, famously known as the 'Trust the Process' team, are the franchise's second-worst, slightly exceeding their 9–73 record in 1972–73. Joel Embiid, the third pick in the 2014 NBA draft, sat out his second consecutive season due to a leg injury.
The team endured a record-breaking 28-game losing streak, securing their only win in Kobe Bryant's final game against them. Amidst changes, including Jerry Colangelo's appointment and Sam Hinkie's resignation, "The Process" yielded the #1 draft pick, Ben Simmons, salvaging hope for the future of the Philadelphia 76ers.
2) 1973 Philadelphia 76ers - .110
If you think the 'Trust the Process' Sixers were the worst, the 1973 team endured a much grimmer season.
Starting with a 0–15 streak and a later 20-game losing stretch, they garnered the infamous nickname "Nine and 73-ers." Finishing 9–73, they set a record 59 games behind the Atlantic Division champion Celtics.
1) 2012 Charlotte Bobcats - 0.106
Probably the biggest black eye in Michael Jordan's basketball resume, the 2011–12 Charlotte Bobcats, in their eighth season in the league, became infamous as the worst team in NBA history.
Guard-forward Gerald Henderson led in scoring with 15.1 points followed by Corey Maggete with 15.0. The season concluded with owner Michael Jordan, absent in the stands, receiving a chorus of boos from the disappointed home crowd.
