The Brooklyn Nets (0-0) will be looking to move past another discouraging campaign and, although they appear to be trending in a positive direction, still seem lacking the necessary foundation required to lift them out of the Eastern Conference basement. The departures of Jeremy Lin and Jahlil Okafor in the offseason won't help matters, but Nets fans can take some comfort in the re-signing of Joe Harris, who provides some much-needed depth off the pine, as he averaged 10.8 points and 3.3 rebounds last year. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson will be keen to improve on last season's 13.9-point average, and is joined by D'Angelo Russell, who played 48 games and led the Nets in scoring and assists, with 15.5 and 5.2 averages, respectively, after joining the club from the L.A. Lakers. If the team longs for any measure of improvement this year, they will need to start with their woeful defense, one that allowed opponents to drop an average of 110.3 points (third worst in the league) last season. Brooklyn will contest five of its first seven games on the road to start the year, where they won only 13 game last season.

After making the Playoffs for the first time in seven seasons back in 2016, the Detroit Pistons (0-0) were earmarked by many to start making some noise in the Central Division. The interim, however, has been a letdown for the club, as they closed out 2017-18 with a 39-43 record, finishing ninth in the East. New Head Coach Dwane Casey hopes to breathe new life in the franchise, and, if his success with the Toronto Raptors is any indication, may do just that. The task will be a tall one for Casey, however, as his starting five features not much development from previous campaigns, as the team failed to make any waves in free agency. Cornerstone Andre Drummond returns, coming off another year where he featured as a league leader in double-doubles, averaging 15 points and 16 rebounds per game. Also back in the fold will be Blake Griffin, who will begin his first full year with the club after landing in Detroit from the L.A. Clippers last season, recording 18.5 points and 6.6 boards through 25 starts. Sophomore Luke Kennard will try to build on a promising rookie year that saw him deliver a 7-3-point nightly average through 73 games and nine starts. The Pistons will take to the road on Saturday night to play division rivals the Chicago Bulls.