Pistons now hottest team in NBA; Abdul Carter diagnosed with stress fracture before NFL Combine

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🏀 Good morning to all, but especially to …

THE DETROIT PISTONS

Around this time last year, the Detroit Pistons had just lost their 28th straight game, setting the record for most consecutive losses in a single season and were hurtling toward a league-worst 14-68 record. That team was nowhere to be found last night.

The Pistons put it on the reigning champions with an impressive 117-97 win over the Boston Celtics. That was Detroit’s eighth straight win, its longest such streak in 17 years. That 2007-08 team featured franchise legends like Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton and Rasheed Wallace.

This year’s squad may not be on par with that one — at least not yet — but it was an impressive team effort against the Celtics. The Pistons got contributions from everywhere with Cade Cunningham leading the way and strengthening his All-NBA resume.

• Cade Cunningham: 21 points | 11 assists | 4 rebounds
• Malik Beasley: 26 points | 6 3-pointers | 5 rebounds
• Tobias Harris: 16 points | 9 rebounds | 2 blocks
• Jalen Duren: 13 points | 11 rebounds

This type of success hasn’t been seen in Detroit for a while, but don’t make the mistake of assuming this is just a fun mid-season story. As our own Sam Quinn points out, the Pistons have been outplaying some of the East’s heaviest hitters for a while now.

• Quinn: “This one still has a ways to go before it reaches those heights, but at this point, they can no longer be treated as just an up-and-coming group of youngsters, either. Detroit is now 24-11 in its last 35 games, a better record than the No. 3-seed New York Knicks in that span.”

With upcoming games against the Nuggets, Nets and Jazz, how much longer can the Pistons keep motoring through the rest of the NBA?

👍 Honorable mentions

And not such a good morning for …

ABDUL CARTER

Penn State pass-rusher Abdul Carter has been considered a potential top-two pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, but his stock may be impacted by his medical evaluation at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Tests revealed that Carter has a stress reaction in his right foot that may require surgery. If Carter goes that route, the Nittany Lions standout would be sidelined for eight weeks with a screw in his foot. Carter could also elect not to undergo surgery and participate in Penn State’s Pro Day.

Either way, it’s a tough blow for a player who had a massive amount of buzz coming into this year’s draft season. In 2024, Carter led the entire FBS in tackles for loss with 24. He also racked up 12.0 sacks and 66 pressures while earning Unanimous All-American honors.

All of that pushed Carter’s stock through the roof, putting him in the same conversation with Travis Hunter at the top of draft boards. Our own Chris Trapasso had the Penn State star coming off the board to the New York Giants at No. 3 overall in his latest mock draft.

Stay tuned to CBS Sports to see what happens to Carter’s stock now that teams know the edge-rusher is dealing with a foot injury just two months before the draft.

👎 Not so honorable mentions

🏈 NFL Combine sleepers to watch

The on-field portion of the NFL Scouting Combine begins tomorrow, and some of the top draft prospects will be going through workouts and drills throughout the weekend. While those big names will get most of the attention, don’t forget about some of the less-heralded prospects.

It’s not hard to find late-round picks who went on to become NFL stars. Ever heard of Brock Purdy, also known as Mr. Irrelevant? How about a guy named Tom Brady?

Our own Josh Edwards put together a list of sleepers to keep an eye on in Indianapolis. Perhaps the most recognizable name on that list is Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who finished third in Heisman Trophy voting last season.

Gabriel hasn’t gotten as much buzz as other quarterbacks, but don’t underestimate him even if the physical measurements underwhelm.

• Edwards: “His lack of ideal size may be problematic for some teams, but he has played in Eugene, Oregon, at the very least. The Hawaii native is incredibly consistent and throws with touch and anticipation. The length of time he spent in college would have allowed him to complete a post-graduate degree, and that is certainly evident on the football field.”

Travis Hunter has gotten plenty of buzz, and he’ll be in Indianapolis for the festivities as well. Right now, the conundrum for teams at the top of the draft is whether Hunter will be used as a cornerback or wide receiver at the next level.

The NFL drama won’t be limited to hand sizes and 40 times this weekend either. The trade rumors are buzzing, and Matthew Stafford is one of several impact players who could be on the move in the near future.

With free agency also on the horizon, the NFL news will be coming faster than a ball out of a JUGS machine. Keep it locked right here with CBS Sports to stay up to date on all the latest info.

🏀 Spartans’ buzzer-beater serves as March appetizer

March is still a couple days away, but the Madness has already arrived. No. 8 Michigan State gave fans a preview of what’s to come with a buzzer-beater in its 58-55 win over No. 16 Maryland.

Fans in College Park were buzzing as the Terrapins mounted a second-half comeback, but it fell painfully short as time expired. That’s because Tre Holloman’s halfcourt heave at the buzzer found the bottom of the bucket to lift Michigan State over Maryland.

Calling it a “halfcourt” shot might even be underselling it. Holloman was a step or two shy of the block “M” at midcourt when he chucked the ball into the air.

Prior to that minor miracle, Holloman was not having a great night from the field. He had only hit two of his 11 attempts, and he was 0 for 3 from 3-point range. Now, the only thing anyone will remember is that ball falling through the hoop.

Not only was that an emotional win for the Spartans, but it was a big one for their championship hopes and their resume. Now 14-3 in conference play, Michigan State remained in stride with rival Michigan atop the Big Ten.

Plus, the Spartans entered the day as a No. 2 seed in our own Jerry Palm’s Bracketology, and this victory over Maryland gave them their ninth Quad 1 win.

So, thanks to Michigan State for giving us a little March Madness appetizer at the end of February.

🏈 Is Carson Beck CFB’s next great villain?

Sports need heroes, and there can be no heroes without villains. Miami quarterback Carson Beck may have put himself in the latter category this year after his high-profile transfer from Georgia.

After two largely successful seasons as the starter in Athens, Beck changed locales this offseason with a large NIL deal luring him down to Miami, where he will be united with girlfriend and Canes basketball star/TikTok icon Hanna Cavinder.

Beck’s status as a villain is just one thing our own Shehan Jeyarajah and Brad Crawford debated in the latest edition of “Buy or Sell.” While the hate directed toward Beck may not be fair, he is the player who most epitomizes the NIL and transfer portal era, and that’s enough to draw the ire of many fans.

• Jeyarajah: “Beck hasn’t done anything wrong, but fair or not, he is set to become the face of college football’s NIL era. He transferred to Miami, perhaps the most aggressive NIL program in the country. He’s dating Hanna Cavinder, a Miami women’s basketball player and TikTok star. He had, not one, but two luxury cars stolen, and is making so much money that he turned down the NFL Draft.”

Whether fans view him as a hero or villain probably isn’t at the forefront of Beck’s mind these days. That’s because he’s dealing with a real-life villain plucked straight out of a “Grand Theft Auto” video game.

📺 What we’re watching Thursday

⛳ Cognizant Classic: Round 1, 2 p.m. on Golf Channel
⚽ West Ham United vs. Leicester City, 3 p.m. on USA Network
🏀 No. 22 Creighton at No. 5 UConn (W), 7 p.m. on CBSSN
🏀 No. 8 North Carolina at No. 16 Duke (W), 7 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 No. 11 Tennessee at No. 15 Kentucky (W), 7 p.m. on SEC Network
🏀 Nuggets at Bucks, 8 p.m. on TNT
🏀 Rutgers at No. 15 Michigan (M), 9 p.m. on Peacock