Detroit Pistons Details
The Pistons franchise initially played in Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons. The team’s original owner also owned a company that manufactured pistons for automobile engines, so the name transferred perfectly when the team moved to Detroit, which is known for its role in American automobile manufacturing. Up until last season, the Pistons played in the Detroit suburbs at The Palace of Auburn Hills. This season, they’ll be moving to within the Detroit city limits to play at the newly opening Little Caesars Arena.
In 1989, the Pistons won their first championship after finishing the regular season with the first seed in the Eastern Conference. The finals series was a revenge match against the Lakers, who had beaten the Pistons in the finals the year before. The Pistons’ roster included a trio of future Hall of Famers: Dennis Rodman, Joe Dumars, and Isiah Thomas. That trio remained intact for the following season, and the Pistons won their second consecutive title, this time defeating the Portland Trail Blazers. All three players have their numbers retired by the team.
The Pistons won their third and most recent title in 2004, winning another series against their old rivals—the Lakers. The Lakers had a stacked team, including Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Karl Malone, and Gary Payton; the Pistons were major underdogs going into the series. The ’04 Pistons stunned the world and won the series decisively, defeating the Lakers in just five games.
Last season, the Pistons finished just outside the playoffs, four games behind the 8th seed Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference. During the offseason, they acquired shooting guard Avery Bradley from the Celtics. Bradley is known for his strong defensive play, and he posted the best points per game numbers of his career last season. Players like Tobias Harris and Reggie Jackson should help the team compete again for a playoff spot in the East, and 2017 12th overall pick Luke Kennard should bring much-needed shooting talent to the team.
Detroit Pistons Top Matchups
The Detroit Pistons have a number of exciting matchups this season, see below for their top rivalries.
- Pistons vs. Bulls Tickets
- Pistons vs. Cavaliers Tickets
- Pistons vs. Pacers Tickets
- Pistons vs. Bucks Tickets
- Pistons vs. Warriors Tickets
- Pistons vs. Clippers Tickets
- Pistons vs. Lakers Tickets
- Pistons vs. Suns Tickets
- Pistons vs. Kings Tickets
- Pistons vs. Hawks Tickets
- Pistons vs. Hornets Tickets
- Pistons vs. Heat Tickets
- Pistons vs. Magic Tickets
- Pistons vs. Wizards Tickets