Monty Williams is the head coach for the Detroit Pistons, a team that just broke the NBA record for the most consecutive losses in a season with a jaw-dropping 27th straight defeat on Tuesday (Dec. 26). Sure, the buck stops at the top, but I say, don’t blame Monty Williams for the Detroit Pistons’ demise. There are reasons why he isn’t to blame, and I’m going to get into them.

One thing I appreciate about Williams is that, even though I don’t think this record is his fault, he’s happy to take responsibility for it. When asked if the possibility of breaking that terrible record, which was lingering over the team on Tuesday, was a factor in the defeat, he said it absolutely was.

“I’m sure it was,” Williams told reporters after the loss (via NBC Sports). “When you look at records, you think of coaches. I’m sure players don’t want that attached to the name on the jersey. It’s been heavy for a while. That’s the nature of this kind of losing streak.”

It might not seem like there’s much reason for hope for the Pistons right now, but the talented Cade Cunningham says to keep the faith.

“Don’t jump off the boat. We got to stay together,” Cunningham said (via NBC News) following the game, when asked for his message to his colleagues. “Right now is the easiest time to stand off and be on your own, but we need to continue to lean on each other and continue to push each other and hold each other accountable more than ever now.”

The Pistons’ next game is Thursday (Dec. 28) on the road against the Boston Celtics. If they lose two more games in a row, the Pistons will be the only team with the longest losing streak in NBA history.

I know you’re thinking, why not  blame the coach? Let’s remember that this is Williams’ first season with the Pistons. He had a solid record as the head coach of the Phoenix Suns, and he was there from 2019 to 2023. It was pretty shocking when the Suns let him go. Detroit is lucky that he was available to come here.

Before he was let go, Williams got the Suns to the Western Conference semifinals of the 2023 NBA playoffs. They lost to the Denver Nuggets. I mean, this guy got his team to the semifinals, and they still let him go? Crazy.

When it comes to the Detroit Pistons, Williams came on the scene late in the hiring game. He became head coach of the Pistons on June 2, 2023, so he only had a few months to prepare before the Pistons took the court. We’ve got to give this guy time. Sure, losing this much is super embarrassing for Detroit. Like, face palm-worthy stuff. But, we finally have a coach with a proven track record. Let’s see what he does in draft selection in 2024 and then start talking.

Just hang in there, Pistons fans. It can get better, and I believe it will.