Pistons Schedule to Tip-Off 2008-09 Season on October 29


The Detroit Pistons will open the 2008-09 season at The Palace of Auburn Hills versus the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, October 29 (8:00 p.m. EST), it was announced today by the National Basketball Association.

Highlights of the Pistons home schedule include two home meetings against the NBA and Eastern Conference Champion Boston Celtics (November 9 and January 30), two meetings with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers (November 19 and February 1), two meetings with Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic (December 29 and March 9) and single-game match-ups with Kobe Bryant and the Western Conference Champion Los Angeles Lakers (March 26), the high-powered Phoenix Suns (February 8) and perennial power San Antonio Spurs (February 19). Rising superstar guard Chris Paul leads the New Orleans Hornets into the Palace for their only visit on January 17, while a late-January weekend homestand includes games against Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks (January 23) and Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming and the Houston Rockets (January 25).

The Pistons begin the season playing eight of their first 12 games on the road and have one four-game homestand surrounding the Thanksgiving holiday from November 23 through November 30, their longest of the season. The Minnesota Timberwolves visit the Palace on November 23, followed by the new-look New York Knicks (November 26), Michael Redd and the Milwaukee Bucks (November 28), and former rookie of the year Brandon Roy and the Portland Trail Blazers (November 30). Detroit will play eight of its 14 games during the month of December at home, including dates with Philadelphia (December 5), Washington (December 17), Chicago (December 23), Orlando (December 29) and a New Years Eve matinee tilt with New Jersey (December 31, 3:00 p.m.). The club will play nine of its 17 games at home in March.

Were excited about the 2008-09 NBA schedule and pleased that our fans can enjoy 24 weekend or holiday home games, said Pistons President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars. With 15 national television appearances, Pistons basketball will be well represented throughout the NBA regular-season.

The Pistons will make three national appearances on ABC with games against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday, February 1 (2:30 p.m.), Boston Celtics on Sunday, March 1 (1:00 p.m.) and Miami HEAT on Sunday, March 22 (1:00 p.m.). The club plays eight nationally televised games on ESPN [at L.A. Lakers (11/14), vs. Dallas (1/23), vs. Houston (1/25), vs. Boston (1/30), vs. Phoenix (2/8), at Cleveland (2/22), at Houston (3/18), at Philadelphia (4/4)] and four nationally televised games on TNT [at Boston (11/20), at Memphis (1/19), vs. San Antonio (2/19), at Chicago (3/24)]. Detroits local television schedule on FSN Detroit will be announced at a later date.

Detroit will play 16 sets of back-to-back games this season, its fewest since the 2000-01 season when it tallied 19. Five of their back-to-back sets fall on the road, five begin on the road and conclude at home and six are home-and-away back-to-backs. The schedule includes one five-game road trip, the longest of the season, and two four-game road trips


http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/schedule0809.html