Detroit Pistons
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Template:NBA team The Detroit Pistons are a National Basketball Association team based in the Detroit, Michigan metropolitan area.
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Home arenas
- North Side High School Gym (1948-1952)
- War Memorial Coliseum (1952-1957)
- Olympia Stadium (1957-1961)
- Cobo Arena (1961-1978)
- Pontiac Silverdome (1978-1988)
- The Palace of Auburn Hills (1988-present)
- Note: The Pistons temporarily played their home games at Joe Louis Arena in 1984 when the roof of the Silverdome collapsed.
Franchise history
From Fort Wayne to Detroit
Image:Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons logo.gif 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.
Despite Fort Wayne's strong sports roots (it was the birthplace of today's Los Angeles Dodgers, and was home to the Daisies, a women's professional baseball team) it could not support a winning basketball team, and in 1957, Zollner moved the team to Detroit, a much larger city without an NBA franchise; Detroit's previous professional team, the Detroit Gems of the NBL (now the Los Angeles Lakers), had left for Minneapolis in 1947 after one season of existence. 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.
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 (the Silverdome was also the home of the Detroit Lions at the time).
1980s
The franchise's fortunes finally began to turn in 1981, when they drafted point guard Isiah Thomas out of Indiana University. In early 1982, they 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, 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 6 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 Pistons lost the game, 103-102, after a controversial foul was called on Bill Laimbeer. This is often referred to as the "Phantom Foul" by both Piston fans and former players, including Laimbeer himself. Replays later showed Laimbeer actually did not commit the foul on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. With Isiah Thomas unable to go at full strength, the Pistons fell in Game 7, 108-105.
Prior to the 1988-1989 Season, the Pistons moved into the lavish Palace of Auburn Hills. The 1989 Pistons won a 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 title in 1990. 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 Chicago Bulls. 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 on court, bottoming out in the 1993-1994 Season when they finished 20-62.
The team's fortunes improved after that season, but the rebuilding process soon sputtered. This time period 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 54-win 1996 season; the signing of free agent wash-outs Christian Laettner, Loy Vaught, Cedric Ceballos, and the late Bison Dele; and numerous 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 listed, only Collins had any sort of success with the Pistons, winning 54 games in the 1996-1997 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 (this is known derisively as the "teal era" by fans).
Grant Hill, who was drafted by the team in 1994, emerged as a gifted player and a perennial All-Star. However, the team was unable to win a playoff series under his leadership, losing to the Orlando Magic in 1996, the Atlanta Hawks in 1997 and 1999.
2000-2003
After losing to the Miami Heat in the 2000 Playoffs, Joe Dumars (who had retired following the 1999 season) was appointed the president of basketball operations. This would prove to be a turning point in the franchise's history. After Hill indicated his intentions to leave for Orlando, Dumars dealt him to the Magic in a sign-and-trade deal in return for a pair of largely unheralded players, Ben Wallace and Chucky Atkins.
Initially, Detroit fans were largely saddened and angered by the loss of Hill, easily the team's best player at the time. Hill was initially seen as disloyal for leaving the Pistons in the position they were in. The Pistons suffered through another tough season, going 32-50 in 2000-2001 season. But the Grant Hill trade turned out to be a tremendous success for the Pistons as the franchise began to rebound during the 2001-2002 season. Even the team's colors were changed from Teal back to Red, White, and Blue.
After firing George Irvine during the off-season, Dumars gave Rick Carlisle, widely considered one of the top assistants in the league, his first head coaching job. Carlisle subsequently guided the Pistons to their first 50-win season since 1997, earning NBA Coach of the Year honors in the process. The Pistons defeated the Toronto Raptors in the playoffs, 3-2, for their first playoff series victory since 1991. Wallace was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and led the league in rebounding and blocked shots. He would receive the honor three out of the next four seasons. Reserve forward Corliss Williamson won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award that season as well. The outstanding play of everyone who came off the Pistons' bench that year earned them a reputation as one of the NBA's best bench units, along with their nickname "The Alternatorz", created by guard Jon Barry. Meanwhile, Hill missed much of the next four seasons in Orlando with an ankle injury (the Pistons would defeat the Magic 4-3 in the First Round of the 2003 Playoffs).
To complement Wallace, Dumars revamped the Pistons' roster by signing free agent Chauncey Billups, acquiring Richard "Rip" Hamilton via a trade with the Washington Wizards for Jerry Stackhouse, and drafting Tayshaun Prince from the University of Kentucky with the Pistons' first pick in the 2002 NBA Draft. Under Carlisle, the Pistons posted consecutive 50-win seasons and, in 2003, advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 1991. The Pistons, however, were swept in four games by the New Jersey Nets.
Carlisle was surprisingly fired that offseason, however, partly because the players had grown tired of his coaching style and partly because Hall of Famer Larry Brown had become available; he accepted the job.
2003-2004 season
The Pistons' transformation into a championship caliber team was completed with the February 2004 acquistion of Rasheed Wallace in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks (the trade also involved the Boston Celtics, in which the Pistons also received guard Mike James). The Pistons won 54 games, tying 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. They came 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. The Pistons won the 2004 NBA Championship in dominating fashion over the heavily favored Los Angeles Lakers 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.
2004-2005 season
Despite losing key members of their bench (Mehmet Okur and Mike James through free agency and Corliss Williamson was traded to the 76ers), 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, despite fighting through numerous distractions during the season (discussed below). As the second seed in the Eastern Conference 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, this time three games to two. However, the Pistons handily won Game 6 in Detroit and picked up a stunning 88-82 win in Game 7 in Miami to take the series 4-3 and become Eastern Conference Champions for the fifth time. In the process, the Pistons also became the first team to win Game 7 of the Conference Finals on the road since the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Sacramento Kings in the 2002 Western Conference Finals.
In the NBA Finals the Pistons faced the San Antonio Spurs. After splitting the first four games (with the home teams blowing out their opponents in each game), The Spurs got a shocking overtime win on a Robert Horry three-pointer in Game 5 at the Palace. Detroit answered by pulling off an equally shocking win in Game 6 in San Antonio. This was their first win in San Antonio since April 1997. In the first NBA Finals Game 7 since 1994, however, the Pistons lost a hard-fought game to the Spurs, who clinched their third NBA championship.
The Palace Brawl
Template:Main On November 19, 2004, the Pistons were involved in a massive brawl at The Palace of Auburn Hills during an early-season home loss to the Indiana Pacers. After committing an aggressive foul on Ben Wallace late in the 4th quarter, former Pacers forward Ron Artest was shoved by Wallace. While the two teams argued at mid-court, Artest laid on the scorer's table. While lying on the table, Artest was hit by a cup of beer that was thrown from the stands. This caused Artest to rush into the stands and attack fans at random. He attacked a fan (who turned out to be the wrong one). Teammate Stephen Jackson followed Artest into the seats and punched nearby fans as well. Artest exited the stands and was approached by two other fans, one of which appeared to threaten Artest. Artest punched the fan in the face. Jermaine O'Neal sucker-punched a fan and was subdued by security. A month later, five Pacers and seven fans were charged with being involved in what became known as the "basketbrawl" or the "malice at the Palace."
The Larry Brown Saga
Many believed that the Pistons were affected by off-court distractions during their attempt at defending the title. These included the Palace brawl (see above), as well as a number of issues involving head coach Larry Brown. Brown missed several games during the regular season while recovering from hip surgery, a span that saw the Pistons underachieve and play .500 basketball. Brown returned for the conclusion of the season and the playoffs. However, Brown never made his health status clear to Pistons officials, who became concerned that he would not be healthy enough to coach the following season. In addition, Brown began to fall out of favor with the Pistons' front office, primarily with owner Bill Davidson, for publicly discussing other job openings during the season. It especially rubbed many in the organization, including the players, the wrong way when he referred to coaching the lowly New York Knicks as his "dream job" during a postgame interview after the Pistons had just handily defeated the Knicks. In July 2005, Dumars and Brown agreed to a buyout of Brown's contract, which significantly reduced the amount of money Brown would receive for the remainder of the contract, but freed Brown to pursue any coaching job for the following season. Shortly thereafter, he was named head coach of the Knicks.
The Pistons countered by signing Flip Saunders as their new head coach. The signing initially received a mixed reaction from Pistons fans, who, while impressed with Saunders' credentials and accomplishments during the regular season, were wary of the playoff failures of his previous team, Minnesota Timberwolves.
2005-2006 season
The Pistons started off the 2005-2006 season with the NBA's best overall record. Their 37-5 start exceeds the best start for any Detroit sports franchise (the Detroit Tigers started the 1984 Major League Baseball season 35-5, eventually winning 104 games and the World Series). They also tied for the second-best 40 game start in NBA history (three teams have started 37-3, most recently the 1996 Chicago Bulls). This amazing performance can be attributed to the fact that the team thinks it would've won the Finals last year if they had home court advantage. As such, they felt as if they should take every game seriously to get home court and their efforts have been rewarded as they now do have it. Many feel that the 2005-2006 Pistons are also better equipped for a playoff run than last year's team. Players such as Antonio McDyess, Maurice Evans, Dale Davis, the return of Lindsey Hunter, the improving play of forward Carlos Delfino, and the addition of guard Tony Delk, promise to give Detroit a deeper and more reliable bench then they had in the 2005 playoffs. The Pistons have embraced coach Flip Saunders' wide-open offensive style while continuing to play the stifling, physical defense for which they have become known.
As the franchise has returned to the league's elite level, the local support of the Pistons has correspondingly increased. From the mid-1990s until 2001, Pistons home games were rarely sold out, even during playoff games. Now, despite playing in the league's largest arena, the Pistons have sold out 125 consecutive home games. The Pistons regularly lead the league in fan attendance, and the raucous Palace crowd is one of the most formidable for opposing teams to play before in the NBA (As the team's NBA-best 37-4 home record would indicate).
The Pistons have also developed a large fan following during road games. It is not uncommon to 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.
On February 9, 2006, the NBA announced that four of the five Pistons starters (Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace, and Ben Wallace) were voted in as reserves for the NBA All-Star Game on February 19, 2006. Only Tayshaun Prince was not selected as an All-Star. The only other teams with four All-Stars were the 1953, 1962, and 1975 Celtics, the 1962 and 1998 Lakers, and the 1983 76ers.
On April 16, 2006, the Pistons defeated the New York Knicks 103-97, setting a franchise record for most wins in a season. The win improved their regular season record to 64-16. They lost their final two games to finish with a franchise best 64-18 record. The Pistons are going into the 2006 NBA Playoffs with the NBA's best record, and home court advantage throughout the playoffs.
George Blaha, who became the team's play-by-play announcer during the 1976-77 NBA season, remains their main play-by-play voice on both local television and radio. Former Pistons forward Rick Mahorn is the radio color analyst. Former Pistons Center Bill Laimbeer is the television color analyst.
Players of note
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
Retired numbers:
- William Davidson, Team owner since 1974. Banner raised to honor his 30+ years with the 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
Bing, Daly, Davidson, DeBusschere, Dumars, Johnson, Laimbeer, Lanier, Thomas, Yardley, and team founder/owner Fred Zollner have also been inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.
Not to be forgotten:
- Mark Aguirre
- Chucky Atkins
- Jon Barry
- Elden Campbell
- Adrian Dantley
- Bison Dele
- James Edwards
- Sean Elliott
- Chris Ford
- Grant Hill
- Allan Houston
- Mike James
- Christian Laettner
- John Long
- Rick Mahorn
- Darko Milicic
- Terry Mills
- Theo Ratliff
- Clifford Robinson
- Dennis Rodman
- John Salley
- Jerry Stackhouse
- Kelly Tripucka
- Corliss Williamson
Current roster
Franchise Leaders
- Career Leaders
- Points: 18,822 Isiah Thomas
- Games: 1,018 Joe Dumars
- Rebounds: 9,430 Bill Laimbeer
- Assists: 9,061 Isiah Thomas
- Blocks: 1,116 Ben Wallace
- Steals: 1,861 Isiah Thomas
- Field Goals: 7,194 Isiah Thomas
- 3 Point FG: 990 Joe Dumars
External links
- Detroit Pistons official web site
- Independent Detroit Pistons Fan Community
- Need4Sheed Pistons Downloads
- Sports E-Cyclopedia
- Detroit Pistons Basketball
- Pistons News
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