Conspiracy theory makes Pistons losing streak look even more pathetic

It's not easy to lose 27 straight games in the NBA, as the Detroit Pistons have done this season.

We know this because no team ever has, at least not in a single season. The Pistons now own the league's longest single-season losing streak and are one away from tying the all-time streak that was set over two seasons.

NBA players are the most talented in the world, so even the worst team is loaded with guys who are good at basketball, so you'd think that once in 27 games three or four guys would get hot at the same time and win one.

Think again.

Even when Cade Cunningham puts up 40+ points, which he's done twice in a week, it doesn't much matter when the rest of the team forgets to show up.

The Pistons are getting more attention now than they have in years, unfortunately, it's mostly pity with a side order of confusion, as it seems impossible that they could be worse this season than they were last year when they won 17 games.

But here we are. It's gotten so bad that there are conspiracy theories floating around that Utah actually tried to allow the Pistons to win a game and end their embarrassing streak.

Conspiracy theory makes the Pistons look pathetic even if it's not true

I've seen empathy being extended to Cade Cunningham and to the Pistons' fans, who are some of the best in all of sports even though their franchise gives them no reason to be.

That empathy may have led the Utah Jazz to sit some of their players, according to one source.

Insider Marc Stein said this recently in his blog the Stein Line (SUBSCRIPTION):

"The next night, with Utah resting numerous regulars, Detroit still couldn’t manufacture that elusive win, coming away with a 119-111 defeat at home even though the shorthanded Jazz were playing on the second night of a back-to-back.
According to one conspiracy theory making the rounds, Utah's weakened roster — Lauri Markkanen, Jordan Clarkson, Keyonte George and Talen Horton-Tucker all sat out with injuries — had the look of one Spurs alumnus (Jazz coach Will Hardy) showing some mercy to another (Williams). If that's what it was … even that didn’t work."

I have no idea if this is true, I tend to doubt it, but even if it's not, it makes the Pistons look pathetic. Reminds me of my mom telling me to "let your little brothers win sometimes," not the type of thing you'd expect around a professional basketball team.

The worst part is that the Pistons still lost! They were playing a team on a back-to-back playing its 4th game in five days on the road, that was allegedly sitting guys to let you get a win, and you still lost!

It might take an outright forfeit from the other team to end this. Even if this isn't true, the Detroit Pistons should be embarrassed that it could be, as they failed to even get a pity win.