Tonight, the Detroit Pistons will close a major chapter of their history. The Pistons are playing their final home game at the Palace of Auburn Hills against the Washington Wizards before moving to Little Caesars Arena in downtown Detroit.

What kind of legacy are the Detroit Pistons leaving with their time in the Palace of Auburn Hills? We will discuss that and more in today’s special edition of 3-on-3.

1. With the Pistons playing their final game at the Palace of Auburn Hills tonight, what is your opinion on the legacy it has left on not just the league and the franchise, but also the fan base that grew up watching their favorite team in the facility? How do you feel about chapter closing tonight and a new one opening later this year?

Shameek Mohile:

The Palace of Auburn Hills was home to a couple different eras of Pistons teams that really shaped the league as a whole.

First, the “Bad Boys” era instilled a toughness in this league and made basketball truly a contact sport. Detroit fans were rewarded with their first couple basketball championships with this team. The Bad Boys set the precedent for tough, hard-nosed play that became a staple in Detroit Basketball history. The next great Pistons era was the “Goin’ to Work” crew, who built off the culture that the Bad Boys had created and gave the Pistons an identity of blue-collar work ethic that made Detroit, the city, so great.

The Palace is all I’ve ever known when it comes to Detroit Basketball and it’s sad seeing it close, but I’m hoping this Pistons team finds their identity in a new arena, while not compromising the foundation that has been created by the two great eras that preceded it. With the combination of young talent and a new arena, it really is an exciting time to be a Pistons fan.

Duncan Smith:

Not many current NBA venues can boast three championship teams within its tenure.

The Palace is one of the few and there’s going to be a sense of loss associated with departing an arena with so much history and greatness. I don’t think anybody was expecting this to be the last season at the Palace when training camp began, and it hasn’t quite set in that this will be the last time we watch Pistons’ basketball from the stadium Bill Davidson built with private funds to house this franchise.

I’m excited to see what’s in store at Little Caesars Arena, but I do feel a profound sense of loss to know that I’ll never again go to the Palace to watch the Pistons.

Jasper Apollonia:

The Palace leaves a mixed legacy. It’s been home to the highest highs in Pistons history (championships in three consecutive decades) and the lowest lows in not only Pistons, but NBA history (Malice at the Palace). That’s what makes the seeming apathy of many people in the media and online so baffling.

Outside than the recent struggles of the franchise, the Palace has provided so many memorable players, teams and moments in a high quality facility, but it isn’t getting nearly the same reverential treatment as the Joe did. That doesn’t make sense to me, considering the Red Wings only won one more title there than the Pistons, experienced far worse lows (okay, maybe not worse than those awful teal jerseys) and the fact that the Joe was an absolute dump of a building, despite not even being a decade older than the still relatively state of the art Palace.

That being said, I’m excited to see what the new arena looks and feels like on gameday, I just hope the Wings and Pistons are able to find a happy medium when it comes to decorations.