NBA team season
NBA professional basketball team season
The 1981–82 NBA season was the Detroit Pistons ' 34th season in the NBA and 25th season in the city of Detroit .[1] The team played in the Detroit suburbs at the Pontiac Silverdome .
The Pistons had the second pick in the 1981 NBA draft and chose Isiah Thomas from Indiana , adding a future Hall of Fame player for the centerpiece of the rebuilding franchise. The team finished greatly improved, 39-43 (.476), 3rd in the Central Division, an 18-game improvement from the previous season. The team was led by a pair of rookies, guard Thomas (17.0 ppg, 7.8 apg, NBA All-Star, NBA All Rookie Team) and forward Kelly Tripucka (21.6 ppg, NBA All-Star, NBA All Rookie Team), along with guard John Long (21.9 ppg) The team also picked up center Bill Laimbeer (12.8 ppg, 11.3 rpg) in a trade with Cleveland and guard Vinnie Johnson from Seattle (7.7 ppg), two key components of future championship Piston teams.[2] [3]
Draft picks [ edit ] 1981–82 Detroit Pistons roster Players Coaches Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From C 54 Benson, Kent 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Indiana F 32 Carr, Kenny 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 220 lb (100 kg) NC State SG 24 Hardy, Alan 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Michigan C 52 Hayes, Steve 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Idaho State SG 10 Johnson, Vinnie 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Baylor F 42 Jones, Edgar 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Nevada F 22 Judkins, Jeff 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Utah C 40 Laimbeer, Bill 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 245 lb (111 kg) Notre Dame G 30 Lee, Ron 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 193 lb (88 kg) Oregon SG 25 Long, John 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Detroit Mercy PG 11 Thomas, Isiah 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Indiana F 7 Tripucka, Kelly 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Notre Dame G/F 41 Tyler, Terry 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Detroit Mercy
Head coach Assistant coach(es) Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick(FA) Free agent(S) Suspended Injured
Regular season [ edit ] Season standings [ edit ] z - clinched division title y - clinched division title x - clinched playoff spot Record vs. opponents [ edit ] 1981-82 NBA Records Team ATL BOS CHI CLE DAL DEN DET GSW HOU IND KCK LAL MIL NJN NYK PHI PHO POR SAS SDC SEA UTA WAS Atlanta — 1–5 2–3 4–2 1–1 1–1 2–4 0–2 2–0 4–2 1–1 0–2 3–3 3–2 5–1 3–3 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–4 Boston 5–1 — 4–2 5–0 2–0 1–1 6–0 1–1 1–1 4–1 2–0 1–1 3–3 5–1 5–1 4–2 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 0–2 2–0 6–0 Chicago 3–2 2–4 — 5–1 1–1 1–1 0–6 0–2 1–1 3–3 1–1 2–0 1–5 2–4 3–2 1–5 0–2 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 2–4 Cleveland 2–4 0–5 1–5 — 2–0 0–2 1–5 1–1 1–1 1–5 1–1 0–2 0–6 0–6 0–6 0–5 0–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 2–0 1–5 Dallas 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 — 1–5 1–1 0–5 2–4 1–1 4–2 1–4 1–1 2–0 1–1 0–2 2–3 2–3 1–5 2–3 1–4 3–3 1–1 Denver 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 5–1 — 1–1 3–2 5–1 0–2 4–2 1–4 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–3 2–3 2–4 5–0 2–3 3–3 2–0 Detroit 4–2 0–6 6–0 5–1 1–1 1–1 — 2–0 2–0 2–4 2–0 0–2 2–4 2–4 3–3 2–3 0–2 0–2 0–2 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–4 Golden State 2–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 5–0 2–3 0–2 — 1–4 2–0 3–2 3–3 2–0 1–1 1–1 0–2 4–2 2–4 3–2 5–1 1–5 3–2 1–1 Houston 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–2 1–5 0–2 4–1 — 2–0 3–3 1–4 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 3–2 4–1 3–3 4–1 2–3 6–0 2–0 Indiana 2–4 1–5 3–3 5–1 1–1 2–0 4–2 0–2 0–2 — 1–1 0–2 0–6 4–2 3–2 0–6 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–5 Kansas City 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 2–4 2–4 0–2 2–3 3–3 1–1 — 1–4 1–1 1–1 2–0 0–2 2–3 0–5 1–5 4–1 2–3 3–3 0–2 Los Angeles 2–0 1–1 0–2 2–0 4–1 4–1 2–0 3–3 4–1 2–0 4–1 — 0–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 4–2 5–1 2–3 5–1 4–2 5–0 2–0 Milwaukee 3–3 3–3 5–1 6–0 1–1 1–1 4–2 0–2 1–1 6–0 1–1 2–0 — 4–1 3–3 4–2 1–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 0–2 2–0 3–2 New Jersey 2–3 1–5 4–2 6–0 0–2 1–1 4–2 1–1 1–1 2–4 1–1 1–1 1–4 — 4–2 3–3 2–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 0–2 2–0 4–2 New York 1–5 1–5 2–3 6–0 1–1 1–1 3–3 1–1 1–1 2–3 0–2 2–0 3–3 2–4 — 1–5 0–2 1–1 0–2 2–0 0–2 2–0 1–5 Philadelphia 3–3 2–4 5–1 5–0 2–0 1–1 3–2 2–0 1–1 6–0 2–0 1–1 2–4 3–3 5–1 — 1–1 2–0 0–2 2–0 2–0 2–0 6–0 Phoenix 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 3–2 3–2 2–0 2–4 2–3 1–1 3–2 2–4 1–1 0–2 2–0 1–1 — 3–3 4–1 4–2 3–3 3–2 1–1 Portland 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–1 3–2 3–2 2–0 4–2 1–4 1–1 5–0 1–5 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–2 3–3 — 3–2 4–2 3–3 4–1 0–2 San Antonio 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–0 5–1 4–2 2–0 2–3 3–3 0–2 5–1 3–2 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 1–4 2–3 — 3–2 4–1 3–3 1–1 San Diego 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 3–2 0–5 0–2 1–5 1–4 0–2 1–4 1–5 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–2 2–4 2–4 2–3 — 1–5 1–4 0–2 Seattle 1–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 4–1 3–2 1–1 5–1 3–2 1–1 3–2 2–4 2–0 2–0 2–0 0–2 3–3 3–3 1–4 5–1 — 5–0 1–1 Utah 0–2 0–2 1–1 0–2 3–3 3–3 1–1 2–3 0–6 1–1 3–3 0–5 0–2 0–2 0–2 0–2 2–3 1–4 3–3 4–1 0–5 — 1–1 Washington 4–2 0–6 4–2 5–1 1–1 0–2 4–1 1–1 0–2 5–1 2–0 0–2 2–3 2–4 5–1 0–6 1–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 —
Game log [ edit ] Regular season [ edit ] 1981–82 game log Total: 39–43 (Home: 23–18; Road: 16–25) October: 2–0 (home: 1–0; road: 1–0)
November: 6–7 (home: 4–3; road: 2–4)
December: 5–10 (home: 2–3; road: 3–7)
January: 5–9 (home: 2–4; road: 3–5)
February: 7–6 (home: 5–3; road: 2–3)
March: 9–7 (home: 5–2; road: 4–5)
April: 5–4 (home: 4–3; road: 1–1)
1981–82 schedule
Player statistics [ edit ] Player GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG Kent Benson 75 72 32.9 .505 .273 .804 8.7 2.1 .88 1.30 12.5 Kenny Carr 28 6 15.9 .458 .000 .646 4.9 .8 .21 .21 7.4 Glenn Hagan 4 0 6.3 .429 .000 1.000 1.0 2.0 .33 .00 1.8 Alan Hardy 38 0 8.2 .456 .000 .621 0.9 .5 .24 .11 3.7 Steve Hayes 26 0 15.8 .495 .000 .610 3.8 .9 .12 .69 4.5 Phil Hubbard 52 38 21.2 .505 .000 .650 5.2 1.3 .73 .31 10.0 Vinnie Johnson 67 15 17.8 .493 .273 .754 2.1 2.4 .75 .34 7.7 Edgar Jones 48 19 16.7 .548 .500 .698 4.3 .8 .58 1.92 7.8 Jeff Judkins 30 0 8.4 .383 .100 .615 1.1 .5 .20 .67 2.6 Greg Kesler 11 0 16.6 .407 .000 .659 3.5 1.1 .45 .64 8.8 Bill Laimbeer 30 30 31.2 .516 .143 .813 11.3 1.8 .57 1.13 12.8 Ron Lee 81 7 18.1 .358 .305 .706 1.9 3.9 1.43 .25 3.4 John Long 69 66 32.0 .492 .133 .865 3.7 2.1 .94 .36 21.9 Paul Mokeski 39 3 13.4 .441 .000 .758 3.1 .6 .33 .59 3.2 Isiah Thomas 72 72 33.8 .424 .288 .704 2.9 7.8 2.08 .24 17.0 Kelly Tripucka 82 82 37.5 .496 .227 .797 5.4 3.3 1.09 .25 21.6 Terry Tyler 82 0 24.3 .523 .250 .740 6.0 5.4 .94 1.95 9.9 Larry Wright 1 0 6.0 .000 .000 .000 .0 .0 .0 .0 .0
Awards and records [ edit ] References [ edit ] See also [ edit ]
Founded in 1937 Formerly the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons (1937–1948) and the Fort Wayne Pistons (1948–1957) Based in Detroit, Michigan Franchise Arenas Personnel G League affiliate Retired numbers NBA championships Rivalries Culture and lore
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