Entering Wednesday night, none of the building’s full-time tenants had ever won a playoff game at Little Caesars Arena. The Pistons have been skunked and the Red Wings, well, they have yet to even play a playoff game at LCA.
The Michigan men’s basketball might’ve just brought some good juju for the Pistons in Game 2 of their first-round series against the Orlando Magic.
Members of the Michigan team, fresh off winning the program’s second national championship earlier this month, were in attendance for the Pistons’ playoff game, and they brought along their national-championship trophy.
Michigan head coach Dusty May and many of the players were in attendance, including star players Yaxel Lendeborg and Elliot Cadeau, who was the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament.
The team, set up in a courtside suite, was introduced to the LCA crowd during an early break in Game 2.
The Pistons, the top seed in the Eastern Conference, bounced back from their 112-101 Game 1 loss to the Magic, the No. 8 seed with a 98-83 win in Game 2 on Wednesday. The Pistons had been 0-6 in playoff games at LCA entering Wednesday. Little Caesars Arena opened in 2017.
The Pistons last won a home playoff game at The Palace in 2008, a drought of more than 6,500 days.
Other notables in attendance for Wednesday night’s game included Lions quarterback Jared Goff, Pistons great Isiah Thomas, former Detroit mayor and NBA legend David Bing, Michigan Fab Five member Jalen Rose, and Pistons superfan Tom Hur.
tpaul@detroitnews.com
@tonypaul1984
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Michigan basketball team, Jared Goff cheering on Pistons in Game 2
Reporting by Tony Paul, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
