1978–79 Detroit Pistons season

The 1978–79 NBA season was the Detroit Pistons' 31st season in the NBA, 22nd season in the metropolitan area of Detroit, first at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan, and first in the Eastern Conference.[1]

1978–79 Detroit Pistons season
Head coachDick Vitale
General managerBill Davidson
Owner(s)Bill Davidson
ArenaPontiac Silverdome
Results
Record30–52 (.366)
PlaceDivision: 4th (Central)
Conference: 9th (Eastern)
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

New Coach Dick Vitale did little to revitalize the direction of the franchise as the team finished with a 30-52 (.366) record, 4th place in the Central Division. Vitale was even hospitalized with stress during the season.[2] The team was led by point guard Kevin Porter, who led the league with 13.4 assists per game, forward M.L. Carr (18.7 ppg, 7.4 rpg), center Bob Lanier (23.6 ppg, 9.3 rpg, NBA All-Star, limited to 53 games due to injury), and the addition of two rookies Vitale drafted from the University of Detroit, where he had coached previously - John Long (16.1 ppg) and Terry Tyler (12.9 ppg, 2.5 blocks per game).[3][4]

Draft picks
Main article: 1978 NBA draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
2 23 Terry Tyler G/F  United States University of Detroit Mercy
2 29 John Long G/F  United States University of Detroit Mercy
8 157 Earl Evans F  United States University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Roster
1978-79 Detroit Pistons roster
Players Coaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOBFrom
PF 27 Behagen, Ron 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Minnesota
PG 11 Boyd, Dennis 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Detroit Mercy
PG 42 Brewer, Jim 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Minnesota
F 30 Carr, M. L. 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Guilford
C 13 Douglas, Leon 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 230 lb (104 kg) Alabama
G/F 42 Ford, Chris 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Villanova
F 22 Gerard, Gus 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Virginia
C 16 Lanier, Bob 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 250 lb (113 kg) St. Bonaventure
SG 25 Long, John 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Detroit Mercy
C 50 Poquette, Ben 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Central Michigan
PG 1 Porter, Kevin 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1950-04-17 Saint Francis (PA)
G/F 41 Tyler, Terry 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Detroit Mercy
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-San Antonio Spurs 4834.585–29–1219–2211–9
x-Houston Rockets 4735.573130–1117–2412–8
x-Atlanta Hawks 4636.561234–712–2914–6
Cleveland Cavaliers 3052.3661820–2110–316–14
Detroit Pistons 3052.3661822–198–339–11
New Orleans Jazz 2656.3172221–208–339–15
#
Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Washington Bullets5428.659–
2 y-San Antonio Spurs4834.5856
3 x-Philadelphia 76ers4735.5737
4 x-Houston Rockets4735.5737
5 x-Atlanta Hawks4636.5618
6 x-New Jersey Nets3745.45117
7 New York Knicks3151.37823
8 Cleveland Cavaliers3052.36624
8 Detroit Pistons3052.36624
10 Boston Celtics2953.35425
11 New Orleans Jazz2656.31728
z - clinched division title
y - clinched division title
x - clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents
1978-79 NBA Records
Team ATL BOS CHI CLE DEN DET GSW HOU IND KCK LAL MIL NJN NOJ NYK PHI PHO POR SAS SDC SEA WAS
Atlanta —2–23–13–13–13–11–33–11–32–21–33–02–22–22–22–22–12–23–13–11–32–2
Boston 2–2—1–22–21–32–22–11–33–11–31–31–31–32–23–12–20–41–30–41–32–20–4
Chicago 1–32–1—1–32–22–23–12–22–20–41–31–32–22–23–11–31–34–00–30–40–41–3
Cleveland 1–32–23–1—1–21–32–12–21–31–32–21–33–12–22–22–20–40–40–42–22–20–4
Denver 1–33–12–22–1—2–24–01–33–11–33–12–24–03–13–10–33–11–33–12–23–11–3
Detroit 1–32–22–23–12–2—1–32–22–22–22–22–10–42–21–31–30–41–31–32–20–31–3
Golden State 3–11–21–31–20–43–1—2–22–22–21–32–21–33–13–13–11–32–21–31–33–12–2
Houston 1–33–12–22–23–12–22–2—0–43–12–12–23–14–04–00–42–23–13–12–12–22–2
Indiana 3–11–32–23–11–32–22–24–0—1–30–42–21–22–12–22–22–23–13–11–30–41–3
Kansas City 2–23–14–03–13–12–22–21–33–1—2–22–23–13–12–12–22–21–31–32–22–23–0
Los Angeles 3–13–13–12–21–32–23–11–24–02–2—3–12–22–23–01–32–22–22–22–22–22–2
Milwaukee 0–33–13–13–12–21–22–22–22–22–21–3—2–23–11–32–22–22–21–31–32–21–3
New Jersey 2–23–12–21–30–44–03–11–32–11–32–22–2—3–11–32–23–02–20–42–20–41–3
New Orleans 2–22–22–22–21–32–21–30–41–21–32–21–31–3—2–22–21–31–32–20–40–30–4
New York 2–21–31–32–21–33–11–30–42–21–20–33–13–12–2—2–20–41–31–32–22–21–3
Philadelphia 2–22–23–12–23–03–11–34–02–22–23–12–22–22–22–2—1–31–23–13–11–33–1
Phoenix 1–24–03–14–01–34–03–12–22–22–22–22–20–33–14–03–1—3–13–12–21–31–3
Portland 2–23–10–44–03–13–12–21–31–33–12–22–22–23–13–12–11–3—2–12–21–33–1
San Antonio 1–34–03–04–01–33–13–11–31–33–12–23–14–02–23–11–31–31–2—4–02–21–3
San Diego 1–33–14–02–22–22–23–11–23–12–22–23–12–24–02–21–32–22–20–4—2–20–3
Seattle 3–12–24–02–21–33–01–32–24–02–22–22–24–03–02–23–13–13–12–22–2—2–2
Washington 2–24–03–14–03–13–12–22–23–10–32–23–13–14–03–11–33–11–33–13–02–2—

Awards and records

References
  1. 1978-79 Detroit Pistons
  2. "The Dickie V Era". NBA.com.
  3. "1978-79 Detroit Pistons Roster and Stats".
  4. "Dick Vitale and the worst team in Detroit Pistons history". January 20, 2021.


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