Conspiracy theory: Are Pistons losing national TV game as punishment?

The Detroit Pistons had one national television appearance scheduled for this season. However, the day after a bench-clearing scuffle with the Orlando Magic, that  game was removed from the national schedule. Coincidence?

The Pistons have never been a favorite of the national television networks, even when they were very good. They have not been in a Christmas Day game in 17 years, including three times they made the Eastern Conference finals.

Now, Detroit was not going to be a contender this year. If everything went right, making the Play-in tournament was the ultimate objective. As most Pistons fans know, everything has not gone right.

The Pistons were scheduled for one national TV appearance this season (we do not count NBA TV games, it is not carried in many parts of the country and it simply picks up the home feed).. And now, the one crumb of national recognition that Detroit was going to have, has been taken away.:

So now, Detroit has Zero games total on either TNT, ESPN or ABC.

Yes, Detroit has one of the worst records in the league, And the the fact its biggest name, Cade Cunningham, is out for the year does not help.

But to be replaced by Miami Heat vs. Oklahoma City? One is barely over. 500, the other has a losing record. Not exactly, Boston-Milwaukee.

Will that be more attractive to the general public than. forget the Pistons, with the 76ers viewers are seeing MVP candidate Joel Embiid, James Harden, Tyrese Maxey and former Piston Tobias Harris.

Yeah, the Thunder have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He is great but 98-percent of the public has never heard of him. Miami has Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro but the Sixers can match them in star power.

Detroit has one game total on national TV, why yank it from them for that?

Well, one could make a conspiracy theory about it, looking at the timing.

One day fight, next day Detroit Pistons off national TV

It was just two weeks before the 76ers-Pistons game was going to be on TNT, when Detroit and the Orlando Magic got into a little dust-up.

That occured the night of the 29th, the next day came the announcement the Pistons only national TV game was pulled.

Coincidence?

We all know the NBA league office never liked the physical ‘Bad Boys’ and the defensive-oriented ‘Goin to Work’ crew. They really did not like the ‘Malice at the Palace’ thing of 20 years ago.

Even though the Magic’s Mo Wagner instigated it, and the Magic players left their bench to participate, only one player got hit with more than a one game suspension: the Pistons’ Killian Hayes with three.

"“Disappointed for our guys. 3 games is a lot, but the league made their decision. We have to abide by them,” said coach Dwane Casey, via Mike Curtis."

Yes, a former Pistons, Joe Dumars, made the decision, but he has to answer to people too.

Here is the timeline:

28th: Magic-Pistons tussle

29th: Pistons have only national TV game withdrawn

30th: Pistons’ Killian Hayes gets harshest penalty

Is NBA Commissioner Adam Silver sitting in his office, obsessed with sticking it to the Pistons? Maybe not, but the timing, and the lack of a better replacement game, does make one wonder.