Detroit Pistons: Memories of The Palace of Auburn Hills
Personal memories
I must admit, I only attended one Pistons game at The Palace and it was, ironically, against the Indiana Pacers. But, there was no brawl this time. Instead, it was joyous shouting at Boban Marjanovic and watching Paul George effortlessly drop 32 points.
I saw former Pistons point guard D.J. Augustin, then a member of the Texas Longhorns, face off against Kalin Lucas, who scored his first NBA points last year as a Detroit Piston, and the Michigan State Spartans on Dec. 22, 2007. MSU was ranked No. 10 and the Longhorns were ranked No. 5.
Aside from the basketball that is played there, The Palace was also a mecca for other entertainment experiences. It was a popular venue for concerts and comedy acts. The demolition of The Palace also concludes the end of the entertainment era.
Concerts never struck me as an overly fun time. Being tight-knit with a bunch of strangers and a lot of shouting and loudness, not a big fan of them. However, I did attend my first concert at The Palace.
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Kanye West and Jay-Z stopped by The Palace during their “Watch the Throne” tour. Yes, they had no opening act. Yes, they were at the casino an hour and a half after they were scheduled to appear making them two hours late. Yes, they played “Paris” at least four times in a row to conclude the show. Yes, there was a lot of weed in the air.
The experience itself was a captivating show. Say what you want about Kanye West, but the man knows how to create an immersive concert experience, complete with two platforms that would rise and fall depending on which one of the rappers was performing their verse.
It’s memories like these that a venue can create. I’ll never forget the guy shouting “Stretch it out, Boban!” as our section was eagerly awaiting the big man to enter the game. Or the emotional Kanye speech he gave before performing “New Day.” As I’m sure anyone that’s attended a Pistons game won’t forget Mason’s “Deeeeeeeeeee-troit Basketball” chant. The demolition of the Palace of Auburn Hills is underway, but the memories will remain long past the crumbling of the debris.
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What are your favorite memories of the Palace? Please share in the comments below, I’d love to hear your stories!