The 2024-25 Detroit Pistons have made historical past, as they’re formally the staff to have the worst document within the season prior to achieve the playoffs the next 12 months. Detroit has gone from successful 14 video games in 2023-24 to qualifying for the postseason on this marketing campaign, one thing no different staff has ever completed. And the Pistons are doing it in model, boasting a plus-.500 document to this point this season, one thing that a number of the groups in our rating under can not likewise declare, even regardless of reaching the playoffs.
In 2023-24, the Pistons resided just about within the NBA’s gutter, boasting a 14-68 document for the marketing campaign, good for a 17.1 win proportion. And so they had been rewarded after the season with the fifth choose within the draft regardless of being tied with the Washington Wizards for the best odds to earn the No. 1 choose within the lottery.
Even so, first-year Pistons head coach JB Bickerstaff has completed a powerful job of turning issues round in Detroit in an enormous approach, because the Pistons are headed to the playoffs of their first marketing campaign with him on the helm. Detroit took the excellence of being the staff with the worst document the season previous to make the playoffs the next 12 months from the 2014-15 Milwaukee Bucks, who went from 15-67 in 2013-14 to 41-41 (and incomes a playoff spot) in 2014-15.
That doesn’t imply Detroit is the staff to make the largest leap in play from one season to the following, nevertheless, because the 2007-08 Boston Celtics went from going 24-58 the 12 months previous to boasting a 62-20 document (and successful an NBA championship) the next season. The 1997-98 San Antonio Spurs additionally made an even bigger single-season leap than the Pistons, going from 20-62 in ’97 to 56-26 in ’98.
Regardless, the 2024-25 Pistons nonetheless personal historical past in their very own proper. Under, try the groups with the worst data in NBA historical past to make the playoffs the next 12 months, an inventory now led by Detroit.

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Earlier 12 months’s document: 14-68 (17.1 %)
2024-25 document: 43-34 (55.8 %, fifth in Japanese Convention)


Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports activities
Earlier 12 months’s document: 15-67 (18.3 %)
2014-15 document: 41-41 (50 %, sixth in Japanese Convention)


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Earlier 12 months’s document: 15-67 (18.3 %)
2008-09 document: 43-39 (52.4 %, fifth in Japanese Convention)


Darryl Norenberg-USA TODAY Sports activities Community
Earlier 12 months’s document: 15-67 (18.3 %)
1968-69 document: 37-45 (45.1 %, 4th in Western Division)


Manny Rubio-USA TODAY Sports activities
Earlier 12 months’s document: 16-66 (19.5 %)
1969-70 document: 39-43 (47.6 %, 4th in Western Division)


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Earlier 12 months’s document: 17-65 (20.5 %)
2003-04 document: 43-39 (52.4 %, eighth in Western Convention)


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Earlier 12 months’s document: 20-62 (24.4 %)
1997-98 document: 56-26 (68.3 %, fifth in Western Convention)


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Earlier 12 months’s document: 20-62 (24.4 %)
1988-89 document: 43-49 (52.4 %, seventh in Western Convention)


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Earlier 12 months’s document: 21-61 (25.6 %)
2013-14 document: 43-39 (52.4 %, seventh in Japanese Convention)


Tim DeFrisco/Allsport/Getty Pictures
Earlier 12 months’s document: 21-61 (25.6 %)
1989-90 document: 56-26 (68.3 %, 2nd in Western Convention)


Manny Rubio-USA TODAY Sports activities
Earlier 12 months’s document: 21-61 (25.6 %)
1973-74 document: 42-40 (51.2 %, 4th in Atlantic Division)


Manny Rubio-USA TODAY Sports activities
Earlier 12 months’s document: 19-53 (26.4 %)
1958-59 document: 33-39 (45.8 %, 2nd in Western Division)


Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports activities
Earlier 12 months’s document: 23-59 (28 %)
2009-10 document: 50-32 (61 %, eighth in Western Convention)


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Earlier 12 months’s document: 23-59 (28 %)
2004-05 document: 47-35 (57.3 %, 4th in Japanese Convention)


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Earlier 12 months’s document: 24-58 (29.3 %)
2008-09 document: 62-20 (75.6 %, 2nd in Japanese Convention)


Tim DeFrisco/Allsport/Getty Pictures
Earlier 12 months’s document: 24-58 (29.3 %)
1991-92 document: 38-44 (46.3 %, eighth in Japanese Convention)


Mike Powell/Allsport/Getty Pictures
Earlier 12 months’s document: 24-58 (29.3 %)
1987-88 document: 38-44 (46.3 %, eighth in Japanese Convention)
Earlier 12 months’s document: 24-58 (29.3 %)
1981-82 document: 44-38 (53.7 %, 4th in Japanese Convention)
Earlier 12 months’s document: 24-58 (29.3 %)
1978-79 document: 37-45 (45.1 %, sixth in Japanese Convention)
Earlier 12 months’s document: 24-58 (29.3 %)
1976-77 document: 44-38 (53.7 %, sixth in Western Convention)