Detroit — The Detroit Pistons will begin their 79th season Oct. 20 with a home game against the Boston Celtics. That will be the start of an 82-game regular season, during which the Pistons will aim to build on their impressive 60-win performance from a season ago. The NBA released the entire schedule for 2026-27 on Thursday afternoon. Here is a look at 10 of the Pistons' most intriguing games:
Pistons vs. Celtics, Oct. 20 The first game always is the most exciting, regardless of the team's expectations. The opener against the Celtics will feature two of the top teams from last season's Eastern Conference. However, as Boston and Detroit embark on a new year trying to maintain their regular-season dominance, they will do so as two franchises that made significant roster changes. The Celtics will unveil a new look, featuring Paul George, who will make his debut for the franchise after the blockbuster trade that sent former Finals MVP Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers in July. Pistons at Heat, Oct. 23 Miami acquired two-time league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo in a blockbuster with the Milwaukee Bucks, positioning themselves to regain dominance in the Eastern Conference. The Pistons have faced significant challenges against Antetokounmpo, who has averaged 31.2 points, 10.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks against them since 2019. Pistons at 76ers, Oct. 25 In the past two years, the Pistons have had the 76ers' number, winning six of the last seven games. They will have a challenging task in maintaining that dominance, especially since Philadelphia had the best offseason of any team in the league. Not only did the 76ers acquire Brown, they also signed future Hall-of-Famer LeBron James during free-agency. With three regular-season meetings, there will be a game or two in which the Pistons will play a lesser version of the 76ers. However, this game gives the Pistons the best chance to face off against Philadelphia's four-player pairing, which still includes Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. Pistons at Knicks, Oct. 27 Each time the Pistons faced the Knicks last season, they did so with revenge on their minds. The Pistons utilized each of the three games to send a strong message, demonstrating they had learned from their first-round elimination in 2025. They dominated the Knicks in a 3-0 sweep, winning by an average margin of 28.0 points. However, the Knicks went on a legendary postseason run after their last game against Detroit, culminating in their first NBA championship since 1973. These teams' first meeting to close a three-game road trip will test the Pistons' own championship aspirations. Grizzlies at Pistons, Dec. 2 The Grizzlies' lone appearance at Little Caesars Arena could be one of the most emotional games of the season. It will mark Isaiah Stewart's return to Detroit following a trade this offseason. Although Stewart became disgruntled during his waning moments here, it does not negate the fact that he took pride in embodying the spirit of Detroit for six years, which should lead to an affectionate reception from fans in attendance.
Pistons at Pacers, Dec. 13 With Tyrese Haliburton's return, the Pacers should be much better and aim to regain their form from 2025, when they were just one win away from winning the NBA Finals. However, the rivalry between Indiana and Detroit always will make this matchup intriguing, as the animosity between the two franchises will keep this divisional rivalry at the forefront each season. Pistons vs. Cavaliers, Dec. 18 As long as Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff is on the sidelines calling plays for Detroit, games between the Pistons and Cavaliers always will be highly anticipated. This season, there will be more significance, as this meeting will mark the first time the two teams have faced each other since the Eastern Conference semifinals, in which the Cavaliers eliminated the Pistons in seven games. Pistons at Thunder, Dec. 22 Although the Thunder lost to the Spurs in the Western Conference finals, one could argue they still are the standard in the West. The game against the Thunder will give the Pistons a chance to test their championship aspirations against the reigning two-time league MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has averaged 42.7 points his last three games against Detroit. Pistons at Rockets, Jan. 16 Despite Jalen Green no longer being in Houston, the Pistons' interconference matchup against the Rockets remains fascinating. The game features a brotherly rivalry between Amen and Ausar Thompson. Last season, the Pistons and Rockets split their two-game regular-season series. As a result, Amen currently holds a 3-2 series lead over his little brother since they entered the league together in 2023. Pistons vs. Timberwolves, Jan 24 With injuries to both Cade Cunningham and Anthony Edwards, they did not go head-to-head against each other last season. If both players stay healthy by the time the Pistons and Timberwolves meet in this game, it will mark the first time the two All-NBA guards have faced off since January 2025. coty.davis@detroitnews.com @cotydavis_24 This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Pistons schedule is out! Here are 10 of the best games