1971–72 Detroit Pistons season
NBA team season
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 1971–72 Detroit Pistons season was the Detroit Pistons' 24th season in the NBA and 15th season in the city of Detroit.[1] The team played at Cobo Arena in downtown Detroit.
- Butch van Breda Kolff (resigned)
- Terry Dischinger (interim)
- Earl Lloyd
| 1971–72 Detroit Pistons season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach |
|
| General manager | Ed Coil |
| Owner | Fred Zollner |
| Arena | Cobo Arena |
| Results | |
| Record | 26–56 (.317) |
| Place | Division: 4th (Midwest) Conference: 8th (Western) |
| Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
Stats at Basketball Reference | |
| Local media | |
| Television | WJBK |
| Radio | WXYZ |
The Pistons finished with a 26-56 (.317) record, 4th place in the Midwest Division. The team was led guards Dave Bing (22.6 ppg) and Jimmy Walker (21.3 ppg, NBA All-Star) and center Bob Lanier (25.7 ppg, 14.2 rpg, NBA All-Star).[2] The season began with Butch van Breda Kolff as coach. He resigned 10 games into the season, replaced briefly by player Terry Dischinger before Earl Lloyd was named as a permanent replacement, as the team dropped from 45 wins the previous season to 26 in the 1971–72 season.[3]
Draft picks
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | Curtis Rowe | Forward | UCLA | |
| 16 | 224 | Isaiah Wilson | Guard | Baltimore |
Roster
| Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Head coach
Legend
Roster |
Regular season
Season standings
| W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Neutral | Div | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| y-Milwaukee Bucks | 63 | 19 | .768 | – | 31–5 | 27–12 | 5–2 | 13–5 |
| x-Chicago Bulls | 57 | 25 | .695 | 6 | 29–12 | 26–12 | 2–1 | 12–6 |
| Phoenix Suns | 49 | 33 | .598 | 14 | 30–11 | 19–20 | 0–2 | 7–11 |
| Detroit Pistons | 26 | 56 | .317 | 37 | 16–25 | 9–30 | 1–1 | 4–14 |
| # | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | PCT | |
| 1 | z-Los Angeles Lakers | 69 | 13 | .841 |
| 2 | y-Milwaukee Bucks | 63 | 19 | .768 |
| 3 | x-Chicago Bulls | 57 | 25 | .695 |
| 4 | x-Golden State Warriors | 51 | 31 | .622 |
| 5 | Phoenix Suns | 49 | 33 | .598 |
| 6 | Seattle SuperSonics | 47 | 35 | .573 |
| 7 | Houston Rockets | 34 | 48 | .415 |
| 8 | Detroit Pistons | 26 | 56 | .317 |
| 9 | Portland Trail Blazers | 18 | 64 | .220 |
- z, y – division champions
- x – clinched playoff spot
Game log
| 1971–72 Game log | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Date | Opponent | Score | High points | Record | |||||
| 1 | October 12 | @ New York | 91–84 | Bob Lanier (29) | 1–0 | |||||
| 2 | October 15 | Los Angeles | 132–103 | Bob Lanier (25) | 1–1 | |||||
| 3 | October 17 | N Houston | 99–112 | Jimmy Walker (38) | 2–1 | |||||
| 4 | October 19 | @ Portland | 101–99 | Bob Lanier (44) | 3–1 | |||||
| 5 | October 22 | @ Phoenix | 116–109 | Jimmy Walker (37) | 4–1 | |||||
| 6 | October 23 | @ Golden State | 109–115 (OT) | Jimmy Walker (28) | 4–2 | |||||
| 7 | October 26 | Houston | 104–103 | Bob Lanier (38) | 4–3 | |||||
| 8 | October 27 | @ Baltimore | 98–128 | Jimmy Walker (19) | 4–4 | |||||
| 9 | October 29 | Baltimore | 105–119 | Jimmy Walker (26) | 5–4 | |||||
| 10 | October 30 | @ Atlanta | 104–99 | Jimmy Walker (33) | 6–4 | |||||
| 11 | November 5 | @ Boston | 102–103 | Jimmy Walker (34) | 6–5 | |||||
| 12 | November 6 | @ Milwaukee | 78–106 | Bob Lanier (22) | 6–6 | |||||
| 13 | November 10 | Portland | 122–139 | Jimmy Walker (31) | 7–6 | |||||
| 14 | November 12 | @ Philadelphia | 101–115 | Bob Lanier (26) | 7–7 | |||||
| 15 | November 13 | @ New York | 105–127 | Jimmy Walker (24) | 7–8 | |||||
| 16 | November 16 | Golden State | 122–101 | Jimmy Walker (30) | 7–9 | |||||
| 17 | November 18 | Phoenix | 126–128 | Bob Lanier (37) | 8–9 | |||||
| 18 | November 20 | @ Buffalo | 105–96 | Jimmy Walker (35) | 9–9 | |||||
| 19 | November 23 | Milwaukee | 112–104 | Bob Lanier (28) | 9–10 | |||||
| 20 | November 25 | @ Phoenix | 103–122 | Howard Komives (17) | 9–11 | |||||
| 21 | November 26 | @ Los Angeles | 113–132 | Bob Lanier (29) | 9–12 | |||||
| 22 | November 27 | @ Seattle | 102–124 | Bob Lanier (26) | 9–13 | |||||
| 23 | December 1 | Atlanta | 117–103 | Jimmy Walker (27) | 9–14 | |||||
| 24 | December 3 | Houston | 112–113 | Jimmy Walker (32) | 10–14 | |||||
| 25 | December 7 | Portland | 131–130 (OT) | Jimmy Walker (44) | 10–15 | |||||
| 26 | December 9 | Chicago | 107–110 | Bob Lanier (35) | 11–15 | |||||
| 27 | December 10 | @ Cleveland | 111–112 | Bob Lanier (35) | 11–16 | |||||
| 28 | December 11 | Philadelphia | 118–111 | Bob Lanier (26) | 11–17 | |||||
| 29 | December 14 | Seattle | 103–86 | Bob Lanier (35) | 11–18 | |||||
| 30 | December 16 | Cincinnati | 101–107 | Jimmy Walker (34) | 12–18 | |||||
| 31 | December 17 | @ Phoenix | 102–123 | Bob Lanier (20) | 12–19 | |||||
| 32 | December 18 | @ Golden State | 102–129 | Jimmy Walker (26) | 12–20 | |||||
| 33 | December 19 | @ Portland | 113–114 | Jimmy Walker (35) | 12–21 | |||||
| 34 | December 21 | @ Chicago | 92–127 | Jimmy Walker (22) | 12–22 | |||||
| 35 | December 22 | Cleveland | 94–104 | Bob Lanier (34) | 13–22 | |||||
| 36 | December 25 | Milwaukee | 118–120 (OT) | Bob Lanier (35) | 14–22 | |||||
| 37 | December 28 | New York | 119–100 | Dave Bing (21) | 14–23 | |||||
| 38 | December 30 | Golden State | 128–122 | Dave Bing (30) | 14–24 | |||||
| 39 | January 2 | @ Houston | 109–107 | Jimmy Walker (26) | 15–24 | |||||
| 40 | January 4 | Philadelphia | 131–127 | Jimmy Walker (31) | 15–25 | |||||
| 41 | January 5 | @ Baltimore | 89–111 | Komives, Lanier (15) | 15–26 | |||||
| 42 | January 7 | Cincinnati | 132–151 | Bob Lanier (29) | 16–26 | |||||
| 43 | January 8 | @ Milwaukee | 119–136 | Bob Lanier (28) | 16–27 | |||||
| 44 | January 9 | Buffalo | 96–101 | Jimmy Walker (35) | 17–27 | |||||
| 45 | January 11 | Los Angeles | 123–103 | Bob Lanier (42) | 17–28 | |||||
| 46 | January 14 | @ Boston | 94–108 | Jimmy Walker (25) | 17–29 | |||||
| 47 | January 15 | Philadelphia | 131–121 | Bob Lanier (30) | 17–30 | |||||
| 48 | January 21 | Baltimore | 102–107 | Jimmy Walker (37) | 18–30 | |||||
| 49 | January 23 | Houston | 109–107 | Dave Bing (32) | 18–31 | |||||
| 50 | January 26 | Milwaukee | 120–94 | Dischinger, Lanier (15) | 18–32 | |||||
| 51 | January 28 | @ Atlanta | 106–124 | Dave Bing (20) | 18–33 | |||||
| 52 | January 29 | Boston | 124–112 | Jimmy Walker (30) | 18–34 | |||||
| 53 | January 30 | @ Chicago | 99–109 | Bob Lanier (24) | 18–35 | |||||
| 54 | February 1 | @ New York | 106–115 | Bob Lanier (42) | 18–36 | |||||
| 55 | February 2 | Cleveland | 108–133 | Dave Bing (33) | 19–36 | |||||
| 56 | February 4 | @ Philadelphia | 118–113 | Jim Davis (31) | 20–36 | |||||
| 57 | February 5 | @ Cincinnati | 132–133 (OT) | Bob Lanier (38) | 20–37 | |||||
| 58 | February 9 | New York | 126–102 | Jimmy Walker (24) | 20–38 | |||||
| 59 | February 11 | @ Buffalo | 88–95 | Bob Lanier (31) | 20–39 | |||||
| 60 | February 12 | Buffalo | 87–113 | Willie Norwood (24) | 21–39 | |||||
| 61 | February 13 | @ Cleveland | 136–121 | Dave Bing (38) | 22–39 | |||||
| 62 | February 15 | Atlanta | 113–105 | Bob Lanier (28) | 22–40 | |||||
| 63 | February 18 | Chicago | 122–97 | Bob Lanier (26) | 22–41 | |||||
| 64 | February 20 | Phoenix | 121–107 | Dave Bing (25) | 22–42 | |||||
| 65 | February 22 | @ Los Angeles | 135–134 (OT) | Dave Bing (33) | 23–42 | |||||
| 66 | February 23 | @ Seattle | 96–97 | Bob Lanier (31) | 23–43 | |||||
| 67 | February 24 | @ Golden State | 106–116 | Bob Lanier (26) | 23–44 | |||||
| 68 | February 26 | @ Houston | 106–122 | Bob Lanier (28) | 23–45 | |||||
| 69 | February 29 | @ Milwaukee | 113–131 | Bob Lanier (35) | 23–46 | |||||
| 70 | March 1 | Seattle | 116–102 | Bob Lanier (32) | 23–47 | |||||
| 71 | March 3 | Boston | 125–96 | Bob Lanier (32) | 23–48 | |||||
| 72 | March 7 | Phoenix | 129–121 | Bob Lanier (42) | 23–49 | |||||
| 73 | March 12 | N Baltimore | 97–102 | Curtis Rowe (28) | 23–50 | |||||
| 74 | March 14 | Los Angeles | 129–116 | Bob Lanier (35) | 23–51 | |||||
| 75 | March 17 | Atlanta | 112–121 | Bob Lanier (32) | 24–51 | |||||
| 76 | March 18 | @ Buffalo | 103–116 | Bob Lanier (37) | 24–52 | |||||
| 77 | March 19 | Chicago | 115–107 | Bing, Lanier (25) | 24–53 | |||||
| 78 | March 21 | Cincinnati | 117–120 | Bob Lanier (33) | 25–53 | |||||
| 79 | March 22 | @ Cincinnati | 130–135 | Bob Lanier (31) | 25–54 | |||||
| 80 | March 24 | Buffalo | 105–112 | Dave Bing (27) | 26–54 | |||||
| 81 | March 25 | @ Chicago | 105–121 | Jimmy Walker (23) | 26–55 | |||||
| 82 | March 26 | @ Boston | 120–133 | Dave Bing (24) | 26–56 | |||||