1991–92 Detroit Pistons Season

The 1991–92 NBA season was the 44th season for the Detroit Pistons in the National Basketball Association, and their 35th season in Detroit, Michigan. During the off-season, the Pistons acquired Orlando Woolridge from the Denver Nuggets, and acquired Darrell Walker from the Washington Bullets.

The Pistons got off to a slow start to the regular season with a 9–13 record, but managed to win 10 of their next 13 games. In December, during a road game against the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center, Karl Malone committed a flagrant foul on Isiah Thomas, in which Malone hit Thomas's forehead with his elbow, and Thomas had to receive 40 stitches; Malone was suspended for one game. The Pistons held a 28–20 record at the All-Star break, and won seven consecutive games in March, then won six in a row in April, finishing in third place in the Central Division with a 48–34 record, and earning the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference.

Joe Dumars averaged 19.9 points and 4.6 assists per game, while Thomas averaged 18.5 points, 7.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game, and Woolridge provided the team with 14.0 points per game. In addition, sixth man Mark Aguirre contributed 11.3 points per game off the bench, while Bill Laimbeer provided with 9.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, and Dennis Rodman averaged 9.8 points, and led the league with 18.7 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, off the bench, John Salley provided with 9.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game, and Walker contributed 5.2 points and 2.8 assists per game.

Dumars, Thomas and Rodman were all selected for the 1992 NBA All-Star Game in Orlando, Florida, while Dumars and Rodman were both named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team, and Rodman was selected to the All-NBA Third Team; Rodman also finished in second place in Defensive Player of the Year voting.

Throughout the season, speculation that it was Chuck Daly's last season as head coach of the Pistons lingered in the media, intensifying as the season went out and well into the NBA playoffs. As the “Bad Boys” era was fading, the Pistons were eliminated in five games in the Eastern Conference First Round of the 1992 NBA playoffs by the New York Knicks. The Pistons would not return to the playoffs until 1996. Following the season, Daly left to coach the New Jersey Nets, and Salley was traded to the Miami Heat.

Meanwhile, the Bulls-Pistons rivalry took another ugly turn as Thomas was left off the Dream Team coached by Daly, reportedly at the request of Michael Jordan.

Draft picks

Roster

Regular season

Season standings

:y - clinched division title
:x - clinched playoff spot

:z - clinched conference title
:y - clinched division title
:x - clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

Game log

Playoffs

, - align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"
, 1
, April 24
, @ New York

L 75–109
, Joe Dumars (13)
, John Salley (5)
, Joe Dumars (5)
, Madison Square Garden
19,081
, 1–0
, - align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
, 2
, April 26
, @ New York

W 89–88
, Joe Dumars (21)
, Bill Laimbeer (12)
, Isiah Thomas (6)
, Madison Square Garden
18,793
, 1–1
, - align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"
, 3
, April 28
, New York

L 87–90 (OT)
, John Salley (20)
, Dennis Rodman (14)
, Isiah Thomas (11)
, The Palace of Auburn Hills
21,454
, 2–1
, - align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
, 4
, May 1
, New York

W 86–82
, Joe Dumars (23)
, Dennis Rodman (17)
, Isiah Thomas (12)
, The Palace of Auburn Hills
21,454
, 2–2
, - align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"
, 5
, May 3
, @ New York

L 87–94
, Isiah Thomas (31)
, Isiah Thomas (10)
, Isiah Thomas (6)
, Madison Square Garden
19,135
, 3–2
, -

Player statistics

Season

Playoffs

Player Statistics Citation:

Awards and records

*Dennis Rodman, All-NBA Third Team
*Joe Dumars, NBA All-Defensive First Team
*Dennis Rodman, NBA All-Defensive First Team

Transactions

See also

* 1991–92 NBA season

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:1991-92 Detroit Pistons Season
Detroit Pistons seasons
Detroit
Detroit
Detroit