Detroit Pistons vs. Chicago Bulls: Move aside, Emily

The GIST: Queue up Pitbull because it’s time for some “International Love”...and basketball. That’s right, the NBA is returning to Paris for an exciting regular-season game between the Detroit Pistons and the Chicago Bulls on January 19th. Oui oui indeed.

The history: The upcoming match marks the NBA’s triumphant return to Europe for the first time since January 2020, when Giannis Antetokounmpo (pronounced YAHN-iss ah-dedo-KOON-bo) and the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Charlotte Hornets 116–103 in the league’s regular-season Parisian debut.

• But the NBA broke ground in France more than 35 years ago when they started airing games during the 1984–85 season. In fact, the showdown between the Pistons and the Bulls will be the 12th game played in La République Française since 1991 and the second at the Accor Arena. Très bien.

Detroit Pistons: To put it gently, its been a tough season for the three-time NBA champs. The Pistons have suffered a few losing streaks and currently sit near the bottom of the Eastern Conference (EC).

• However, the Paris game could spark some homegrown glory for Killian Hayes, the league’s highest drafted Frenchman…for now. Hayes was the seventh pick in 2020 and is currently averaging around 10 points a game, and with support from his Canadian teammate Cory Joseph, anything is possible.

• While this is the Pistons’ first trip to Paris, their previous international experience includes regular-season games in London (2013) and Mexico City (2019).

Chicago Bulls: Sliding to Chicago, things are marginally better. The Bulls have had a temperamental season marked by big wins against great teams and heartbreaking losses to mediocre ones. They’re currently hovering in the middle of the EC.

• The six-time NBA champs have two main star talents: former Toronto Raptor DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine. Last season, they dubbed themselves the league’s best duo, but given the Bulls’ fluctuating record this season, it seems on-court disconnect has led to off-court tension. The drama never stops.

• Historically, the Bulls have done well in Paris. In case you haven’t watched Netflix’s The Last Dance 100 times, in 1997, the Bulls, led by GOAT Michael Jordan, ascended to world champs when they beat the Greeks to win the McDonald’s Championship. Can the 2022–23 team conjure up some of that MJ magic again?

Great expectations: Speaking of Jordan, the storied rivalry between the Pistons and the Bulls is intense, to say the least. Chicago is currently on an 12-game winning streak against Detroit, including their latest 132–118 victory on December 30th, 2022.

Get in on the action: Tickets and full fan-experience packages are still available, so snag ’em before they’re gone. In addition to the starpower on the court, it’s very likely you’ll catch a few celebs in the stands.

• Paris Saint-Germain soccer powerhouses Kylian Mbappé and Neymar, as well as the iconic former NBAer Tony Parker, stopped by the 2020 Paris game.

• Of course, we understand if you can’t make the trip, so instead, tune in for all the fun on January 19th at 3 p.m. ET on TSN.