The Pistons are facing big expectations
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Cade Cunningham skies to the hoop in Wednesday's preseason game. Photo: David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images
The NBA's new season begins Tuesday in the D, with the Pistons hosting the Celtics in a 3pm matinee airing nationally on NBC.
Why it matters: The Pistons have gone from NBA punching bag to Eastern Conference powerhouse in just two years. Now comes the hard part: proving last season's 60 wins weren't a high water mark.
🏆 How good are they? Strong — perhaps quite strong. With franchise cornerstone Cade Cunningham entering his prime, Detroit finished atop the Eastern Conference last season and came within one game of reaching the conference finals.
- The Pistons lost Game 7 of the conference semifinals to Cleveland, where their reliance on Cunningham to create offense remained a glaring weakness.
📉 So what's the catch? Don't pencil in another 60-win season. Online sportsbooks set Detroit's preseason win total south of 50, reflecting skepticism about whether the Pistons can repeat last year's success.
- Reliable veteran Tobias Harris is gone, replaced by the younger, more athletic John Collins. Sharpshooter Isaiah Joe also arrived to help a team that struggled from 3-point range.
- Detroit did lock up 22-year-old center Jalen Duren with a five-year, $200 million deal.
🥊 Where's Beef Stew? Gone, too. The Pistons traded defensive enforcer Isaiah Stewart, whose blue-collar playing style embodied the franchise's rugged reputation.
- The feisty attitude lives on: Detroit was involved in altercations in two preseason games, including a dustup between Collins and Phoenix's Dillon Brooks.
🎉 What's happening Tuesday? A pregame party downtown beginning at 10am, five hours before tipoff.
- Expect a blue-carpet player arrival, appearances by Pistons legends Isiah Thomas and Jerry Stackhouse and a fall fan festival.
- Those attending the game receive T-shirts, and one lucky spectator gets a chance to sink a half-court heave for $100,000.
🏟️ LCA doors open at 1:30pm on Tuesday. Tickets available under $40