Rapid reaction: Quick observations on Detroit Pistons 2019-20 schedule

The NBA has released its 2019-20 schedule. Here’s what you need to know about the Detroit Pistons schedule for next season.

The Detroit Pistons are going to have to get off to a hot start and be healthy in January to give themselves a shot at the playoffs and top seeding.

The NBA released its 2019-20 schedule on Monday afternoon. Detroit opens the season with 13 games in the first 21 days, including the season opener on March 23 at Indiana and the home opener the next night against Atlanta.

It’s the first of 12 back-to-backs the Pistons will play during the season, the second-most back-to-backs in the league according to Keith Langlois. The Pistons will also close the season on a back-to-back by hosting Boston on April 13 and visiting the New York Knicks on the 14th.

Detroit will go on two long road trips. Its west-coast trip is part of a six-game, 11-day excursion that features a Jan. 2 game against the Los Angeles Clippers. Two days later they meet the reigning Western Conference champion-Golden State Warriors, who feature a new look, and then return to the Staples Center to meet the Los Angeles Lakers, concluding a tough three games in four days stretch.

Closing time will not come easy for the Pistons if they’re in contention for a playoff spot, or seeding. The Pistons will play six of their last eight games on the road in a 14-day span.

Those games include at the new-look Brooklyn Nets, featuring Kyrie Irving, and a home game against Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat. Then there are four straight road games against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Heat and closing the trip with the Dallas Mavericks against Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis.

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Prior to this stretch, the Pistons host the Warriors, Lakers, Clippers, Portland Trail Blazers and Rockets with a road trip to the Milwaukee Bucks sprinkled in in the final six games in March.

Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press points out that the Pistons could catch a break in its season series with the Indiana Pacers. All four meetings will be played by Dec. 6 and the first three in the opening 10 games of the season, which is beneficial with Victor Oladipo still recovering from a quad injury and likely won’t be back until December or January, according to the Indianapolis Star.

Key Dates

Oct. 22 – This is the deadline for Bradley Beal to accept a three-year extension offered by the Washington Wizards. If he declines it, the Wizards could look to get the most out of trade package with two years left on his contract and the Pistons could be players for a Beal trade.

Dec. 15 – This is the first day newly-signed free agents are eligible to be traded. Detroit plays 26 games before this date and could be in buy-now mode if they need it for a crucial west coast trip to close 2019 and enter 2020.

Feb. 6 – This is the NBA trade deadline. Depending on where the Pistons stand, they could be buyers or sellers. They do have assets in expiring contracts (Reggie Jackson and Langston Galloway) as well as young assets (Luke Kennard and Sekou Doumbouya) that could factor in.

Nationally-televised games

Detroit will play two nationally-televised games on ESPN. The first is Jan. 29 at the Brooklyn Nets. The second is later in the season at the Philadelphia 76ers on March 11.

Notable games

Jan. 2 @ Los Angeles Clippers – Blake Griffin makes his return to the Staples Center against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Jan. 13 vs. New Orleans Pelicans – Zion Williamson is already a household name and he’ll bring a young Pelicans team to Little Caesars Arena.

March 20 vs. Golden State Warriors – Detroit will welcome a new-look Warriors team that features D’Angelo Russell along with stars Stephen Curry and Michigan State alumnus Draymond Green.

March 22 vs. Los Angeles Lakers – LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers will visit Little Caesars Arena as part of a tough home stretch for the Pistons.

March 29 vs. Houston Rockets – James Harden and new (old?) teammate Russell Westbrook visit Little Caesars Arena.

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