The 1969–70 NBA season was the Detroit Pistons' 22nd season in the NBA and 13th season in the city of Detroit.[1] The team played at Cobo Arena in Detroit.
It was a challenging season for Detroit, which started in the pre-season when rising star Dave Bing signed a future contract with the Washington Caps of the rival American Basketball Association. Bing would re-sign with the Pistons the following season when the Washington ABA team moved to Virginia. The team also changed coaches, bringing in Butch Van Breda Kolff, who had been forced out from the Los Angeles Lakers after feuding with star Wilt Chamberlain.[2] The Pistons would finish the season with a 31-51 (.378) record, 7th in the NBA Eastern Division, the 14th straight losing season for the franchise. The Pistons were led on the season by Bing (22.9 ppg, 6.0 apg) and guard Jimmy Walker (20.8 ppg, NBA All-Star).[3] [4] [5]
x – clinched playoff spot
| 1969–70 NBA Records | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=100 | Team | ATL | BAL | BOS | CHI | CIN | DET | LAL | MIL | NYK | PHI | PHO | SDR | SFW | SEA |
| — | 2–4 | 6–0 | 5–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 4–3 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 5–2 | 4–2 | ||
| 4–2 | — | 5–2 | 5–1 | 4–3 | 5–2 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 3–4 | 3–3 | 6–0 | 2–4 | 5–1 | ||
| 0–6 | 2–5 | — | 3–3 | 3–3 | 4–3 | 2–4 | 1–6 | 4–3 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 2–4 | ||
| 2–5 | 1–5 | 3–3 | — | 3–3 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 0–6 | 3–3 | 5–2 | 3–4 | 4–2 | 4–3 | ||
| 3–3 | 3–4 | 3–3 | 3–3 | — | 4–2 | 2–4 | 2–5 | 2–5 | 4–3 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 1–5 | ||
| Detroit | 3–3 | 2–5 | 3–4 | 3–3 | 2–4 | — | 3–3 | 1–6 | 1–6 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 3–3 | |
| 3–4 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 3–3 | — | 3–3 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 3–4 | 5–2 | 5–2 | 6–0 | ||
| 3–3 | 3–3 | 6–1 | 2–4 | 5–2 | 6–1 | 3–3 | — | 2–4 | 5–2 | 6–0 | 6–0 | 4–2 | 5–1 | ||
| 2–4 | 5–1 | 3–4 | 6–0 | 5–2 | 6–1 | 4–2 | 4–2 | — | 5–2 | 6–0 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 4–2 | ||
| 3–3 | 4–3 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 3–4 | 5–1 | 2–4 | 2–5 | 2–5 | — | 4–2 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 0–6 | ||
| 4–2 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 2–5 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 4–3 | 0–6 | 0–6 | 2–4 | — | 7–0 | 3–3 | 4–3 | ||
| 2–4 | 0–6 | 2–4 | 4–3 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 2–5 | 0–6 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 0–7 | — | 5–2 | 4–2 | ||
| 2–5 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 2–5 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 0–6 | 3–3 | 2–5 | — | 3–4 | ||
| 2–4 | 1–5 | 4–2 | 3–4 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 0–6 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 6–0 | 3–4 | 2–4 | 4–3 | — | ||
| 1969–70 Game log | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Opponent | Score | High points | Record | ||
| 1 | October 18 | 110–119 | Walt Bellamy (25) | 0–1 | ||
| 2 | October 21 | 97–98 | Bing, Walker (16) | 1–1 | ||
| 3 | October 24 | 116–92 | Jimmy Walker (21) | 1–2 | ||
| 4 | October 25 | 125–104 | Walt Bellamy (26) | 2–2 | ||
| 5 | October 28 | 125–110 | Dave Bing (24) | 2–3 | ||
| 6 | October 30 | Milwaukee | 102–81 | Dave Bing (21) | 2–4 | |
| 7 | November 1 | 113–130 | Happy Hairston (21) | 3–4 | ||
| 8 | November 4 | 116–102 | Dave Bing (28) | 3–5 | ||
| 9 | November 7 | 128–134 (2OT) | Jimmy Walker (29) | 4–5 | ||
| 10 | November 8 | @ Milwaukee | 96–100 | Jimmy Walker (17) | 4–6 | |
| 11 | November 9 | 129–140 | Eddie Miles (22) | 4–7 | ||
| 12 | November 11 | 110–102 | Eddie Miles (24) | 5–7 | ||
| 13 | November 12 | @ San Diego | 119–132 | Terry Dischinger (29) | 5–8 | |
| 14 | November 13 | @ Seattle | 113–117 | Jimmy Walker (16) | 5–9 | |
| 15 | November 15 | 105–104 | Jimmy Walker (28) | 6–9 | ||
| 16 | November 18 | Los Angeles | 125–114 (OT) | Walt Bellamy (32) | 6–10 | |
| 17 | November 21 | Atlanta | 118–106 | Howard Komives (20) | 6–11 | |
| 18 | November 25 | 104–103 | Eddie Miles (23) | 7–11 | ||
| 19 | November 26 | Chicago | 129–109 | Hairston, Miles (22) | 7–12 | |
| 20 | November 28 | @ Philadelphia | 91–110 | Jimmy Walker (19) | 7–13 | |
| 21 | November 29 | @ New York | 110–98 | Jimmy Walker (27) | 8–13 | |
| 22 | December 2 | 109–116 | Jimmy Walker (29) | 8–14 | ||
| 23 | December 3 | @ San Francisco | 106–102 | Eddie Miles (29) | 9–14 | |
| 24 | December 5 | @ Los Angeles | 109–128 | Dischinger, Komives, Miles, Walker (22) | 9–15 | |
| 25 | December 7 | @ Phoenix | 118–113 | Jimmy Walker (30) | 10–15 | |
| 26 | December 8 | @ San Diego | 111–102 | Jimmy Walker (32) | 11–15 | |
| 27 | December 9 | @ Seattle | 104–109 | Jimmy Walker (33) | 11–16 | |
| 28 | December 11 | Cincinnati | 116–119 (OT) | Jimmy Walker (30) | 12–16 | |
| 29 | December 12 | @ Philadelphia | 111–125 | Bing, Long (16) | 12–17 | |
| 30 | December 13 | San Francisco | 104–97 | Jimmy Walker (24) | 12–18 | |
| 31 | December 16 | N Boston | 98–117 | Jimmy Walker (28) | 12–19 | |
| 32 | December 17 | San Diego | 114–107 | Jimmy Walker (21) | 12–20 | |
| 33 | December 19 | @ Baltimore | 105–108 | Jimmy Walker (25) | 12–21 | |
| 34 | December 20 | Phoenix | 113–114 | Jimmy Walker (21) | 13–21 | |
| 35 | December 25 | @ New York | 111–112 | Jimmy Walker (32) | 13–22 | |
| 36 | December 26 | Milwaukee | 114–101 | Bellamy, Walker (26) | 13–23 | |
| 37 | December 29 | Cincinnati | 110–103 | Jimmy Walker (23) | 13–24 | |
| 38 | December 31 | @ Boston | 121–124 | Jimmy Walker (27) | 13–25 | |
| 39 | January 2 | Boston | 110–92 | Dave Bing (26) | 13–26 | |
| 40 | January 3 | @ Phoenix | 109–114 | Dave Bing (21) | 13–27 | |
| 41 | January 4 | N Seattle | 110–116 | Jimmy Walker (29) | 14–27 | |
| 42 | January 5 | @ San Francisco | 102–118 | Jimmy Walker (27) | 14–28 | |
| 43 | January 7 | N Baltimore | 116–121 | Jimmy Walker (31) | 14–29 | |
| 44 | January 10 | Seattle | 128–129 | Jimmy Walker (29) | 15–29 | |
| 45 | January 12 | N Atlanta | 113–100 | Dave Bing (22) | 16–29 | |
| 46 | January 13 | San Francisco | 102–115 | Jimmy Walker (23) | 17–29 | |
| 47 | January 14 | @ Boston | 118–123 | Dave Bing (33) | 17–30 | |
| 48 | January 16 | New York | 104–102 | Dave Bing (29) | 17–31 | |
| 49 | January 18 | Los Angeles | 100–106 | Dave Bing (27) | 18–31 | |
| 50 | January 22 | N Baltimore | 115–119 | Dave Bing (37) | 18–32 | |
| 51 | January 23 | @ Boston | 109–105 (OT) | Jimmy Walker (27) | 19–32 | |
| 52 | January 24 | Chicago | 122–128 | Dave Bing (31) | 20–32 | |
| 53 | January 25 | @ Chicago | 111–120 | Jimmy Walker (22) | 20–33 | |
| 54 | January 29 | @ New York | 106–127 | Walt Bellamy (22) | 20–34 | |
| 55 | January 30 | Baltimore | 117–129 | Dave Bing (28) | 21–34 | |
| 56 | January 31 | @ Cincinnati | 115–117 | Dave Bing (25) | 21–35 | |
| 57 | February 1 | New York | 117–111 | Jimmy Walker (32) | 21–36 | |
| 58 | February 2 | N Atlanta | 121–125 | Dave Bing (25) | 21–37 | |
| 59 | February 4 | Los Angeles | 109–125 | Dave Bing (40) | 22–37 | |
| 60 | February 6 | @ Baltimore | 148–153 (2OT) | Dave Bing (44) | 22–38 | |
| 61 | February 7 | Seattle | 109–113 | Dave Bing (32) | 23–38 | |
| 62 | February 10 | Cincinnati | 117–115 | Jimmy Walker (26) | 23–39 | |
| 63 | February 11 | N Cincinnati | 113–124 | Jimmy Walker (27) | 23–40 | |
| 64 | February 13 | Phoenix | 120–132 | Terry Dischinger (27) | 24–40 | |
| 65 | February 15 | Chicago | 119–126 | Dave Bing (38) | 25–40 | |
| 66 | February 19 | N Philadelphia | 133–114 | Dave Bing (25) | 25–41 | |
| 67 | February 20 | @ Baltimore | 122–119 | Jimmy Walker (31) | 26–41 | |
| 68 | February 21 | Philadelphia | 112–110 | Bing, Moore (24) | 26–42 | |
| 69 | February 22 | @ Atlanta | 116–114 | Jimmy Walker (24) | 27–42 | |
| 70 | February 24 | Milwaukee | 111–136 | Jimmy Walker (30) | 28–42 | |
| 71 | February 25 | @ Philadelphia | 105–122 | Dave Bing (32) | 28–43 | |
| 72 | February 26 | Phoenix | 131–123 | Dave Bing (32) | 28–44 | |
| 73 | February 27 | @ Milwaukee | 113–131 | Jimmy Walker (21) | 28–45 | |
| 74 | March 1 | San Francisco | 99–116 | Dave Bing (31) | 29–45 | |
| 75 | March 6 | Milwaukee | 121–118 | Dave Bing (42) | 29–46 | |
| 76 | March 7 | San Diego | 126–134 | Dave Bing (32) | 30–46 | |
| 77 | March 10 | Boston | 112–115 | Dave Bing (26) | 31–46 | |
| 78 | March 14 | @ Chicago | 96–111 | Jimmy Walker (27) | 31–47 | |
| 79 | March 17 | New York | 122–106 | Jimmy Walker (32) | 31–48 | |
| 80 | March 19 | @ San Diego | 118–132 | Dave Bing (25) | 31–49 | |
| 81 | March 20 | @ Los Angeles | 111–117 | Dave Bing (33) | 31–50 | |
| 82 | March 22 | Atlanta | 130–126 | Dave Bing (29) | 31–51 |