On Wednesday, the Detroit Pistons‘ new G League team, the Motor City Cruise, unveiled their schedule for the 2021-22 season.
After a long-time relationship with the Grand Rapids Drive (now the Grand Rapids Gold), the Pistons’ new developmental team will play in the brand-new arena on Wayne State’s campus.
The Cruise open on Nov. 6 at Cleveland, but then play the first game in their new home on Nov. 11 against Wisconsin. (The arena will be officially christened on Nov. 5 with an exhibition game between Michigan and Wayne State.)
The G League schedule begins in early November with a 14-game tournament that concludes with the league’s Winter Showcase. All teams’ records will then reset for a 36-game regular season that concludes in early April, followed by the league’s playoffs.
NICE FIT: DJ Bakker is the perfect fit to lead Pistons’ G League team, Motor City Cruise
This year’s roster will have a pair of two-way Pistons players: second-round draft pick Luka Garza and Chris Smith, an undrafted free agent.
The head coach is DJ Bakker, who spent the last three seasons as the Pistons’ player development coach.
Motor City Cruise schedule
Nov. 6: at Cleveland, 7:00 p.m.
Nov. 11: vs. Wisconsin, 7:00 p.m.
Nov. 12: vs. Wisconsin, 7:00 p.m.
Nov. 17: at Windy City, 8:00 p.m.
Nov. 18: at Windy City, 8:00 p.m.
Nov. 23: at Grand Rapids, 7:00 p.m.
Nov. 24: at Grand Rapids, 7:00 p.m.
Nov. 27: vs. Iowa, 7:00 p.m.
Nov. 29: vs. Iowa, 7:00 p.m.
Dec. 7: vs. Sioux Falls, 11:00 a.m.
Dec. 8: vs. Sioux Falls, 7:00 p.m.
Dec. 17: at Cleveland, 7:00 p.m.
Dec. 29: vs. Delaware, 7:00 p.m.
Dec. 31: vs. Wisconsin, 3:00 p.m.
Jan. 2: vs. Toronto, 3:00 p.m.
Jan. 4: vs. Toronto, 7:00 p.m.
Jan. 5: at Windy City, 8:00 p.m.
Jan. 8: at Capital City, 7:00 p.m.
Jan. 10: at Westchester, 7:00 p.m.
Jan. 11: at Westchester, 7:00 p.m.
Jan. 16: vs. College Park 3:00 p.m.
Jan. 18: vs. College Park, 7:00 p.m.
Jan. 20: at Grand Rapids, 7:00 p.m.
Jan. 22: vs. Lakeland, 7:00 p.m.
Jan. 24: vs. Grand Rapids, 7:00 p.m.
Jan. 26: at Toronto, 11:00 a.m.
Jan. 30: vs. Maine, 3:00 p.m.
Feb. 4: at College Park, 7:00 p.m.
Feb. 5: vs. Long Island, 7:00 p.m.
Feb. 7: vs. Long Island 7:00 p.m.
Feb. 9: at Greensboro, 7:00 p.m.
Feb. 12: at Lakeland, 7:00 p.m.
Feb. 17: vs. Fort Wayne, 7:00 p.m.
Feb. 23: at Wisconsin, 7:00 p.m.
Feb. 27: at Long Island, 6:00 p.m.
March 3: vs. Westchester, 11:00 a.m.
March 4: vs. Windy City, 7:00 p.m.
March 8: at Cleveland, 6:00 p.m.
March 10: at Maine, 7:00 p.m.
March 11: at Maine, 7:00 p.m.
March 16: vs. Capital City, 7:00 p.m.
March 18: vs. Capital City, 7:00 p.m.
March 20: vs. Greensboro, 3:00 p.m.
March 24; at Fort Wayne, 11:00 a.m.
March 25: at Fort Wayne, 7:00 p.m.
March 27: at Delaware, 3:00 p.m.
March 29: at Delaware, 11:00 p.m.
April 2: vs. Cleveland, 7:00 p.m.
Contact Kirkland Crawford: kcrawford@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @HiKirkHere.