The curious link between Pope Francis and the Detroit Pistons

News of the Pope’s death has swept the world and sent the media of Earth into overdrive as every angle is covered on the hugely historic event.

The death of the leader of the Catholic Church has also bled over into the world of NBA, as fans have been quick to point out one curious quirk that links Francis to the Detroit Pistons.

Believe it or not, the Detroit Pistons did not win a single playoff game during the 11 years of Francis’s pontificate. They secured their 189th playoff win in 2008 before going more than a decade without a victory, only to win again just hours after he passed away.

Pope Francis and the Detroit Pistons go way back

The statistic flew around social media, pointing out that the time of death of the Pope came at 1:35am, with the Pistons’ 94-100 win over the New York Knicks being sealed hours later.

Another curious Pope/Pistons link, and one just as coincidental, is that the Detroit side signed Kentavious Caldwell Pope the very same year Francis took over from Benedict as head of the Catholic Church. If you’re one for conspiracy theories (nice ones, not the ones that Marjorie Taylor Greene likes), then this is for you.

Away from the Pope, the Pistons are tied 1-1 after 2 games in the playoffs against the New York Knicks, who have struggled against the unstoppable Cade Cunningham, who is averaging 27 points and 7.5 assists per game in the series.

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