The NBA is back with the start of the 2026-27 season.
The Detroit Pistons start the season Tuesday at 3 p.m. hosting the Boston Celtics in a matchup of last season's Eastern Conference 1-seed and 2-seed.
So, it's time for our annual Pistons predictions and NBA Finals picks.
We tasked our NBA experts with answering burning Pistons questions, including picking a breakout player, predicting the trade deadline, final record and mapping out the fascinating East standings and NBA playoffs.
Make "The Pistons Pulse" your go-to Pistons podcast, listen available anywhere you get podcasts (Apple, Spotify) or watch live on YouTube.

#celtics #eastern

Boston Celtics vs. Detroit Pistons
Detroit; Tuesday, 3 p.m. EDT
LINE: Celtics -1.5; over/under is 222.5
BOTTOM LINE: The Detroit Pistons begin the season at home against the Boston Celtics.
Detroit went 60-22 overall, 39-13 in Eastern Conference action and 32-9 at home during the 2025-26 season. The Pistons allowed opponents to score 109.6 points per game and shoot 44.3% from the field last season.

#celtics #season #eastern

DETROIT — The Detroit Pistons had an outstanding 2025-26 season, marking their best campaign in nearly 20 years. They won 60 regular-season games and advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals for the first time since 2008.
The Pistons' success last season prompted a major roster overhaul to improve the team's mediocre offense with better floor ***** ing and 3-point shooting. This led to the departures of Tobias Harris, Caris LeVert, Marcus Sasser and Isaiah Stewart — four players who, in various ways, were crucial to the Pistons' impressive 60-win season.
With coach J.B. Bickerstaff returning for his third season, the Pistons are entering the 2026-27 campaign with lofty expectations. Here's a player-by-player breakdown of the roster.
Cade Cunningham
▶ Age: 25

#player

Pistons rumors: Jalen Duren feels 'disrespected' amid Detroit extension stalemate appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
As All-NBA center Jalen Duren and the Detroit Pistons inch closer to the October 1 deadline, there are reportedly no signs of the two reaching an agreement. Duren and the Pistons remain at a stalemate amid negotiations on a potential contract extension ahead of the 2026-27 season.
The Sacramento Kings' reported interest in acquiring Duren was mentioned in addition to the All-Star center's frustration. The entire contract negotiating process over his future with the Pistons isn't sitting well with Duren, according to ESPN NBA Today's Marc Spears.
"Scott Perry ain't playing around; neither is BJ Armstrong," Spears said. "Scott Perry has a relationship with Jalen Duren dating back to when he was trying to get the Knicks to draft him, which they did. But they traded him to the Pistons. Scott Perry also has NFL ties from his father. Duren's agent is an NFL agent. So, he has a connection with him, and Duren likes Scott Perry a lot. He likes Sacramento a lot. The Pistons are focused on bringing him back. They have some optimism, but it's complicated.
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#pistons #perry #sacramento #spears

Clippers, Kings predicted to battle for $19M Pistons' former first-rounder, elite versatile athlete originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Early in the summer, it was hard to tell what was going to be next for the Detroit Pistons and Jalen Duren as they worked through their contract negotiations. The two sides were warned that it could be a long process because of Duren's camp and other factors.
It was known that the center wanted a max contract. It was his postseason play that had Detroit skeptical about giving him everything he wanted in a contract.
"The longer Jalen Duren remains unsigned in free agency, the Detroit Pistons will be forced to reconsider whether the hassle is worth the reward. Duren's All-NBA season officially made him eligible for a five-year supermax extension, but his underwhelming play in the postseason immediately made the chances of the big man landing that payday at an all-time low," Pistons Powered's John Canady wrote.
The latest update for Duren and the Pistons is not good. Both sides currently sit at a $5 million contract rift.

#jalen #postseason #play

The Justice Department has initiated a criminal investigation into allegations that the Los Angeles Clippers used secret endorsement deals to boost its star player Kawhi Leonard's income while violating the NBA's salary cap, the New York Times reported, just a week after the league suspended the team's billionaire owner Steve Ballmer for a year.
Owner Steve Ballmer of the Los Angeles Clippers congratulates Kawhi Leonard #2 after his 55-point game to win 112-99 against the Detroit Pistons at Intuit Dome.
Citing unnamed sources briefed on the matter, the Times reported that the matter is being investigated by prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney's Office in Brooklyn and the probe is in its "earliest stages."
The report noted that prosecutors have already issued a subpoena as part of the probe, but details of the crimes being investigated remain unclear.
The DOJ investigation began before the NBA handed out its own punishments against the Clippers—including a year-long suspension of the team's owner and ninth-richest person in the world.

#owner #angeles #kawhi

Ahead of the 2026-27 NBA season, the Warriors have revealed some new threads. Golden State is one of eight teams to receive new "Specter" jerseys from Nike. The Warriors' edition is prominently black with blue stripes on the right side and yellow number outlines. The seven other teams to receive "Specter" jerseys are the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Detroit Pistons, Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings. The "Specter" jersey was meant as a way to celebrate some of the league's oldest NBA teams.
Since the release, fans have had mixed reviews on the new uniforms, but most overall comments have been negative. When the Warriors will debut these jerseys has not yet been revealed. In the meantime, Golden State will begin a six-game preseason run October 4 against the Los Angeles Clippers in Hawaii.
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#teams #state #revealed

A longtime NBA journeyman recently named Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry as one of the league's top five players. In an interview with HoopsHype, 14-year NBA veteran Danilo Gallinari spoke about his career and the current state of the NBA. When asked to give a top-five list of current players, Curry was the first name he said. "Current Top 5, I always, I guess I always go with the old heads first: Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and LeBron James. And then I put Anthony Edwards and Nikola Jokic."
Gallinari, a former No. 6 overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, played for eight different franchises, with his longest stop coming in Denver. Despite suffering two ACL tears during his career, the Italian forward put together an impressive resume, playing in 777 career games, averaging 14.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.9 ***** ists and 0.7 steals while shooting 42.8% from the floor and 38.1% from beyond the arc. His strongest campaign came with the Los Angeles Clippers during the 2018-19 season, where he averaged 19.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.6 ***** ists and 0.7 steals. Gallinari's final season came during the 2023-24 campaign, where he played for three different teams, the Wizards, Pistons and Bucks.
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#current #first

Jalen Duren appears to be willing to bet on himself, with the Detroit Pistons unable to meet his contract demands before the end of September.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Duren is becoming more and more open to accepting his one-year, $9.6 million qualifying offer that would allow him to play the 2026-27 season and become an unrestricted free agent next offseason.
"The challenge Duren faces hasn't changed much since early July. He seeks a lucrative new five-year deal reflective of his leaps last season to All-Star and All-NBA status — playoff struggles be ******* ed — but there is no team in the marketplace with salary cap ******* e to make a run at Duren that exerts pressure on the Pistons to increase their offers."
"One source briefed on the process says Duren is increasingly prepared to play out the coming season on his $9.6 million qualifying offer — with the intent to become an unrestricted free agent next summer — if no deal with Detroit materializes by the end of September. That would be a risky route to go for a player who achieved what Duren achieved last season, and there will naturally be considerable skepticism that the 22-year-old is truly willing to go the qualifying offer route until it actually happens … but let's see how the rest of the month plays out."
That lack of outside leverage has become the center of this stalemate.

#year #become

DETROIT — The Motor City Cruise — the G League affiliate of the Detroit Pistons — announced on Thursday the hiring of Steve Scalzi as their new head coach. Scalzi will replace Jamelle McMillan at the start of the 2026-27 season, becoming the third head coach in the franchise's history.
Scalzi has worked as an ***** istant coach for the Pistons for the past three seasons. Renowned for his player development skills, he has been instrumental in developing players such as Cade Cunningham and Ausar Thompson. In July, he also served as head coach for the Pistons during the 2026 NBA Summer League tournament.
Scalzi's role as coach of the Cruise marks his return to the NBA's professional developmental league. He began his career as an ***** istant coach with the then-Tulsa 66ers (Oklahoma City Blue), the Oklahoma City Thunder's G League affiliate.
At that time, the Blue were part of the NBA D-League. As one of the franchise's primary player development coaches, Scalzi helped a handful of players receive promotions around the league during the 2013-14 season.
Scalzi's success later led him to join the Thunder's coaching staff in 2014, where he held several roles during his seven-year tenure. His most memorable responsibility was helping develop future Hall of Famers Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

#pistons #cruise

With training camp fast approaching, several Central Division teams still have a few questions to answer. Jalen Duren's contract situation is still unresolved in Detroit; Victor Oladipo has been seen as an option for the Chicago Bulls, and the Pistons are even connected to Michael Porter Jr. as a potential future trade target.
The biggest storyline ongoing is Duren's restricted free agency, but there appears to be a little more optimism about that agreement. The Athletic's Sam Amick reported that the financial difference between Duren and the Pistons isn't as big as it was previously believed.
"I mean, as far as the state of affairs, I don't know which way it's going to go. There is a gap. It's not as big as I thought it was before having a few recent conversations. It seems like there's, you know, there's a window here to get something done and put him back in a Pistons jersey."
"I think what's interesting is, like, the QO (qualifying offer) has become such a nuclear option for players and also for teams that it's fair to wonder, like, 'Man, if they can't completely bridge that gap, how do both sides feel about the QO?'" Amick continued. "Because, even from a human standpoint, we, as you guys know, haven't seen a lot of people successfully take that route."
Duren has been seeking more than $40 million a year, and the Pistons have been around $35 million per season. ESPN's Tim MacMahon recently put the Pistons' offer in the ballpark of $180 million over five years. The alternative is Duren accepting the $9.6 million qualifying offer and becoming an unrestricted free agent next season. This has been described as a nuclear option because of the risk it carries for both sides. The Kings do remain an interested party in a sign-and-trade possibility, or even a potential 2027 destination, because they can create the most max cap ******* e then, but the Pistons have reportedly had no interest in a sign-and-trade as of now.

#pistons #even

It's been roughly three months since the New York Knicks became champions of the basketball world. For the first time in 53 years, and after long stretches of misery, the franchise finally reached the pinnacle of success, but the journey was not easy.
In fact, throughout the playoffs, the Knicks found themselves down big on several occasions, only to mount amazing comebacks that defined their run. Recently, Knicks swingman Mikal Bridges spoke about the comebacks and the conditions that made it possible to survive overwhelming odds.
"The Cavs series, that Game 1, being down 22 in the 4th. Last year in the playoffs, being down a lot," said Bridges in a chat with Men's Health. "We had opportunities where we had been in the same situations and succeeded. It's having that faith of being here before. Obviously, it's different being in the Finals than any other playoff series, but it's still just another game. It's just having that belief and taking it one possession at a time; we've been here before, we've done it before. Ain't gonna get it back in one possession, still a lot of time left. A lot of us have been in the league for a long time, and we know in this day and age, with the fast pace and a lot of threes, that even down 27 points at halftime, you still have a lot of time. And being at home, having the crowd behind your back, it's gonna put pressure on them."
The Knicks went 53-29 in the 2025-26 season, and most critics had them a tier below the Cavaliers, Celtics, and Pistons in the East. In the playoffs, however, the Knicks dominated the field, going 16-3 in an impressive performance. Along the way, they faced fierce resistance, overcoming a 22-point deficit in the opening game against the Cavaliers.
Their unlikeliest win, however, was in the Finals. In Game 4 of the series, the Knicks went down by as much as 29 points, but somehow came back and won (107-106) off a buzzer-beater from OG Anunoby. It seemed impossible at the time, but the Knicks always felt that victory was within reach.

#knicks #time #game

The Sacramento Kings' interest in Jalen Duren isn't going away, even if the Pistons have basically shut the door on a sign-and-trade for now. On the latest episode of ESPN's The Hoop Collective, Anthony Slater said GM Scott Perry has Duren's name "with highlighter pen" as a possible target, while also noting that Sacramento could create max cap ***** e next summer if Duren takes his $9.6 million qualifying offer and becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2027. The Kings already met with Duren earlier in free agency, so this isn't just random trade-machine talk.
The problem is Detroit. The Kings would like to sign-and-trade for Duren with Domantas Sabonis going the other way, per Tim MacMahon, but "that's not happening," because the Pistons have made it clear they aren't interested in moving their 22-year-old All-NBA center. Detroit reportedly wants Duren closer to $35.0 million per season, while his camp is looking for more than $40.0 million, and the Pistons still "absolutely, positively, 100%" intend to keep him despite that gap in "nasty" negotiations.
So if the Kings really want Duren now instead of waiting another year, Sabonis alone clearly isn't getting it done. They would need to make the return much bigger, probably bring in more teams to solve the salary issues, and give Detroit enough immediate talent and draft capital to at least reconsider its current position. This four-team framework with the Bucks and Raptors does exactly that, while landing Sacramento the young center they clearly want to build around.
Milwaukee Bucks Receive: Jakob Poeltl, Duncan Robinson, Ron Holland, 2027 second-round pick via Pistons, 2029 first-round pick via Raptors
Sacramento Kings Receive: Jalen Duren

#sacramento #pistons

The Western Conference has undoubtedly dominated the 21st-century NBA. But after blockbuster trades and free agency moves, the Eastern Conference appears to be historically stacked.
Now, with newly emerged "super teams" like the Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks, the fully healthy Indiana Pacers and Boston Celtics, and true contention from the Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors, and the Detroit Pistons, how can the Cleveland Cavaliers rise to the top?
Once again, Cleveland is coming into the season with a big four of stars. This time, though, Darius Garland is out, and James Harden is in for his first full season as a Cavalier.
Next to Harden are the three veteran Cavs' All-Stars: Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen.
The core left a lot to be desired in their Eastern Conference Finals run last season, and things have arguably gotten worse for their future.

#season

As the 2026-27 NBA season approaches this fall, Bleacher Report released an interesting list, as they ranked the best players by each age. Unexpectedly, there were multiple Houston Rockets players who earned that distinction.
Beginning with the more surprising of the two, Amen Thompson was named as the league's best 23-year-old. Last season, Thompson took a huge jump, playing 79 games and averaging a career-high 18.3 points to go along with 7.8 rebounds, 5.3 ******* ists, 1.5 steals and 0.6 blocks. Although he was snubbed from an All-Defensive selection, Thompson did finish eighth in Defensive Player of Year Award voting. Other notable 23-year-olds that Thompson was selected over include Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero and Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller.
As readers may have expected, Kevin Durant (age 37) was the other Rockets forward listed, as Alperen Sengun fell short to Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham among players at the age of 24. A season ago, Durant averaged 26 points per game, tying him for 10th in the league. He also averaged 5.5 rebounds, 4.8 ******* ists, 0.8 steals and 0.9 blocks. James Harden, a former MVP in Houston, was the only other 37-year-old in the same realm as Durant, averaging 23.6 points and eight ******* ists between the Clippers and Cavaliers.
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#year #durant #forward

The Detroit Pistons keep having trouble with the Jalen Duren contract situation, which has dragged on much longer than I initially expected once no other team could throw him a deal in restricted free agency.
ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported that the gap is still pretty clear: Detroit has been offering Duren a five-year contract around $35.0 million per season, while Duren wants an average salary above $40.0 million. Training camp opens later this month, and Duren can still take his $9.6 million qualifying offer and become an unrestricted free agent next summer, so this isn't something Detroit can simply wait and see what happens.
I still think Duren stays with the Pistons; there is too much sense for both sides to keep the partnership going, especially after he averaged 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 2.0 ******* ists on 65.0% from the field, became an All-Star and made All-NBA Third Team for a 60-22 team. But Detroit also traded Isaiah Stewart to the Grizzlies this summer, and that left them without the type of proven backup center they had last season.
That is why I would call the Dallas Mavericks about Daniel Gafford. Of course, he wouldn't replace Duren immediately, because that shouldn't be Detroit's plan, but he could give the Pistons one of the best backup centers in basketball right now, and if this Duren situation somehow becomes a sign-and-trade later, Detroit wouldn't suddenly enter the season without a starting center.
More importantly, his game fits Cade Cunningham in probably the easiest way possible: screen, roll, catch the lob, finish, protect the rim, repeat.

#season #situation

PARIS, FRANCE - JANUARY 23: Sandro Mamukelashvili of San Antonio Spurs slam dunks in the NBA game between San Antonio Spurs and the Indiana Pacers at The Accor Arena on January 25, 2025 in Paris, France. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
The Indiana Pacers currently sit somewhere that they are rarely found: over the luxury tax.
In fact, the Pacers haven't been a tax paying team since the 2004-05 season. In the two decades since, the franchise has always finished with a team salary below the luxury tax line and received a distribution of money from the league's taxpaying teams.
Since 2005, the only NBA teams to never cross the luxury tax threshold are the Pacers, Memphis Grizzlies, Detroit Pistons, Charlotte Hornets, and Sacramento Kings. Reporting suggested that the Pacers may have been willing to do so in the 2025-26 season after their run to the NBA Finals, but Tyrese Haliburton's injury changed everything before Myles Turner left in free agency.
Since 2001-02, the Pacers have finished a season above the luxury tax barrier three times. Yet right now, they are in a position where if no money saving moves are made between now and the last day of the league year, that streak would end at the conclusion of the 2026-27 season.

#Pacers #since #season

Mat Ishbia rules out a Devin Booker trade to the Detroit Pistons from ever happening originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Phoenix Suns superstar Devin Booker has been with the team since 2015. He seems destined to stay with the team for the rest of his career, despite rumors that he may return to his home state of Michigan.
Considering Suns owner Mat Ishbia is a well-known Michigan native who played for Michigan State, people think there could be a path for Booker to move to the Detroit Pistons. However, that seems quite unlikely at this point in Booker's career.
Booker has been the cornerstone for the Suns over the past decade. He has cemented himself as one of the superstars who is loyal to his team, and it seems the love is mutual between the franchise and the player. Even Ishbia, as a team owner, is not entertaining ideas about trading Booker away.
Of course, anything his possible in the NBA, but it looks like Booker will be on the Suns for a long time. In fact, he just signed a contract extension that will help him stay in Phoenix through the 2029-30 season. It is a long-term contract that will keep him with the Suns well into his 30s.

#michigan

Jalen Duren had plenty to talk about Saturday during a celebration in his hometown. His contract situation with the Detroit Pistons was not one of those things.
Duren returned to Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania, for Jalen Duren Day, an annual community event that included a street being named in his honor. The 22-year-old spoke about giving back and continuing to improve as a player, but according to a report from the event, he declined to comment when asked about his unresolved contract with Detroit.
The decision to stay quiet comes at an increasingly uncomfortable point in negotiations.
Just one day earlier, the latest report on Duren's contract talks detailed ESPN insider Tim MacMahon's concerns about how contentious the process has become. MacMahon said on The Hoop Collective, "But this has been an awfully nasty negotiation. Sometimes these negotiations when they are ugly like this can have long-lasting consequences."
It would be easy to turn Duren's refusal to discuss the contract into evidence that he is finished with Detroit. There is no reporting to support that conclusion.

#duren #contract #Event #negotiations

DETROIT — The Pistons did not have the best outing during the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. They finished the tournament as one of five teams that finished with fewer than two wins, going 1-4.
Despite their struggles as a team, the Pistons' performance during the league's annual mid-July showcase was still a success, as a handful of players effectively showcased the hard work they have put in over the offseason.
At the top of the list was second-year guard Chaz Lanier. The former second-round pick from Tennessee established himself as one of the best players in Las Vegas, and if not for the Pistons' subpar record, Lanier would have left with some hardware.
"I feel like I went out there and was aggressive, displaying all of the things that I've really been working on since the season ended in May," Lanier told The Detroit News. "But since Summer League ended, I've continued to stay in the gym and hungry. My goal is to continue getting better."
For a team that spent the entire summer improving its 3-point shooting and floor ******* ing, Lanier proved he could provide another solution to what the Pistons need.

#summer #league

If Jalen Duren's negotiations drag on as long as they can, how would that affect Ausar Thompson's potential rookie-scale extension? John Hollinger: I see two dominoes here. First, the Pistons need to know what Duren's number will be on their books in 2028 and 2029 before they can finalize their cap planning and determine their best path for Thompson's next deal. Second, there is an important question of which player they value more, one that will play out rather publicly if Thompson inks an extension shortly after Duren's deal is completed. Of course, it's possible that, as with Duren, Detroit doesn't agree with Thompson on an extension and he becomes a restricted free agent next summer.
New York Times
If Jalen Duren's negotiations drag on as long as they can, how would that affect Ausar Thompson's potential rookie-scale extension? John Hollinger: I see two dominoes here. First, the Pistons need to know what Duren's number will be on their books in 2028 and 2029 before they can finalize their cap planning and determine their best path for Thompson's next deal. Second, there is an important question of which player they value more, one that will play out rather publicly if Thompson inks an extension shortly after Duren's deal is completed. Of course, it's possible that, as with Duren, Detroit doesn't agree with Thompson on an extension and he becomes a restricted free agent next summer. — 8/20/2026 New York Times
Fullcourtpass: There's a lot of people within the Pistons organization that view Ausar Thompson as the second best player on the team and not Jalen Duren, per VinceGoodwill This has affected Duren negotiations with the Pistons — 8/10/2026 x.com
Stewart said he believes Jalen Duren should be rewarded. "It's tricky, but [Duren] proved he's worth what he's asking for to the organization, if you ask me," Stewart said. "They act like they want him to prove it [before last season], and I felt he proved it. He was an All-Star, third-team All-NBA. I feel like he should get paid. He's a huge core piece. Bring him back. … "He's been getting better every year. Third-year All-Star? Like come on, give him the bag. But at the same time, I hope it works out and I hope he gets that money at the end of the day." — 8/9/2026 Andscape

#jalen

If Jalen Duren's negotiations drag on as long as they can, how would that affect Ausar Thompson's potential rookie-scale extension? John Hollinger: I see two dominoes here. First, the Pistons need to know what Duren's number will be on their books in 2028 and 2029 before they can finalize their cap planning and determine their best path for Thompson's next deal. Second, there is an important question of which player they value more, one that will play out rather publicly if Thompson inks an extension shortly after Duren's deal is completed. Of course, it's possible that, as with Duren, Detroit doesn't agree with Thompson on an extension and he becomes a restricted free agent next summer.
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: John Hollinger: Pistons need to know Jalen Duren's number before finalizing path for Ausar Thompson deal

#deal #need #know

Isaiah Stewart shared some honesty in a sitdown interview with Marc Spears of ESPN/Andscape.
Stewart, who was traded from the Detroit Pistons on draft night June 24 for three second-round picks to the Memphis Grizzlies, was blunt about the past year with the team that drafted him No. 16 overall in 2020.
"That series didn't go good," Stewart said of the seven-game conference semifinals loss to Cleveland. "I didn't play as much. I just knew it was my last game as a Piston."
Stewart was a big part of the Pistons' turnaround from the worst team in the NBA from 2020-23 to the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference in 2025-26.
Spears asked at what point Stewart thought he "might not be in Detroit forever."

#didn 't #game #marc

Tyrese Haliburton believes the Eastern Conference is finally better than the West originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The 2026 offseason has been quite eventful for the Eastern Conference. Jaylen Brown and LeBron James are now with the Philadelphia 76ers, Giannis Antetokounmpo is with the Miami Heat, and the New York Knicks are the defending champions.
It is one of the most loaded Eastern Conferences in a long time, and it could finally end the notion that the Western Conference is the better group. Now, Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers believes that he is part of the stronger conference ahead of the 2026-27 season.
With all the moves that happened this offseason and the Pacers' impending comeback with Haliburton, the East is quite challenging to play against. It is one of the most loaded Eastern Conferences in recent memory, which is refreshing due to the many years that the Western Conference has dominated the league.
There are plenty of teams that are ready to compete, as the likes of Philly, Miami, New York, and Indiana are all prepared. At the same time, teams like the Boston Celtics and the Detroit Pistons are still ready to compete at a high level.

#conference #eastern #tyrese #Miami

With LeBron James joining the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency, the NBA's schedule makers have been given the green light to get to work on the 2026-27 campaign.
"Where LeBron plays will affect the schedule," NBA commissioner Adam Silver told CNBC's Andrew Ross Sorkin in July. "So I would like him to make his announcement already, so we can finish the schedule, because, as you might imagine, the teams are calling us, the networks are calling us, and everybody wants to lock in the schedule. But it will influence how we set the schedule, how we set opening week, Christmas Day, etc."
On Tuesday, the league announced the slate for two of its marquee broadcasting days, Opening Night and Christmas Day. True to Silver's word, the schedules for both days feature James' Sixers.
The 2026-27 regular season tips off Tuesday, Oct. 20, when Philadelphia will take on the defending NBA champion New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden, the Oklahoma City Thunder travel to face the San Antonio Spurs in a rematch of the Western Conference Finals, and the Boston Celtics take the court against the Detroit Pistons.
Unsurprisingly, James and the Sixers will feature in the primetime 7 p.m. ET slot. However, fans were quick to note the Celtics-Pistons game's unorthodox 3 p.m. ET start time. ESPN's Dave McMenamin appeared on Tuesday's NBA Today episode to provide some insight into the decision.

#tuesday #sixers #celtics #pistons

The NBA released its schedule for the 2026 NBA Cup. The league's annual in-season tournament will begin on Friday, Oct. 30.
The tournament is divided into six groups of five teams each. Each team will play four group-stage games.
The knockout games begin on Friday, Dec. 4. The championship will be played Friday, Dec. 11 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The ******* le game moved to Hinkle from Las Vegas for the first time.
The New York Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs in the 2025 NBA Cup championship game — in what also was a preview of that season's NBA Finals.
East Group A: Pistons | Raptors | Magic | Bucks | Nets
East Group B: Knicks | Cavaliers | 76ers | Heat | Pacers
East Group C: Celtics | Hawks | Hornets | Bulls | Wizards
West Group A: Nuggets | Rockets | Suns | Mavericks | Jazz
West Group B: Thunder | Timberwolves | Clippers | Pelicans | Grizzlies
West Group C: Spurs | Lakers | Trail Blazers | Warriors | Kings

#east #knicks #SPURS

The Detroit Pistons will tip off their four-game 2026 NBA Cup slate on Oct. 30.
Before the NBA Cup gets underway, they will start the regular season on Oct. 20 in a national TV against the Boston Celtics. The game will start at 3 p.m., making it the first game of the entire 2026-27 season.
More: Detroit Pistons will tip off 2026-27 NBA season against Boston Celtics
The tournament, taking its lead from European-style brackets, consists of two stages – group play and the knockout rounds. In July, teams were randomly divided into six groups of five, three for each conference. The Pistons are in East Group A with the Toronto Raptors, Orlando Magic, Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks.
The Cup will tip off Oct. 30 and will be played every Friday through Nov. 27, with additional "Cup Nights" on Tuesday, Nov. 24, and Wednesday, Nov. 25. The top team in each group will make up six of the eight teams in the knockout rounds, with the remaining two "wild card" teams in the knockout rounds coming from the top second-place finisher in each conference (with a series of tiebreakers in case two or more teams have the same record).

#pistons #teams #rounds #celtics

The Detroit Pistons will tip off their four-game 2026 NBA Cup slate on Oct. 30.
Before the NBA Cup gets underway, they will start the regular season on Oct. 20 in a national TV against the Boston Celtics. The game will start at 3 p.m., making it the first game of the entire 2026-27 season.
More: Detroit Pistons will tip off 2026-27 NBA season against Boston Celtics
The tournament, taking its lead from European-style brackets, consists of two stages – group play and the knockout rounds. In July, teams were randomly divided into six groups of five, three for each conference. The Pistons are in East Group A with the Toronto Raptors, Orlando Magic, Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks.
The Cup will tip off Oct. 30 and will be played every Friday through Nov. 27, with additional "Cup Nights" on Tuesday, Nov. 24, and Wednesday, Nov. 25. The top team in each group will make up six of the eight teams in the knockout rounds, with the remaining two "wild card" teams in the knockout rounds coming from the top second-place finisher in each conference (with a series of tiebreakers in case two or more teams have the same record).

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The NBA is starting off with a bang on opening night on Oct. 20 when LeBron James makes his debut with the Philadelphia 76ers against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
It will be a celebration in New York City as the Knicks will be raising their NBA championship banner before the nationally televised game.
As you could imagine, the amount of attention and interest on that game will be massive as the new-look 76ers, who also added Jaylen Brown this summer, visit their Atlantic Division rivals. It will be the Knicks' first home game since Game 4 of the NBA Finals, which ended with OG Anunoby's winning tip-in with 1.2 seconds to complete a 29-point comeback.
According to Gametime, the current get-in price for a ticket to see the Sixers-Knicks game is $2,127. That's a vast difference compared to the two other games on the opening day of the 2026-27 NBA season. The Boston Celtics at Detroit Pistons lists a $195 get-in price, while the Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs matchup is currently $450.
The other notable announcement on Tuesday was the Christmas Day rematch of the NBA Finals with the Spurs visiting the Knicks. That tilt is currently drawing the highest get-in price of the day with a price of $767.

#SPURS

LeBron James is expected to make his debut with the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday, October 20, at Madison Square Garden, where the Sixers will face the defending champion New York Knicks on the opening night of the 2026 NBA season.
The four-time NBA champion announced his decision to go to Philadelphia in July, signing a two-year, $8 million deal.
"This is my last decision. I'm not going for money. I'm not going for family. What am I really playing for at this point? I still want to sacrifice. I still want to work. I still want to grind. I still want to compete, to win, and to have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship," James said in a thread on X on July 24.
"I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team, and I am so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time."
The 2026 NBA season tips off with a tripleheader on NBC and Peacock, featuring a star-studded lineup. First at 3:00 PM ET, Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics face Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons. Then at 7:00 PM, Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks receive their championship rings before hosting James, Jaylen Brown, and the 76ers at the Garden. At 9:30 PM, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder go head-to-head with Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs in a rematch of the 2026 Western Conference Finals.

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