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The Detroit Pistons are a National Basketball Association (NBA) team based in the Detroit metropolitan area. Piston home games are played at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

Home arenas

In Fort Wayne, Indiana

• North Side High School Gym (1948-1952)
• War Memorial Coliseum (1952-1957)

In Metro Detroit, Michigan

• Olympia Stadium (1957-1961)
• Cobo Arena (1961-1978)
• Pontiac Silverdome (1978-1988)
• The Palace of Auburn Hills (1988-present)

Notes:

• March 12, 1960, the Pistons hosted a playoff game against Minneapolis at Grosse Pointe High School when no other facility was available.
• April 27, 1984, the Pistons played Game 5 of their playoff series against New York in Joe Louis Arena due to a scheduling conflict.
• During the 1984-85 season, the Silverdome's roof collapsed, causing the team to temporarily relocate back to Joe Louis Arena (for 15 home games) and Cobo Arena (for one game).

Franchise history

From Fort Wayne to Detroit

The franchise was founded as the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons, a National Basketball League (NBL) team, playing in the gym of North Side High School. Owner Fred Zollner's Zollner Corporation was a foundry, manufacturing pistons primarily for car, truck and locomotive engines. In 1948, the team became the Fort Wayne Pistons, competing in the Basketball Association of America. In 1949, Fred Zollner brokered the formation of the National Basketball Association from the BAA and the NBL at his kitchen table. From that point on, the Fort Wayne Pistons competed in the NBA. Led by star forward George Yardley, the Fort Wayne Pistons were a very popular franchise and appeared in the NBA Finals in 1954 and 1955, losing both times.

Though the Pistons enjoyed a solid local following, their city's small size made it difficult for them to be profitable. In 1957, Zollner moved the team to Detroit, a much larger city which had not seen professional basketball in a decade. In 1947, they had lost the Detroit Gems of the NBL, who moved to become the Minneapolis Lakers (now the Los Angeles Lakers), and the Detroit Falcons of the BAA, who folded. The new Detroit Pistons played in Olympia Stadium (home of the NHL's Detroit Red Wings at the time) for their first four seasons, then moved to Cobo Arena. The franchise was a consistent disappointment, struggling both on the court and at the box office.

1960s and 1970s

During the 60s and 70s, the Pistons were characterized by very strong individuals and weak teams. Some of the superstars who played for the team included Dave DeBusschere, Dave Bing and Bob Lanier. At one point DeBusschere was the youngest player coach in the history of the NBA. Unfortunately, an ill timed trade was made during the 1968 season which sent the popular home grown Debusschere to the New York Knicks for Howard Komives and Walt Bellamy both who were in the later stages of their career. DeBusschere became the key player that then led the Knicks to two NBA titles. The Dave Bing and Bob Lanier era did have some solid and exciting years but they were handicapped by being in the same division as the Milwaukee Bucks which had a young Lew Alcindor and The Chicago Bulls which had some very strong teams. In 1974, Zollner sold the team to Bill Davidson, who remains the team's principal owner. Displeased with the team's location in downtown Detroit, Davidson moved them to the suburb of Pontiac in 1978, where they played in the mammoth Silverdome, a structure built for professional football (and the home of the Detroit Lions at the time).

1980s

The Pistons stumbled their way out of the 1970s and into the 1980s, beginning with a 16-66 record in 1979-80 and following up with a 21-61 record in 1980-81. The 1979-80 team lost its last 14 games of the season which, when coupled with the seven losses at the start of the 1980-81 season, comprised a then-NBA record losing streak of 21 games (since broken).

The franchise's fortunes finally began to turn in 1981, when it drafted point guard Isiah Thomas from Indiana University. In early 1982, the Pistons acquired center Bill Laimbeer in a trade from the Cleveland Cavaliers and guard Vinnie Johnson from the Seattle SuperSonics. The three, along with later acquisitions Joe Dumars (a 1985 Draft pick), Rick Mahorn, Adrian Dantley, and Dennis Rodman, formed the core of a team that would rise to the top of the league.

Initially the Pistons had a tough time moving up the NBA ladder. During the 1984 season, the roof of the Silverdome collapsed during a snowstorm. Because of this, the Pistons played their home games at Joe Louis Arena in downtown Detroit. In 1984, the Pistons lost a tough five-game series to the underdog New York Knicks, three games to two. In the 1985 semi-finals, Detroit would contest the defending champion Celtics to a six game series. Though Boston would prevail, Detroit's surprise performance promised that a rivalry had begun. After losing in the first round of the 1986 playoffs to the more athletic Atlanta Hawks, Coach Daly and team captain Thomas realized that their only hope to gain Eastern dominance would be to construct a more aggressive game-style.

They adopted a very intense and physical style in 1987 that quickly gained them the nickname "Bad Boys." It took them to the Eastern Conference Finals, the farthest the team had advanced since moving from Fort Wayne, against the Celtics. After pushing the defending champions to a 2-2 tie, the Pistons were on the verge of winning Game 5 at the Boston Garden with seconds remaining. After a Celtics' turnover, Isiah Thomas attempted to quickly inbound the ball and missed Coach Daly's timeout signal from the bench. Larry Bird stole the inbound pass and passed it to Dennis Johnson for the game-winning layup. While the Pistons would win Game 6 in Detroit, they would lose the series in a tough Game 7 back in Boston.

Motivated by their loss to the Celtics, the 1988 Pistons fine-tuned their "bad boy" style and avenged their two previous playoff losses to the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals, defeating them in six games and advancing to the NBA Finals for the first time since the franchise moved to Detroit.

The Pistons' first trip to the Finals saw them face the Los Angeles Lakers, who were led by Magic Johnson, James Worthy, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. After taking a 3-2 series lead back to Los Angeles, Detroit appeared poised to win their first NBA title in Game 6. In that game, Isiah Thomas scored an NBA Finals record 25 points in the third quarter while playing on a severely sprained ankle. However, the Lakers won the game, 103-102, on a pair of last-minute free throws by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar following a controversial foul called on Bill Laimbeer, referred to by many Piston supporters, and Laimbeer himself, as a "phantom foul." With Isiah Thomas unable to compete at full strength, the Pistons narrowly fell in Game 7, 108-105.

Prior to the 1988-89 season, the Pistons moved to Auburn Hills to play at the Palace of Auburn Hills. The 1989 Pistons completed the building of their roster by trading Dantley for Mark Aguirre, a trade that Piston fans would criticize heavily initially, but later praise. The team won a then-franchise-record 63 games, and steamrolled through the playoffs and into a NBA Finals rematch with the Lakers. This time the Pistons came out victorious in a four-game sweep to win their first NBA championship. Joe Dumars was named NBA Finals MVP.

1990s

The Pistons successfully defended their 1988-89 title. After cruising through the regular season and through the first two rounds of the playoffs, the team played a tough Eastern Conference Finals series against Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls before winning in seven games. Advancing to their third consecutive NBA Finals, the Pistons faced the Portland Trail Blazers. After splitting the first two games at the Palace, the Pistons went to Portland, where they had not won since 1974, to play Games 3, 4 and 5. The Pistons summarily won all three games in Portland, clinching the title in Game 5 when Vinnie Johnson sank an 18 foot jumper with 00.7 seconds left in the game (this shot earned Johnson a new nickname in Detroit, 007, along with his original moniker, The Microwave). Isiah Thomas was named NBA Finals MVP.

The Pistons' championship run came to an end in the 1991 Eastern Conference Finals, when the team was defeated by the eventual NBA champion Chicago Bulls, 4 games to 0. After this, the franchise went through a lengthy transitional period, as key players either retired (Laimbeer in 1993 and Thomas in 1994) or were traded (Edwards, Johnson, Salley, and Rodman among others). The team quickly declined, bottoming out in the 1993-94 season when they finished 20-62.

The team's fortunes improved after that season, but the rebuilding process soon sputtered. As a result of the poor finish in the 1994 season, the Pistons were able to draft Grant Hill, a promising small forward. However, this period also saw the team make numerous questionable personnel decisions, such as the 1994 trade of Dennis Rodman to the San Antonio Spurs for Sean Elliott, the loss of free agent Allan Houston to the New York Knicks after the 46-win 1996 season ; the signing of free agent wash-outs Christian Laettner, Loy Vaught, Cedric Ceballos, and the late Bison Dele; and head coaching changes from Ron Rothstein to Don Chaney to Doug Collins to Alvin Gentry to George Irvine in an eight-year span. Of those coaches, only Collins had any sort of success with the Pistons, winning 54 games in the 1996-97 season. The franchise even changed its team colors from red, white, and blue to teal, maroon, and white in 1996 in what proved to be a highly unpopular move with fans, known derisively as the "teal era."

2000-2007: A championship again

After being swept by the Miami Heat in the 2000 Playoffs, Joe Dumars (who had retired following the 1999 season) was hired as President of Basketball Operations. This would prove to be a turning point in the franchise's history.

The Pistons suffered through another tough season in 2000-01, going 32-50. For this, Dumars fired head coach George Irvine and hired Rick Carlisle, a widely respected assistant coach who had been a tough substitute contributor for the Celtics during the mid-1980s. He helped lead the Pistons to their first 50-win season since 1997, and their first playoff series victory since 1991. Dumars revamped the Pistons' roster by signing free agent Chauncey Billups, acquiring Richard "Rip" Hamilton from the Washington Wizards, and by drafting Tayshaun Prince from Kentucky, to join Ben Wallace, who had been considered by most a throw in in the sign and trade deal for Grant Hill in 2000. The Pistons posted consecutive 50-win seasons and advanced to the 2003 Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 1991, where they were swept in four games by the New Jersey Nets.

Surprisingly, after such a successful season, coach Rick Carlisle was fired. The rumored reasons for the firing were twofold: Carlisle is a quiet and reserved man, and owner Bill Davidson perceived Carlisle's reservation as arrogance, which upset him; also, Hall of Famer Larry Brown had become available, and he was an upgrade at the coaching position. Brown accepted the job a short time later.

The Pistons' transformation into a championship team was completed with the February 2004 acquisition of Rasheed Wallace. The Pistons won 54 games that year, tying for the most wins since 1997. In the playoffs, after easily defeating the Milwaukee Bucks in five games, they defeated the defending Eastern Conference champion New Jersey Nets in seven games, coming back from a 3-2 deficit in the process. Detroit then defeated the Indiana Pacers, coached by Rick Carlisle, in six tough games to advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1990. Many analysts gave the Pistons little chance to win against their opponents, the Los Angeles Lakers, who had won the previous three NBA championships. However, the Pistons won the 2004 NBA Championship in dominating fashion over Los Angeles in five games. They posted double digit wins in three of their four victories, including holding the Lakers to a franchise low 68 points in Game 3. Chauncey Billups was named NBA Finals MVP.

Despite losing key members of their bench during the offseason (including Mehmet Okur, Mike James and Corliss Williamson), the Pistons were considered a strong contender to win a second consecutive title in 2005. They won 54 games during the regular season, their fifth consecutive season of 50 or more wins. During the 2005 playoffs, they easily defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 4-1 and then rallied from a 2-1 deficit to finish off the Indiana Pacers, 4-2. In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Pistons faced the Miami Heat. Once again Detroit fell behind, but won Eastern Conference Championship in seven games against the Miami Heat. In the NBA Finals the Pistons faced the San Antonio Spurs. In the first NBA Finals Game 7 since 1994, the Pistons lost a hard-fought game to the Spurs, who clinched their third NBA championship.

Many believed that the Pistons were affected by off-court distractions during their attempt to defend their title during the 2004-05 season. One distraction was the Pacers-Pistons brawl, one of the largest fan-player incidents in the history of American sports, which led to the suspension of Ben Wallace for six games, and a great deal of NBA and media scrutiny. Another involved the future of head coach Larry Brown. Health concerns, as well as fallout from Brown publicly discussing and possibly pursuing other job openings during the season, led to a buyout of Larry Brown's contract at the end of the season. Soon thereafter, he was named head coach of the New York Knicks. The Pistons countered by signing Flip Saunders as their new head coach.

The Pistons started off the 2005-06 season with the NBA's best overall record. Their 37-5 start exceeded the best start for any Detroit sports franchise in history and tied for the second-best 40 game start in NBA history. Four of the five Pistons starters, Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace, and Ben Wallace, were named to the All-Star team, and Flip Saunders served as the Eastern Conference All-Star team coach. The Pistons ended the regular season with a record of 64-18, the best record in the NBA, and a franchise record for both overall wins and road victories, with 27. In addition, the team set an NBA record by starting the same lineup in 73 consecutive games from the start of the season.

The Pistons defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 4-1 in the first round of the 2006 NBA Playoffs and barely eliminated the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round 4-3, overcoming a 3-2 deficit. However, the top-seeded Pistons were eliminated by the second-seeded Miami Heat (who went on to win the Championship), in six games in the Eastern Conference Finals.

During the 2006 offseason, the Pistons offered Ben Wallace a 4-year, $48 million contract which would have made him the highest-paid Piston ever . In a stunning move, however, Ben Wallace, widely accepted as the face of the franchise, agreed to a 4-year, $60 million contract with the Chicago Bulls. .

On the same day as Ben's departure, the Pistons signed center Nazr Mohammad. But the 2006-07 Pistons, though still a playoff team, were not contenders until January 17th, when Chris Webber who had been bought out of his contract a month earlier by the Philadelphia 76ers, debuted with the Pistons.

Since Webber's inclusion into the fold, the Pistons have been playing inspired basketball again and, according to Newsday, started "to get their swagger back."

On April 11, the Detroit Pistons clinched the best record in the Eastern Conference, and home-court advantage for the first three rounds of the playoffs.

Media

• George Blaha: Television Play by Play, Radio Play by Play when Pistons are on national TV.
• Mark Champion: Radio Play by Play when Blaha is on television.
• Greg Kelser: Television Color Commentator.
• Rick Mahorn: Radio Color Commentator.
• John Mason: Public Address Announcer.

Fan support

As the franchise has returned to the league's elite, the local support of the Pistons has correspondingly increased. From the mid-1990s until 2001, Pistons home games were rarely sold out, even during the postseason. Now, despite playing in the league's largest arena, the Pistons have sold out 165 consecutive home games and counting. The Pistons have led the league in fan attendance since the 2002-2003 season, and the raucous Palace crowd is one of the most formidable for opposing teams to play before in the NBA.

There are a number of noteworthy celebrities who can regularly be spotted among the fans attending Pistons' home games. They include:

The Pistons have also developed a large fan following during road games. It is not uncommon to see large groups of Pistons fans, hear pro-Pistons chants (such as the popular "Deee-troit Basket-ball!"), and cheers when Pistons players score during many road games. This is similar to the fan following the Detroit Red Wings developed during the 1990s and continue to enjoy to this day on the road.

Season-by-season records

Note: W = wins, L = losses, % = win–loss %

Mascots

1989-1996: The Palace Knight, "Sir Slam A Lot" 1996-Current: Hooper

Personnel

Basketball Hall of Fame members

• Dave Bing
• Larry Brown (head coach)
• Chuck Daly (head coach)
• Dave DeBusschere
• Joe Dumars
• Bob Lanier
• Earl Lloyd (inducted as a contributor, not as a player or coach)
• Bob McAdoo
• Isiah Thomas
• George Yardley
• Fred Zollner (contributor)

Bing, Daly, Davidson, DeBusschere, Dumars, Johnson, Laimbeer, Lanier, Thomas, Yardley, and team founder/owner Zollner have also been inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.

Retired numbers

• William Davidson, Team owner since 1974. Banner raised to honor his 30+ years with the team.
• 00 Paul Osterberg, Mascot, 1999-2003 (never played in the NBA; was elected to the 2002 and 2003 All-Mascot Team).
• 2 Chuck Daly, Head Coach, 1983-92 (never played in the NBA; number represents the two NBA championship teams he coached).
• 4 Joe Dumars, G, 1985-99; Team President, 2000-Present
• 11 Isiah Thomas, G, 1981-94
• 15 Vinnie Johnson, G, 1981-91
• 16 Bob Lanier, C, 1970-81
• 21 Dave Bing, G, 1966-75
• 40 Bill Laimbeer, C, 1982-94

Former players

Coaches

• 2005 - Present Flip Saunders
• 2003 - 2005 Larry Brown
• 2001 - 2002 Rick Carlisle
• 1999 - 2001 George Irvine
• 1997 - 2000 Alvin Gentry
• 1995 - 1998 Doug Collins
• 1993 - 1995 Don Chaney
• 1992 - 1993 Ron Rothstein
• 1983 - 1992 Chuck Daly
• 1980 - 1983 Scotty Robertson
• 1979 - 1980 Richie Adubato
• 1978 - 1980 Dick Vitale
• 1977 - 1978 Bob Kauffman
• 1975 - 1978 Herb Brown
• 1972 - 1976 Ray Scott
• 1971 - 1973 Earl Lloyd

Recent NBA Draft Selections

• 2006 Will Blalock (Round 2, pick 60)
• 2005 Jason Maxiell (Round 1, pick 26); Amir Johnson (Round 2, pick 56); Alex Acker (Round 2, pick 60)
• 2004 Ricky Paulding (Round 2, pick 54)
• 2003 Darko Milicic (Round 1, pick 2); Carlos Delfino (Round 1, pick 25); Andreas Glyniadakis (Round 2, pick 58)
• 2002 Tayshaun Prince (Round 1, pick 23)
• 2001 Rodney White (Round 1, pick 9); Mehmet Okur (Round 2, pick 38)
• 2000 Mateen Cleaves (Round 1, pick 14); Brian Cardinal (Round 2, pick 44)
• 1999 Melvin Levett (Round 2, pick 54)
• 1998 Bonzi Wells (Round 1, pick 11); Korleone Young (Round 2, pick 40)
• 1997 Scot Pollard (Round 1, pick 19); Charles O'Bannon (Round 2, pick 32)

Current Roster

Franchise leaders

• Career Leaders
  • Games: Joe Dumars, 1,018
  • Minutes Played: Isiah Thomas, 35,516
  • Field Goals Made: Isiah Thomas, 7,194
  • Field Goals Attempted: Isiah Thomas, 15,904
  • 3-Point Field Goals Made: Joe Dumars, 990
  • 3-Point Field Goals Attempted: Joe Dumars, 2,592
  • Free Throws Made: Isiah Thomas, 4,036
  • Free Throws Attempts: Isiah Thomas, 5,316
  • Offensive Rebounds: Bill Laimbeer, 2,429
  • Defensive Rebounds: Bill Laimbeer, 7,001
  • Total Rebounds: Bill Laimbeer, 9,430
  • Assists: Isiah Thomas, 9,061
  • Steals: Isiah Thomas, 1,861
  • Blocked Shots: Ben Wallace, 1,297
  • Turnovers: Isiah Thomas, 3,682
  • Personal Fouls: Bill Laimbeer, 3,131
  • Points: Isiah Thomas, 18,822
• Per Game
  • Minutes Played: Gene Shue, 39.52
  • Field Goals Made: Bob Lanier, 9.22
  • Field Goals Attempted: Dave Bing, 19.44
  • 3-Point Field Goals Made: Chauncey Billups, 2.01
  • 3-Point Field Goals Attempted: Chauncey Billups, 4.88
  • Free Throws Made: Jerry Stackhouse, 6.71
  • Free Throws Attempts: Jerry Stackhouse, 8.13
  • Offensive Rebounds: Dennis Rodman, 4.36
  • Defensive Rebounds: Ben Wallace, 8.97
  • Total Rebounds: Ben Wallace, 12.87
  • Assists: Kevin Porter, 10.11
  • Steals: Alvin Robertson, 2.13
  • Blocked Shots: Ben Wallace, 2.76
  • Turnovers: Bob McAdoo, 4.00
  • Personal Fouls: Walter Dukes, 4.21
  • Points: Bob Lanier, 22.74

• Per 48 Minutes
  • Field Goals Made: Bob Lanier, 12.23
  • Field Goals Attempts: Don Kojis, 25.35
  • 3-Point Field Goals: Jon Barry, 2.89
  • 3-Point Field Goals Attempts: Chucky Atkins, 7.39
  • Free Throws: Adrian Dantley, 9.93
  • Free Throws Attempts: Adrian Dantley, 11.89
  • Offensive Rebounds: Dennis Rodman, 7.03
  • Defensive Rebounds: Ben Wallace, 11.80
  • Total Rebounds: Walter Dukes, 20.78
  • Assists: Kevin Porter, 15.37
  • Steals: Ron Lee, 4.29
  • Blocked Shots: Chuck Nevitt, 5.79
  • Turnovers: Greg Kelser, 5.57
  • Personal Fouls: Chuck Nevitt, 12.70
  • Points: Bob Lanier, 30.17

Sources

• http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nba/detroit/detpistons.html
• http://thedraftreview.com/teams/detroit.htm

External links

• Detroit Pistons official web site
• Detroit Pistons History

• National Basketball Association teams
• Detroit Pistons
• Sports clubs established in 1941
• Sports in Detroit
• Oakland County, Michigan
• Detroit culture