The 1970–71 NBA season was the Detroit Pistons' 23rd season in the NBA and 14th season in the city of Detroit.[1] The team played at Cobo Arena in downtown Detroit.
The Pistons finished with a 45-37 (.549) record, 4th place in the deep Midwest Division, as the NBA re-organized from 2 to 4 divisions. It was the first winning season for Detroit since the franchise relocated from Ft. Wayne in 1957. The team was led by guards Dave Bing (27.0 ppg, 5.0 apg, NBA All-Star) and Jimmy Walker (17.6 ppg) and rookie center Bob Lanier (15.6 ppg, 8.1 rpg, All-Rookie Team), who was the top pick in the 1970 NBA Draft.[1] [2]
See main article: 1970 NBA draft.
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Bob Lanier | Center | St. Bonaventure | ||
| 16 | 224 | Guard | Eastern Michigan |
z, y – division champions
x – clinched playoff spot
| 1970–71 NBA Records | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=100 | Team | ATL | BAL | BOS | BUF | CHI | CIN | CLE | DET | LAL | MIL | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SDR | SFW | SEA |
| — | 3–3 | 2–4 | 3–1 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 4–0 | 0–5 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 1–4 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 3–2 | ||
| 3–3 | — | 3–3 | 3–1 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 4–0 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | ||
| 4–2 | 3–3 | — | 4–0 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 0–5 | 0–6 | 4–2 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 3–2 | ||
| 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–4 | — | 0–4 | 0–4 | 5–7 | 1–5 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 6–6 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | ||
| 4–1 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 4–0 | — | 4–0 | 4–0 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 3–1 | 6–0 | 4–2 | 3–2 | ||
| 4–2 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 4–0 | 0–4 | — | 5–1 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 1–4 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 2–3 | 1–4 | ||
| 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 7–5 | 0–4 | 1–5 | — | 2–2 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 2–10 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | ||
| Detroit | 5–0 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 2–2 | — | 2–3 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 1–4 | 3–1 | |
| 2–3 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 4–0 | 3–2 | — | 1–4 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 4–0 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 4–2 | ||
| 4–1 | 4–1 | 5–0 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 4–1 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 4–1 | — | 1–4 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 6–0 | 5–1 | ||
| 3–3 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 4–0 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 4–1 | — | 2–4 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | ||
| 2–4 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 4–0 | 2–3 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 4–2 | — | 3–2 | 4–0 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 3–2 | ||
| 4–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 1–4 | 2–3 | — | 4–0 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 3–2 | ||
| 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 6–6 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 10–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | — | 0–4 | 1–3 | 2–4 | ||
| 3–2 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 0–6 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 4–0 | — | 2–4 | 5–1 | ||
| 3–2 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 2–4 | 0–6 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 4–2 | — | 3–3 | ||
| 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 2–3 | 4–1 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 3–3 | — | ||
| 1970–71 Game log | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Opponent | Score | High points | Record | ||
| 1 | October 14 | 123–117 | Dave Bing (25) | 1–0 | ||
| 2 | October 16 | 120–106 | Dave Bing (27) | 2–0 | ||
| 3 | October 17 | 110–107 | Dave Bing (23) | 3–0 | ||
| 4 | October 20 | 114–115 | Dave Bing (37) | 4–0 | ||
| 5 | October 21 | 121–118 | Dave Bing (35) | 5–0 | ||
| 6 | October 22 | 101–120 | Jimmy Walker (29) | 6–0 | ||
| 7 | October 24 | 114–95 | Bing, Walker (20) | 7–0 | ||
| 8 | October 26 | Seattle | 111–142 | Dave Bing (35) | 8–0 | |
| 9 | October 28 | 109–103 | Jimmy Walker (20) | 9–0 | ||
| 10 | October 31 | 89–107 | Dave Bing (21) | 9–1 | ||
| 11 | November 3 | 112–115 | Dave Bing (31) | 10–1 | ||
| 12 | November 4 | @ Atlanta | 117–105 | Dave Bing (25) | 11–1 | |
| 13 | November 5 | Buffalo | 109–121 | Dave Bing (28) | 12–1 | |
| 14 | November 7 | 99–125 | Dave Bing (23) | 12–2 | ||
| 15 | November 11 | 117–115 | Dave Bing (35) | 12–3 | ||
| 16 | November 13 | @ Los Angeles | 109–122 | Dave Bing (20) | 12–4 | |
| 17 | November 14 | 101–112 | Dave Bing (23) | 12–5 | ||
| 18 | November 15 | @ Phoenix | 104–108 | Dave Bing (26) | 12–6 | |
| 19 | November 17 | 113–91 | Dave Bing (23) | 12–7 | ||
| 20 | November 19 | Phoenix | 110–112 | Jimmy Walker (23) | 13–7 | |
| 21 | November 20 | @ Philadelphia | 120–112 | Bob Lanier (24) | 14–7 | |
| 22 | November 21 | @ Cincinnati | 102–114 | Dave Bing (21) | 14–8 | |
| 23 | November 24 | San Diego | 104–111 | Dave Bing (35) | 15–8 | |
| 24 | November 25 | @ Milwaukee | 87–113 | Otto Moore (17) | 15–9 | |
| 25 | November 28 | Boston | 121–98 | Dave Bing (32) | 15–10 | |
| 26 | November 29 | 120–99 | Dave Bing (27) | 16–10 | ||
| 27 | December 2 | New York | 82–101 | Dave Bing (29) | 17–10 | |
| 28 | December 4 | Chicago | 103–107 | Jimmy Walker (34) | 18–10 | |
| 29 | December 9 | San Francisco | 110–99 | Bing, Walker (25) | 18–11 | |
| 30 | December 11 | @ Boston | 121–118 (OT) | Dave Bing (33) | 19–11 | |
| 31 | December 12 | Buffalo | 93–92 | Dave Bing (21) | 19–12 | |
| 32 | December 13 | @ Los Angeles | 103–100 | Terry Dischinger (20) | 20–12 | |
| 33 | December 15 | 111–103 | Dave Bing (31) | 21–12 | ||
| 34 | December 17 | @ Phoenix | 114–117 (OT) | Jimmy Walker (38) | 21–13 | |
| 35 | December 18 | @ San Diego | 129–116 | Dave Bing (30) | 22–13 | |
| 36 | December 20 | N Cincinnati | 136–135 (2OT) | Dave Bing (37) | 23–13 | |
| 37 | December 25 | @ Philadelphia | 100–105 | Dave Bing (28) | 23–14 | |
| 38 | December 26 | @ Chicago | 117–114 | Bing, Lanier (26) | 24–14 | |
| 39 | December 29 | Atlanta | 97–99 | Jimmy Walker (21) | 25–14 | |
| 40 | December 30 | @ Cincinnati | 119–115 | Dave Bing (28) | 26–14 | |
| 41 | January 2 | Baltimore | 108–99 | Dave Bing (33) | 26–15 | |
| 42 | January 5 | @ Atlanta | 98–90 | Otto Moore (22) | 27–15 | |
| 43 | January 6 | San Diego | 99–100 | Dave Bing (30) | 28–15 | |
| 44 | January 8 | Cincinnati | 109–115 | Dave Bing (31) | 29–15 | |
| 45 | January 9 | @ Milwaukee | 100–118 | Dave Bing (25) | 29–16 | |
| 46 | January 10 | Los Angeles | 109–118 | Jimmy Walker (29) | 30–16 | |
| 47 | January 14 | Cleveland | 106–108 | Dave Bing (34) | 31–16 | |
| 48 | January 15 | @ Buffalo | 99–97 (OT) | Jimmy Walker (19) | 32–16 | |
| 49 | January 16 | Boston | 118–121 | Dave Bing (31) | 33–16 | |
| 50 | January 19 | Seattle | 102–106 | Dave Bing (27) | 34–16 | |
| 51 | January 22 | Portland | 123–112 | Dave Bing (36) | 34–17 | |
| 52 | January 24 | New York | 117–105 | Dave Bing (26) | 34–18 | |
| 53 | January 27 | San Francisco | 129–112 | Dave Bing (35) | 34–19 | |
| 54 | January 29 | San Diego | 104–131 | Dave Bing (34) | 35–19 | |
| 55 | January 31 | N Milwaukee | 131–104 | Dave Bing (26) | 35–20 | |
| 56 | February 2 | Baltimore | 113–116 | Dave Bing (29) | 36–20 | |
| 57 | February 5 | New York | 99–108 | Dave Bing (31) | 37–20 | |
| 58 | February 7 | @ Baltimore | 105–108 | Dave Bing (26) | 37–21 | |
| 59 | February 9 | Milwaukee | 107–106 | Bing, Walker (28) | 37–22 | |
| 60 | February 12 | Philadelphia | 109–118 | Dave Bing (27) | 38–22 | |
| 61 | February 14 | Boston | 110–108 | Dave Bing (27) | 38–23 | |
| 62 | February 16 | Baltimore | 95–110 | Dave Bing (36) | 39–23 | |
| 63 | February 19 | @ Chicago | 114–115 (OT) | Bing, Walker (27) | 39–24 | |
| 64 | February 20 | @ New York | 94–108 | Howard Komives (20) | 39–25 | |
| 65 | February 21 | Chicago | 125–112 | Dave Bing (54) | 39–26 | |
| 66 | February 24 | San Francisco | 117–115 | Dave Bing (32) | 39–27 | |
| 67 | February 26 | @ Buffalo | 127–122 (OT) | Dave Bing (40) | 40–27 | |
| 68 | February 27 | Phoenix | 124–117 | Dave Bing (30) | 40–28 | |
| 69 | February 28 | @ Atlanta | 106–105 | Bob Lanier (28) | 41–28 | |
| 70 | March 2 | Portland | 122–128 | Bob Lanier (38) | 42–28 | |
| 71 | March 5 | Milwaukee | 108–95 | Dave Bing (39) | 42–29 | |
| 72 | March 6 | @ Philadelphia | 115–121 | Bob Lanier (31) | 42–30 | |
| 73 | March 7 | Cleveland | 104–100 | Dave Bing (30) | 42–31 | |
| 74 | March 9 | Phoenix | 114–108 | Dave Bing (49) | 42–32 | |
| 75 | March 11 | @ Seattle | 97–130 | Dave Bing (22) | 42–33 | |
| 76 | March 12 | @ Portland | 133–129 | Dave Bing (25) | 43–33 | |
| 77 | March 13 | @ San Francisco | 107–116 | Howard Komives (26) | 43–34 | |
| 78 | March 14 | @ Los Angeles | 100–110 | Dave Bing (26) | 43–35 | |
| 79 | March 17 | @ San Diego | 99–106 | Jimmy Walker (20) | 43–36 | |
| 80 | March 19 | Buffalo | 105–111 | Bob Lanier (40) | 44–36 | |
| 81 | March 20 | @ Cleveland | 103–114 | Erwin Mueller (23) | 44–37 | |
| 82 | March 21 | Chicago | 111–116 | Bing, Mueller, Quick (18) | 45–37 |