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It’s finally starting to feel real. Basketball is back! The Detroit Pistons released their official preseason schedule for the truncated 2020-21 NBA season. In an effort to minimize travel and risks of exposure to COVID-19, Detroit has scheduled a pair of games against the New York Knicks and Washington Wizards apiece.
This will be the first opportunity for fans to see new players Jerami Grant, Delon Wright and Mason Plumlee in action. With no Summer League, it is also an opportunity to get Killian Hayes, Isaiah Stewart, Saddiq Bey and Saben Lee some low-risk minutes in games that don’t count.
It’ll be especially interesting how much Hayes is throw into the fire just weeks after being drafted by the franchise. It could be a sign what the plans are for him in the rotation early in the year.
In “normal times,” it wasn’t uncommon to see two teams face off against each other in two consecutive games, but typically it meant one game at home and one game away for each squad.
In a sign of how important it is to minimize travel and exposure risks, the Pistons are playing the Knicks twice in a row, both at Little Caesars Arena. They will then play two road games in a row against the Wizards at Capital One Arena.
There is one off day between both the two Knicks games and the two Wizards games. There will be three off days between the second New York game and the first Washington contest.
There is no information about radio or televsion broadcast plans for the preseason available at this time.
Detroit Pistons Preseason Schedule
Date & Time: Dec. 11 at 7 p.m.
Opponent: New York Knicks
Location: Little Caesars Arena
Date & Time: Dec. 13 at 7 p.m.
Opponent: New York Knicks
Location: Little Caesars Arena
Date & Time: Dec. 17 at 7 p.m.
Opponent: Washington Wizards
Location: Capitol One Arena
Date & Time: Dec. 19 at 7 p.m.
Opponent: Washington Wizards
Location: Capitol One Arena