1982–83 Detroit Pistons season
Head coachScotty Robertson
General managerJack McCloskey
OwnersWilliam Davidson
ArenaPontiac Silverdome
Results
Record37–45 (.451)
PlaceDivision: 3rd (Central)
Conference: 8th (Eastern)
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

The 1982–83 NBA season was the Detroit Pistons' 35th season in the NBA and 26th season in the city of Detroit.[1] The team played at the Pontiac Silverdome in suburban Pontiac, Michigan.

Expectations were high with the Pistons entering the season with hopes for continued improvement and a playoff berth, having improved from 16 to 21 to 39 wins in the previous three seasons, but the team regressed, finishing 37–45 (.451), 3rd in the Central Division. The team was led on the season by guard Isiah Thomas (22.9 ppg, 7.8 apg, NBA All-Star), center Bill Laimbeer (13.6 ppg, 12.1 rpg, NBA All-Star) and forward Kelly Tripucka (26.5 ppg).

With the disappointing record and frequent clashes with team leader Thomas, the team fired coach Scotty Robertson at the end of the season.[1][2][3] General Manager Jack McCloskey met with Robertson to deliver the news, "'I was very disappointed and very shocked,' Robertson said. 'I thought Jack and I would discuss various aspects of the team and go on from there. He came in at noon and we talked for five minutes. 'We're going to make a change,' he said. He gave me two reasons. He said he didn't think the team had progressed enough this year and he said he didn't think our defense was as good as it should have been. I told him I agreed with him on both points. But where we had a difference of opinion was why. He thought it was my fault and I thought it was the set of circumstances.'" The team would hire Chuck Daly as his replacement for the 1983-84 Detroit Pistons season.[3]

Draft picks

Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
19Cliff LevingstonPF United StatesWichita State
118Ricky PierceSG/SF United StatesRice
478Walker RussellSG United StatesWestern Michigan

Roster

Detroit Pistons roster
Players Coaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOBFrom
C 54 Benson, Kent 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Indiana
SG 15 Johnson, Vinnie 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Baylor
SG 34 Johnstone, Jim 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 245 lb (111 kg) Wake Forest
PF 34 Jones, Edgar 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Nevada
C 40 Laimbeer, Bill 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 245 lb (111 kg) Notre Dame
PF 53 Levingston, Cliff 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Wichita State
SG 25 Long, John 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Detroit Mercy
SF 34 May, Scott 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Indiana
C 44 Owens, Tom 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 215 lb (98 kg) USC
SG 22 Pierce, Ricky 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Rice
SG 33 Russell, Walker 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Western Michigan
PF 32 Smith, Jim 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Ohio State
PF 24 Tolbert, Ray 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Indiana
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
F 34 Wilkes, James 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 195 lb (88 kg) UCLA
C 34 Zoet, Jim 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) 240 lb (109 kg) Kent State
Head coach
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Regular season

Season standings

Central Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Milwaukee Bucks 5131.622–31–1020–2122–7
x-Atlanta Hawks 4339.524826–1517–2421–8
Detroit Pistons 3745.4511423–1814–2719–11
Chicago Bulls 2854.3412318–2310–3113–17
Cleveland Cavaliers 2359.2802815–268–338–22
Indiana Pacers 2062.2443114–276–356–24
#
Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Philadelphia 76ers6517.793–
2 y-Milwaukee Bucks5131.62214
3 x-Boston Celtics5626.6839
4 x-New Jersey Nets4933.59816
5 x-New York Knicks4438.53721
6 x-Atlanta Hawks4339.52422
7 Washington Bullets4240.51223
8 Detroit Pistons3745.45128
9 Chicago Bulls2854.34137
10 Cleveland Cavaliers2359.28042
11 Indiana Pacers2062.24445
z – clinched division title
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

1982–83 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 —1–55–16–01–11–13–30–22–06–00–20–21–42–43–22–41–11–10–21–11–12–04–2
Boston 5–1—3–25–12–02–03–31–12–04–11–12–03–35–13–33–32–01–12–01–11–12–03–3
Chicago 1–52–3—5–11–11–12–42–01–14–20–20–21–52–41–41–50–21–10–21–10–21–11–5
Cleveland 0–61–51–5—2–00–21–52–02–05–11–10–21–50–61–50–50–21–10–21–11–10–23–2
Dallas 1–10–21–10–2—3–32–03–25–12–03–32–30–20–20–20–22–33–22–45–02–32–40–2
Denver 1–10–21–12–03–3—2–04–15–11–13–31–42–01–10–20–24–12–32–43–23–24–21–1
Detroit 3–33–34–25–10–20–2—2–02–04–20–20–23–33–21–50–61–11–11–11–10–20–23–2
Golden State 2–01–10–20–22–31–40–2—3–21–11–41–51–10–21–10–22–42–41–43–33–33–22–0
Houston 0–20–21–10–21–51–50–22–3—2–01–50–50–21–10–20–20–50–51–52–31–40–61–1
Indiana 0–61–42–41–50–21–12–41–10–2—1–10–21–50–63–31–41–10–20–21–11–12–01–5
Kansas City 2–01–12–01–13–33–32–04–15–11–1—1–41–11–11–10–21–42–33–34–11–44–22–0
Los Angeles 2–00–22–02–03–24–12–05–15–02–04–1—2–01–12–00–23–33–31–45–15–14–11–1
Milwaukee 4–13–35–15–12–00–23–31–12–05–11–10–2—3–24–21–51–12–02–02–00–22–03–2
New Jersey 4–21–54–26–02–01–12–32–01–16–01–11–12–3—4–23–31–11–10–21–12–01–13–2
New York 2–33–34–15–12–02–05–11–12–03–31–10–22–42–4—1–50–21–12–00–21–11–14–2
Philadelphia 4–23–35–15–02–02–06–02–02–04–12–02–05–13–35–1—2–00–21–12–02–02–04–2
Phoenix 1–10–22–02–03–21–41–14–25–01–14–13–31–11–12–00–2—5–13–24–25–15–00–2
Portland 1–11–11–11–12–33–21–14–25–02–03–23–30–21–11–12–01–5—2–35–13–33–21–1
San Antonio 2–00–22–02–04–24–21–14–15–12–03–34–10–22–00–21–12–33–2—4–11–45–12–0
San Diego 1–11–11–11–10–52–31–13–33–21–11–41–50–21–12–00–22–41–51–4—0–62–30–2
Seattle 1–11–12–01–13–22–32–03–34–11–14–11–52–00–21–10–21–53–34–16–0—5–01–1
Utah 0–20–21–12–04–22–42–02–36–00–22–41–40–21–11–10–20–52–31–53–20–5—0–2
Washington 2–43–35–12–32–01–12–30–21–15–10–21–13–33–32–42–42–01–10–22–01–12–0—

Awards and records

References

  1. 1 2 "1982–83 Detroit Pistons Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference.com.
  2. ↑ "Chevette to Corvette No. 40: The 1982–83 Detroit Pistons". October 19, 2011.
  3. 1 2 "Pistons fire Scotty Robertson". UPI.

See also

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