With a 122-117 conquest of the Indiana Pacers on Monday night, the Detroit Pistons have won 13 consecutive games, tying the records of the 2003-04 and 1989-90 Pistons. At 15-2, the Pistons are clicking on all cylinders and find themselves perched atop the NBA’s Eastern Conference standings, so there is no denying that what they are doing is impressive. And while comparing them to the great Pistons teams of yesteryear might be a bit unfair, there are a couple of striking similarities between the teams and a few notable differences. The most notable similarity among all three teams is their tenacity on defense. The “Bad Boy” Pistons of 1990 and the 2004 “Goin’ to Work” Pistons both ranked second in defensive rating, while the current “Nasty Dogs” Pistons rank fourth. The net ratings of all three teams are among the best in the Association and tops in the Eastern Conference. Hall-of-Famers Isiah Thomas and Chauncey Billups led former Pistons teams that won 13 straight games. Thomas was a perennial All-Star, an
