The 1971–72 NBA 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.
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]
See main article: 1971 NBA draft.
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | Forward | UCLA | |||
| 16 | 224 | Guard | Baltimore |
z, y – division champions
x – clinched playoff spot
| 1971–72 NBA Records | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=100 | Team | ATL | BAL | BOS | BUF | CHI | CIN | CLE | DET | GSW | HOU | LAL | MIL | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SEA |
| — | 2–4 | 0–4 | 4–2 | 0–5 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 0–5 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 1–4 | ||
| 4–2 | — | 2–2 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 0–5 | 2–4 | 4–0 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 2–3 | ||
| 4–0 | 2–2 | — | 6–0 | 3–2 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 5–0 | 2–3 | 5–0 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 6–0 | 2–3 | 4–0 | 2–3 | ||
| 2–4 | 3–3 | 0–6 | — | 1–3 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 0–4 | 2–4 | 0–4 | ||
| 5–0 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 3–1 | — | 3–1 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 1–3 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 2–3 | ||
| 3–3 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 1–3 | — | 6–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 0–4 | 1–4 | 0–5 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 0–5 | ||
| 2–4 | 5–1 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 0–4 | 2–6 | — | 1–3 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 0–4 | 4–2 | 0–4 | ||
| Detroit | 2–3 | 2–3 | 0–5 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 3–1 | — | 0–5 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 0–4 | |
| 2–3 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 5–0 | — | 5–1 | 1–5 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 4–2 | ||
| 4–1 | 2–3 | 0–5 | 4–0 | 1–5 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 1–5 | — | 1–5 | 0–5 | 0–5 | 4–1 | 1–3 | 4–2 | 3–3 | ||
| 5–0 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 5–1 | — | 4–1 | 4–1 | 5–0 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 5–1 | ||
| 3–2 | 5–0 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 5–0 | 4–0 | 5–1 | 2–2 | 5–0 | 1–4 | — | 2–3 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 6–0 | ||
| 1–3 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 5–1 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 5–0 | 1–4 | 3–2 | — | 3–3 | 1–4 | 3–1 | 3–2 | ||
| 3–3 | 0–4 | 0–6 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 2–2 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 0–5 | 1–4 | 3–3 | — | 1–4 | 2–2 | 4–1 | ||
| 2–3 | 1–4 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 4–1 | 4–1 | — | 6–0 | 3–2 | ||
| 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 4–2 | 0–6 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 0–6 | 0–6 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–6 | — | 0–6 | ||
| 4–1 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 3–2 | 5–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 0–6 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 6–0 | — | ||
| 1971–72 Game log | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Opponent | Score | High points | Record | ||
| 1 | October 12 | 91–84 | Bob Lanier (29) | 1–0 | ||
| 2 | October 15 | 132–103 | Bob Lanier (25) | 1–1 | ||
| 3 | October 17 | 99–112 | Jimmy Walker (38) | 2–1 | ||
| 4 | October 19 | 101–99 | Bob Lanier (44) | 3–1 | ||
| 5 | October 22 | 116–109 | Jimmy Walker (37) | 4–1 | ||
| 6 | October 23 | 109–115 (OT) | Jimmy Walker (28) | 4–2 | ||
| 7 | October 26 | Houston | 104–103 | Bob Lanier (38) | 4–3 | |
| 8 | October 27 | 98–128 | Jimmy Walker (19) | 4–4 | ||
| 9 | October 29 | Baltimore | 105–119 | Jimmy Walker (26) | 5–4 | |
| 10 | October 30 | 104–99 | Jimmy Walker (33) | 6–4 | ||
| 11 | November 5 | 102–103 | Jimmy Walker (34) | 6–5 | ||
| 12 | November 6 | 78–106 | Bob Lanier (22) | 6–6 | ||
| 13 | November 10 | Portland | 122–139 | Jimmy Walker (31) | 7–6 | |
| 14 | November 12 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 107–110 | Bob Lanier (35) | 11–15 | ||
| 27 | December 10 | 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 | 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 |