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NBA team season
NBA professional basketball team season
The 1981–82 NBA season was the Detroit Pistons ' 34th season in the NBA and 25th season in the city of Detroit .[ 1] The team played in the Detroit suburbs at the Pontiac Silverdome .
The Pistons had the second pick in the 1981 NBA draft and chose Isiah Thomas from Indiana , adding a future Hall of Fame player for the centerpiece of the rebuilding franchise. The team finished greatly improved, 39-43 (.476), 3rd in the Central Division, an 18-game improvement from the previous season. The team was led by a pair of rookies, guard Thomas (17.0 ppg, 7.8 apg, NBA All-Star, NBA All Rookie Team) and forward Kelly Tripucka (21.6 ppg, NBA All-Star, NBA All Rookie Team), along with guard John Long (21.9 ppg) The team also picked up center Bill Laimbeer (12.8 ppg, 11.3 rpg) in a trade with Cleveland and guard Vinnie Johnson from Seattle (7.7 ppg), two key components of future championship Piston teams.[ 2] [ 3]
1981–82 Detroit Pistons roster
Players
Coaches
Pos.
No.
Name
Height
Weight
DOB
From
C
54
Benson, Kent
6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
235 lb (107 kg)
Indiana
F
32
Carr, Kenny
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
NC State
SG
24
Hardy, Alan
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
195 lb (88 kg)
Michigan
C
52
Hayes, Steve
7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)
205 lb (93 kg)
Idaho State
SG
10
Johnson, Vinnie
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
200 lb (91 kg)
Baylor
F
42
Jones, Edgar
6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
225 lb (102 kg)
Nevada
F
22
Judkins, Jeff
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
Utah
C
40
Laimbeer, Bill
6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
245 lb (111 kg)
Notre Dame
G
30
Lee, Ron
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
193 lb (88 kg)
Oregon
SG
25
Long, John
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
195 lb (88 kg)
Detroit Mercy
PG
11
Thomas, Isiah
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
180 lb (82 kg)
Indiana
F
7
Tripucka, Kelly
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
Notre Dame
G/F
41
Tyler, Terry
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
215 lb (98 kg)
Detroit Mercy
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
(DP) Unsigned draft pick(FA) Free agent(S) Suspended Injured
z - clinched division title
y - clinched division title
x - clinched playoff spot
Record vs. opponents [ edit ]
1981-82 NBA Records
Team
ATL
BOS
CHI
CLE
DAL
DEN
DET
GSW
HOU
IND
KCK
LAL
MIL
NJN
NYK
PHI
PHO
POR
SAS
SDC
SEA
UTA
WAS
Atlanta
—
1–5
2–3
4–2
1–1
1–1
2–4
0–2
2–0
4–2
1–1
0–2
3–3
3–2
5–1
3–3
1–1
2–0
1–1
1–1
1–1
2–0
2–4
Boston
5–1
—
4–2
5–0
2–0
1–1
6–0
1–1
1–1
4–1
2–0
1–1
3–3
5–1
5–1
4–2
1–1
1–1
2–0
2–0
0–2
2–0
6–0
Chicago
3–2
2–4
—
5–1
1–1
1–1
0–6
0–2
1–1
3–3
1–1
2–0
1–5
2–4
3–2
1–5
0–2
1–1
1–1
2–0
1–1
1–1
2–4
Cleveland
2–4
0–5
1–5
—
2–0
0–2
1–5
1–1
1–1
1–5
1–1
0–2
0–6
0–6
0–6
0–5
0–2
1–1
0–2
1–1
0–2
2–0
1–5
Dallas
1–1
0–2
1–1
0–2
—
1–5
1–1
0–5
2–4
1–1
4–2
1–4
1–1
2–0
1–1
0–2
2–3
2–3
1–5
2–3
1–4
3–3
1–1
Denver
1–1
1–1
1–1
2–0
5–1
—
1–1
3–2
5–1
0–2
4–2
1–4
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
2–3
2–3
2–4
5–0
2–3
3–3
2–0
Detroit
4–2
0–6
6–0
5–1
1–1
1–1
—
2–0
2–0
2–4
2–0
0–2
2–4
2–4
3–3
2–3
0–2
0–2
0–2
2–0
1–1
1–1
1–4
Golden State
2–0
1–1
2–0
1–1
5–0
2–3
0–2
—
1–4
2–0
3–2
3–3
2–0
1–1
1–1
0–2
4–2
2–4
3–2
5–1
1–5
3–2
1–1
Houston
0–2
1–1
1–1
1–1
4–2
1–5
0–2
4–1
—
2–0
3–3
1–4
1–1
1–1
1–1
1–1
3–2
4–1
3–3
4–1
2–3
6–0
2–0
Indiana
2–4
1–5
3–3
5–1
1–1
2–0
4–2
0–2
0–2
—
1–1
0–2
0–6
4–2
3–2
0–6
1–1
1–1
2–0
2–0
1–1
1–1
1–5
Kansas City
1–1
0–2
1–1
1–1
2–4
2–4
0–2
2–3
3–3
1–1
—
1–4
1–1
1–1
2–0
0–2
2–3
0–5
1–5
4–1
2–3
3–3
0–2
Los Angeles
2–0
1–1
0–2
2–0
4–1
4–1
2–0
3–3
4–1
2–0
4–1
—
0–2
1–1
0–2
1–1
4–2
5–1
2–3
5–1
4–2
5–0
2–0
Milwaukee
3–3
3–3
5–1
6–0
1–1
1–1
4–2
0–2
1–1
6–0
1–1
2–0
—
4–1
3–3
4–2
1–1
2–0
1–1
2–0
0–2
2–0
3–2
New Jersey
2–3
1–5
4–2
6–0
0–2
1–1
4–2
1–1
1–1
2–4
1–1
1–1
1–4
—
4–2
3–3
2–0
1–1
1–1
2–0
0–2
2–0
4–2
New York
1–5
1–5
2–3
6–0
1–1
1–1
3–3
1–1
1–1
2–3
0–2
2–0
3–3
2–4
—
1–5
0–2
1–1
0–2
2–0
0–2
2–0
1–5
Philadelphia
3–3
2–4
5–1
5–0
2–0
1–1
3–2
2–0
1–1
6–0
2–0
1–1
2–4
3–3
5–1
—
1–1
2–0
0–2
2–0
2–0
2–0
6–0
Phoenix
1–1
1–1
2–0
2–0
3–2
3–2
2–0
2–4
2–3
1–1
3–2
2–4
1–1
0–2
2–0
1–1
—
3–3
4–1
4–2
3–3
3–2
1–1
Portland
0–2
1–1
1–1
1–1
3–2
3–2
2–0
4–2
1–4
1–1
5–0
1–5
0–2
1–1
1–1
0–2
3–3
—
3–2
4–2
3–3
4–1
0–2
San Antonio
1–1
0–2
1–1
2–0
5–1
4–2
2–0
2–3
3–3
0–2
5–1
3–2
1–1
1–1
2–0
2–0
1–4
2–3
—
3–2
4–1
3–3
1–1
San Diego
1–1
0–2
0–2
1–1
3–2
0–5
0–2
1–5
1–4
0–2
1–4
1–5
0–2
0–2
0–2
0–2
2–4
2–4
2–3
—
1–5
1–4
0–2
Seattle
1–1
2–0
1–1
2–0
4–1
3–2
1–1
5–1
3–2
1–1
3–2
2–4
2–0
2–0
2–0
0–2
3–3
3–3
1–4
5–1
—
5–0
1–1
Utah
0–2
0–2
1–1
0–2
3–3
3–3
1–1
2–3
0–6
1–1
3–3
0–5
0–2
0–2
0–2
0–2
2–3
1–4
3–3
4–1
0–5
—
1–1
Washington
4–2
0–6
4–2
5–1
1–1
0–2
4–1
1–1
0–2
5–1
2–0
0–2
2–3
2–4
5–1
0–6
1–1
2–0
1–1
2–0
1–1
1–1
—
1981–82 game log Total: 39–43 (Home: 23–18; Road: 16–25)
October: 2–0 (home: 1–0; road: 1–0)
November: 6–7 (home: 4–3; road: 2–4)
December: 5–10 (home: 2–3; road: 3–7)
January: 5–9 (home: 2–4; road: 3–5)
February: 7–6 (home: 5–3; road: 2–3)
March: 9–7 (home: 5–2; road: 4–5)
April: 5–4 (home: 4–3; road: 1–1)
1981–82 schedule
Player
GP
GS
MPG
FG%
3P%
FT%
RPG
APG
SPG
BPG
PPG
Kent Benson
75
72
32.9
.505
.273
.804
8.7
2.1
.88
1.30
12.5
Kenny Carr
28
6
15.9
.458
.000
.646
4.9
.8
.21
.21
7.4
Glenn Hagan
4
0
6.3
.429
.000
1.000
1.0
2.0
.33
.00
1.8
Alan Hardy
38
0
8.2
.456
.000
.621
0.9
.5
.24
.11
3.7
Steve Hayes
26
0
15.8
.495
.000
.610
3.8
.9
.12
.69
4.5
Phil Hubbard
52
38
21.2
.505
.000
.650
5.2
1.3
.73
.31
10.0
Vinnie Johnson
67
15
17.8
.493
.273
.754
2.1
2.4
.75
.34
7.7
Edgar Jones
48
19
16.7
.548
.500
.698
4.3
.8
.58
1.92
7.8
Jeff Judkins
30
0
8.4
.383
.100
.615
1.1
.5
.20
.67
2.6
Greg Kesler
11
0
16.6
.407
.000
.659
3.5
1.1
.45
.64
8.8
Bill Laimbeer
30
30
31.2
.516
.143
.813
11.3
1.8
.57
1.13
12.8
Ron Lee
81
7
18.1
.358
.305
.706
1.9
3.9
1.43
.25
3.4
John Long
69
66
32.0
.492
.133
.865
3.7
2.1
.94
.36
21.9
Paul Mokeski
39
3
13.4
.441
.000
.758
3.1
.6
.33
.59
3.2
Isiah Thomas
72
72
33.8
.424
.288
.704
2.9
7.8
2.08
.24
17.0
Kelly Tripucka
82
82
37.5
.496
.227
.797
5.4
3.3
1.09
.25
21.6
Terry Tyler
82
0
24.3
.523
.250
.740
6.0
5.4
.94
1.95
9.9
Larry Wright
1
0
6.0
.000
.000
.000
.0
.0
.0
.0
.0
Founded in 1937
Formerly the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons (1937–1948) and the Fort Wayne Pistons (1948–1957)
Based in Detroit, Michigan
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