Yesterday, the Detroit Pistons discovered that the best-laid plans can sometimes go awry due to the city's infamous gridlock. With the New York City Marathon in full swing, shutting down a myriad of streets throughout all five boroughs, the basketball team found themselves swapping their typical charter bus for the more democratic mode of the NYC subway to reach their game against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. CBS News reported that social media posts documented the team's journey, taking the 3 trains, much to the amusement and surprise of regular commuters.
Their official Instagram account gave followers a glimpse of the unusual pregame preparations, showing the towering athletes ducking through the subway cars and huddling on benches alongside everyday New Yorkers. As seen in a Detroit Pistons' X Account captioned "NYC Marathon took us on a detour…", the detour seemed to spark a wave of camaraderie and charm on social media, with fans cheering on the team's impromptu adaptation to city life.
NYC Marathon took us on a detour… pic.twitter.com/gjqNZv0j8p
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) November 3, 2024
Despite the unconventional commute, the Pistons showed up ready to play, taking the game with a final score of 106-92. With six players posting double figures and led by a strong performance from Cade Cunningham, who scored 19 points, the Pistons proved their mettle on the court. Their performance echoed the earlier prediction of The Athletic, which had foreshadowed the historically less successful team to "exceed expectations" this season, as cited by People.
