Although the NBA is in lockout mode right now, the league released its 2011-12 schedule on Tuesday afternoon. It's entirely possible that none of these games will actually be played with how dire the labor situation looks right now, but obviously plans need to be made in case the lockout does end before the season starts or at least early enough for the season to be salvaged.
The Detroit Pistons' 2011-12 schedule begins with a home game against the Indiana Pacers on Nov. 2. The Pistons' first road game will take place three days later when they take on the Nets in New Jersey.
Detroit's first meeting with the NBA-champion Mavericks will take place on Jan. 23 in Dallas. The Mavericks will come to The Palace on Feb. 8 to close out that set of games.
The other team that played in the NBA finals, the Miami Heat, will play the Pistons three times. The first meeting will be at Detroit on Dec. 4. Exactly one month later the Pistons will head to Miami to take on the Heat. Finally, on April 8 the Pistons will once again play at the Heat to wrap up the season series between the two teams.
The Pistons will close out the season on the road on April 18 against the Charlotte Bobcats. Playing on the road will be a common theme for the Pistons during the last month and half of the season, as they have a stretch in March where nine out of 10 games are away from home. They do get four straight home games at the start of the month and three straight as March is ending and April is beginning, but the schedule did them no favors toward the end of the season.
For more on the 2011-12 NBA schedule, check out SBNation.com.