1996–97 Detroit Pistons season

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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
< 1995–96 1997–98 >

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 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.[4] 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.[5]

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 third in MVP voting behind Karl Malone and Michael Jordan,[6] 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.[7] 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.[8] However, in the Eastern Conference First Round of the playoffs, the Pistons would lose in five games to the Atlanta Hawks after taking a 2–1 series lead.[9] Following the season, Thorpe was traded to the Vancouver Grizzlies, Mills signed as a free agent with the Miami Heat, and Michael Curry signed with the Milwaukee Bucks.

For the season, the Pistons revealed a new primary logo of a flaming horse head,[10] and changed their uniforms replacing blue with teal to their color scheme.[11][12] Their logo and uniforms both lasted until 2001.

Draft picks[]

Main article: 1996 NBA Draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
1 26 Jerome Williams PF  United States Georgetown

Roster[]

1996–97 Detroit Pistons roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB (YYYY-MM-DD) From
PG 3 Childress, Randolph Injured 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 188 lb (85 kg) 1972–09–21 Wake Forest
SG 12 Curry, Michael 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1968–08–22 Georgia Southern
SG 4 Dumars, Joe (C) 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1963–05–24 McNeese State
PG 9 Green, Litterial 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1970–03–07 Georgia
SF 33 Hill, Grant (C) 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1972–10–05 Duke
PG 1 Hunter, Lindsey 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1970–12–03 Jackson State
PF 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
SG 23 McKie, Aaron 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 209 lb (95 kg) 1972–10–02 Temple
PF 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
PF 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
PF 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 Injured

Roster
Last transaction: February 18, 1997

Regular season[]

Season standings[]

Central Division
W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Chicago Bulls 69 13 .841 – 39–2 30–11 24–4
x-Atlanta Hawks 56 26 .683 13 36–5 20–21 17–11
x-Detroit Pistons 54 28 .659 15 30–11 24–17 17–11
x-Charlotte Hornets 54 28 .659 15 30–11 24–17 14–14
Cleveland Cavaliers 42 40 .512 27 25–16 17–24 13–15
Indiana Pacers 39 43 .476 30 21–20 18–23 11–17
Milwaukee Bucks 33 49 .402 36 20–21 13–28 10–18
Toronto Raptors 30 52 .366 39 18–23 12–29 6–22
1996–97 NBA East standings
# Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Chicago Bulls 69 13 .841 –
2 y-Miami Heat 61 21 .744 8
3 x-New York Knicks 57 25 .695 12
4 x-Atlanta Hawks 56 26 .683 13
5 x-Detroit Pistons 54 28 .659 15
6 x-Charlotte Hornets 54 28 .659 15
7 x-Orlando Magic 45 37 .549 24
8 x-Washington Bullets 44 38 .537 25
9 Cleveland Cavaliers 42 40 .512 27
10 Indiana Pacers 39 43 .476 30
11 Milwaukee Bucks 33 49 .402 36
12 Toronto Raptors 30 52 .366 39
13 New Jersey Nets 26 56 .317 43
14 Philadelphia 76ers 22 60 .268 47
15 Boston Celtics 15 67 .183 54
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 — 3–1 1–3 1–3 3–1 2–0 1–1 1–3 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 1–2 4–0 2–0 3–1 1–3 3–1 4–0 1–1 2–0 2–0 2–0 1–1 4–0 1–1 2–0 2–1
Boston 1–3 — 0–4 0–4 1–2 1–1 1–1 0–4 1–1 0–2 1–2 0–2 1–1 0–4 1–3 0–2 0–4 0–4 0–4 1–3 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 3–1 0–2 0–2 0–4
Charlotte 3–1 4–0 — 0–4 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–2 2–0 2–0 2–2 1–1 1–1 1–2 2–2 2–0 4–0 3–1 1–2 4–0 1–1 0–2 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–2 0–2 2–0 3–1
Chicago 3–1 4–0 4–0 — 3–1 2–0 2–0 3–1 2–0 1–1 4–0 2–0 1–1 2–2 4–0 2–0 3–1 2–2 3–0 4–0 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–0 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–1
Cleveland 1–3 2–1 1–3 1–3 — 2–0 1–1 2–2 1–1 0–2 3–1 2–0 1–1 0–4 2–2 2–0 4–0 1–3 2–2 3–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 0–2 0–2 3–1 1–1 2–0 1–3
Dallas 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–2 0–2 — 3–1 0–2 0–4 0–4 1–1 2–2 0–4 0–2 0–2 1–3 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–3 1–3 2–2 1–3 1–3 0–2 1–3 3–1 0–2
Denver 1–1 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 1–3 — 0–2 1–3 1–3 0–2 1–3 0–4 0–2 1–1 0–4 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 2–2 0–4 2–2 2–2 0–4 1–1 0–4 3–1 1–1
Detroit 3–1 4–0 2–2 1–3 2–2 2–0 2–0 — 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 0–4 3–1 2–0 4–0 1–2 2–2 2–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 3–1 1–1 2–0 4–0
Golden State 0–2 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 4–0 3–1 0–2 — 0–4 1–1 1–3 0–4 0–2 1–1 1–3 2–0 0–2 1–1 2–0 0–4 2–2 1–3 4–0 0–4 2–0 0–4 3–1 0–2
Houston 1–1 2–0 0–2 1–1 2–0 4–0 3–1 1–1 4–0 — 1–1 3–1 3–1 0–2 1–1 4–0 2–0 1–1 0–2 2–0 2–2 2–2 4–0 3–1 3–1 1–1 2–2 3–1 2–0
Indiana 1–3 2–1 2–2 0–4 1–3 1–1 2–0 1–3 1–1 1–1 — 2–0 1–1 1–3 2���2 2–0 2–2 1–3 1–3 3–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–0 0–2 2–0 1–3
L.A. Clippers 0–2 2–0 1–1 0–2 0–2 2–2 3–1 0–2 3–1 1–3 0–2 — 2–2 0–2 2–0 1–3 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 2–2 0–4 2–2 4–0 1–3 2–0 1–3 4–0 0–2
L.A. Lakers 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–0 4–0 1–1 4–0 1–3 1–1 2–2 — 1–1 2–0 3–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 4–0 1–3 4–0 2–2 3–1 1–1 1–3 4–0 2–0
Miami 2–1 4–0 2–1 2–2 4–0 2–0 2–0 4–0 2–0 2–0 3–1 2–0 1–1 — 4–0 1–1 3–1 1–3 2–2 3–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 2–0 0–2 3–1 0–2 2–0 3–1
Milwaukee 0–4 3–1 2–2 0–4 2–2 2–0 1–1 1–3 1–1 1–1 2–2 0–2 0–2 0–4 — 0–2 2–1 1–2 2–2 3–1 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 3–1 1–1 2–0 1–3
Minnesota 0–2 2–0 0–2 0–2 0–2 3–1 4–0 0–2 3–1 0–4 0–2 3–1 1–3 1–1 2–0 — 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 3–1 2–2 0–4 4–0 0–4 1–1 1–3 4–0 1–1
New Jersey 1–3 4–0 0–4 1–3 0–4 1–1 1–1 0–4 0–2 0–2 2–2 1–1 0–2 1–3 1–2 0–2 — 2–2 1–3 2–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–0 1–1 0–3 0–2 2–0 1–3
New York 3–1 4–0 1–3 2–2 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–1 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–1 1–1 2–2 — 3–1 3–2 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 0–2 3–0 1–1 2–0 4–0
Orlando 1–3 4–0 2–1 0–3 2–2 1–1 2–0 2–2 1–1 2–0 3–1 1–1 1–1 2–2 2–2 1–1 3–1 1–3 — 2–2 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–0 0–2 1–1 1–3
Philadelphia 0–4 3–1 0–4 0–4 0–3 0–2 1–1 1–2 0–2 0–2 0–3 1��1 0–2 1–3 1–3 1–1 2–2 2–3 2–2 — 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 1–3 0–2 2–0 1–3
Phoenix 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 3–1 2–2 2–0 4–0 2–2 1–1 2–2 0–4 0–2 1–1 1–3 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 — 1–3 4–0 3–1 2–2 0–2 1–3 2–2 1–1
Portland 0–2 1–1 2–0 0–2 1–1 3–1 4–0 1–1 2–2 2–2 1–1 4–0 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–2 2–0 1–1 0–2 1–1 3–1 — 2–2 4–0 1–3 0–2 2–2 4–0 0–2
Sacramento 0–2 2–0 0–2 0–2 0–2 2–2 2–2 1–1 3–1 0–4 1–1 2–2 0–4 0–2 2–0 4–0 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–0 0–4 2–2 — 3–1 1–3 1–1 0–4 4–0 0–2
San Antonio 0–2 1–1 0–2 0–2 2–0 3–1 2–2 0–2 0–4 1–3 1–1 0–4 2–2 0–2 1–1 0–4 0–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–3 0–4 1–3 — 0–4 1–1 1–3 1–3 0–2
Seattle 1–1 2–0 0–2 0–2 2–0 3–1 4–0 1–1 4–0 1–3 1–1 3–1 1–3 2–0 1–1 4–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 2–2 3–1 3–1 4–0 — 2–0 1–3 4–0 2–0
Toronto 0–4 1–3 2–2 1–3 1–3 2–0 1–1 1–3 0–2 1–1 0–4 0–2 1–1 1–3 1–3 1–1 3–0 0–3 0–4 3–1 2–0 2–0 1–1 1–1 0–2 — 1–1 1–1 2–2
Utah 1–1 2–0 2–0 1–1 1–1 3–1 4–0 1–1 4–0 2–2 2–0 3–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 2–0 3–1 2–2 4–0 3–1 3–1 1–1 — 4–0 2–0
Vancouver 0–2 2–0 0–2 0–2 0–2 1–3 1–3 0–2 1–3 1–3 0–2 0–4 0–4 0–2 0–2 0–4 0–2 0–2 1–1 0–2 2–2 0–4 0–4 3–1 0–4 1–1 0–4 — 1–1
Washington 1–2 4–0 1–3 1–2 3–1 2–0 1–1 0–4 2–0 0–2 3–1 2–0 0–2 1–3 3–1 1–1 3–1 0–4 3–1 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 2–0 0–2 2–2 0–2 1–1 —

Game log[]

Playoffs[]

1997 playoff game log
First Round: 2–3 (Home: 1–1; Road: 1–2)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
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 20 3 14.6 .403 — .683 2.5 0.8 0.5 0.5 4.5
Randolph Childress 4 0 7.5 .400 .667 — 0.3 0.5 0.5 0.0 2.5
Michael Curry 81 2 15.0 .448 .299 .898 1.5 0.5 0.4 0.1 3.9
Joe Dumars 79 79 37.0 .440 .432 .867 2.4 4.0 0.7 0.0 14.7
Litterial Green 45 0 6.9 .469 .000 .638 0.5 0.9 0.4 0.0 2.0
Grant Hill 80 80 39.3 .496 .303 .711 9.0 7.3 1.8 0.6 21.4
Lindsey Hunter 82 76 36.9 .404 .355 .778 2.8 1.9 1.6 0.3 14.2
Grant Long 65 24 17.9 .447 .362 .750 3.4 0.6 0.7 0.1 5.0
Rick Mahorn 22 7 9.9 .370 .000 .727 2.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 2.5
Aaron McKie 42 3 20.2 .464 .375 .836 3.0 1.8 1.0 0.2 6.3
Terry Mills 79 5 25.3 .444 .422 .829 4.8 1.3 0.4 0.3 10.8
Theo Ratliff 76 38 17.0 .531 — .698 3.4 0.2 0.4 1.5 5.8
Don Reid 47 14 9.8 .482 .000 .750 2.1 0.3 0.3 0.3 2.8
Kenny Smith 9 0 7.1 .400 .500 1.000 0.6 1.1 0.1 0.0 2.6
Otis Thorpe 79 79 33.7 .532 .000 .653 7.9 1.7 0.7 0.2 13.1
Jerome Williams 33 0 5.4 .392 — .529 1.5 0.2 0.4 0.0 1.5

Playoffs[]

Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Grant Hill 5 5 40.6 .437 — .718 6.8 5.4 0.8 1.0 23.6
Lindsey Hunter 5 5 40.2 .439 .414 .714 3.6 1.2 1.2 0.2 15.0
Joe Dumars 5 5 42.8 .361 .261 .950 1.8 2.0 1.0 0.0 13.8
Terry Mills 5 4 39.2 .436 .346 .500 7.0 1.4 1.2 0.0 11.8
Otis Thorpe 5 5 30.4 .512 — .778 6.4 0.8 0.4 0.0 9.8
Grant Long 5 0 17.2 .444 .000 .818 2.2 0.6 0.8 0.0 5.0
Jerome Williams 1 0 5.0 1.000 — — 3.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 4.0
Don Reid 1 0 3.0 — — 1.000 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.0
Aaron McKie 5 0 19.4 .350 .200 — 2.0 2.0 1.2 0.4 3.0
Theo Ratliff 3 0 6.0 .750 — .500 1.3 0.3 0.3 1.3 2.7
Michael Curry 2 0 3.5 .500 — .000 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0
Rick Mahorn 2 1 9.0 .000 — — 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Player Statistics Citation:[8]

Awards and records[]

  • Grant Hill, All-NBA First Team

Transactions[]

Player Transactions Citation:[13]

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. ^ "Winters Out in Vancouver; Augmon Traded to Portland". Los Angeles Times. January 25, 1997. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
  5. ^ "1996–97 Detroit Pistons Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  6. ^ "1996-97 NBA Awards Voting". Basketball Reference. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
  7. ^ "1997 NBA All-Star Game: East 132, West 120". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  8. ^ a b "1996–97 Detroit Pistons Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  9. ^ "Hawks 84, Pistons 79". Chicago Tribune. May 5, 1997. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
  10. ^ "Detroit Pistons Logo". Chris Creamer's Sports Logos Page - SportsLogos.Net. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  11. ^ "Detroit Pistons Uniform". Chris Creamer's Sports Logos Page - SportsLogos.Net. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  12. ^ "Detroit Pistons Uniform". Chris Creamer's Sports Logos Page - SportsLogos.Net. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  13. ^ "1996–97 Detroit Pistons Transactions". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved December 27, 2021.

See also[]

  • 1996-97 NBA season
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