Motor City Battles the Windy City: Bulls vs. Pistons Rivalry

When Do the Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls Play Next?

Detroit Pistons tickets and Chicago Bulls tickets can be found on their respective team pages, along with schedule information.

Are the Detroit Pistons and the Chicago Bulls Rivals?

Yes, the Detroit Pistons and the Chicago Bulls are rivals. The rivalry between the Pistons and the Bulls started in the late 1980s when the Pistons met the Bulls in four consecutive NBA Playoffs.

Who are the Detroit Pistons’ Biggest Rivals?

Along with the Chicago Bulls, the Detroit Pistons’ biggest rivals are the Houston Rockets and Indiana Pacers. The Pistons also have a fierce rivalry with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Pistons and Cavaliers have played each other more than 250 times and consistently battle for the NBA Central Division title.

Who are the Chicago Bulls’ Biggest Rivals?

Besides the Detroit Pistons, the Chicago Bulls are rivals with the Miami HEAT and the New York Knicks. The Chicago Bulls also have a rivalry with the Indiana Pacers, having fought for the NBA Central Division title for decades and beating them in both their 1998 and 2011 NBA Playoff contests.

Game Results Between the Pistons & Bulls

The Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons have extremely competitive games every season in attempts to win the NBA Central Division. Below, we created a recent head-to-head matchup list for you to relive these incredible divisional bouts.

Detroit Pistons vs. Chicago Bulls History

The Detroit Pistons vs. the Chicago Bulls is a classic NBA rivalry that’s well-known throughout the league. The teams first met in the NBA Playoffs in the 1974 Western Conference Semifinals with the Bulls winning in Game 7 of the series. The rivalry truly began in the late 1980s when the Detroit Pistons, known as the “Bad Boy Pistons” for their aggressive and defense-oriented style of play, met the Chicago Bulls in the 1988 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Pistons easily defeated the Chicago Bulls 4-1 using a specific defensive method they called the “Jordan Rules.” This defensive method was created to stop the emerging Chicago Bulls star, Michael Jordan, from single-handedly defeating the Pistons and was created after Jordan scored 59 points on the Pistons during the 1987–88 regular season. The “Jordan Rules” involved double or triple-teaming Jordan every time he received the ball on offense. The “Jordan Rules” was again effective against the Bulls the following years when the Pistons defeated the Chicago Bulls 4-2 in the 1989 Eastern Conference Finals and 4-3 in the 1990 Eastern Conference Finals. The Pistons and Bulls met in the NBA Playoffs for the fourth consecutive year in 1991, with the Bulls finally defeating the Pistons 4-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Bulls would go on to begin their dynasty team that year with their first NBA Championship.

The Pistons and Bulls met once again in the 2007 Eastern Conference Semifinals, with the Pistons winning 4-2. The Pistons vs. Bulls overall record as of 2023 is extremely close, with the Bulls having the slight edge with 144 wins to the Pistons’ 133 wins, for a total of 277 regular season games played. For NBA Playoffs head-to-head games, the Pistons have the advantage with 19 wins over the Bulls 16 wins.

The Chicago-Detroit rivalry goes beyond basketball and can be seen in every major U.S. sport. The MLB has the Chicago White Sox vs. Detroit Tigers rivalry, the NHL has the Chicago Blackhawks vs. Detroit Red Wings rivalry and the NFL has the Chicago Bears vs. Detroit Lions rivalry.

Where Do the Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons Play?

The Chicago Bulls play their home games at United Center in Chicago, Illinois. The largest NBA arena in the United States, United Center has been the home to the Chicago Bulls and the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks since it opened in 1994.

The Detroit Pistons’ home stadium is Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. Located in the Midtown neighborhood of Detroit, Little Caesars Arena is also the home to Detroit’s professional hockey team, the Detroit Red Wings.