# 1981–82 Detroit Pistons season

The 1981–82 NBA season was the Detroit Pistons' 34th season in the NBA and 25th season in the city of Detroit. 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.

## Draft picks

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
| 1 | 2 | Isiah Thomas | PG | United States | Indiana |
| 1 | 12 | Kelly Tripucka | SF/SG | United States | Notre Dame |

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Central Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
| y-Milwaukee Bucks | 55 | 27 | .671 | – | 31–10 | 24–17 | 24–6 |
| x-Atlanta Hawks | 42 | 40 | .512 | 13.0 | 24–17 | 18–23 | 15–14 |
| Detroit Pistons | 39 | 43 | .476 | 16.0 | 23–18 | 16–25 | 19–11 |
| Indiana Pacers | 35 | 47 | .427 | 20.0 | 25–16 | 10–31 | 14–16 |
| Chicago Bulls | 34 | 48 | .415 | 21.0 | 22–19 | 12–29 | 12–17 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 15 | 67 | .183 | 40.0 | 9–32 | 6–35 | 5–25 |
| # | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 1 | z-Boston Celtics | 63 | 19 | .768 | – |
| 2 | y-Milwaukee Bucks | 55 | 27 | .671 | 8 |
| 3 | x-Philadelphia 76ers | 58 | 24 | .707 | 5 |
| 4 | x-New Jersey Nets | 44 | 38 | .537 | 19 |
| 5 | x-Washington Bullets | 43 | 39 | .524 | 20 |
| 6 | x-Atlanta Hawks | 42 | 40 | .512 | 21 |
| 7 | Detroit Pistons | 39 | 43 | .476 | 24 |
| 8 | Indiana Pacers | 35 | 47 | .427 | 28 |
| 9 | Chicago Bulls | 34 | 48 | .415 | 29 |
| 10 | New York Knicks | 33 | 49 | .402 | 30 |
| 11 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 15 | 67 | .183 | 48 |
    z - clinched division title
    y - clinched division title
    x - clinched playoff spot

### Record vs. opponents

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 | — |

## Game log
### Regular season

1981–82 game log Total: 39–43 (Home: 23–18; Road: 16–25) :
October: 2–0 (home: 1–0; road: 1–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
October 30
Milwaukee
W 118–113
Pontiac Silverdome
1–0
2
October 31
@ Chicago :
November: 6–7 (home: 4–3; road: 2–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
3
November 5
New Jersey
W 109–103
Pontiac Silverdome
3–0
4
November 6
@ Washington
L 82–86
Capital Centre
3–1
5
November 7
Boston
L 88–129
Pontiac Silverdome
3–2
6
November 10
Philadelphia
L 93–95
Pontiac Silverdome
3–3
7
November 12
Cleveland
8
November 14
@ Atlanta
W 117–104
The Omni
5–3
9
November 18
@ Cleveland
10
November 19
Washington
W 122–97
Pontiac Silverdome
6–4
11
November 21
Utah
12
November 24
@ Milwaukee
L 95–103
MECCA Arena
7–5
13
November 25
@ Kansas City
14
November 27
Atlanta
L 112–114 (OT)
Pontiac Silverdome
8–6
15
November 28
@ Philadelphia
L 103–116
The Spectrum
8–7 :
December: 5–10 (home: 2–3; road: 3–7)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
16
December 1
@ New York
17
December 2
@ Boston
L 114–115
Boston Garden
8–9
18
December 4
@ Indiana
19
December 5
Milwaukee
L 108–111
Pontiac Silverdome
8–11
20
December 10
New York
21
December 12
@ Seattle
L 111–117
Kingdome
8–13
22
December 13
@ Portland
23
December 15
@ Golden State
24
December 17
Indiana
25
December 19
New York
26
December 22
@ Dallas
27
December 23
@ Denver
W 124–119
McNichols Sports Arena
12–15
28
December 26
Chicago
29
December 29
@ Washington
L 125–129
Capital Centre
13–16
30
December 30
@ New Jersey
L 119–130
Brendan Byrne Arena
13–17 :
January: 5–9 (home: 2–4; road: 3–5)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
31
January 2
@ New York
32
January 5
Philadelphia
W 124–101
Pontiac Silverdome
14–18
33
January 7
Phoenix
L 94–110
Pontiac Silverdome
14–19
34
January 9
Los Angeles
L 127–130
Pontiac Silverdome
14–20
35
January 10
@ Boston
L 124–134
Hartford Civic Center
14–21
36
January 12
@ Chicago
37
January 14
Washington
L 114–121
Pontiac Silverdome
15–22
38
January 16
Boston
L 120–128
Pontiac Silverdome
15–23
39
January 17
@ Milwaukee
W 108–103
MECCA Arena
16–23
40
January 19
@ Utah
41
January 21
@ San Diego
42
January 22
@ Los Angeles
L 111–123
The Forum
17–25
43
January 23
@ Phoenix
L 90–113
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum
17–26
44
January 27
Atlanta
W 108–107
Pontiac Silverdome
18–26 :
February: 7–6 (home: 5–3; road: 2–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
45
February 2
@ Atlanta
W 106–105
The Omni
19–26
46
February 5
@ Chicago
47
February 6
New Jersey
L 120–125
Pontiac Silverdome
20–27
48
February 9
Chicago
49
February 10
@ New Jersey
L 108–115
Brendan Byrne Arena
21–28
50
February 11
Cleveland
51
February 13
Portland
52
February 16
Houston
W 111–109
Pontiac Silverdome
23–29
53
February 17
@ San Antonio
L 112–126
HemisFair Arena
23–30
54
February 20
Indiana
55
February 25
San Antonio
L 116–119
Pontiac Silverdome
24–31
56
February 27
Kansas City
57
February 28
@ Indiana :
March: 9–7 (home: 5–2; road: 4–5)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
58
March 2
@ Milwaukee
L 91–101
MECCA Arena
25–33
59
March 4
Chicago
60
March 6
@ New York
61
March 8
Boston
L 101–111
Pontiac Silverdome
27–34
62
March 10
Denver
L 113–124
Pontiac Silverdome
27–35
63
March 12
Golden State
64
March 14
@ Cleveland
65
March 16
San Diego
66
March 18
Seattle
W 119–115
Pontiac Silverdome
31–35
67
March 19
@ Houston
W 111–102
The Summit
32–35
68
March 21
@ Atlanta
L 111–119
The Omni
32–36
69
March 25
Philadelphia
W 100–98
Pontiac Silverdome
33–36
70
March 26
@ Boston
L 104–125
Boston Garden
33–37
71
March 27
@ New Jersey
W 123–121
Brendan Byrne Arena
34–37
72
March 30
@ Washington
L 98–127
Capital Centre
34–38
73
March 31
@ Indiana :
April: 5–4 (home: 4–3; road: 1–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
74
April 1
Dallas
75
April 3
Indiana
76
April 7
Atlanta
W 120–115
Pontiac Silverdome
36–40
77
April 9
Milwaukee
L 100–118
Pontiac Silverdome
36–41
78
April 11
New York
79
April 14
@ Philadelphia
L 111–119
The Spectrum
37–42
80
April 15
Cleveland
81
April 17
New Jersey
L 132–147
Pontiac Silverdome
38–43
82
April 18
@ Cleveland :
1981–82 schedule :

## Player statistics

| 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 Kelser | 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 |

## Awards and records

* Isiah Thomas, NBA All-Rookie Team 1st Team
* Kelly Tripucka, NBA All-Rookie Team 1st Team