It’s been one of the wildest years in the history of Detroit sports, which says something when you consider the storied history that the Red Wings, Tigers, Pistons, and Lions all enjoy. After a rough decade for most of the Motor City’s banner teams, we’re finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel for several franchises. In contrast, others continue to wallow in mediocrity or worse.
The Lions are set to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2016 season, while the Pistons set an ignominious record with the longest single-season losing streak in the history of the NBA. The Red Wings continue to dig their way out of the cellar after suffering an uncharacteristic downswing over the past few seasons, while the Tigers hope to do the same after finishing second in their division in 2023, their best finish since 2016.
Here’s a look at what Michigan’s favored sons are up to as we begin 2024, preparing you for what will hopefully be another busy year.
Lions Leaving Losing Behind
First, the good news. The Lions have been one of the worst teams in NFL history since the dawn of the Super Bowl era, managing to win just one playoff game since the Eisenhower administration. This year, they locked up the NFC North crown on Christmas Eve, and with a home playoff game awaiting them—and +2000 odds of winning the Super Bowl, the seventh-best mark in the league—you can be assured that both casual fans and ESPN bet Michigan sports betting enthusiasts will have their eyes set on the Lions as the postseason begins.
Despite ending up as one of the best seasons in the past half-century, it has been challenging sailing for the club. The Lions lost a controversial heartbreaker in Dallas last weekend after the referees called a questionable penalty. This result could play a massive role in how the playoff field shapes up. Whatever happens, this is a young team with an exciting future ahead of them, and it’ll be a joy to watch them cut their teeth in the playoffs.
Pitiful Pistons End 2023 With A Bang
The Pistons lost their first game of the 2023-24 season in a 103-102 heartbreaker against a talented Miami Heat team. They responded with two comfortable wins over the Charlotte Hornets and Chicago Bulls, then cratered into a tailspin, embarking on their 28-game losing streak, the worst of any team in the league’s history.
Detroit finally managed to snap the skid with barely 27 hours remaining in 2023, thanks to an exciting win over the Toronto Raptors. However, 2024 began similarly with a blowout loss to Houston. The sad news for Pistons fans is that there isn’t light at the end of the tunnel. Because of the NBA Draft lottery, they aren’t even guaranteed the first overall pick, not even if they end up with the worst record in league history.
After missing out on generational talent Victor Wembanyama last season, Pistons fans know all about the fickle ways of the draft lottery. If they don’t end up lucky this year, it could be long before they dig themselves out of this mess.
Red Wings, Tigers Continue to Make Progress
The Red Wings finished second to last in their division at the end of the 2022-23 season; the Tigers finished second in 2022. Both teams improved on their previous results in the following season, with the Tigers finishing second in the AL Central in 2023.
Right now, the Red Wings sit in the middle of the pack in the Atlantic Division, the fifth of eight teams nearly halfway through the regular season. They’re a few spots out of the playoffs because of a dogfight in the Metropolitan Division, but if they can continue to grow and improve, they’ve got a chance of fighting for a Wild Card spot down the stretch.
Meanwhile, the Tigers hope to continue improving as they look toward 2024. They rolled the dice on longtime St. Louis Cardinals starter Jack Flaherty, who finished fourth in the Cy Young race in 2019 but has yet to recapture that winning form. With Cleveland likely to tail off following Terry Francona’s departure, it seems like the division race—a precious playoff spot—will come down to the Tigers and the Minnesota Twins.
Detroit isn’t a massive contender for the Stanley Cup or World Series yet, but once you get into the postseason, anything can happen, and their young players will benefit from the trial-by-fire that the playoffs provide.
