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Pistons set record for worst free-throw percentage in a single game

Sean Gardner / Getty Images Sport / Getty

No team in NBA history had converted less than 20 percent of its free-throw attempts (minimum 10 attempts) in a single regular season game, but the visiting Detroit Pistons did just that at the Smoothie King Center on Wednesday night.

In a 109-86 loss to the DeMarcus Cousins-less New Orleans Pelicans, the Pistons knocked down just three of their 17 attempts at the charity stripe for a putrid 17.6 percent, setting a new league record in the process.

Worst team free-throw shooting percentage (min. 10 attempts)

Date Team FTM-A FT%
02-22-1983 Houston Rockets 3-of-14 21.4
04-05-1991 Miami Heat 3-of-13 23.1
04-20-1994 Detroit Pistons 4-of-15 26.7
12-12-1994 Orlando Magic 6-of-23 26.1
12-08-2000 Los Angeles Lakers 5-of-18 27.8
11-10-2001 Milwaukee Bucks 5-of-17 29.4
01-10-2003 Chicago Bulls 6-of-21 28.6
01-01-2006 Portland Trail Blazers 3-of-10 30
12-12-2007 Houston Rockets 6-of-22 27.3
11-07-2014 Oklahoma City Thunder 3-of-11 27.3
03-01-2017 Detroit Pistons 3-of-17 17.6

(Courtesy: Basketball-Reference.com)

Much of Detroit's futility came from center Andre Drummond, who accounted for nine of the team's misses on 10 shots. Over his last three outings, the 23-year-old has made just five of his 29 free throws (17.2 percent).

Tobias Harris (2-of-5) and Marcus Morris were the only other Pistons players to get to the line.

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