# 2011–12 Detroit Pistons season

The 2011–12 Detroit Pistons season was the 71st season of the franchise, the 64th in the National Basketball Association (NBA), and the 55th in the Detroit area. In their first season under head coach Lawrence Frank the team finished with a 25–41 record and in 10th place in the Eastern Conference. In February, center Ben Wallace announced his retirement after 16 seasons, 9 of them spent with the Pistons.
This was also the Pistons' first season since 2001-02 without Richard Hamilton on the roster as he signed with the Chicago Bulls on December 14, 2011.

## Draft picks

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College/Team |
| 1 | 8 | Brandon Knight | G | United States | Kentucky |
| 2 | 33 | Kyle Singler | F | United States | Duke |
| 2 | 52 | Vernon Macklin | F | United States | Florida |

## Pre-season

2011 pre-season game log :
Pre-season: 1–1 (home: 0–1; road: 1–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
December 16
Cleveland
L 87–91
Austin Daye (18)
Greg Monroe (13)
Brandon Knight (4)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 7,927
0–1
2
December 20
@ Cleveland
W 90–89
Austin Daye (19)
Greg Monroe Jonas Jerebko (7)
Brandon Knight (6)
Quicken Loans Arena 9,853
1–1 :
2011–12 season schedule :

## Regular season
### Standings

| Central Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div | GP |
| z-Chicago Bulls | 50 | 16 | .758 | – | 26–7 | 24–9 | 13–1 | 66 |
| x-Indiana Pacers | 42 | 24 | .636 | 8 | 23–10 | 19–14 | 9–4 | 66 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 31 | 35 | .470 | 19 | 17–16 | 14–19 | 7–8 | 66 |
| Detroit Pistons | 25 | 41 | .379 | 25 | 18–15 | 7–26 | 4–11 | 66 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 21 | 45 | .318 | 29 | 11–22 | 10–23 | 3–12 | 66 |
Eastern Conference :
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB | GP |
| 1 | z-Chicago Bulls | 50 | 16 | .758 | – | 66 |
| 2 | y-Miami Heat * | 46 | 20 | .697 | 4.0 | 66 |
| 3 | x-Indiana Pacers * | 42 | 24 | .636 | 8.0 | 66 |
| 4 | y-Boston Celtics | 39 | 27 | .591 | 11.0 | 66 |
| 5 | x-Atlanta Hawks | 40 | 26 | .606 | 10.0 | 66 |
| 6 | x-Orlando Magic | 37 | 29 | .561 | 13.0 | 66 |
| 7 | x-New York Knicks | 36 | 30 | .545 | 14.0 | 66 |
| 8 | x-Philadelphia 76ers | 35 | 31 | .530 | 15.0 | 66 |
| 9 | Milwaukee Bucks | 31 | 35 | .470 | 19.0 | 66 |
| 10 | Detroit Pistons | 25 | 41 | .379 | 25.0 | 66 |
| 11 | Toronto Raptors | 23 | 43 | .348 | 27.0 | 66 |
| 12 | New Jersey Nets | 22 | 44 | .333 | 28.0 | 66 |
| 13 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 21 | 45 | .318 | 29.0 | 66 |
| 14 | Washington Wizards | 20 | 46 | .303 | 30.0 | 66 |
| 15 | Charlotte Bobcats | 7 | 59 | .106 | 43.0 | 66 |

### Game log

2011–12 game log Total: 25–41 (Home: 18–15; Road: 7–26) :
December: 1–3 (home: 1–1; road: 0–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
December 26
@ Indiana
L 79–91
Rodney Stuckey (17)
Three players (7)
Rodney Stuckey (6)
Bankers Life Fieldhouse 18,165
0–1
2
December 28
Cleveland
L 89–105
Ben Gordon (25)
Greg Monroe (7)
Brandon Knight (6)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 22,076
0–2
3
December 30
@ Boston
L 85–96
Greg Monroe (22)
Greg Monroe (9)
Rodney Stuckey (7)
TD Garden 18,624
0–3
4
December 31
Indiana
W 96–88
Jonas Jerebko (20)
Jonas Jerebko (12)
Brandon Knight (6)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 8,824
1–3 :
January
: 3–16 (home: 2–7; road: 1–9)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
5
January 2
Orlando
W 89–78
Ben Gordon (26)
Jonas Jerebko (11)
Ben Gordon (6)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 8,120
2–3
6
January 4
Chicago
L 83–99
Greg Monroe (19)
Greg Monroe (13)
Greg Monroe (5)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 9,125
2–4
7
January 6
@ Philadelphia
L 73–96
Greg Monroe (22)
Jonas Jerebko Brandon Knight (9)
Brandon Knight (4)
Wells Fargo Center 19,408
2–5
8
January 7
New York
L 80–103
Brandon Knight (19)
Three players (6)
Brandon Knight (6)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 12,044
2–6
9
January 9
@ Chicago
L 68–92
Greg Monroe (14)
Greg Monroe (10)
Greg Monroe (6)
United Center 21,530
2–7
10
January 10
Dallas
L 86–100
Will Bynum (20)
Greg Monroe (7)
Austin Daye (4)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 10,073
2–8
11
January 12
@ Milwaukee
L 93–102
Greg Monroe (32)
Greg Monroe (16)
Three players (4)
Bradley Center 11,465
2–9
12
January 13
@ Charlotte
W 98–81
Jonas Jerebko (22)
Brandon Knight (10)
Two players (5)
Time Warner Cable Arena 18,043
3–9
13
January 15
Golden State
L 91–99
Greg Monroe (25)
Greg Monroe (8)
Two players (6)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 11,774
3–10
14
January 17
@ Houston
L 80–97
Tayshaun Prince (20)
Greg Monroe (11)
Greg Monroe (6)
Toyota Center 9,318
3–11
15
January 18
@ Minnesota
L 85–93
Tayshaun Prince (29)
Greg Monroe (12)
Brandon Knight (6)
Target Center 15,598
3–12
16
January 20
Memphis
L 81–98
Brandon Knight (22)
Greg Monroe (13)
Greg Monroe (4)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 10,255
3–13
17
January 21
Portland
W 94–91
Rodney Stuckey (28)
Greg Monroe (8)
Rodney Stuckey (5)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 14,456
4–13
18
January 23
@ Oklahoma City
L 79–99
Brandon Knight (13)
Two players (7)
Two players (3)
Chesapeake Energy Arena 18,023
4–14
19
January 25
Miami
L 98–101
Austin Daye (28)
Greg Monroe (10)
Rodney Stuckey (6)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 18,058
4–15
20
January 27
Atlanta
L 101–107
Greg Monroe (22)
Greg Monroe (11)
Brandon Knight (8)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 14,010
4–16
21
January 28
@ Philadelphia
L 74–95
Greg Monroe (16)
Greg Monroe (10)
Walker Russel (5)
Wells Fargo Center 18,710
4–17
22
January 30
@ Milwaukee
L 82–103
Rodney Stuckey (19)
Greg Monroe (10)
Two players (6)
Bradley Center 13,103
4–18
23
January 31
@ New York
L 86–113
Jonas Jerebko (15)
Greg Monroe (12)
Two players (3)
Madison Square Garden 19,763
4–19 :
February
: 8–6 (home: 6–3; road: 2–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
24
February 1
@ New Jersey
L 96–98
Two players (21)
Greg Monroe (8)
Three players (4)
Prudential Center 10,504
4–20
25
February 3
Milwaukee
W 88–80
Brandon Knight (26)
Jason Maxiell (12)
Brandon Knight (7)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 13,181
5–20
26
February 4
New Orleans
W 89–87
Greg Monroe (24)
Greg Monroe (16)
Tayshaun Prince (5)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 13,174
6–20
27
February 8
@ New Jersey
W 99–92
Greg Monroe (20)
Greg Monroe (12)
Rodney Stuckey (6)
Prudential Center 10,145
7–20
28
February 10
New Jersey
W 109–92
Jonas Jerebko (20)
Greg Monroe (11)
Three players (5)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 14,320
8–20
29
February 12
Washington
L 77–98
Greg Monroe (27)
Ben Wallace (7)
Walker Russell (4)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 12,654
8–21
30
February 14
San Antonio
L 95–99
Rodney Stuckey (23)
Jason Maxiell (9)
Rodney Stuckey (8)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 11,533
8–22
31
February 15
@ Boston
W 98–88
Rodney Stuckey (25)
Ben Wallace (11)
Rodney Stuckey (4)
TD Garden 18,624
9–22
32
February 17
Sacramento
W 114–108
Rodney Stuckey (36)
Tayshaun Prince (10)
Brandon Knight (10)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 14,686
10–22
33
February 19
Boston
W 96–81
Greg Monroe (17)
Two players (10)
Three players (3)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 22,076
11–22
34
February 21
@ Cleveland
L 100–101
Brandon Knight (24)
Greg Monroe (11)
Greg Monroe (7)
Quicken Loans Arena 13,459
11–23
35
February 22
@ Toronto
L 93–103
Greg Monroe (30)
Greg Monroe (14)
Walker Russell (4)
Air Canada Centre 17,125
11–24
36
February 28
Philadelphia
L 68–97
Greg Monroe (20)
Two players (8)
Greg Monroe (3)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 11,916
11–25
37
February 29
Charlotte
W 109–94
Rodney Stuckey (29)
Greg Monroe (20)
Brandon Knight (5)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 14,534
12–25 :
March
: 7–8 (home: 4–1; road: 3–7)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
38
March 3
@ Memphis
L 83–100
Rodney Stuckey (20)
Greg Monroe (11)
Two players (4)
FedEx Forum 17,659
12–26
39
March 6
L. A. Lakers
W 88–85
Rodney Stuckey (34)
Greg Monroe (15)
Ben Gordon(5)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 22,076
13–26
40
March 9
Atlanta
W 86–85
Greg Monroe (20)
Jason Maxiell (12)
Rodney Stuckey (7)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 15,503
14–26
41
March 10
Toronto
W 105–86
Rodney Stuckey (20)
Ben Wallace (8)
Rodney Stuckey (8)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 16,090
15–26
42
March 12
@ Utah
L 90–105
Rodney Stuckey (29)
Two players (5)
Rodney Stuckey (7)
EnergySolutions Arena 19,393
15–27
43
March 14
@ Sacramento
W 124–112
Rodney Stuckey (35)
Greg Monroe (11)
Brandon Knight (11)
Power Balance Pavilion 12,173
16–27
44
March 16
@ Phoenix
L 101–109
Rodney Stuckey (23)
Greg Monroe (9)
Rodney Stuckey (8)
US Airways Center 17,148
16–28
45
March 18
@ L. A. Clippers
L 83–87
Greg Monroe (23)
Greg Monroe (15)
Two players (5)
Staples Center 19,060
16–29
46
March 21
@ Denver
L 115–116
Ben Gordon (45)
Greg Monroe (11)
Ben Gordon (8)
Pepsi Center 16,681
16–30
47
March 23
Miami
L 73–88
Brandon Knight (18)
Jason Maxiell (7)
Will Bynum (6)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 22,076
16–31
48
March 24
@ New York
L 79–101
Ben Gordon (20)
Ben Wallace (7)
Walker Russell (4)
Madison Square Garden 19,763
16–32
49
March 26
@ Washington
W 79–77
Rodney Stuckey (24)
Jonas Jerebko (12)
Brandon Knight (7)
Verizon Center 15,911
17–32
50
March 28
@ Cleveland
W 87–75
Tayshaun Prince (29)
Greg Monroe (10)
Brandon Knight (5)
Quicken Loans Arena 14,486
18–32
51
March 30
@ Chicago
L 71–83
Brandon Knight (16)
Greg Monroe (10)
Tayshaun Prince (6)
United Center 22,385
18–33
52
March 31
Charlotte
W 110–107
Tayshaun Prince (24)
Two players (9)
Brandon Knight (6)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 17,082
19–33 :
April
: 6–8 (home: 5–3; road: 1–5)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
53
April 3
Orlando
W 102–95
Greg Monroe (22)
Greg Monroe (11)
Ben Gordon (7)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 16,741
20–33
54
April 5
Washington
W 99–94
Greg Monroe (18)
Jason Maxiell (11)
Three players (3)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 12,681
21–33
55
April 6
@ Atlanta
L 96–101
Rodney Stuckey (27)
Greg Monroe (8)
Greg Monroe (4)
Philips Arena 15,143
21–34
56
April 8
@ Miami
L 75–98
Brandon Knight (16)
Two players (7)
Ben Gordon (2)
American Airlines Arena 20,017
21–35
57
April 9
@ Orlando
L 89–119
Tayshaun Prince (21)
Tayshaun Prince (8)
Will Bynum (5)
Amway Center 18,998
21–36
58
April 12
@ Charlotte
W 109–85
Greg Monroe (25)
Greg Monroe (11)
Two players (7)
Time Warner Cable Arena 10,828
22–36
59
April 13
Milwaukee
L 97–113
Brandon Knight (25)
Greg Monroe (10)
Brandon Knight (8)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 15,255
22–37
60
April 15
Chicago
L 94–100
Rodney Stuckey (32)
Jason Maxiell (9)
Brandon Knight (7)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 17,450
22–38
61
April 17
Cleveland
W 116–77
Brandon Knight (28)
Greg Monroe (13)
Brandon Knight (7)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 11,595
23–38
62
April 18
@ Atlanta
L 84–116
Greg Monroe (17)
Vernon Macklin (9)
Two players (3)
Philips Arena 14,392
23–39
63
April 19
Minnesota
L 80–91
Tayshaun Prince (18)
Charlie Villanueva (12)
Three players (3)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 12,458
23–40
64
April 22
Toronto
W 76–73
Two players (19)
Greg Monroe (17)
Rodney Stuckey (6)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 14,370
24–40
65
April 23
@Indiana
L 97–103
Greg Monroe (18)
Greg Monroe (12)
Will Bynum (5)
Bankers Life Fieldhouse 13,584
24–41
66
April 26
Philadelphia
W 108–86
Ben Gordon (26)
Ben Wallace (12)
Brandon Knight (7)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 15,372
25–41 :
2011–12 season schedule :

## Player statistics
### Season

| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Greg Monroe | 66 | 66 | 31.5 | .521 | .000 | .739 | 9.7 | 2.3 | 1.3 | .7 | 15.4 |
| Rodney Stuckey | 55 | 48 | 29.9 | .429 | .317 | .834 | 2.6 | 3.8 | .8 | .2 | 14.8 |
| Brandon Knight | 66 | 60 | 32.3 | .415 | .380 | .759 | 3.2 | 3.8 | .7 | .2 | 12.8 |
| Tayshaun Prince | 63 | 63 | 33.1 | .421 | .356 | .774 | 4.5 | 2.4 | .4 | .5 | 12.7 |
| Ben Gordon | 52 | 21 | 26.9 | .442 | .429 | .860 | 2.3 | 2.4 | .7 | .2 | 12.5 |
| Jonas Jerebko | 64 | 13 | 22.9 | .468 | .302 | .806 | 4.8 | .7 | .6 | .3 | 8.7 |
| Charlie Villanueva | 13 | 0 | 13.8 | .385 | .333 | .857 | 3.7 | .5 | .5 | .4 | 7.0 |
| Jason Maxiell | 65 | 42 | 22.6 | .478 | .000 | .547 | 5.1 | .6 | .5 | .8 | 6.5 |
| Will Bynum | 36 | 0 | 14.3 | .381 | .241 | .766 | 1.6 | 1.8 | .6 | .1 | 5.7 |
| Austin Daye | 41 | 4 | 14.7 | .322 | .210 | .814 | 2.2 | .8 | .5 | .5 | 4.7 |
| Damien Wilkins | 60 | 2 | 15.4 | .394 | .304 | .630 | 1.7 | .7 | .5 | .2 | 3.2 |
| Walker Russell, Jr. | 28 | 0 | 12.8 | .347 | .308 | .636 | .9 | 2.1 | .6 | .0 | 3.0 |
| Vernon Macklin | 23 | 0 | 5.9 | .543 | | .571 | 1.5 | .2 | .2 | .2 | 2.0 |
| Ben Wallace | 62 | 11 | 15.8 | .395 | .250 | .340 | 4.3 | .7 | .8 | .8 | 1.4 |

## Disciplinary actions

* Charlie Villanueva missed the first four games of the regular season following a suspension after a scuffle during a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers with Cavs center Ryan Hollins.

## Awards

* Brandon Knight was selected for the NBA All-Rookie First Team.

## Transactions
### Overview

| Players Added Via draft Brandon Knight Vernon Macklin Via free agency Damien Wilkins Walker Russell, Jr. | Players Lost Via free agency Tracy McGrady DaJuan Summers Chris Wilcox Waived Richard Hamilton Terrico White |

### Free agents

Additions :
| Player | Date signed | Former team |
| Jonas Jerebko | December 9 | Re-signed |
| Tayshaun Prince | December 9 | Re-signed |
| Damien Wilkins | December 9 | Atlanta Hawks |
| Rodney Stuckey | December 17 | Re-signed |
| Walker Russell, Jr. | January 20 | Fort Wayne Mad Ants (from D-League) |
Subtractions :
| Player | Date signed | New team |
| Tracy McGrady | December 9 | Atlanta Hawks |
| Chris Wilcox | December 9 | Boston Celtics |
| DaJuan Summers | December 9 | New Orleans Hornets |
| Terrico White | December 9 | New Orleans Hornets |
Many players signed with teams from other leagues due to the 2011 NBA lockout. FIBA allows players under NBA contracts to sign and play for teams from other leagues if the contracts have opt-out clauses that allow the players to return to the NBA if the lockout ends. The Chinese Basketball Association, however, only allows its clubs to sign foreign free agents who could play for at least the entire season.
Played in other leagues during lockout :
| Player | Date signed | New team | Opt-out clause |
| DaJuan Summers | July 3 | Montepaschi Siena (Italy) | No |
| Austin Daye | September 23 | BC Khimki (Russia) | Yes |