The 1960-61 Detroit Pistons season was a challenging campaign for the team in the NBA. They finished the regular season with a 34-45 record, placing them fifth in the Western Division. Despite their struggles, the Pistons exhibited flashes of potential, driven by standout performances from key players like Gene Shue and Bailey Howell.
The team faced difficulties with consistency, impacting their ability to make a substantial playoff push. Their defense was a particular area of concern, as they allowed opponents to score an average of 116.1 points per game. Unfortunately, this season marked another year without a playoff appearance for the Pistons, highlighting the need for further roster and strategic improvements.
Head coach Dick McGuire sought to develop young talent and foster team chemistry, but the Pistons ultimately fell short of their postseason aspirations. The 1960-61 season served as a learning experience, setting the stage for future growth and development in the subsequent years.
- Regular Season Record: 34-45
- Playoff Result: Division Semifinals: 2-3
Detroit Pistons Roster and Stats for 1960-61 Season
POINTS
Bailey Howell
23.6
REBOUNDS
Bailey Howell
9.4
ASSISTS
Gene Shue
2.4
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Bailey Howell | 77 | 23.6 | 9.4 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5 | 11.2 | 5.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Gene Shue | 78 | 22.6 | 2.1 | 2.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5 | 18.6 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Don Ohl | 79 | 13.4 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5 | 12.6 | 1.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| George Lee | 74 | 12.1 | 3.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5 | 15.6 | 3.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Walter Dukes | 73 | 11.7 | 7.8 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5 | 10.0 | 6.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Bob Ferry | 79 | 11.3 | 3.4 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5 | 20.2 | 9.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Shellie McMillon | 79 | 9.9 | 3.2 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4 | 9.8 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Jackie Moreland | 64 | 7.3 | 2.8 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 10.7 | 4.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Chuck Noble | 75 | 6.4 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5 | 9.0 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Willie Jones | 36 | 5.4 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 10.0 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Archie Dees | 28 | 5.2 | 2.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Ron Johnson | 6 | 5.2 | 2.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Detroit Pistons in the 1961 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs Second Round vs. Los Angeles Lakers
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 14, 1961 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 120-102 | |
| Mar 15, 1961 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 127-118 | |
| Mar 17, 1961 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 124-113 | |
| Mar 18, 1961 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 123-114 | |
| Mar 19, 1961 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 137-120 |
Detroit Pistons 1960-61 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1960-61 season for the Detroit Pistons.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 22, 1960 | @ Boston Celtics | L 118-116 | |
| Oct 26, 1960 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 131-117 | |
| Oct 29, 1960 | vs. New York Knicks | W 115-110 | |
| Nov 02, 1960 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | L 132-117 | |
| Nov 04, 1960 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 136-121 | |
| Nov 05, 1960 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | L 130-123 | |
| Nov 09, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 126-120 | |
| Nov 12, 1960 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 116-112 | |
| Nov 13, 1960 | @ Cincinnati Royals | W 125-113 | |
| Nov 15, 1960 | @ Boston Celtics | W 115-114 | |
| Nov 16, 1960 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 119-118 | |
| Nov 17, 1960 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | L 112-105 | |
| Nov 19, 1960 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 130-122 | |
| Nov 20, 1960 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 135-131 | |
| Nov 23, 1960 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 122-115 | |
| Nov 25, 1960 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 141-128 | |
| Nov 26, 1960 | vs. New York Knicks | L 127-119 | |
| Nov 29, 1960 | @ New York Knicks | L 118-107 | |
| Nov 30, 1960 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 125-110 | |
| Dec 04, 1960 | @ Cincinnati Royals | W 116-115 | |
| Dec 06, 1960 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 146-110 | |
| Dec 07, 1960 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 113-83 | |
| Dec 10, 1960 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | L 117-107 | |
| Dec 13, 1960 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | L 110-108 | |
| Dec 14, 1960 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 134-126 | |
| Dec 16, 1960 | vs. New York Knicks | L 108-104 | |
| Dec 19, 1960 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 107-103 | |
| Dec 20, 1960 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 97-94 | |
| Dec 24, 1960 | @ Boston Celtics | L 150-106 | |
| Dec 25, 1960 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 126-119 | |
| Dec 26, 1960 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 137-132 | |
| Dec 29, 1960 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 112-89 | |
| Dec 30, 1960 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 121-112 | |
| Jan 01, 1961 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 116-105 | |
| Jan 02, 1961 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 123-113 | |
| Jan 03, 1961 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | L 128-125 | |
| Jan 05, 1961 | vs. New York Knicks | L 104-102 | |
| Jan 06, 1961 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 108-102 | |
| Jan 08, 1961 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 138-115 | |
| Jan 10, 1961 | @ Boston Celtics | L 118-98 | |
| Jan 11, 1961 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 126-122 | |
| Jan 12, 1961 | @ Cincinnati Royals | W 124-112 | |
| Jan 14, 1961 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 135-113 | |
| Jan 15, 1961 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | W 137-122 | |
| Jan 18, 1961 | @ Cincinnati Royals | W 144-128 | |
| Jan 20, 1961 | vs. New York Knicks | W 132-128 | |
| Jan 21, 1961 | @ Cincinnati Royals | W 130-106 | |
| Jan 22, 1961 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 136-128 | |
| Jan 24, 1961 | @ Cincinnati Royals | W 106-104 | |
| Jan 25, 1961 | vs. Cincinnati Royals | W 138-125 | |
| Jan 27, 1961 | @ Boston Celtics | L 140-111 | |
| Jan 29, 1961 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 137-113 | |
| Jan 30, 1961 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 117-116 | |
| Jan 31, 1961 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 121-112 | |
| Feb 01, 1961 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | L 137-131 | |
| Feb 03, 1961 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 121-118 | |
| Feb 04, 1961 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | W 111-104 | |
| Feb 05, 1961 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 125-120 | |
| Feb 07, 1961 | @ New York Knicks | L 131-120 | |
| Feb 08, 1961 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 125-123 | |
| Feb 10, 1961 | vs. Boston Celtics | W 137-134 | |
| Feb 11, 1961 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | L 141-111 | |
| Feb 12, 1961 | @ Syracuse Nationals | L 148-122 | |
| Feb 14, 1961 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 135-134 | |
| Feb 16, 1961 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 129-106 | |
| Feb 17, 1961 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | L 115-113 | |
| Feb 18, 1961 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | L 141-138 | |
| Feb 21, 1961 | vs. Syracuse Nationals | L 123-118 | |
| Feb 22, 1961 | vs. New York Knicks | W 123-117 | |
| Feb 23, 1961 | @ Philadelphia Warriors | L 129-121 | |
| Feb 26, 1961 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 113-99 | |
| Mar 01, 1961 | @ Cincinnati Royals | L 137-122 | |
| Mar 03, 1961 | vs. New York Knicks | W 129-112 | |
| Mar 04, 1961 | @ St. Louis Hawks | L 104-102 | |
| Mar 05, 1961 | vs. St. Louis Hawks | L 127-122 | |
| Mar 08, 1961 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | W 120-103 | |
| Mar 09, 1961 | @ Boston Celtics | L 119-118 | |
| Mar 10, 1961 | vs. Philadelphia Warriors | W 120-103 | |
| Mar 12, 1961 | @ New York Knicks | W 120-106 |