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Detroit Pistons 2019-20 schedule: 3 tough road trips

By Aaron Ferguson

TORONTO, ON - NOVEMBER 14: Head Coach Dwane Casey of the Detroit Pistons acknowledges the crowd during an NBA game against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on November 14, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - NOVEMBER 14: Head Coach Dwane Casey of the Detroit Pistons acknowledges the crowd during an NBA game against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on November 14, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 12: (EDITORS NOTE this image has been converted to black and white) Andre Drummond #0 and Blake Griffin #23 of the Detroit Pistons stand for the national anthem before the game against the LA Clippers on January 12, 2019 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 12: (EDITORS NOTE this image has been converted to black and white) Andre Drummond #0 and Blake Griffin #23 of the Detroit Pistons stand for the national anthem before the game against the LA Clippers on January 12, 2019 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /

New Year’s travels

The Pistons will get out of Detroit for an 11-day, six-game trip out West over the New Year’s holiday. It will be a long break from Little Caesars Arena as the Pistons will play their last home game of 2019 on Dec. 26 and their first of 2020 on Jan. 9.

This trip begins in San Antonio against DeMar DeRozan, LaMarcus Aldridge and the Spurs. Gregg Popovich was one of the original coaches to rest players during the regular season and this could be another instance, though the Spurs will have a day off between playing in Dallas and hosting Detroit. But the Warriors loom large three days later and an extra break against an Eastern Conference team isn’t far-fetched.

Four games out West are going to be tough, beginning with a stop in Utah to take on the Jazz. It’s another intriguing matchup for Drummond as he meets Rudy Gobert. Of course, there’s the Donovan Mitchell–Luke Kennard battle, and the newly-acquired Mike Conley running the point. The Jazz are a Western Conference contender.

So are the Los Angeles Clippers, Griffin’s former team. The Clippers figure to be a top defensive team after signing Kawhi Leonard and trading for Paul George to pair with Patrick Beverley and Montrezl Harrell. The Clippers are currently the title favorites.

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Moving up the coast, Detroit will take on the Golden State Warriors, who likely won’t have Klay Thompson. Still, they’re a formiddable opponent with Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and newly-signed D’Angelo Russell.

Heading back to Los Angeles, the Pistons will meet LeBron James, Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins and the Lakers. There will be some familiarity of playing in the Staples Center but this is the third game in four days and completes a back-to-back, to make things tougher on Detroit. It’ll be the first look at how the Pistons stack up against three stars.

Before completing the trip home, the Pistons will pay a visit to a Central Division rival. The Cleveland Cavaliers will host Detroit with only one day off between the Lakers game. It will complete a four games in six days stretch as Kevin Love, Darius Garland and company look to pick one off from the Pistons.

This particular trip would be a win if the Pistons could go 3-3. That seems doable on paper but could be ambitious as the first five games are against teams that figure to be fighting near the top of the Western Conference standings.

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What is your hope for the Pistons on this six-game swing? Let us know in the comments or by liking Piston Powered on Facebook and following Piston Powered on Twitter.

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