The 1962-63 Detroit Pistons season marked their 15th season in the NBA. The team finished with a record of 34-46, placing them fourth in the Western Division. Despite their losing record, the Pistons managed to secure a spot in the playoffs.
In the postseason, Detroit faced the St. Louis Hawks in the Western Division Semifinals. The Pistons were eliminated in a tight five-game series, losing 3-2. This marked the end of their playoff run, as consistency on both ends of the court remained a challenge throughout the season.
Key players for the Pistons included forward Bailey Howell, who delivered strong performances, and guard Gene Shue, who provided leadership and scoring. Despite their efforts, the Pistons struggled to find the cohesion necessary to advance further in the playoffs, highlighting areas for improvement in subsequent seasons.
- Regular Season Record: 34-46
- Playoff Result: Division Semifinals: 1-3
Detroit Pistons Roster and Stats for 1962-63 Season
POINTS
Bailey Howell
22.7
REBOUNDS
Bailey Howell
6.7
ASSISTS
Don Ohl
1.6
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Bailey Howell | 79 | 22.7 | 6.7 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4 | 17.8 | 10.5 | 2.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Don Ohl | 80 | 19.3 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4 | 21.3 | 3.0 | 4.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Ray Scott | 76 | 16.2 | 5.5 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4 | 15.8 | 12.0 | 2.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Bob Ferry | 79 | 13.6 | 3.8 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4 | 12.0 | 8.8 | 2.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Dave DeBusschere | 80 | 12.7 | 5.6 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4 | 20.0 | 15.8 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Willie Jones | 79 | 9.2 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4 | 7.0 | 1.8 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Jackie Moreland | 78 | 8.8 | 3.0 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4 | 8.3 | 5.0 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Kevin Loughery | 57 | 6.4 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Johnny Egan | 46 | 5.9 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Walter Dukes | 62 | 4.3 | 3.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Danny Doyle | 4 | 4.0 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Darrall Imhoff | 44 | 2.7 | 2.1 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Detroit Pistons in the 1963 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs Second Round vs. St. Louis Hawks
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 20, 1963 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 118-99 | |
| Mar 22, 1963 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 122-108 | |
| Mar 24, 1963 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 107-103 | |
| Mar 26, 1963 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | L 104-100 |
Detroit Pistons 1962-63 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1962-63 season for the Detroit Pistons.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 16, 1962 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 122-106 | |
| Oct 20, 1962 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 120-111 | |
| Oct 23, 1962 | @ San Francisco Warriors | L 140-113 | |
| Oct 26, 1962 | @ San Francisco Warriors | L 132-131 | |
| Oct 27, 1962 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 134-118 | |
| Oct 31, 1962 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 115-100 | |
| Nov 03, 1962 | @ Boston Celtics | L 125-114 | |
| Nov 08, 1962 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 116-114 | |
| Nov 10, 1962 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 135-124 | |
| Nov 11, 1962 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 117-100 | |
| Nov 13, 1962 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 127-109 | |
| Nov 14, 1962 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | W 123-115 | |
| Nov 17, 1962 | vs. New York Knicks | W 121-113 | |
| Nov 18, 1962 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 116-98 | |
| Nov 21, 1962 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | L 122-120 | |
| Nov 22, 1962 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 106-91 | |
| Nov 23, 1962 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | L 121-93 | |
| Nov 24, 1962 | @ Chicago Zephyrs | L 104-103 | |
| Nov 27, 1962 | @ Boston Celtics | L 125-115 | |
| Nov 28, 1962 | vs. New York Knicks | W 143-101 | |
| Dec 01, 1962 | vs. New York Knicks | W 117-115 | |
| Dec 04, 1962 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 130-129 | |
| Dec 05, 1962 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 106-93 | |
| Dec 07, 1962 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | W 123-116 | |
| Dec 08, 1962 | @ New York Knicks | L 87-78 | |
| Dec 09, 1962 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 123-119 | |
| Dec 10, 1962 | @ Chicago Zephyrs | W 109-100 | |
| Dec 12, 1962 | vs. New York Knicks | W 115-106 | |
| Dec 13, 1962 | @ Boston Celtics | L 103-93 | |
| Dec 15, 1962 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | L 112-94 | |
| Dec 16, 1962 | @ Chicago Zephyrs | L 110-106 | |
| Dec 18, 1962 | @ Chicago Zephyrs | L 113-110 | |
| Dec 19, 1962 | vs. Chicago Zephyrs | W 115-113 | |
| Dec 21, 1962 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | L 122-113 | |
| Dec 22, 1962 | @ Chicago Zephyrs | W 122-110 | |
| Dec 25, 1962 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 131-120 | |
| Dec 26, 1962 | @ Chicago Zephyrs | W 123-116 | |
| Dec 30, 1962 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 135-130 | |
| Jan 02, 1963 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 138-118 | |
| Jan 04, 1963 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | L 121-100 | |
| Jan 05, 1963 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 92-90 | |
| Jan 06, 1963 | @ New York Knicks | W 103-102 | |
| Jan 08, 1963 | vs. New York Knicks | W 109-93 | |
| Jan 09, 1963 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 123-115 | |
| Jan 11, 1963 | vs. Chicago Zephyrs | W 116-112 | |
| Jan 12, 1963 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 146-115 | |
| Jan 13, 1963 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 148-114 | |
| Jan 21, 1963 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 124-94 | |
| Jan 22, 1963 | @ San Francisco Warriors | W 115-107 | |
| Jan 23, 1963 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 123-119 | |
| Jan 24, 1963 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | L 138-114 | |
| Jan 25, 1963 | @ Chicago Zephyrs | W 113-111 | |
| Jan 31, 1963 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 127-122 | |
| Feb 01, 1963 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 119-109 | |
| Feb 03, 1963 | @ Boston Celtics | L 137-128 | |
| Feb 05, 1963 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | L 120-105 | |
| Feb 06, 1963 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | L 117-116 | |
| Feb 08, 1963 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | L 162-135 | |
| Feb 10, 1963 | @ St. Louis Hawks | W 102-95 | |
| Feb 12, 1963 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | W 120-115 | |
| Feb 13, 1963 | @ San Francisco Warriors | W 134-132 | |
| Feb 14, 1963 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 128-111 | |
| Feb 16, 1963 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | L 110-99 | |
| Feb 17, 1963 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 143-124 | |
| Feb 19, 1963 | @ New York Knicks | W 121-112 | |
| Feb 20, 1963 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 117-113 | |
| Feb 22, 1963 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 126-117 | |
| Feb 23, 1963 | @ Cincinnati Royals | W 105-102 | |
| Feb 24, 1963 | @ Cincinnati Royals | W 119-110 | |
| Feb 25, 1963 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 113-107 | |
| Feb 28, 1963 | vs. Chicago Zephyrs | W 112-104 | |
| Mar 01, 1963 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 115-113 | |
| Mar 02, 1963 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 152-128 | |
| Mar 03, 1963 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | L 127-123 | |
| Mar 05, 1963 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | W 111-102 | |
| Mar 07, 1963 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 115-104 | |
| Mar 08, 1963 | vs. San Francisco Warriors | W 131-123 | |
| Mar 10, 1963 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 124-116 | |
| Mar 13, 1963 | vs. New York Knicks | W 112-89 | |
| Mar 17, 1963 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 119-105 |