Motor City Cruise 2026-27 schedule: Home opener, key dates, matchups with G League champions

DETROIT – The Motor City Cruise, the NBA G League affiliate of the Detroit Pistons, announced its 2026-27 schedule as the franchise prepares for its sixth season in the league.

The Cruise will open the season on the road against the Cleveland Charge on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 7 p.m.

Motor City will open its home schedule three days later, hosting the Noblesville Boom at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 13 at Wayne State Fieldhouse.

The first 14 games of the season will make up the NBA G League Tip-Off Tournament.

Motor City will face the Grand Rapids Gold in an in-state rivalry matchup on Nov. 17 and 18 at home.

All 31 NBA G League teams will be divided into four regional pods for the Tip-Off Tournament.

The team with the best winning percentage in each pod, along with four wild-card teams with the next-best records across the league, will advance to the single-elimination tournament rounds Dec. 19-22 at the 2026 NBA G League Winter Showcase.

The Winter Showcase will also mark the beginning of the traditional regular season, with each team playing its first two regular-season games during the event.

Following the Tip-Off Tournament, team records and statistics will reset for a 36-game regular season.

Teams will be divided into Eastern and Western conferences, with the top eight teams in each conference qualifying for the playoffs.

Motor City will have a busy January at home, with nine total home games scheduled during the month.

The stretch begins with a five-game homestand against the Cleveland Charge on Jan. 6.

The Cruise will host the Osceola Magic on Jan. 13 and 14 in a rematch of last season’s playoffs.

Motor City will also host the Greensboro Swarm, the defending NBA G League champions, in a two-game series on Feb. 2 and 4.

The Cruise will close their final homestand against the Laketown Squadron on March 23 and 25.

The team earned its first playoff victory during the 2025-26 season.

The Cruise will announce several theme nights, special ticket packages, and giveaways later.

The team will also host three Education Day games for local schools, with 11 a.m. starts on Nov. 17, Feb. 2, and March 25.

Single-game and group tickets are on sale. Season ticket packages start at $336, or $14 per game.

As part of the Pistons’ player development system, fans could see two-way players Elijah Harkless, a two-year NBA veteran; Ugonna Onyenso, Detroit’s second-round draft pick; and Isaac Jones, a 2025-26 All-NBA G League First Team selection.

The Cruise have continued to develop players into NBA opportunities.

Daniss Jenkins and Tolu Smith each earned standard contracts with the Pistons during the 2025-26 season.

The Cruise’s complete 2026-27 schedule is available through the team’s official website and ticketing platforms.

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