The 1968–69 NBA season was the Detroit Pistons' 21st season in the NBA and 12th season in the city of Detroit.[1] The team played at Cobo Arena in Detroit.
The Pistons finished with a 32-50 (.390), 6th place in the Eastern Division. The team fired coach Donnie Butcher after 22 games, replacing him with assistant Paul Seymour in December.[2] Seymour pushed for what would become an ill-advised trade, dealing All-Star and future Hall of Famer Dave DeBusschere to the New York Knicks for journeyman Howard Komives and 7-footer Walt Bellamy, also a Hall of Famer, but one who had worn out welcomes in Baltimore and New York, having a reputation as a malcontent.[3] He proved it in Detroit, lasting a mere 109 games, traded to the Atlanta Hawks a year later, netting the Pistons John Arthurs, who would never play for Detroit. DeBusschere became the final component needed for the 1970 NBA champion Knicks.[4] [5] [6]
Detroit was led on the season by guard Dave Bing (23.4 ppg, 7.1 apg, NBA All-Star) and forward Happy Hairston (18.1 ppg, 11.8 rpg).[7]
x – clinched playoff spot
| 1968-69 NBA Records | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=100 | Team | ATL | BAL | BOS | CHI | CIN | DET | LAL | MIL | NYK | PHI | PHO | SDR | SFW | SEA |
| — | 2–4 | 3–3 | 6–1 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 3–4 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 6–0 | 3–4 | 4–3 | 4–2 | ||
| 4–2 | — | 5–2 | 6–0 | 4–3 | 7–0 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 3–4 | 2–4 | 6–0 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 4–2 | ||
| 3–3 | 2–5 | — | 4–2 | 5–2 | 5–1 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 1–6 | 5–2 | 6–0 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | ||
| 1–6 | 0–6 | 2–4 | — | 1–5 | 3–3 | 3–4 | 5–1 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 4–3 | 4–3 | ||
| 2–4 | 3–4 | 2–5 | 5–1 | — | 3–4 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 3–4 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 3–3 | ||
| Detroit | 0–6 | 0–7 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 4–3 | — | 3–3 | 2–4 | 3–4 | 3–4 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 4–2 | |
| 4–3 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 4–3 | 4–2 | 3–3 | — | 5–1 | 5–1 | 1–5 | 6–0 | 7–0 | 4–3 | 5–1 | ||
| 2–4 | 1–5 | 1–5 | 1–5 | 1–5 | 4–2 | 1–5 | — | 0–6 | 0–6 | 6–2 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 3–5 | ||
| 4–2 | 4–3 | 6–1 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 4–3 | 1–5 | 6–0 | — | 4–3 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 6–0 | ||
| 5–1 | 4–2 | 2–5 | 5–1 | 4–3 | 4–3 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 3–4 | — | 5–1 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 6–0 | ||
| 0–6 | 0–6 | 0–6 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 0–6 | 2–6 | 1–5 | 1–5 | — | 1–7 | 2–4 | 3–3 | ||
| 4–3 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 0–7 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 7–1 | — | 3–3 | 3–3 | ||
| 3–4 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 3–4 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 3–4 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 3–3 | — | 4–3 | ||
| 2–4 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 3–4 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 5–3 | 0–6 | 0–6 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 3–4 | — | ||
| 1968–69 Game log | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Opponent | Score | High points | Record | ||
| 1 | October 16 | 116–124 | Dave Bing (39) | 0–1 | ||
| 2 | October 18 | 106–88 | Dave Bing (20) | 0–2 | ||
| 3 | October 19 | 115–127 | Dave Bing (24) | 0–3 | ||
| 4 | October 23 | 110–117 | Dave Bing (39) | 1–3 | ||
| 5 | October 25 | 122–132 | Dave Bing (37) | 2–3 | ||
| 6 | October 30 | @ Boston | 119–117 | Dave Bing (33) | 3–3 | |
| 7 | October 31 | 118–134 | Dave Bing (29) | 3–4 | ||
| 8 | November 2 | 104–112 | Jimmy Walker (30) | 4–4 | ||
| 9 | November 6 | 118–127 | Dave Bing (37) | 5–4 | ||
| 10 | November 8 | 118–122 (OT) | Dave Bing (34) | 6–4 | ||
| 11 | November 10 | 128–130 (OT) | Dave Bing (28) | 6–5 | ||
| 12 | November 13 | 120–122 | Dave Bing (26) | 6–6 | ||
| 13 | November 14 | N Phoenix | 109–111 | Bing, Hairston (23) | 7–6 | |
| 14 | November 15 | @ San Francisco | 105–133 | Happy Hairston (19) | 7–7 | |
| 15 | November 16 | @ Seattle | 119–123 | Dave Bing (35) | 7–8 | |
| 16 | November 19 | Cincinnati | 107–121 | Happy Hairston (30) | 8–8 | |
| 17 | November 21 | 129–121 | Dave Bing (34) | 8–9 | ||
| 18 | November 23 | @ Baltimore | 127–128 | Dave Bing (39) | 8–10 | |
| 19 | November 26 | N San Diego | 120–134 | Happy Hairston (31) | 9–10 | |
| 20 | November 27 | Phoenix | 111–125 | Dave DeBusschere (32) | 10–10 | |
| 21 | November 29 | N Cincinnati | 112–122 | Jimmy Walker (29) | 10–11 | |
| 22 | November 30 | @ New York | 108–120 | Dave Bing (24) | 10–12 | |
| 23 | December 4 | Baltimore | 112–106 | Dave Bing (29) | 10–13 | |
| 24 | December 6 | @ Boston | 118–132 | Jimmy Walker (29) | 10–14 | |
| 25 | December 7 | @ Philadelphia | 106–140 | Happy Hairston (21) | 10–15 | |
| 26 | December 10 | 83–100 | Eddie Miles (18) | 10–16 | ||
| 27 | December 11 | Boston | 108–106 | Jimmy Walker (28) | 10–17 | |
| 28 | December 14 | Phoenix | 123–118 | Jimmy Walker (28) | 10–18 | |
| 29 | December 18 | San Diego | 112–124 | Hairston, Walker (27) | 11–18 | |
| 30 | December 20 | New York | 135–87 | Walt Bellamy (18) | 11–19 | |
| 31 | December 21 | @ Atlanta | 110–120 | Walt Bellamy (31) | 11–20 | |
| 32 | December 25 | @ Milwaukee | 119–113 | Happy Hairston (24) | 12–20 | |
| 33 | December 26 | Los Angeles | 95–94 | Dave Bing (31) | 12–21 | |
| 34 | December 28 | San Francisco | 102–131 | Eddie Miles (27) | 13–21 | |
| 35 | December 29 | @ Los Angeles | 108–111 | Dave Bing (29) | 13–22 | |
| 36 | December 31 | @ Los Angeles | 127–107 | Dave Bing (30) | 14–22 | |
| 37 | January 3 | Atlanta | 128–106 | Dave Bing (32) | 14–23 | |
| 38 | January 4 | @ New York | 103–111 | Bellamy, Bing (28) | 14–24 | |
| 39 | January 5 | @ Philadelphia | 119–126 | Happy Hairston (27) | 14–25 | |
| 40 | January 7 | Philadelphia | 114–117 | Howard Komives (22) | 15–25 | |
| 41 | January 8 | @ Boston | 104–113 | Eddie Miles (21) | 15–26 | |
| 42 | January 10 | @ Atlanta | 101–104 | Howard Komives (25) | 15–27 | |
| 43 | January 11 | Cincinnati | 115–118 | Hairston, Miles (25) | 16–27 | |
| 44 | January 12 | @ Cincinnati | 113–111 | Howard Komives (23) | 17–27 | |
| 45 | January 17 | Milwaukee | 108–123 | Happy Hairston (27) | 18–27 | |
| 46 | January 19 | Chicago | 111–120 | Eddie Miles (29) | 19–27 | |
| 47 | January 20 | N Milwaukee | 102–101 | Walt Bellamy (28) | 19–28 | |
| 48 | January 22 | Los Angeles | 115–116 | Eddie Miles (25) | 20–28 | |
| 49 | January 24 | New York | 106–107 | Walt Bellamy (28) | 21–28 | |
| 50 | January 25 | @ Philadelphia | 106–124 | Walt Bellamy (24) | 21–29 | |
| 51 | January 27 | @ Baltimore | 106–126 | Dave Bing (22) | 21–30 | |
| 52 | January 29 | San Francisco | 133–126 | Dave Bing (32) | 21–31 | |
| 53 | January 30 | N Seattle | 118–144 | Dave Bing (37) | 22–31 | |
| 54 | January 31 | @ Chicago | 103–102 | Walt Bellamy (18) | 23–31 | |
| 55 | February 1 | @ Atlanta | 99–119 | Jimmy Walker (25) | 23–32 | |
| 56 | February 2 | Baltimore | 128–106 | Dave Bing (25) | 23–33 | |
| 57 | February 4 | N Cincinnati | 114–125 | Dave Bing (29) | 23–34 | |
| 58 | February 5 | Chicago | 120–108 | Dave Bing (28) | 23–35 | |
| 59 | February 8 | San Diego | 119–123 (OT) | Walt Bellamy (32) | 24–35 | |
| 60 | February 12 | Boston | 113–106 | Dave Bing (28) | 24–36 | |
| 61 | February 13 | @ Chicago | 101–120 | Bellamy, Walker (13) | 24–37 | |
| 62 | February 14 | Phoenix | 123–128 | Dave Bing (37) | 25–37 | |
| 63 | February 16 | @ Seattle | 119–127 | Walt Bellamy (31) | 25–38 | |
| 64 | February 18 | @ San Francisco | 114–121 | Dave Bing (22) | 25–39 | |
| 65 | February 19 | @ Seattle | 131–124 | Dave Bing (30) | 26–39 | |
| 66 | February 20 | Atlanta | 97–87 | Bellamy, Hairston (17) | 26–40 | |
| 67 | February 22 | Milwaukee | 108–107 | Happy Hairston (23) | 26–41 | |
| 68 | February 24 | @ Baltimore | 119–123 | Terry Dischinger (25) | 26–42 | |
| 69 | February 27 | N Philadelphia | 123–126 | Dave Bing (30) | 27–42 | |
| 70 | February 28 | Baltimore | 134–116 | Dave Bing (34) | 27–43 | |
| 71 | March 2 | Philadelphia | 126–112 | Walt Bellamy (34) | 27–44 | |
| 72 | March 4 | @ New York | 99–102 | Walt Bellamy (21) | 27–45 | |
| 73 | March 5 | New York | 120–128 | Howard Komives (30) | 28–45 | |
| 74 | March 7 | Cincinnati | 105–114 | Dave Bing (24) | 29–45 | |
| 75 | March 9 | Milwaukee | 126–121 | Walt Bellamy (28) | 29–46 | |
| 76 | March 11 | @ Los Angeles | 101–137 | Dave Bing (22) | 29–47 | |
| 77 | March 13 | @ San Diego | 105–120 | Happy Hairston (22) | 29–48 | |
| 78 | March 14 | @ San Francisco | 110–114 | Dave Bing (35) | 29–49 | |
| 79 | March 16 | @ San Diego | 111–120 | Happy Hairston (22) | 29–50 | |
| 80 | March 17 | @ Phoenix | 119–95 | Walt Bellamy (30) | 30–50 | |
| 81 | March 21 | Seattle | 104–110 | Dave Gambee (32) | 31–50 | |
| 82 | March 23 | Chicago | 114–158 | Happy Hairston (28) | 32–50 |