Detroit Pistons Schedule: Next 9 games will decide if tank is back on

The Detroit Pistons are just 3-10 after getting smacked at home by the Sacramento Kings.

After having the best game of their season, the young Pistons followed it up with one of their worst, which is pretty much what you’d expect from a rebuilding team still learning how to play the game.

The Detroit Pistons are not a good team right now and there is no way to sugarcoat it. Even sniffing the play-in seems like a pipe dream at this point though they are just three games back of the 10th spot.

I don’t think anyone expects the Pistons to make the playoffs (or the play-in) but they are entering a dangerous nine-game stretch of the schedule that may launch a full-scale tank.

Just look at this stretch of games, which is probably the toughest of the season. By the end of it fans may be looking at the 2022 NBA Draft prospects, but if the Pistons can win a few, it could give them enough confidence to make a run at the play-in.

Detroit Pistons Schedule: The Tank is idling and could be rolling after these 9 games

Here is the Detroit Pistons’ schedule for the next nine games:

• Indiana Pacers (6-9)
• Golden State Warriors (11-2)
• LA Lakers (8-7)
• Miami Heat (9-5)
• @Milwaukee Bucks (6-8)
• @LA Clippers (8-5)
• @LA Lakers (8-7)
• @Portland Trail Blazers (7-8)
• @Phoenix Suns (10-3)

The Detroit Pistons will be underdogs in every single one of these games, and if we’re being honest, they could easily lose them all.

The only good news is that the Pacers, Bucks and Trail Blazers are off to slow starts, but even their “slow starts” are likely good enough to beat a Pistons’ team that has a historically bad offense.

The only way to look at this stretch is to say that if the Detroit Pistons can win even a couple of these it would be a big boost of confidence to their young roster, as they will be going up against many of the best teams in the NBA.

But let’s face it, the Pistons could very well be 3-19 after these nine games, with their season effectively over. It will be all Cade Cunningham stat watching from there, so at least we have something to look forward to.

I’m hoping the Pistons can steal a few wins in this stretch and at least stay somewhat alive for the play-in in the second half of the season. But I fear after these nine games we’ll all be watching a LOT more college hoops.