1983–84 Detroit Pistons season

The 1983–84 NBA season was the Detroit Pistons' 36th season in the NBA and 27th season in the city of Detroit. The team played at the Pontiac Silverdome in suburban Pontiac, Michigan.

1983–84 Detroit Pistons season
Head coach	Chuck Daly
General manager	Jack McCloskey
Owners	William Davidson
Arena	Pontiac Silverdome
Results
Record	49–33 (.598)
Place	Division: 2nd (Central) Conference: 4th (Eastern)
Playoff finish	First round (lost to Knicks 2–3)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

During the 1984 playoffs against the New York Knicks, the Silverdome had a venue conflict that forced the team to play their last playoff game in Detroit proper at the Detroit Red Wings' home, Joe Louis Arena, in the fifth and deciding game of the round. The team would play a number of home games, both regular season and post-season, at the venue over the next few seasons (due to the roof collapsing) before eventually getting an arena of their own four years later.

New coach Chuck Daly made an immediate impact on the team, leading the Pistons to their first winning season and post-season berth since the 1976-77 season. Detroit finished with a 49-33 (.598) record, 2nd in the Central Division. In the first round series, the Pistons faced off with the New York Knicks and star Bernard King. The tightly contested series went to a 5th game at a sold-out Joe Louis Arena in downtown Detroit. The Pistons trailed by eight points with 1:34 remaining in the fourth quarter, when Thomas caught fire, scoring 16 points in the remaining 94 seconds to force overtime, but it wasn't enough to overcome King's 44 points as the Pistons fell 127–123 in a playoff classic.

Part of the 5th game in the series was the atmosphere as the Pistons returned to the city proper after moving to the Silverdome in 1978. Thomas said, "I must say that it was a wild scene. Coleman Young called me up and said, ‘Welcome to the city.’ Everybody in the hood was like, ‘Zeke, you’re coming to put on a show tonight.’ And being a city guy, it was almost like you were going home. When I got into Joe Louis, the atmosphere was so electric, it was awesome. You can't describe it—it made you want to get off. I just felt like I could do anything. The fans were screaming and every move you made, people were oohing and aahing—it was sweet. I'm not a Baptist; I was raised Catholic. But sometimes I'd go to a Baptist church and you'll see what they call the Holy Ghost, where the spirit will take over their body and it moves them. During that game I got the Holy Ghost — I just got the spirit into my body and I was doing stuff and making moves — I felt I was above the court looking at everybody and I could just do anything. It was great!"

Detroit was led on the season by guard Thomas (21.3 ppg, 11.1 apg, NBA All-Star), center Bill Laimbeer (17.3 ppg, 12.2 rpg, NBA All-Star) and forward Kelly Tripucka (21.3 ppg, NBA All-Star).

On Dec 13, 1983, the Pistons finished 3OT with the Nuggets. The pistons beat Nuggets 186-184. This is the highest scoring game in NBA history. Thomas scored 47. Kiki Vandeweghe scored 51 and Alex English also scored 47 points.

Draft picks

Main article: 1983 NBA draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
1	8	Antoine Carr	PF/C	United States	Wichita State
5	101	Ken Austin	PF	United States	Rice

Roster

No.	Name	Pos.	Height	Weight	DOB (YYYY-MM-DD)	From
34	Ken Austin	SF	6-9	205	1961-07-15	Rice
54	Kent Benson	C	6-10	235	1954-12-27	Indiana
23	Earl Cureton	C	6-9	210	1957-09-03	Detroit Mercy
9	Lionel Hollins	PG	6-3	185	1953-10-19	Arizona State
15	Vinnie Johnson	SG	6-2	200	1956-09-01	Baylor
40	Bill Laimbeer	C	6-11	245	1957-05-19	Notre Dame
53	Cliff Levingston	PF	6-8	210	1961-01-04	Wichita State
25	John Long	SG	6-5	195	1956-08-28	Detroit Mercy
33	Walker Russell	PG	6-5	195	1960-10-21	Western Michigan
22	David Thirdkill	SF	6-7	195	1960-04-12	Bradley
11	Isiah Thomas	PG	6-1	180	1961-04-30	Indiana
24	Ray Tolbert		6-9	225	1958-09-10	Indiana
7	Kelly Tripucka	SF	6-6	220	1959-02-16	Notre Dame
41	Terry Tyler	SF	6-7	215	1956-10-30	Detroit Mercy

Regular season

Season standings

Central Division	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Div
y-Milwaukee Bucks	50	32	.610	–	30–11	20–21	19–10
x-Detroit Pistons	49	33	.598	1	30–11	19–22	21–8
x-Atlanta Hawks	40	42	.488	10	31–10	9–32	16–14
Cleveland Cavaliers	28	54	.341	22	23–18	5–36	11–19
Chicago Bulls	27	55	.329	23	18–23	9–32	10–20
Indiana Pacers	26	56	.317	24	20–21	6–35	12–18

#	Eastern Conference
	Team	W	L	PCT	GB
1	z-Boston Celtics	62	20	.756	–
2	y-Milwaukee Bucks	50	32	.610	12
3	x-Philadelphia 76ers	52	30	.634	10
4	x-Detroit Pistons	49	33	.598	13
5	x-New York Knicks	47	35	.573	15
6	x-New Jersey Nets	45	37	.549	17
7	x-Atlanta Hawks	40	42	.488	22
8	x-Washington Bullets	35	47	.427	27
9	Cleveland Cavaliers	28	54	.341	34
10	Chicago Bulls	27	55	.329	35
11	Indiana Pacers	26	56	.317	36

z - clinched division title

y - clinched division title

x - clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

1983-84 NBA Records
Team	ATL	BOS	CHI	CLE	DAL	DEN	DET	GSW	HOU	IND	KCK	LAL	MIL	NJN	NYK	PHI	PHO	POR	SAS	SDC	SEA	UTA	WAS
Atlanta	—	0–5	4–2	3–3	1–1	0–2	2–4	1–1	1–1	4–2	0–2	0–2	3–3	3–3	4–1	5–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	4–2
Boston	5–0	—	5–0	6–0	2–0	2–0	4–2	2–0	1–1	5–1	2–0	0–2	5–1	4–2	3–3	2–4	2–0	2–0	2–0	1–1	2–0	1–1	4–2
Chicago	2–4	0–5	—	2–4	1–1	0–2	1–5	2–0	0–2	3–3	1–1	0–2	2–4	2–4	2–4	2–3	1–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–4
Cleveland	3–3	0–6	4–2	—	1–1	0–2	1–5	1–1	1–1	2–4	0–2	0–2	1–5	2–3	1–5	2–4	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	4–1
Dallas	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	—	4–2	0–2	4–1	4–2	2–0	3–3	3–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	3–2	2–3	4–2	4–1	1–4	4–2	0–2
Denver	2–0	0–2	2–0	2–0	2–4	—	1–1	2–3	4–2	0–2	4–2	1–4	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–3	1–4	3–3	3–2	2–3	3–3	0–2
Detroit	4–2	2–4	5–1	5–1	2–0	1–1	—	1–1	1–1	4–2	1–1	1–1	3–2	1–4	4–2	3–3	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	3–3
Golden State	1–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	1–4	3–2	1–1	—	2–3	2–0	4–1	3–3	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–5	2–4	3–2	3–3	4–2	1–4	2–0
Houston	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–4	2–4	1–1	3–2	—	1–1	2–4	1–4	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	2–3	1–4	2–4	2–3	3–2	1–5	0–2
Indiana	2–4	1–5	3–3	4–2	0–2	2–0	2–4	0–2	1–1	—	0–2	1–1	1–5	1–5	2–4	0–5	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–4
Kansas City	2–0	0–2	1–1	2–0	3–3	2–4	1–1	1–4	4–2	2–0	—	0–5	0–2	2–0	0–2	0–2	2–3	2–3	5–1	3–2	1–4	3–3	2–0
Los Angeles	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–3	4–1	1–1	3–3	4–1	1–1	5–0	—	2–0	1–1	0–2	1–1	3–3	5–1	2–3	4–2	3–3	4–1	1–1
Milwaukee	3–3	1–5	4–2	5–1	2–0	1–1	2–3	2–0	1–1	5–1	2–0	0–2	—	4–2	4–1	2–4	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	5–1
New Jersey	3–3	2–4	4–2	3–2	1–1	1–1	4–1	1–1	2–0	5–1	0–2	1–1	2–4	—	3–3	3–3	2–0	0–2	0–2	2–0	1–1	1–1	4–2
New York	1–4	3–3	4–1	5–1	2–0	1–1	2–4	1–1	2–0	4–2	2–0	2–0	1–4	3–3	—	2–4	1–1	0–2	2–0	2–0	1–1	2–0	4–2
Philadelphia	1–5	4–2	3–2	4–2	1–1	1–1	3–3	1–1	2–0	5–0	2–0	1–1	4–2	3–3	4–2	—	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	2–0	4–2
Phoenix	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	2–3	3–2	0–2	5–1	3–2	1–1	3–2	3–3	0–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	—	2–4	5–0	4–2	2–4	1–4	2–0
Portland	2–0	0–2	0–2	1–1	3–2	4–1	1–1	4–2	4–1	1–1	3–2	1–5	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	4–2	—	4–1	4–2	4–2	1–4	1–1
San Antonio	1–1	0–2	2–0	1–1	2–4	3–3	1–1	2–3	4–2	2–0	1–5	3–2	1–1	2–0	0–2	0–2	0–5	1–4	—	4–1	2–3	4–2	1–1
San Diego	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–4	2–3	0–2	3–3	3–2	1–1	2–3	2–4	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	2–4	2–4	1–4	—	3–3	2–3	1–1
Seattle	1–1	0–2	2–0	1–1	4–1	3–2	1–1	2–4	2–3	1–1	4–1	3–3	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	4–2	2–4	3–2	3–3	—	1–4	1–1
Utah	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–4	3–3	1–1	4–1	5–1	1–1	3–3	1–4	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	4–1	4–1	2–4	3–2	4–1	—	1–1
Washington	2–4	2–4	4–2	1–4	2–0	2–0	3–3	0–2	2–0	4–1	0–2	1–1	1–5	2–4	2–4	2–4	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	—

Game log

Regular season

1983–84 game log Total: 49–33 (home: 30–11; road: 19–22)
October: 1–1 (home: 1–0; road: 0–1) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 1 October 28, 1983 Boston W 127–121 Pontiac Silverdome 1–0
November: 7–8 (home: 6–2; road: 1–6) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 3 November 1, 1983 Milwaukee W 106–93 Pontiac Silverdome 2–1 7 November 11, 1983 @ Boston L 118–126 Boston Garden 3–4 11 November 18, 1983 Utah W 128–120 Pontiac Silverdome 6–5 12 November 19, 1983 @ New York L 101–104 (OT) Madison Square Garden 6–6 16 November 27, 1983 @ Boston L 99–114 Boston Garden 7–9
December: 8–5 (home: 5–2; road: 3–3) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 24 December 17, 1983 Boston L 115–129 Pontiac Silverdome 11–13 29 December 28, 1983 @ New York W 111–108 Madison Square Garden 15–14
January: 7–6 (home: 4–2; road: 3–4) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 32 January 4, 1984 Phoenix W 128–114 Pontiac Silverdome 17–15 33 January 6, 1984 New York W 118–107 Pontiac Silverdome 18–15 34 January 8, 1984 @ Milwaukee W 111–100 MECCA Arena 19–15
February: 11–4 (home: 6–1; road: 5–3) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 46 February 5, 1984 @ Boston L 134–137 (OT) Boston Garden 25–21 54 February 22, 1984 New York W 114–111 Pontiac Silverdome 31–23
March: 10–7 (home: 5–4; road: 5–3) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 59 March 2, 1984 New York L 102–117 Pontiac Silverdome 34–25 60 March 4, 1984 Los Angeles L 114–118 Pontiac Silverdome 34–26 65 March 13, 1984 @ Milwaukee L 95–116 MECCA Arena 38–27 68 March 19, 1984 @ Utah L 125–143 Salt Palace Acord Arena 38–30 70 March 23, 1984 @ Los Angeles W 121–118 The Forum 40–30 71 March 24, 1984 @ Phoenix W 120–109 Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum 41–30 75 March 31, 1984 Milwaukee W 107–105 Pontiac Silverdome 44–31
April: 5–2 (home: 3–0; road: 2–2) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 77 April 6, 1984 @ New York W 115–107 Madison Square Garden 46–31 78 April 7, 1984 @ Milwaukee L 92–110 MECCA Arena 46–32 81 April 13, 1984 Boston W 128–120 (OT) Pontiac Silverdome 49–32
1983–84 schedule

Playoffs

1984 playoff game log
Eastern Conference First Round: 2–3 (home: 1–2; road: 1–1) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Series 1 April 17, 1984 New York L 93–94 Kelly Tripucka (26) Kent Benson (14) Isiah Thomas (9) Pontiac Silverdome 14,127 0–1 2 April 19, 1984 New York W 113–105 Bill Laimbeer (31) Bill Laimbeer (15) Isiah Thomas (13) Pontiac Silverdome 14,275 1–1 3 April 22, 1984 @ New York L 113–120 Kelly Tripucka (40) Bill Laimbeer (10) Isiah Thomas (5) Madison Square Garden 16,354 1–2 4 April 25, 1984 @ New York W 119–112 Isiah Thomas (22) Bill Laimbeer (10) Isiah Thomas (16) Madison Square Garden 18,205 2–2 5 April 27, 1984 New York L 123–127 (OT) Isiah Thomas (35) Bill Laimbeer (17) Isiah Thomas (12) Joe Louis Arena 21,208 2–3
1984 schedule

Awards and records

• Isiah Thomas, All-NBA First Team

See also

• 1983-84 NBA season