What happened?
The Detroit Pistons will lead East Group A in the 2026 Emirates NBA Cup tournament. Their opponents will be the Milwaukee Bucks, Orlando Magic, Brooklyn Nets, and Toronto Raptors.
The groups were selected randomly based on the conference's win-loss record from the 2025-26 campaign. The Pistons finished last season with an Eastern Conference-best 60 wins.
Why it matters for Detroit Pistons
The 2026-27 season will be the fourth year of the Emirates NBA Cup, starting on Oct. 30. The top eight teams — four from each conference — will compete in single-elimination rounds during the quarterfinals and semifinals.
The Pistons will begin their Emirates NBA Cup schedule against the Nets at Barclays Center. The final two teams, one from each conference, will compete in the Emirates NBA Cup championship on Dec. 11 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
What comes next?
Last year, the Pistons had a 2-2 record in Group Play and failed to advance to the knockout rounds for the third consecutive year. The Magic won Detroit's group with a 4-0 record.
The New York Knicks won the Emirates Cup in 2025 with a 124-113 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Dec. 16. In June, the Knicks made history as the first team to win both the Emirates NBA Cup and the NBA title in the same season.
Recent form: | Date | Result | | --- | --- | | 2025-04-13 | Milwaukee Bucks 140-133 Detroit Pistons | The Pistons have lost their last 4 games, with a recent form of 1W-0D-4L (LLLLW, most recent first).