1996–97 Detroit Pistons season

The 1996–97 NBA season was the Pistons' 49th season in the National Basketball Association, and 40th season in the city of Detroit.[1] During the off-season, the Pistons acquired Stacey Augmon and Grant Long from the Atlanta Hawks,[2] and re-signed free agent and former "Bad Boy" Rick Mahorn, who was a member of the 1989 championship team that defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals.[3] The team also signed three-point specialist Kenny Smith, who won two championships with the Houston Rockets, but was released to free agency in November after nine games.[4] The Pistons got off to a fast start winning ten of their first eleven games on their way to a 20–4 start, and later holding a 34–12 record at the All-Star break. At mid-season, the team traded Augmon to the Portland Trail Blazers for Aaron McKie.[5] Despite their successful start, the Pistons struggled a bit down the stretch posting a 20–16 record for the remainder of the season, losing six of their final nine games. The Pistons finished third in the Central Division with a 54–28 record, which was their first 50-win season since 1991.[6]

1996–97 Detroit Pistons season
Head coachDoug Collins
General managerRick Sund
Owner(s)Bill Davidson
ArenaThe Palace of Auburn Hills
Results
Record54–28 (.659)
PlaceDivision: 3rd (Central)
Conference: 5th (Eastern)
Playoff finishFirst Round
(Lost to Hawks 2–3)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionWKBD-TV
PASS Sports
RadioWDFN

Grant Hill averaged 21.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 1.8 steals per game, while being named to the All-NBA First Team, and finishing in third place in Most Valuable Player behind Karl Malone and Michael Jordan,[7] while Joe Dumars finished second on the team in scoring with 14.7 points per game. Hill, Dumars and head coach Doug Collins represented the Eastern Conference during the 1997 NBA All-Star Game.[8] In addition, Lindsey Hunter showed improvement averaging 14.2 points and 1.6 steals per game, while Otis Thorpe provided the team with 13.1 points and 7.9 rebounds per game, and sixth man Terry Mills contributed 10.8 points per game off the bench, and led the team with 175 three-point field goals.[9]

In the Eastern Conference First Round of the playoffs, the Pistons took a 2–1 series lead over the Atlanta Hawks,[10] but lost the series in five games.[11] Following the season, Thorpe was traded to the Vancouver Grizzlies after feuding with Collins,[12] while Mills signed as a free agent with the Miami Heat,[13] and Michael Curry signed with the Milwaukee Bucks.

For the season, the Pistons revealed a new primary logo of a flaming horse head,[14] and changed their uniforms replacing blue with teal to their color scheme.[15][16] The new primary logo and uniforms both remained in use until 2001.

Draft picks
Main article: 1996 NBA Draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
126Jerome WilliamsPF United StatesGeorgetown

Roster
1996–97 Detroit Pistons roster
Players Coaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOB (YYYY-MM-DD)From
G 3 Childress, Randolph  6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 188 lb (85 kg) 1972–09–21 Wake Forest
G 12 Curry, Michael 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1968–08–22 Georgia Southern
G 4 Dumars, Joe (C) 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1963–05–24 McNeese State
G 9 Green, Litterial 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1970–03–07 Georgia
F 33 Hill, Grant (C) 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1972–10–05 Duke
G 1 Hunter, Lindsey 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1970–12–03 Jackson State
F 43 Long, Grant 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1966–03–12 Eastern Michigan
C 44 Mahorn, Rick 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1958–09–21 Hampton
G 23 McKie, Aaron 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 209 lb (95 kg) 1972–10–02 Temple
F 6 Mills, Terry 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1967–12–21 Michigan
C 42 Ratliff, Theo 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1973–04–17 Wyoming
F 52 Reid, Don 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 250 lb (113 kg) 1973–12–30 Georgetown
C 50 Thorpe, Otis 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1962–08–05 Providence
F 13 Williams, Jerome 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 206 lb (93 kg) 1973–05–10 Georgetown
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured

Roster
Last transaction: February 18, 1997

Regular season

Season standings
Central Division W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Chicago Bulls 6913.841–39–230–1124–4
x-Atlanta Hawks 5626.6831336–520–2117–11
x-Detroit Pistons 5428.6591530–1124–1717–11
x-Charlotte Hornets 5428.6591530–1124–1714–14
Cleveland Cavaliers 4240.5122725–1617–2413–15
Indiana Pacers 3943.4763021–2018–2311–17
Milwaukee Bucks 3349.4023620–2113–2810–18
Toronto Raptors 3052.3663918–2312–296–22
1996–97 NBA East standings
# Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Chicago Bulls6913.841–
2 y-Miami Heat6121.7448
3 x-New York Knicks5725.69512
4 x-Atlanta Hawks5626.68313
5 x-Detroit Pistons5428.65915
6 x-Charlotte Hornets5428.65915
7 x-Orlando Magic4537.54924
8 x-Washington Bullets4438.53725
9 Cleveland Cavaliers4240.51227
10 Indiana Pacers3943.47630
11 Milwaukee Bucks3349.40236
12 Toronto Raptors3052.36639
13 New Jersey Nets2656.31743
14 Philadelphia 76ers2260.26847
15 Boston Celtics1567.18354
z - clinched division title
y - clinched division title
x - clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents
1996-97 NBA Records
Team ATL BOS CHA CHI CLE DAL DEN DET GSW HOU IND LAC LAL MIA MIL MIN NJN NYK ORL PHI PHO POR SAC SAS SEA TOR UTA VAN WAS
Atlanta —3–11–31–33–12–01–11–32–01–13–12–01–11–24–02–03–11–33–14–01–12–02–02–01–14–01–12–02–1
Boston 1–3—0–40–41–21–11–10–41–10–21–20–21–10–41–30–20–40–40–41–31–11–10–21–10–23–10–20–20–4
Charlotte 3–14–0—0–43–11–12–02–22–02–02–21–11–11–22–22–04–03–11–24–01–10–22–02–02–02–20–22–03–1
Chicago 3–14–04–0—3–12–02–03–12–01–14–02–01–12–24–02–03–12–23–04–02–02–02–02–02–03–11–12–02–1
Cleveland 1–32–11–31–3—2–01–12–21–10–23–12–01–10–42–22–04–01–32–23–01–11–12–00–20–23–11–12–01–3
Dallas 0–21–11–10–20–2—3–10–20–40–41–12–20–40–20–21–31–11–11–12–01–31–32–21–31–30–21–33–10–2
Denver 1–11–10–20–21–11–3—0–21–31–30–21–30–40–21–10–41–10–20–21–12–20–42–22–20–41–10–43–11–1
Detroit 3–14–02–21–32–22–02–0—2–01–13–12–01–10–43–12–04–01–22–22–10–21–11–12–01–13–11–12–04–0
Golden State 0–21–10–20–21–14–03–10–2—0–41–11–30–40–21–11–32–00–21–12–00–42–21–34–00–42–00–43–10–2
Houston 1–12–00–21–12–04–03–11–14–0—1–13–13–10–21–14–02–01–10–22–02–22–24–03–13–11–12–23–12–0
Indiana 1–32–12–20–41–31–12–01–31–11–1—2–01–11–32–22–02–21–31–33–01–11–11–11–11–14–00–22–01–3
L.A. Clippers 0–22–01–10–20–22–23–10–23–11–30–2—2–20–22–01–31–10–21–11–12–20–42–24–01–32–01–34–00–2
L.A. Lakers 1–11–11–11–11–14–04–01–14–01–31–12–2—1–12–03–12–01–11–12–04–01–34–02–23–11–11–34–02–0
Miami 2–14–02–12–24–02–02–04–02–02–03–12–01–1—4–01–13–11–32–23–12–01–12–02–00–23–10–22–03–1
Milwaukee 0–43–12–20–42–22–01–11–31–11–12–20–20–20–4—0–22–11–22–23–11–10–20–21–11–13–11–12–01–3
Minnesota 0–22–00–20–20–23–14–00–23–10–40–23–11–31–12–0—2–01–11–11–13–12–20–44–00–41–11–34–01–1
New Jersey 1–34–00–41–30–41–11–10–40–20–22–21–10–21–31–20–2—2–21–32–21–10–21–12–01–10–30–22–01–3
New York 3–14–01–32–23–11–12–02–12–01–13–12–01–13–12–11–12–2—3–13–21–11–12–02–00–23–01–12–04–0
Orlando 1–34–02–10–32–21–12–02–21–12–03–11–11–12–22–21–13–11–3—2–21–12–01–11–11–14–00–21–11–3
Philadelphia 0–43–10–40–40–30–21–11–20–20–20–31–10–21–31–31–12–22–32–2—1–11–10–21–10–21–30–22–01–3
Phoenix 1–11–11–10–21–13–12–22–04–02–21–12–20–40–21–11–31–11–11–11–1—1–34–03–12–20–21–32–21–1
Portland 0–21–12–00–21–13–14–01–12–22–21–14–03–11–12–02–22–01–10–21–13–1—2–24–01–30–22–24–00–2
Sacramento 0–22–00–20–20–22–22–21–13–10–41–12–20–40–22–04–01–10–21–12–00–42–2—3–11–31–10–44–00–2
San Antonio 0–21–10–20–22–03–12–20–20–41–31–10–42–20–21–10–40–20–21–11–11–30–41–3—0–41–11–31–30–2
Seattle 1–12–00–20–22–03–14–01–14–01–31–13–11–32–01–14–01–12–01–12–02–23–13–14–0—2–01–34–02–0
Toronto 0–41–32–21–31–32–01–11–30–21–10–40–21–11–31–31–13–00–30–43–12–02–01–11–10–2—1–11–12–2
Utah 1–12–02–01–11–13–14–01–14–02–22–03–13–12–01–13–12–01–12–02–03–12–24–03–13–11–1—4–02–0
Vancouver 0–22–00–20–20–21–31–30–21–31–30–20–40–40–20–20–40–20–21–10–22–20–40–43–10–41–10–4—1–1
Washington 1–24–01–31–23–12–01–10–42–00–23–12–00–21–33–11–13–10–43–13–11–12–02–02–00–22–20–21–1—

Playoffs
1997 playoff game log
First Round: 2–3 (Home: 1–1; Road: 1–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Series
1 April 25 @ Atlanta L 75–89 Grant Hill (20) Grant Hill (14) Grant Hill (7) Omni Coliseum
15,795		 0–1
2 April 27 @ Atlanta W 93–80 Grant Hill (25) Otis Thorpe (8) Grant Hill (3) Omni Coliseum
16,378		 1–1
3 April 29 Atlanta W 99–91 Lindsey Hunter (26) Terry Mills (7) Grant Hill (8) The Palace of Auburn Hills
20,059		 2–1
4 May 2 Atlanta L 82–94 Grant Hill (28) Terry Mills (10) three players tied (3) The Palace of Auburn Hills
21,454		 2–2
5 May 4 @ Atlanta L 79–84 Grant Hill (21) Lindsey Hunter (9) Grant Hill (6) Omni Coliseum
16,378		 2–3
1997 schedule

Player statistics
Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game

Regular Season
Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Stacey Augmon 20314.6.403—.6832.50.80.50.54.5
Randolph Childress 407.5.400.667—0.30.50.50.02.5
Michael Curry 81215.0.448.299.8981.50.50.40.13.9
Joe Dumars 797937.0.440.432.8672.44.00.70.014.7
Litterial Green 4506.9.469.000.6380.50.90.40.02.0
Grant Hill 808039.3.496.303.7119.07.31.80.621.4
Lindsey Hunter 827636.9.404.355.7782.81.91.60.314.2
Grant Long 652417.9.447.362.7503.40.60.70.15.0
Rick Mahorn 2279.9.370.000.7272.40.30.20.12.5
Aaron McKie 42320.2.464.375.8363.01.81.00.26.3
Terry Mills 79525.3.444.422.8294.81.30.40.310.8
Theo Ratliff 763817.0.531—.6983.40.20.41.55.8
Don Reid 47149.8.482.000.7502.10.30.30.32.8
Kenny Smith 907.1.400.5001.0000.61.10.10.02.6
Otis Thorpe 797933.7.532.000.6537.91.70.70.213.1
Jerome Williams 3305.4.392—.5291.50.20.40.01.5

Playoffs
Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Grant Hill 5540.6.437—.7186.85.40.81.023.6
Lindsey Hunter 5540.2.439.414.7143.61.21.20.215.0
Joe Dumars 5542.8.361.261.9501.82.01.00.013.8
Terry Mills 5439.2.436.346.5007.01.41.20.011.8
Otis Thorpe 5530.4.512—.7786.40.80.40.09.8
Grant Long 5017.2.444.000.8182.20.60.80.05.0
Jerome Williams 105.01.000——3.00.01.00.04.0
Don Reid 103.0——1.0001.00.00.00.04.0
Aaron McKie 5019.4.350.200—2.02.01.20.43.0
Theo Ratliff 306.0.750—.5001.30.30.31.32.7
Michael Curry 203.5.500—.0000.50.00.00.01.0
Rick Mahorn 219.0.000——0.50.00.00.00.0

Player Statistics Citation:[9]

Awards and records

Transactions

Player Transactions Citation:[17]

References
  1. 1996-97 Detroit Pistons
  2. "Pistons Trade for Augmon, Long; Sign Curry, Reid". AP News. July 15, 1996. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  3. "PISTONS' NEW LOOK BEYOND COSMETIC". Chicago Tribune. November 8, 1996. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
  4. "Pistons Get a Bargain in Smith". New York Times. September 18, 1996. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  5. "Winters Out in Vancouver; Augmon Traded to Portland". Los Angeles Times. January 25, 1997. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
  6. "1996–97 Detroit Pistons Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  7. "1996-97 NBA Awards Voting". Basketball Reference. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
  8. "1997 NBA All-Star Game: East 132, West 120". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  9. "1996–97 Detroit Pistons Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  10. "Pistons Soar Past Hawks, 99-91". Washington Post. April 29, 1997. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  11. "Hawks Earn Date With Bulls". New York Times. May 5, 1997. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  12. "Grizzlies Obtain Pistons' Thorpe". New York Times. August 8, 1997. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
  13. "Heat Signs Terry Mills". New York Times. August 21, 1997. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  14. "Detroit Pistons Logo". Chris Creamer's Sports Logos Page - SportsLogos.Net. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  15. "Detroit Pistons Uniform". Chris Creamer's Sports Logos Page - SportsLogos.Net. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  16. "Detroit Pistons Uniform". Chris Creamer's Sports Logos Page - SportsLogos.Net. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  17. "1996–97 Detroit Pistons Transactions". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 27, 2021.

See also
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.