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    Svetlana Velmar-Janković

    1978–79 Detroit Pistons season
    Head coachDick Vitale
    General managerBill Davidson
    Owner(s)Bill Davidson
    ArenaPontiac Silverdome
    Results
    Record30–52 (.366)
    PlaceDivision: 4th (Central)
    Conference: 9th (Eastern)
    Playoff finishDid not qualify
    Stats at Basketball Reference
    < 1977–78 1979–80 >

    The 1978–79 NBA season was the Detroit Pistons' 31st season in the NBA, 22nd season in the metropolitan area of Detroit, first at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan, and first in the Eastern Conference.[1]

    New Coach Dick Vitale did little to revitalize the direction of the franchise as the team finished with a 30-52 (.366) record, 4th place in the Central Division. Vitale was even hospitalized with stress during the season.[2] The team was led by point guard Kevin Porter, who led the league with 13.4 assists per game, forward M.L. Carr (18.7 ppg, 7.4 rpg), center Bob Lanier (23.6 ppg, 9.3 rpg, NBA All-Star, limited to 53 games due to injury), and the addition of two rookies Vitale drafted from the University of Detroit, where he had coached previously - John Long (16.1 ppg) and Terry Tyler (12.9 ppg, 2.5 blocks per game).[3][4]

    Draft picks

    Main article: 1978 NBA draft
    Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
    2 23 Terry Tyler G/F  United States University of Detroit Mercy
    2 29 John Long G/F  United States University of Detroit Mercy
    8 157 Earl Evans F  United States University of Nevada, Las Vegas

    Roster

    1978-79 Detroit Pistons roster
    Players Coaches
    Pos. No. Player Height Weight DOB From
    PF 27 Ron Behagen 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Minnesota
    PG 42 Jim Brewer 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Minnesota
    F 30 M. L. Carr 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Guilford
    C 13 Leon Douglas 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 230 lb (104 kg) Alabama
    G/F 42 Chris Ford 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Villanova
    F 22 Gus Gerard 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Virginia
    C 16 Bob Lanier 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 250 lb (113 kg) St. Bonaventure
    SG 25 John Long 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Detroit Mercy
    C 50 Ben Poquette 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Central Michigan
    PG 1 Kevin Porter 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1950-04-17 Saint Francis (PA)
    G/F 41 Terry Tyler 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Detroit Mercy
    Head coach
    Legend
    • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
    • (FA) Free agent
    • (S) Suspended
    • Injured Injured

    Regular season

    Season standings

    Central Division
    		 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
    y-San Antonio Spurs 48 34 .585 – 29–12 19–22 11–9
    x-Houston Rockets 47 35 .573 1 30–11 17–24 12–8
    x-Atlanta Hawks 46 36 .561 2 34–7 12–29 14–6
    Cleveland Cavaliers 30 52 .366 18 20–21 10–31 6–14
    Detroit Pistons 30 52 .366 18 22–19 8–33 9–11
    New Orleans Jazz 26 56 .317 22 21–20 8–33 9–15
    #
    Eastern Conference
    Team W L PCT GB
    1 z-Washington Bullets 54 28 .659 –
    2 y-San Antonio Spurs 48 34 .585 6
    3 x-Philadelphia 76ers 47 35 .573 7
    4 x-Houston Rockets 47 35 .573 7
    5 x-Atlanta Hawks 46 36 .561 8
    6 x-New Jersey Nets 37 45 .451 17
    7 New York Knicks 31 51 .378 23
    8 Cleveland Cavaliers 30 52 .366 24
    8 Detroit Pistons 30 52 .366 24
    10 Boston Celtics 29 53 .354 25
    11 New Orleans Jazz 26 56 .317 28
    z - clinched division title
    y - clinched division title
    x - clinched playoff spot

    Record vs. opponents

    1978-79 NBA Records
    Team ATL BOS CHI CLE DEN DET GSW HOU IND KCK LAL MIL NYN NOJ NYK PHI PHO POR SAS SDC SEA WAS
    Atlanta — 2–2 3–1 3–1 3–1 3–1 1–3 3–1 1–3 2–2 1–3 3–0 2–2 2–2 2–2 2–2 2–1 2–2 3–1 3–1 1–3 2–2
    Boston 2–2 — 1–2 2–2 1–3 2–2 2–1 1–3 3–1 1–3 1–3 1–3 1–3 2–2 3–1 2–2 0–4 1–3 0–4 1–3 2–2 0–4
    Chicago 1–3 2–1 — 1–3 2–2 2–2 3–1 2–2 2–2 0–4 1–3 1–3 2–2 2–2 3–1 1–3 1–3 4–0 0–3 0–4 0–4 1–3
    Cleveland 1–3 2–2 3–1 — 1–2 1–3 2–1 2–2 1–3 1–3 2–2 1–3 3–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 0–4 0–4 0–4 2–2 2–2 0–4
    Denver 1–3 3–1 2–2 2–1 — 2–2 4–0 1–3 3–1 1–3 3–1 2–2 4–0 3–1 3–1 0–3 3–1 1–3 3–1 2–2 3–1 1–3
    Detroit 1–3 2–2 2–2 3–1 2–2 — 1–3 2–2 2–2 2–2 2–2 2–1 0–4 2–2 1–3 1–3 0–4 1–3 1–3 2–2 0–3 1–3
    Golden State 3–1 1–2 1–3 1–2 0–4 3–1 — 2–2 2–2 2–2 1–3 2–2 1–3 3–1 3–1 3–1 1–3 2–2 1–3 1–3 3–1 2–2
    Houston 1–3 3–1 2–2 2–2 3–1 2–2 2–2 — 0–4 3–1 2–1 2–2 3–1 4–0 4–0 0–4 2–2 3–1 3–1 2–1 2–2 2–2
    Indiana 3–1 1–3 2–2 3–1 1–3 2–2 2–2 4–0 — 1–3 0–4 2–2 1–2 2–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 3–1 3–1 1–3 0–4 1–3
    Kansas City 2–2 3–1 4–0 3–1 3–1 2–2 2–2 1–3 3–1 — 2–2 2–2 3–1 3–1 2–1 2–2 2–2 1–3 1–3 2–2 2–2 3–0
    Los Angeles 3–1 3–1 3–1 2–2 1–3 2–2 3–1 1–2 4–0 2–2 — 3–1 2–2 2–2 3–0 1–3 2–2 2–2 2–2 2–2 2–2 2–2
    Milwaukee 0–3 3–1 3–1 3–1 2–2 1–2 2–2 2–2 2–2 2–2 1–3 — 2–2 3–1 1–3 2–2 2–2 2–2 1–3 1–3 2–2 1–3
    New Jersey 2–2 3–1 2–2 1–3 0–4 4–0 3–1 1–3 2–1 1–3 2–2 2–2 — 3–1 1–3 2–2 3–0 2–2 0–4 2–2 0–4 1–3
    New Orleans 2–2 2–2 2–2 2–2 1–3 2–2 1–3 0–4 1–2 1–3 2–2 1–3 1–3 — 2–2 2–2 1–3 1–3 2–2 0–4 0–3 0–4
    New York 2–2 1–3 1–3 2–2 1–3 3–1 1–3 0–4 2–2 1–2 0–3 3–1 3–1 2–2 — 2–2 0–4 1–3 1–3 2–2 2–2 1–3
    Philadelphia 2–2 2–2 3–1 2–2 3–0 3–1 1–3 4–0 2–2 2–2 3–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 2–2 — 1–3 1–2 3–1 3–1 1–3 3–1
    Phoenix 1–2 4–0 3–1 4–0 1–3 4–0 3–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 2–2 2–2 0–3 3–1 4–0 3–1 — 3–1 3–1 2–2 1–3 1–3
    Portland 2–2 3–1 0–4 4–0 3–1 3–1 2–2 1–3 1–3 3–1 2–2 2–2 2–2 3–1 3–1 2–1 1–3 — 2–1 2–2 1–3 3–1
    San Antonio 1–3 4–0 3–0 4–0 1–3 3–1 3–1 1–3 1–3 3–1 2–2 3–1 4–0 2–2 3–1 1–3 1–3 1–2 — 4–0 2–2 1–3
    San Diego 1–3 3–1 4–0 2–2 2–2 2–2 3–1 1–2 3–1 2–2 2–2 3–1 2–2 4–0 2–2 1–3 2–2 2–2 0–4 — 2–2 0–3
    Seattle 3–1 2–2 4–0 2–2 1–3 3–0 1–3 2–2 4–0 2–2 2–2 2–2 4–0 3–0 2–2 3–1 3–1 3–1 2–2 2–2 — 2–2
    Washington 2–2 4–0 3–1 4–0 3–1 3–1 2–2 2–2 3–1 0–3 2–2 3–1 3–1 4–0 3–1 1–3 3–1 1–3 3–1 3–0 2–2 —

    Season

    Awards and records

    References

    1. ^ 1978-79 Detroit Pistons
    2. ^ "The Dickie V Era". NBA.com.
    3. ^ "1978-79 Detroit Pistons Roster and Stats".
    4. ^ "Dick Vitale and the worst team in Detroit Pistons history". January 20, 2021.


    Credit: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1978%E2%80%9379_Detroit_Pistons_season

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