1979–80 Detroit Pistons season

NBA team season March 2026 August 2023 Detroit Pistons 1980 16 66 Central 6 11 Dick Vitale Richie Adubato Jack McCloskey William Davidson Pontiac Silverdome WKBD-TV WJR Did not qualify DET The 1979–80 Detroit Pistons season was the Detroit Pistons' 32nd season in the NBA and 23rd season in the city of Detroit.1979-80 Detroit Pistons The Pistons were coming off a 30–52 (.366) record from their first season in the Eastern Conference, and aiming to halt declines of six and eight wins from their previous two seasons, but by finishing 16–66 (.195) they had the worst record in franchise history at the time, and the worst NBA record since the 1972–73 Philadelphia 76ers won only nine games. Coach Dick Vitale, who was also in charge of player personnel, was fired 12 games into the season, having pushed for a disastrous trade with the Boston Celtics for Bob McAdoo when Pistons free agent M.L. Carr signed with Boston that would eventually net the Celtics key championship components Carr, Robert Parish, and Kevin McHale in a series of exchanges. Injuries to McAdoo and center Bob Lanier, who was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks during the season, left the Pistons a depleted roster and the team finished with fourteen consecutive defeats.Wright, Kyle; The NBA from Top to Bottom: A History of the NBA from the No. 1 Team to the No. 1,153; pp. 119-120. 9780595697960 Second year players John Long (19.4 ppg) and Terry Tyler (12.3 ppg, 7.6 rpg) had solid seasons to lead the overwhelmed Pistons.https://pistonpowered.com/2021/01/20/worst-team-detroit-pistons-history-dick-vitale/3/ Dick Vitale and the worst team in Detroit Pistons history 20 January 2021 Vitale never coached again following his dismissal. He began a long and successful career as a television analyst at fledgling cable network ESPN approximately a month after leaving the bench. Draft picks 1979 NBA draft Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 1 4 Greg Kelser SF Michigan State 1 10 Roy Hamilton PG UCLA 1 15 Phil Hubbard PF Michigan 3 48 Terry Duerod SG Detroit Roster Detroit Pistons 1979–80 #002FA7 #FFFFFF #eb003c #FFFFFF 54 Kent Benson C 6 10 235 Indiana 13 Leon Douglas C 6 10 230 Alabama 42 Terry Duerod G/F 6 2 180 Detroit 21 Earl Evans basketball F 6 8 202 UNLV 24 Roy Hamilton basketball G 6 2 180 UCLA 35 Phil Hubbard SF 6 8 215 Michigan 32 Greg Kelser F 6 7 205 Michigan State 30 Ron Lee G 6 4 193 Oregon 25 John Long basketball, born 1956 SG 6 5 195 Detroit 44 Steve Malovic PF 6 9 210 San Diego State 11 Bob McAdoo C 6 9 210 North Carolina 14 Eric Money G 6 0 175 Arizona 9 Jackie Robinson basketball, born 1955 F 6 6 210 UNLV 41 Terry Tyler F/G 6 7 215 Detroit Dick Vitale Richie Adubato Herman Kull Regular season Season standings DET DET z - clinched division title y - clinched division title x - clinched playoff spot Game log Regular season Detroit Pistons 1980 #0000ff #FF0000 Total: 16–66 (Home: 13–28; Road: 3–38) Detroit Pistons October yes #FF0000 #0000FF 3 1 1 4 |- | 1 | October 12 | Indiana | W 114–105 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 1–0 |- | 2 | October 13 | @ San Antonio | W 112–110 | | | | HemisFair Arena | 2–0 |- | 3 | October 16 | @ Cleveland | L 117–137 | | | | Richfield Coliseum | 2–1 |- | 4 | October 18 | New York | W 129–115 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 3–1 |- | 5 | October 19 | @ Philadelphia | L 104–112 | | | | The Spectrum | 3–2 |- | 6 | October 20 | @ Washington | L 106–117 | | | | Capital Centre | 3–3 |- | 7 | October 24 | Washington | W 104–103 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 4–3 |- | 8 | October 26 | San Antonio | L 113–129 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 4–4 |- | 9 | October 27 | @ Milwaukee | L 118–132 | | | | MECCA Arena | 4–5 Detroit Pistons November #FF0000 #0000FF 3 5 0 6 |- | 10 | November 1 | Cleveland | L 125–127 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 4–6 |- | 11 | November 3 | Houston | L 111–114 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 4–7 |- | 12 | November 7 | Atlanta | L 107–115 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 4–8 |- | 13 | November 9 | Philadelphia | W 106–98 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 5–8 |- | 14 | November 10 | @ Houston | L 104–112 | | | | The Summit | 5–9 |- | 15 | November 14 | @ Boston | L 111–115 | | | | Boston Garden | 5–10 |- | 16 | November 17 | New Jersey | L 93–98 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 5–11 |- | 17 | November 20 | @ Atlanta | L 105–109 | | | | The Omni | 5–12 |- | 18 | November 21 | Utah | W 98–93 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 6–12 |- | 19 | November 23 | Milwaukee | W 119–100 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 7–12 |- | 20 | November 24 | @ Indiana | L 97–115 | | | | Market Square Arena | 7–13 |- | 21 | November 27 | @ New York | L 114–116 (OT) | | | | Madison Square Garden | 7–14 |- | 22 | November 28 | @ New Jersey | L 89–98 | | | | Rutgers Athletic Center | 7–15 |- | 23 | November 29 | Kansas City | L 95–105 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 7–16 Detroit Pistons December #FF0000 #0000FF 2 4 1 9 |- | 24 | December 1 | San Antonio | W 134–124 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 8–16 |- | 25 | December 4 | Boston | L 114–118 (OT) | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 8–17 |- | 26 | December 5 | @ Kansas City | L 93–109 | | | | Municipal Auditorium | 8–18 |- | 27 | December 7 | @ Houston | L 109–124 | | | | The Summit | 8–19 |- | 28 | December 8 | @ Indiana | L 102–103 | | | | Market Square Arena | 8–20 |- | 29 | December 12 | @ Golden State | W 114–96 | | | | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena | 9–20 |- | 30 | December 14 | @ Los Angeles | L 122–138 | | | | The Forum | 9–21 |- | 31 | December 15 | @ Phoenix | L 105–126 | | | | Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum | 9–22 |- | 32 | December 16 | @ San Diego | L 126–133 | | | | San Diego Sports Arena | 9–23 |- | 33 | December 18 | Philadelphia | L 102–114 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 9–24 |- | 34 | December 20 | Atlanta | L 103–122 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 9–25 |- | 35 | December 22 | @ San Antonio | L 112–141 | | | | HemisFair Arena | 9–26 |- | 36 | December 25 | @ Cleveland | L 101–111 | | | | Richfield Coliseum | 9–27 |- | 37 | December 26 | Indiana | L 97–98 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 9–28 |- | 38 | December 28 | Denver | W 114–98 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 10–28 |- | 39 | December 29 | @ Atlanta | L 104–115 | | | | The Omni | 10–29 Detroit Pistons January #FF0000 #0000FF 3 4 1 7 |- | 40 | January 2 | @ Denver | L 116–135 | | | | McNichols Sports Arena | 10–30 |- | 41 | January 4 | @ Seattle | L 105–123 | | | | Kingdome | 10–31 |- | 42 | January 6 | @ Portland | L 102–119 | | | | Memorial Coliseum | 10–32 |- | 43 | January 8 | @ Utah | L 110–124 | | | | Salt Palace | 10–33 |- | 44 | January 11 | Los Angeles | L 100–123 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 10–34 |- | 45 | January 12 | @ Indiana | L 109–122 | | | | Market Square Arena | 10–35 |- | 46 | January 13 | Chicago | W 107–102 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 11–35 |- | 47 | January 17 | Washington | W 110–107 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 12–35 |- | 48 | January 19 | Houston | W 122–110 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 13–35 |- | 49 | January 22 | @ Chicago | L 131–145 | | | | Chicago Stadium | 13–36 |- | 50 | January 23 | Boston | L 104–131 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 13–37 |- | 51 | January 25 | @ New Jersey | W 119–116 | | | | Rutgers Athletic Center | 14–37 |- | 52 | January 27 | New York | L 93–98 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 14–38 |- | 53 | January 29 | Golden State | L 100–111 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 14–39 |- | 54 | January 30 | @ Philadelphia | L 108–121 | | | | The Spectrum | 14–40 Detroit Pistons February #FF0000 #0000FF 1 7 0 3 |- | 55 | February 7 | Seattle | L 102–119 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 14–41 |- | 56 | February 9 | @ New York | L 107–114 | | | | Madison Square Garden | 14–42 |- | 57 | February 10 | @ Boston | L 111–128 | | | | Boston Garden | 14–43 |- | 58 | February 13 | Cleveland | L 102–107 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 14–44 |- | 59 | February 15 | Philadelphia | L 104–114 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 14–45 |- | 60 | February 16 | @ Cleveland | L 104–123 | | | | Richfield Coliseum | 14–46 |- | 61 | February 17 | Atlanta | L 99–108 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 14–47 |- | 62 | February 21 | Phoenix | L 116–125 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 14–48 |- | 63 | February 23 | Portland | L 107–130 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 14–49 |- | 64 | February 27 | San Diego | L 113–129 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 14–50 |- | 65 | February 29 | New Jersey | W 137–128 (OT) | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 15–50 Detroit Pistons March #FF0000 #0000FF 1 7 0 9 |- | 66 | March 2 | @ Boston | L 115–118 | | | | Boston Garden | 15–51 |- | 67 | March 4 | @ Washington | L 107–135 | | | | Capital Centre | 15–52 |- | 68 | March 5 | New York | W 120–113 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 16–52 |- | 69 | March 7 | Washington | L 105–106 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 16–53 |- | 70 | March 8 | @ New York | L 104–110 | | | | Madison Square Garden | 16–54 |- | 71 | March 9 | @ New Jersey | L 100–140 | | | | Rutgers Athletic Center | 16–55 |- | 72 | March 12 | New Jersey | L 119–137 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 16–56 |- | 73 | March 14 | San Antonio | L 102–113 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 16–57 |- | 74 | March 16 | Houston | L 99–102 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 16–58 |- | 75 | March 17 | @ Philadelphia | L 109–123 | | | | The Spectrum | 16–59 |- | 76 | March 18 | Cleveland | L 107–108 (OT) | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 16–60 |- | 77 | March 20 | Boston | L 106–124 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 16–61 |- | 78 | March 21 | @ Atlanta | L 95–108 | | | | The Omni | 16–62 |- | 79 | March 23 | @ Washington | L 114–119 | | | | Capital Centre | 16–63 |- | 80 | March 26 | Indiana | L 114–124 | | | | Pontiac Silverdome | 16–64 |- | 81 | March 28 | @ Houston | L 112–128 | | | | The Summit | 16–65 |- | 82 | March 30 | @ San Antonio | L 124–144 | | | | HemisFair Arena | 16–66 DET 1980 See also 1980 in Michigan References See also 1979–80 NBA season Category:Detroit Pistons seasons Det Detroit Pistons Detroit Pistons