1993–94 Detroit Pistons season explained

The 1993–94 NBA season was the Pistons' 46th season in the National Basketball Association, and 37th season in the city of Detroit.^[1] In the 1993 NBA draft, the Pistons selected Lindsey Hunter out of Jackson State with the tenth overall pick, and selected Allan Houston from the University of Tennessee with the eleventh overall pick.^{[2] [3] [4] [5] [6]} During the off-season, the Pistons acquired Sean Elliott from the San Antonio Spurs,^{[7] [8] [9] [10]} signed free agent Greg Anderson, and hired Don Chaney as head coach.^[11]

Although the Pistons started out 5–4 without Alvin Robertson, who was out with a back injury and then traded to the Denver Nuggets in November.^{[12] [13]} The Pistons continued to struggle as Bill Laimbeer retired after playing just eleven games after an ugly practice scuffle with Isiah Thomas.^{[14] [15] [16]} Laimbeer averaged 9.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per game this season. Things got worse as the team suffered a 14-game losing streak between December and January, and held an 11–37 record at the All-Star break.^[17] At midseason, Olden Polynice was traded to the Sacramento Kings in exchange for Pete Chilcutt,^{[18] [19] [20]} as the Pistons lost their final 13 games of the season, finishing tied for last place in the Central Division with a 20–62 record,^[21] their worst record since 1979–80.

Joe Dumars led the team in scoring with 20.4 points per game, while Terry Mills averaged 17.3 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, and Elliott provided the team with 12.1 points per game. Hunter contributed 10.3 points, 4.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game, and was named the NBA All-Rookie Second Team, while Houston provided with 8.5 points per game off the bench, and Anderson averaged 6.4 points and 7.4 rebounds per game.^[22]

This season marked an end of an era as Thomas retired, ending his thirteen-year career with the Pistons.^{[23] [24] [25] [26]} In his final season, Thomas averaged 14.8 points and 6.9 assists per game in 58 games. His final game was a 132–104 home loss to the Orlando Magic on April 19, 1994, where he ruptured his Achilles tendon, which forced him to retire.^{[27] [28] [29]} Also following the season, Elliott would return to his former team, the San Antonio Spurs after playing just one season with the Pistons,^{[30] [31]} while Anderson signed with the Atlanta Hawks, and Chilcutt signed with the Houston Rockets.

Draft picks

See main article: 1993 NBA draft.

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
1	10		PG		Jackson State
1	11		SG		Tennessee

Roster

05

Roster Notes

• Center Bill Laimbeer retired on December 1.

Regular season

Season standings

z - clinched division title

y - clinched division title

x - clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

1993-94 NBA Records
width=100	Team	ATL	BOS	CHA	CHI	CLE	DAL	DEN	DET	GSW	HOU	IND	LAC	LAL	MIA	MIL	MIN	NJN	NYK	ORL	PHI	PHO	POR	SAC	SAS	SEA	UTA	WAS
	—	4–0	4–1	2–3	3–1	2–0	1–1	4–0	0–2	1–1	3–2	1–1	1–1	3–1	5–0	2–0	1–3	2–2	3–1	4–0	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	4–0
	0–4	—	0–4	2–2	1–3	2–0	1–1	3–1	1–1	1–1	0–4	1–1	1–1	2–3	3–1	1–1	1–4	0–4	2–2	4–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	3–2
	1–4	4–0	—	1–4	1–4	1–1	1–1	4–0	0–2	1–1	2–2	1–1	2–0	1–3	3–2	2–0	2–2	3–1	2–2	3–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	2–2
	3–2	2–2	4–1	—	1–3	2–0	1–1	5–0	2–0	1–1	4–1	2–0	1–1	2–2	4–0	2–0	3–1	1–3	2–2	3–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	4–0
	1–3	3–1	4–1	3–1	—	2–0	1–1	3–2	2–0	0–2	2–3	2–0	1–1	1–3	3–2	2–0	2–2	0–4	2–2	4–0	0–2	2–0	2–0	0–2	1–1	1–1	3–1
	0–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	—	1–4	1–1	0–4	1–4	0–2	0–4	0–4	0–2	0–2	5–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–4	1–3	2–2	0–5	0–4	0–5	1–1
	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	4–1	—	2–0	1–3	3–2	1–1	3–1	3–1	1–1	2–0	4–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–3	1–3	2–2	2–4	2–2	1–4	1–1
Detroit	0–4	1–3	0–4	0–5	2–3	1–1	0–2	—	0–2	0–2	1–4	1–1	0–2	2–2	1–4	2–0	1–3	0–4	1–3	1–3	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	2–2
	2–0	1–1	2–0	0–2	0–2	4–0	3–1	2–0	—	0–4	1–1	4–1	5–0	2–0	2–0	2–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–3	3–2	4–1	2–2	1–4	3–1	2–0
	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	4–1	2–3	2–0	4–0	—	1–1	4–0	3–1	2–0	1–1	4–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	4–0	4–0	2–3	2–2	3–3	1–1
	2–3	4–0	2–2	1–4	3–2	2–0	1–1	4–1	1–1	1–1	—	2–0	0–2	3–1	3–1	2–0	3–1	0–4	2–2	2–2	1–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	1–1	3–1
	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	4–0	1–3	1–1	1–4	0–4	0–2	—	2–3	1–1	1–1	1–3	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	0–5	2–3	3–2	1–3	1–4	1–3	1–1
L.A. Lakers	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	4–0	1–3	2–0	0–5	1–3	2–0	3–2	—	1–1	2–0	3–1	0–2	0–2	2–0	1–1	3–2	0–5	1–4	0–4	0–5	2–2	1–1
	1–3	3–2	3–1	2–2	3–1	2–0	1–1	2–2	0–2	0–2	1–3	1–1	1–1	—	4–0	2–0	2–3	2–2	2–3	4–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	3–1
	0–5	1–3	2–3	0–4	2–3	2–0	0–2	4–1	0–2	1–1	1–3	1–1	0–2	0–4	—	0–2	1–3	0–4	1–3	1–3	0–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–3
	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–5	1–4	0–2	2–2	1–4	0–2	3–1	1–3	0–2	2–0	—	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–0	0–4	0–4	2–2	1–4	0–4	1–4	0–2
	3–1	4–1	2–2	1–3	2–2	2–0	1–1	3–1	2–0	0–2	1–3	1–1	2–0	3–2	3–1	1–1	—	4–1	0–5	3–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–1
	2–2	4–0	1–3	3–1	4–0	2–0	1–1	4–0	1–1	0–2	4–0	2–0	2–0	2–2	4–0	2–0	1–4	—	3–2	3–2	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	0–2	5–0
	1–3	2–2	2–2	2–2	2–2	2–0	1–1	3–1	1–1	1–1	2–2	1–1	0–2	3–2	3–1	1–1	5–0	2–3	—	4–0	1–1	2–0	2–0	0–2	1–1	2–0	4–1
	0–4	1–4	1–3	1–3	0–4	2–0	2–0	3–1	1–1	0–2	2–2	1–1	1–1	1–4	3–1	0–2	1–3	2–3	0–4	—	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–1	2–3
	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–0	4–0	3–1	1–1	3–2	2–2	1–1	5–0	2–3	2–0	2–0	4–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–0	—	3–2	4–1	3–1	2–3	2–2	2–0
	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–0	0–2	3–1	3–1	2–0	2–3	0–4	1–1	3–2	5–0	2–0	1–1	4–0	2–0	0–2	0–2	2–0	2–3	—	4–1	1–3	1–4	1–3	2–0
	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	2–2	2–2	1–1	1–4	0–4	0–2	2–3	4–1	1–1	1–1	2–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	2–0	1–4	1–4	—	1–3	0–5	1–3	2–0
	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	2–0	5–0	4–2	1–1	2–2	3–2	2–0	3–1	4–0	2–0	2–0	4–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–3	3–1	3–1	—	0–4	0–5	2–0
	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	1–1	4–0	2–2	1–1	4–1	2–2	1–1	4–1	5–0	1–1	2–0	4–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	3–2	4–1	5–0	4–0	—	3–1	2–0
	1–1	2–0	1–1	0–2	1–1	5–0	4–1	2–0	1–3	3–3	1–1	3–1	2–2	1–1	2–0	4–1	1–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	2–2	3–1	3–1	5–0	1–3	—	2–0
Washington	0–4	2–3	2–2	0–4	1–3	1–1	1–1	2–2	0–2	1–1	1–3	1–1	1–1	1–3	3–1	2–0	1–3	0–5	1–4	3–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–2	—

Game log

Player statistics

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
Joe Dumars	69	69	37.6	.452	.388	.836	2.2	3.8	0.9	0.1	20.4
Terry Mills	80	74	34.7	.511	.329	.797	8.4	2.2	0.8	0.8	17.3
Isiah Thomas	58	56	30.2	.417	.310	.702	2.7	6.9	1.2	0.1	14.8
Olden Polynice	37	36	36.5	.547	.000	.457	12.3	0.6	0.6	1.0	13.1
	73	73	33.0	.455	.299	.803	3.6	2.7	0.7	0.4	12.1
Lindsey Hunter	82	26	26.5	.375	.333	.732	2.3	4.8	1.5	0.1	10.3
Bill Laimbeer	11	5	22.5	.522	.333	.846	5.1	1.3	0.5	0.4	9.8
Allan Houston	79	20	19.2	.405	.299	.824	1.5	1.3	0.4	0.2	8.5
Greg Anderson	77	47	21.1	.543	.333	.571	7.4	0.7	0.7	0.9	6.4
David Wood	78	3	15.2	.459	.449	.756	3.1	0.7	0.5	0.2	4.1
Pete Chilcutt	30	0	13.0	.425	.214	.769	3.3	0.5	0.3	0.4	3.8
Mark Macon	35	1	10.6	.396	.286	.625	1.0	1.1	0.9	0.0	3.6
Ben Coleman	9	0	8.6	.480		.500	2.9	0.0	0.2	0.2	3.1
Marcus Liberty	35	0	7.8	.310	.370	.486	1.6	0.4	0.3	0.1	2.9
Charles Jones	42	0	20.9	.462	.000	.559	5.6	0.7	0.3	1.0	2.2
Tod Murphy	7	0	8.1	.500		.500	1.3	0.4	0.3	0.0	2.1
Tracy Moore	3	0	3.3	.667		1.000	0.3	0.0	0.7	0.0	2.0
Dan O'Sullivan	13	0	4.3	.333		.750	0.8	0.2	0.0	0.0	1.3

Player Statistics Citation:^[32]

Awards and records

• Lindsey Hunter, NBA All-Rookie Team 2nd Team

See also

• 1993-94 NBA season

Notes and References

1. https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/DET/1994.html 1993-94 Detroit Pistons
2. News: Brown . Clifton . PRO BASKETBALL; Pick and Troll: Magic Trades No. 1 Choice Webber . The New York Times . July 1, 1993 . July 31, 2021.
3. News: Heisler . Mark . THE NBA DRAFT: Big Deal for Warriors: Webber for Hardaway: Basketball: Golden State Finally Gets Someone with Size. Orlando Gets Memphis State Guard to Complement O'Neal . Los Angeles Times . July 1, 1993 . July 25, 2022.
4. News: Wilbon . Michael . Webber Is 1st, Then Traded . The Washington Post . July 1, 1993 . December 4, 2022.
5. News: Landman . Brian . Magic Picks Up a "Penny" . Tampa Bay Times . July 1, 1993 . June 4, 2023.
6. Web site: 1993 NBA Draft . Basketball-Reference . December 4, 2022.
7. News: PRO BASKETBALL; Detroit Trades Rodman to San Antonio for Elliott . The New York Times . October 2, 1993 . March 3, 2022.
8. News: Baker . Chris . Spurs Give Rodman Fresh Start: Pro Basketball: Pistons Get Sean Elliott in Trade for the NBA Leader in Rebounds and Problems . Los Angeles Times . October 2, 1993 . December 21, 2022.
9. News: Associated Press . Pistons Deal Rodman to Spurs: Basketball: They Site Need for 'a New Start' and Give Up One of NBA's Top Rebounders, But Get an All-Star Player in Elliott . Los Angeles Times . October 2, 1993 . July 23, 2022.
10. News: Pistons Deal Rodman to Spurs . The Washington Post . October 2, 1993 . July 23, 2022.
11. News: Associated Press . PRO BASKETBALL; Chaney to Coach Pistons and Be a Good Listener . The New York Times . May 4, 1993 . November 10, 2022.
12. News: Transactions . The New York Times . November 20, 1993 . July 31, 2021.
13. News: NBA Notes . The Washington Post . November 20, 1993 . September 26, 2022.
14. News: Associated Press . BASKETBALL; Battling Pistons Lose Thomas . The New York Times . November 17, 1993 . September 26, 2022.
15. News: Associated Press . Pistons' Thomas Breaks Hand When He Punches Laimbeer . Los Angeles Times . November 17, 1993 . December 24, 2022.
16. News: Smith . Sam . 'Sensitive' Laimbeer Mulled Retiring After Fighting Isiah . Chicago Tribune . November 21, 1993 . March 8, 2017.
17. News: NBA Games Played on February 10, 1994 . Basketball-Reference . January 8, 2023.
18. News: Pistons, Kings Make New Deal . Chicago Tribune . February 21, 1994 . December 24, 2022.
19. News: Polynice Goes to Kings for Chilcutt, Draft Pick . Deseret News . February 21, 1994 . September 26, 2022.
20. News: Transactions . The New York Times . February 22, 1994 . January 15, 2022.
21. Web site: 1993–94 Detroit Pistons Schedule and Results. Basketball-Reference. September 21, 2021.
22. Web site: 1993–94 Detroit Pistons Roster and Stats. Basketball-Reference. September 21, 2021.
23. News: Thomas's Injury May End Career . The Washington Post . April 20, 1994 . December 21, 2022.
24. News: Thomas: Early Retirement . Chicago Tribune . May 11, 1994 . July 25, 2022.
25. News: Isiah Thomas Bids Farewell . The New York Times . May 12, 1994 . March 8, 2017.
26. News: Associated Press . No More 'Rah Rah Rah' for Thomas: Pro Basketball: Piston Guard Retires at 33, Saying He No Longer Has the Energy to Play at His Accustomed Level . Los Angeles Times . May 12, 1994 . September 26, 2022.
27. News: SPORTS PEOPLE: BASKETBALL; Thomas Ends on Injury . The New York Times . April 20, 1994 . October 13, 2021.
28. News: Roberts . Selena . Magic Clinch Home Court . Orlando Sentinel . April 20, 1994 . December 24, 2022.
29. News: Associated Press . A Disappointing End to Thomas' Career . Los Angeles Times . April 21, 1994 . July 25, 2022.
30. News: Associated Press . PRO BASKETBALL; Sean Elliott Again Is a Spur . The New York Times . July 20, 1994 . December 30, 2021.
31. News: Associated Press . Spurs Trade the Rights to Curley, a Draft Pick to Get Elliott Back . Los Angeles Times . July 20, 1994 . September 26, 2022.
32. Web site: 1993–94 Detroit Pistons Roster and Stats. Basketball-Reference. September 21, 2021.