Detroit Pistons 2026 NBA Cup Group Play Schedule Released

Here's how to follow the Detroit Pistons in NBA Cup group play this fall.

Nov 28, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) drives to the basket next to Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (22) in the second half of the annual in-season NBA Cup tournament at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Detroit Pistons' 2026-27 NBA season schedule is starting to be revealed, and on Wednesday, their NBA Cup Group play schedule was released. 

The Pistons are slated to be in East Group A for next season’s NBA Cup with the Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors, Orlando Magic, and Milwaukee Bucks. Here’s a look at when those games will take place and how Pistons fans can watch them. 

Detroit Pistons NBA Cup Group Play Schedule

• Fri, Oct. 30: at Brooklyn Nets, 7:30 p.m. ET
• Fri, Nov. 20: vs Toronto Raptors, 7:30 p.m. ET, PrimeVideo
• Tue, Nov. 24: at Orlando Magic, 7 p.m. ET
• Fri, Nov. 27: vs. Milwaukee Bucks, 7:30 p.m. ET

How Pistons Advance to NBA Cup Knockout Stage

Nov 28, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) battles for the loose ball with Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs (4) in the second half of the annual in-season NBA Cup tournament at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

For the Pistons to advance to the NBA Cup knockout stage, Detroit must finish at either the top of their group or be the best second-place team in the Eastern Conference. Last season in group play, the Pistons finished in third with a 2-2 record in a group that featured the Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, and Brooklyn Nets. 

Luckily for the Pistons, Detroit got its redemption over the Magic later in the season in the first round of the NBA playoffs as they rallied from a 3-1 series deficit to knock off Orlando and secure their first postseason series win since 2008. 

The Pistons' season ultimately concluded in the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Cleveland Cavaliers in a competitive seven-game series. The series ended with a brutal 125-94 Game 7 loss at Little Caesars Arena. It was a tough end to a successful season as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. 

The toughest opponents in group play for the Pistons will be the Magic and Raptors, two teams that were playoff squads last season and look to continue their success in the Eastern Conference this time around. 

Having the Raptors at home at Little Caesars Arena benefits Detroit, but going on the road to face Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and a talented Magic squad could decide whether the Pistons advance to the knockout stage of the NBA Cup.

As for the locations for the knockout stage of the NBA Cup, the quarterfinal and semifinal matchups will be held in NBA team markets before the tournament concludes with the championship at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, the home of the Indiana Pacers. 

Last season, the New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Cup championship, before later in the year ultimately beating them in the NBA Finals to win their first title in 53 years.