Detroit Pistons 1979-80 Roster and Stats

The 1979-80 Detroit Pistons season was a challenging period for the franchise. Under the management of General Manager Jack McCloskey, the team struggled to find consistent success, finishing the season with a record of 16 wins and 66 losses. This poor performance placed them at the bottom of the Central Division and tied for the worst record in the league alongside the Boston Celtics.

Head coach Dick Vitale, who started the season, was replaced after a 4-8 start. Richie Adubato took over but couldn’t significantly turn around the team’s fortunes. The Pistons faced difficulties both offensively and defensively, failing to make a significant impact on the court. Despite the team’s struggles, the season was notable for the debut of future All-Star guard Vinnie Johnson, who would later play a crucial role in the Pistons’ success in the late 1980s.

Regular Season Record: 16-66
Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs

Detroit Pistons Roster and Stats for 1979-80 Season

POINTS

Bob Lanier

21.6

REBOUNDS

Bob Lanier

10.1

ASSISTS

Ron Lee

5.5

	Regular Season							Playoffs
Player	GP	PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	3P%	GP	PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	3P%
Bob Lanier	37	21.6	10.1	3.2	0.5	1.2	0.0	0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Bob McAdoo	58	21.0	7.9	3.4	0.8	0.9	14.3	0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
John Long	69	19.3	4.8	2.9	1.1	0.2	11.1	0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Greg Kelser	50	14.3	5.5	2.1	0.6	0.4	23.1	0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Terry Tyler	82	12.3	7.6	1.6	0.7	2.0	16.7	0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Kent Benson	17	12.1	7.1	2.9	0.7	0.8	33.3	0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Jim McElroy	36	11.8	1.4	4.5	0.2	0.2	23.1	0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Eric Money	55	10.9	1.8	4.3	0.4	0.1	0.0	0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
John Shumate	9	9.7	7.7	1.0	0.3	0.3	0.0	0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Terry Duerod	67	9.3	1.4	1.8	0.5	0.1	31.3	0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Phil Hubbard	64	9.2	5.0	1.1	0.5	0.1	0.0	0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Leon Douglas	70	8.1	7.1	1.7	0.1	0.7	0.0	0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Ron Lee	31	7.3	2.8	5.5	1.6	0.3	43.1	0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Roy Hamilton	72	4.6	1.5	2.7	0.4	0.1	0.0	0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Earl Evans	36	4.4	2.1	1.0	0.2	0.0	43.7	0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Jackie Robinson	7	3.9	0.6	0.0	0.3	0.3	0.0	0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Steve Malovic	10	2.6	2.8	1.4	0.0	0.4	0.0	0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0

Detroit Pistons 1979-80 Regular Season Game Log

Here is the game log for the 1979-80 season for the Detroit Pistons.

Date	Opponent	Result	High Scorer
Oct 12, 1979	vs. Indiana Pacers	W 114-105	Bob McAdoo (23 pts)
Oct 13, 1979	@ San Antonio Spurs	W 112-110	Bob Lanier (30 pts)
Oct 16, 1979	@ Cleveland Cavaliers	L 137-117	Greg Kelser (21 pts)
Oct 18, 1979	vs. New York Knicks	W 129-115	Jim McElroy (31 pts)
Oct 19, 1979	@ Philadelphia 76ers	L 112-104	Bob Lanier (24 pts)
Oct 20, 1979	@ Washington Bullets	L 117-106	Bob Lanier (31 pts)
Oct 24, 1979	vs. Washington Bullets	W 104-103	Jim McElroy (33 pts)
Oct 26, 1979	vs. San Antonio Spurs	L 129-113	Jim McElroy (24 pts)
Oct 27, 1979	@ Milwaukee Bucks	L 132-118	Bob McAdoo (28 pts)
Nov 01, 1979	vs. Cleveland Cavaliers	L 127-125	Bob McAdoo (29 pts)
Nov 03, 1979	vs. Houston Rockets	L 114-111	Bob McAdoo (26 pts)
Nov 07, 1979	vs. Atlanta Hawks	L 115-107	Bob Lanier (27 pts)
Nov 09, 1979	vs. Philadelphia 76ers	W 106-98	Bob Lanier (26 pts)
Nov 10, 1979	@ Houston Rockets	L 112-104	Bob McAdoo (30 pts)
Nov 14, 1979	@ Boston Celtics	L 115-111	Bob McAdoo (28 pts)
Nov 17, 1979	vs. New Jersey Nets	L 98-93	John Long (31 pts)
Nov 20, 1979	@ Atlanta Hawks	L 109-105	Bob McAdoo (23 pts)
Nov 21, 1979	vs. Utah Jazz	W 98-93	Bob McAdoo (22 pts)
Nov 23, 1979	vs. Milwaukee Bucks	W 119-100	John Long (27 pts)
Nov 24, 1979	@ Indiana Pacers	L 115-97	Bob McAdoo (30 pts)
Nov 27, 1979	@ New York Knicks	L 116-114	Jim McElroy (26 pts)
Nov 28, 1979	@ New Jersey Nets	L 98-89	Bob Lanier (29 pts)
Nov 29, 1979	vs. Kansas City Kings	L 105-95	Bob McAdoo (32 pts)
Dec 01, 1979	vs. San Antonio Spurs	W 134-124	Bob McAdoo (29 pts)
Dec 04, 1979	vs. Boston Celtics	L 118-114	John Long (32 pts)
Dec 05, 1979	@ Kansas City Kings	L 109-93	Bob McAdoo (20 pts)
Dec 07, 1979	@ Houston Rockets	L 124-109	Bob Lanier (17 pts)
Dec 08, 1979	@ Indiana Pacers	L 103-102	John Long (23 pts)
Dec 12, 1979	@ Golden State Warriors	W 114-96	John Long (30 pts)
Dec 14, 1979	@ Los Angeles Lakers	L 138-122	John Long (28 pts)
Dec 15, 1979	@ Phoenix Suns	L 126-105	Bob Lanier (27 pts)
Dec 16, 1979	@ San Diego Clippers	L 133-126	John Long (38 pts)
Dec 18, 1979	vs. Philadelphia 76ers	L 114-102	Bob McAdoo (23 pts)
Dec 20, 1979	vs. Atlanta Hawks	L 122-103	Bob Lanier (34 pts)
Dec 22, 1979	@ San Antonio Spurs	L 141-112	Bob Lanier (25 pts)
Dec 25, 1979	@ Cleveland Cavaliers	L 111-101	Eric Money (22 pts)
Dec 26, 1979	vs. Indiana Pacers	L 98-97	Bob Lanier (24 pts)
Dec 28, 1979	vs. Denver Nuggets	W 114-98	John Long (32 pts)
Dec 29, 1979	@ Atlanta Hawks	L 115-104	Bob McAdoo (37 pts)
Jan 02, 1980	@ Denver Nuggets	L 135-116	Bob McAdoo (26 pts)
Jan 04, 1980	@ Seattle SuperSonics	L 123-105	John Long (23 pts)
Jan 06, 1980	@ Portland Trail Blazers	L 119-102	Bob McAdoo (31 pts)
Jan 08, 1980	@ Utah Jazz	L 124-110	Bob McAdoo (34 pts)
Jan 11, 1980	vs. Los Angeles Lakers	L 123-100	John Long (24 pts)
Jan 12, 1980	@ Indiana Pacers	L 122-109	Bob McAdoo (25 pts)
Jan 13, 1980	vs. Chicago Bulls	W 107-102	Bob McAdoo (26 pts)
Jan 17, 1980	vs. Washington Bullets	W 110-107	Bob McAdoo (29 pts)
Jan 19, 1980	vs. Houston Rockets	W 122-110	Bob McAdoo (35 pts)
Jan 22, 1980	@ Chicago Bulls	L 145-131	Bob McAdoo (25 pts)
Jan 23, 1980	vs. Boston Celtics	L 131-104	Greg Kelser (29 pts)
Jan 25, 1980	@ New Jersey Nets	W 119-116	Bob McAdoo (21 pts)
Jan 27, 1980	vs. New York Knicks	L 98-93	Greg Kelser (24 pts)
Jan 29, 1980	vs. Golden State Warriors	L 111-100	Bob McAdoo (25 pts)
Jan 30, 1980	@ Philadelphia 76ers	L 121-108	Leon Douglas (22 pts)
Feb 07, 1980	vs. Seattle SuperSonics	L 119-102	John Long (24 pts)
Feb 09, 1980	@ New York Knicks	L 114-107	Greg Kelser (36 pts)
Feb 10, 1980	@ Boston Celtics	L 128-111	Kent Benson (25 pts)
Feb 13, 1980	vs. Cleveland Cavaliers	L 107-102	Greg Kelser (23 pts)
Feb 15, 1980	vs. Philadelphia 76ers	L 114-104	Greg Kelser (21 pts)
Feb 16, 1980	@ Cleveland Cavaliers	L 123-104	Kent Benson (18 pts)
Feb 17, 1980	vs. Atlanta Hawks	L 108-99	Greg Kelser (26 pts)
Feb 21, 1980	vs. Phoenix Suns	L 125-116	John Long (23 pts)
Feb 23, 1980	vs. Portland Trail Blazers	L 130-107	John Long (26 pts)
Feb 27, 1980	vs. San Diego Clippers	L 129-113	Bob McAdoo (34 pts)
Feb 29, 1980	vs. New Jersey Nets	W 137-128	Bob McAdoo (30 pts)
Mar 02, 1980	@ Boston Celtics	L 118-115	Bob McAdoo (32 pts)
Mar 04, 1980	@ Washington Bullets	L 135-107	Terry Tyler (23 pts)
Mar 05, 1980	vs. New York Knicks	W 120-113	John Long (34 pts)
Mar 07, 1980	vs. Washington Bullets	L 106-105	John Long (27 pts)
Mar 08, 1980	@ New York Knicks	L 110-104	John Long (25 pts)
Mar 09, 1980	@ New Jersey Nets	L 140-100	John Long (31 pts)
Mar 12, 1980	vs. New Jersey Nets	L 137-119	Phil Hubbard (29 pts)
Mar 14, 1980	vs. San Antonio Spurs	L 113-102	Terry Tyler (26 pts)
Mar 16, 1980	vs. Houston Rockets	L 102-99	Terry Duerod (23 pts)
Mar 17, 1980	@ Philadelphia 76ers	L 123-109	Kent Benson (26 pts)
Mar 18, 1980	vs. Cleveland Cavaliers	L 108-107	Terry Tyler (29 pts)
Mar 20, 1980	vs. Boston Celtics	L 124-106	Greg Kelser (24 pts)
Mar 21, 1980	@ Atlanta Hawks	L 108-95	John Long (32 pts)
Mar 23, 1980	@ Washington Bullets	L 119-114	Greg Kelser (24 pts)
Mar 26, 1980	vs. Indiana Pacers	L 124-114	Phil Hubbard (30 pts)
Mar 28, 1980	@ Houston Rockets	L 128-112	Greg Kelser (28 pts)
Mar 30, 1980	@ San Antonio Spurs	L 144-124	Greg Kelser (33 pts)

NBA

Atlantic

Central

Southeast

Northwest

Pacific

Southwest

Detroit Pistons 1979-80 Roster and Stats

Detroit Pistons Roster and Stats for 1979-80 Season

Detroit Pistons 1979-80 Regular Season Game Log