Pistons vs Nets at Barclays Center: Our $168 Seats Near the Player Entrance

We went to Brooklyn to watch Cade Cunningham. We came home with a little more enthusiasm for the Pistons—and, in Frances’s case, a T-shirt.

After all the NBA games we’ve watched, this was her first one. A personal milestone that will not appear in the official box score.

The basketball gave us plenty to enjoy too. Detroit beat Brooklyn 110–94 on October 30, 2026, but our night was about more than the result: close views of the action, a busy spot beside the player entrance, and Cade taking time for fans before heading out.

Why we picked this game

Brooklyn is quite close to us, which makes a game at Barclays Center an easy evening out. We’ve also been keeping an eye on Detroit, especially Cade Cunningham. We’re starting to become fans, so this was a good opportunity to see him play in person.

Francis spotted tickets on Ticketmaster the week before the game: $168 per person for Section 16, Row D. We booked them then.

We’ve bought NBA tickets close to game time before, but this time we were happy with the price early. Sometimes the ticket-monitoring job gets to finish a week ahead of schedule.

Section 16, Row D: close to the action, beside a busy entrance

Our view was pretty good, and we felt close to courtside. We were at the edge of the seating area, right beside where the players came out.

That location was part of the appeal. Watching players enter and leave added another layer to the evening, beyond what was happening on the court. It also gave us opportunities for some of our favourite photos from the night.

There was a trade-off, though: the area beside us was busy. Staff were constantly moving left and right, sometimes blocking our view as well as distracting us from the game.

If you’re considering a similar seat, that’s the detail we’d want you to know. Being near a player entrance can be exciting, but it also means sitting beside a working route for arena staff. The view and proximity were good; the constant movement was the downside of our particular spot.

Cade Cunningham and Duncan Robinson stood out

Detroit was the team that caught our attention most, particularly Cunningham and Duncan Robinson. Cade finished with 20 points, while Robinson added 17.

Seeing them from this close made the evening especially enjoyable. Our photos capture everything from a Robinson jump shot to action right under the basket—the sort of moments that make you appreciate how quickly things happen at court level.

For Brooklyn, Julius Randle made some good shots and finished with 15 points. We also noticed possessions where he lost the ball.

Brooklyn brought the energy

Most of the crowd was naturally cheering for the Nets, but there were pockets of loyal Pistons fans making themselves heard too. From our seats, the arena felt packed and the energy was great.

Does it beat Madison Square Garden for us? Not quite.

Once you’ve experienced an MSG crowd, it becomes difficult to avoid the comparison. Barclays had plenty of noise and support, but the feeling was different. We enjoyed the Brooklyn atmosphere; MSG still has the edge for us.

And then there was the T-shirt. After staff finished throwing shirts into the crowd, there was a spare left with a staff member near us. Frances tapped him; he looked over and simply extended his arm to hand it to her.

No spectacular catch. Just a polite tap and the unexpected benefit of sitting beside the staff entrance. After all the NBA games we’d watched, she finally had her first giveaway T-shirt. Detroit won the game, but she had her own small victory.

Cade made time for the fans

One of the nicest moments came after the game. Before leaving, Cade Cunningham stopped close to the fans and signed autographs.

We were already becoming fans of his basketball. Seeing him make time for people at the end of the night gave us another reason to keep following him.

Our photo of that moment is one of our favourites from the evening. The action shots tell the story of the game; this one captures something we appreciated after it.

Easy entry, a crowded journey out

We arrived early and had no issues getting in. Leaving was more crowded, particularly at the subway entrance, where people were funnelling towards the turnstiles.

Our advice from this visit is simple: arrive with some time to spare, and allow a little patience for the journey home. Getting out was part of the evening too—just a less photogenic part. Naturally, we photographed it anyway.

What we’d tell someone considering these seats

At $168 each, our tickets put us close to the action and beside the player entrance. We got a good view, some memorable photos, and the chance to see Cade spend time with fans afterwards.

The main compromise was the staff movement beside us, which sometimes blocked our view and distracted us. Our preference would be to sit at a similar distance from the court, but along the sideline—the longer side—rather than near the basket.

Would we book these seats again at $168 each? Yes. We thought it was a good price for how close we were. We’d still compare sideline options, but we’d happily consider this spot again at the same price.

For us, this was an easy Brooklyn outing with a team we’re increasingly interested in following. We left with more reasons to watch Detroit—and one T-shirt that has already earned a place in the story.

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