The 1981-82 Detroit Pistons season marked a period of rebuilding and struggle for the franchise. Under head coach Scotty Robertson, the team finished with a disappointing 39-43 record, placing them fifth in the Central Division. Despite the losing record, the Pistons showed signs of potential with the emergence of key players like Isiah Thomas and Kelly Tripucka. Thomas, the second overall pick in the 1981 NBA Draft, made an immediate impact, averaging 17 points and 7.8 assists per game, earning an All-Star selection.
Tripucka, another rookie standout, provided significant scoring support by contributing 21.6 points per game. However, the team lacked depth and defensive prowess, which limited their success. The Pistons missed the playoffs, but the foundation was laid for future improvements. The 1981-82 season served as a transitional period, setting the stage for the team’s rise in the mid-1980s with Thomas as the cornerstone of the franchise.
- Regular Season Record: 39-43
- Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
Detroit Pistons Roster and Stats for 1981-82 Season
POINTS
John Long
21.9
REBOUNDS
Bill Laimbeer
11.3
ASSISTS
Isiah Thomas
7.9
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| John Long | 69 | 21.9 | 3.8 | 2.1 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 18.2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Kelly Tripucka | 82 | 21.6 | 5.4 | 3.3 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 25.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Isiah Thomas | 72 | 17.0 | 3.0 | 7.9 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 33.3 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Bill Laimbeer | 30 | 12.8 | 11.3 | 1.8 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 16.7 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Kent Benson | 75 | 12.5 | 8.6 | 2.1 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 42.9 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Phil Hubbard | 52 | 10.0 | 5.0 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Terry Tyler | 82 | 9.9 | 6.0 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 1.6 | 25.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Greg Kelser | 11 | 8.8 | 3.5 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Edgar Jones | 48 | 7.8 | 4.3 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 49.9 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Vinnie Johnson | 67 | 7.7 | 2.1 | 2.4 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 27.3 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Kenny Carr | 28 | 7.4 | 4.9 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Steve Hayes | 26 | 4.5 | 3.8 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Alan Hardy | 38 | 3.7 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Ron Lee | 81 | 3.4 | 1.9 | 3.8 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 31.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Paul Mokeski | 39 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Jeff Judkins | 30 | 2.6 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 11.1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Glenn Hagan | 4 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Larry Wright | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Detroit Pistons 1981-82 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1981-82 season for the Detroit Pistons.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 30, 1981 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 118-113 | |
| Oct 31, 1981 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 119-106 | |
| Nov 05, 1981 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 109-103 | |
| Nov 06, 1981 | @ Washington Bullets | L 86-82 | |
| Nov 07, 1981 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 129-88 | |
| Nov 10, 1981 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 95-93 | |
| Nov 12, 1981 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 130-99 | |
| Nov 14, 1981 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 117-104 | |
| Nov 18, 1981 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | L 110-103 | |
| Nov 19, 1981 | vs. Washington Bullets | W 122-97 | |
| Nov 21, 1981 | vs. Utah Jazz | W 95-86 | |
| Nov 24, 1981 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 103-95 | |
| Nov 25, 1981 | @ Kansas City Kings | W 129-122 | |
| Nov 27, 1981 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | L 114-112 | |
| Nov 28, 1981 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 116-103 | |
| Dec 01, 1981 | @ New York Knicks | L 112-100 | |
| Dec 02, 1981 | @ Boston Celtics | L 115-114 | |
| Dec 04, 1981 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 105-95 | |
| Dec 05, 1981 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 111-108 | |
| Dec 10, 1981 | vs. New York Knicks | L 106-101 | |
| Dec 12, 1981 | @ Seattle SuperSonics | L 117-111 | |
| Dec 13, 1981 | @ Portland Trail Blazers | L 105-99 | |
| Dec 15, 1981 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 108-104 | |
| Dec 17, 1981 | vs. Indiana Pacers | L 100-96 | |
| Dec 19, 1981 | vs. New York Knicks | W 132-104 | |
| Dec 22, 1981 | @ Dallas Mavericks | W 106-98 | |
| Dec 23, 1981 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 124-119 | |
| Dec 26, 1981 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 96-94 | |
| Dec 29, 1981 | @ Washington Bullets | L 129-125 | |
| Dec 30, 1981 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 130-119 | |
| Jan 02, 1982 | @ New York Knicks | L 121-108 | |
| Jan 05, 1982 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 124-101 | |
| Jan 07, 1982 | vs. Phoenix Suns | L 110-94 | |
| Jan 09, 1982 | vs. Los Angeles Lakers | L 130-127 | |
| Jan 10, 1982 | @ Boston Celtics | L 134-124 | |
| Jan 12, 1982 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 122-111 | |
| Jan 14, 1982 | vs. Washington Bullets | L 121-114 | |
| Jan 16, 1982 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 128-120 | |
| Jan 17, 1982 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 108-103 | |
| Jan 19, 1982 | @ Utah Jazz | L 123-117 | |
| Jan 21, 1982 | @ San Diego Clippers | W 120-110 | |
| Jan 22, 1982 | @ Los Angeles Lakers | L 123-111 | |
| Jan 23, 1982 | @ Phoenix Suns | L 113-90 | |
| Jan 27, 1982 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 108-107 | |
| Feb 02, 1982 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 106-105 | |
| Feb 05, 1982 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 110-103 | |
| Feb 06, 1982 | vs. New Jersey Nets | L 125-120 | |
| Feb 09, 1982 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 128-123 | |
| Feb 10, 1982 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 115-108 | |
| Feb 11, 1982 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 123-113 | |
| Feb 13, 1982 | vs. Portland Trail Blazers | L 128-120 | |
| Feb 16, 1982 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 111-109 | |
| Feb 17, 1982 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 126-112 | |
| Feb 20, 1982 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 115-100 | |
| Feb 25, 1982 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 119-116 | |
| Feb 27, 1982 | vs. Kansas City Kings | W 127-119 | |
| Feb 28, 1982 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 112-101 | |
| Mar 02, 1982 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 101-91 | |
| Mar 04, 1982 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 122-97 | |
| Mar 06, 1982 | @ New York Knicks | W 115-111 | |
| Mar 08, 1982 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 111-101 | |
| Mar 10, 1982 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 124-113 | |
| Mar 12, 1982 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 121-117 | |
| Mar 14, 1982 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 109-103 | |
| Mar 16, 1982 | vs. San Diego Clippers | W 114-110 | |
| Mar 18, 1982 | vs. Seattle SuperSonics | W 119-115 | |
| Mar 19, 1982 | @ Houston Rockets | W 111-102 | |
| Mar 21, 1982 | @ Atlanta Hawks | L 119-111 | |
| Mar 25, 1982 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 100-98 | |
| Mar 26, 1982 | @ Boston Celtics | L 125-104 | |
| Mar 27, 1982 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 123-121 | |
| Mar 30, 1982 | @ Washington Bullets | L 127-98 | |
| Mar 31, 1982 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 108-106 | |
| Apr 01, 1982 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | L 121-120 | |
| Apr 03, 1982 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 105-102 | |
| Apr 07, 1982 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 120-115 | |
| Apr 09, 1982 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | L 118-100 | |
| Apr 11, 1982 | vs. New York Knicks | W 97-89 | |
| Apr 14, 1982 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | L 119-111 | |
| Apr 15, 1982 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 120-110 | |
| Apr 17, 1982 | vs. New Jersey Nets | L 147-132 | |
| Apr 18, 1982 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 116-113 |