It’s Magic! Pistons to open season vs. Orlando

The complete NBA schedule will not be released until August 17 but where the Detroit Pistons will start the season is now known.

If you are a Pistons fan and thinking about a trip to Disney World or Universal, you may want to go there around October 19. At least you can watch the game on TV while enjoying the sites. According to James Edwards of The Athletic (PAID SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED), Detroit will open the 2022-23 season against the Orlando Magic  at Little Caesars Arena on that date.

This will be the Pistons home opener.

Obviously, this is not a coincidental event. The Magic feature this year’s No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft, Paolo Banchero, while the Pistons, of course, have last year’s No. 1, Cade Cunningham.

The entire NBA schedule will be known at 3 p.m. (ET) on Wednesday, including the national TV schedule, although the Pistons are rarely included in that.

What do we know about the Detroit Pistons schedule so far?

The NBA loves to release info on its schedule in drips and drabs before the big release.

In addition to opening at home against Orlando, here is what we know so far about where the Pistons are playing:

• On January 19, the Pistons will play the Chicago Bulls in the Paris Game. It will be played in Accor Arena in France. This will be a sort of homecoming for Detroit guard Killian Hayes, a French citizen.
• Detroit will not be playing on Christmas Day. It will be the 17th year in a row that they were passed over for December 25.
• No NBA games will be played on Election Day, November 8, so people can get out and vote (IMO, could have just moved the game times to 8 p.m., when polls are closed)
• Detroit’s first pre-season game will be October 4 at the New York Knicks. That will mark the return to Madison Square Garden for Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel, who were traded to the Pistons over the summer.

Detroit Pistons vs. Orlando Magic matchup

Banchero going against Cunningham will be closely watched (even though play different positions), but there are other interesting storylines in the contest:

Another former No. 1 pick, Markelle Fultz, will be playing for Orlando. They also have brothers Franz and Mo Wagner, both former Michigan players.

Who the heck will coach Dwane Casey start? Outside of Cade Cunningham at the point and Saddiq Bey at small forward, he has a lot of options.

Does Alec Burks, who is an experienced shooter, start at shooting guard or do they throw out Jaden Ivey right off the bat. Does Isaiah Stewart start at power forward or center? Does 18-year-old rookie center Jalen Duren play at all?

A lot of questions, but fun ones. Better than ‘geez, we have no one good to start’.

The Pistons went 3-1 last season against the Magic. If they do have Play-in tournament ambitions, it is a game they would want to walk away with a ‘W’.