It’s the day every Detroit Pistons fan has dreamed of since May 16, 2023: 7-foot-4 uber-rookie Victor Wembanyama will finally suit up for action at Little Caesars Arena
Of course, he’ll be doing it as a member of the Spurs, who won the draft lottery that day, and not the Pistons, who fell all the way to No. 5. Wembanyama has been as good as advertised — he’s averaging 19.3 points, 10.1 rebounds and 3.3 blocks per game, despite shooting just 44.9% from the floor and 29.5% on 3s (of which he averages five a game) — but the Spurs have been almost as bad as the Pistons.
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Their longest losing streak is “just” 18 games, and they won two games in October, one in November, two in December and, like the Pistons, are winless in January, for a 5-30 record. The Pistons, by the way, are on pace for 6.6 wins, well below the NBA’s 82-game record set by the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers. The Pistons, oh-by-the-way, are one loss shy of the NBA’s worst-ever record through 37 games; only the 1993-94 Dallas Mavericks and 1997-98 Denver Nuggets had a worse start, going 2-35. Both the Mavs and Nugs lost Game 39 that season, too, so that should take some of the pressure off the Pistons — they can lose and still not set another NBA record for putridity. (The 41-game mark — aka, the halfway point — is held by those Mavs, who opened 2-39.)
The Pistons looked to be turning it around, at least for one game, Tuesday night against the Kings when Bojan Bogdanovic and others shot them to a 47-29 lead entering the second quarter. They were outscored 101-63 the rest of the way.
After tonight’s matchup, the Pistons have one more home loss, er, we mean game, as they host the Houston Rockets — and rookie Ausar Thompson’s twin brother Amen —on Friday before hitting Washington for a Monday matinee against the Wizards. The Spurs, meanwhile, head home to host the Hornets on Friday night.
Here’s what you need to know about this Pistons vs. Spurs game, TV and streaming info, the injury report and projected starting lineups.
TUNE IN: Watch Pistons-Spurs on Fubo (free trial)
Detroit Pistons vs. San Antonio Spurs start time today
Matchup: Pistons (3-34) vs. Spurs (5-30).
Date: Wednesday, Jan. 10.
Time: 7 p.m. ET.
Where: Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
Betting line: TBA (how to bet and get sign up bonuses).
• Box score
[ MUST LISTEN: Make “The Pistons Pulse” your go-to Detroit Pistons podcast, available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify)
Detroit Pistons vs. San Antonio SpursTV channel today
TV: Bally Sports Detroit.
Radio: WXYT-FM (97.1) (Pistons radio affiliates).
Streaming: Fubo (free trial).
If you do not have Bally Sports Detroit, you can sign up for Fubo with a free trial to watch the Pistons all season long.
Detroit Pistons injury report vs. San Antonio Spurs
The Pistons are down starting power forward Isaiah Stewart (right big toe sprain) for up to two weeks. Cade Cunningham is out for at least another three games with a knee strain. Point guard Monte Morris (right quad strain) has yet to debut and is out into January.
Guard Cidy Sissoko, who has 6 points in his 5 games this season combined, has been ruled out for tonight’s game with a bad ankle. Guard Jeremy Sochan, who’s averaging 10.8 points and 5.5 rebounds, was listed as day to day with a bad quad earlier this week.
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Pistons vs. Spurs projected starting lineups
Pistons: G Jaden Ivey, G Killian Hayes, F Bojan Bogdanovic, F Isaiah Livers, C Jalen Duren.
Raptors: FG Tre Jones, G Devin Vassell, F Julian Champagnie, F Jeremy Sochan, C Victor Wembanyama
Lineups subject to change.
Pistons uniform, jersey vs. Spurs
The Pistons will be in their classic white Association Edition uniforms bombing Tuesday night in their blues.
The Spurs are donning their black Icon Edition kits with “SP RS” in white, split by a, well, spur serving as the “U.” You know the look.
Live updates
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Contact Ryan Ford at rford@freepress.com. Follow him on X (which used to be Twitter, y’know?) @theford.
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