How To Watch Five Free Detroit Pistons Games on TV Before NBA Playoffs

The most amount of available Detroit residents should be able to watch this Pistons team.

The most amount of people in the entire state of Michigan should have the option of watching this Pistons team. The squad led by superstar guard Cade Cunningham and All-Star center Jalen Duren is special. Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has been able to steer the very big ship in the right direction in just two seasons.

After an announcement from the Detroit Pistons Tuesday afternoon, more Pistons fans will have access to the team for completely free to end the season after a third edition of a partnership with Scripps Sports and local TV-20.

For the third consecutive season, more Detroit families will be able to watch the 2026 Detroit Pistons finish the regular season before the NBA Playoffs hits the national TV schedule.

Five free games have been set

FanDuel Sports Network Detroit's on-air broadcast group and production crew will be used for the five dates. The five games that will be broadcast on TV-20 are scattered across five dates in March and April.

The Pistons will play LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers March 23, the Toronto Raptors March 31, the Philadelphia 76ers April 4, the Charlotte Hornets April 10, and the Indiana Pacers to end the season April 12.

This is the third straight season the Pistons have inked this deal to end the regular season.

“We’re proud to continue our partnership with the Pistons...Our goal is always to help teams reach the largest broadest possible audience, and we appreciate the opportunity to work together again to bring the excitement of Pistons basketball to more fans.”
Mike Murri, GM of WXYZ-TV & WMYD-TV

The @DetroitPistons announced today that the organization will partner with Scripps Sports and FDSN Detroit for a third consecutive season to broadcast five of the club’s remaining 2026 regular-season games for free and over the air on TV-20 Detroit (WMYD) beginning Monday, March… pic.twitter.com/9Han29ETXI
— Pistons PR (@Pistons_PR) March 17, 2026

Fan replies to the post on X was met with positive reception. This is the best time to be a Pistons fan since the mid-2000s and the Pistons organization understand this.

Previewing the five free games

By the time the Los Angeles Lakers visit the Motor City March 23, the Lakers star trio of Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and LeBron James will have a lot of momentum behind them. The Lakers have won nine of their last ten regular season games and are currently on a six-game win streak.

Even if they lose the rematch against the Houston Rockets Wednesday night before Detroit, momentum will still favor the Lakers compared to the Pistons latest stretch.

The Charlotte Hornets have somewhat returned back to Earth after their dominant six-game win streak from February 22 to March 4. They've lost three of their last five, but the young team is starting to put blend their play styles and chemistry together at the right time. The Hornets sit at No. 10 in the Eastern conference and still competing hard to make the play-in tournament.

The Philadelphia 76ers have been a complete surprise this season for very different reasons then Detroit. They've persevered over more nagging issues from superstar center Joel Embiid and a 25-game suspension from star forward Paul George. The 37-31 76ers are currently No, 9 in the Eastern conference.