1960–61 Detroit Pistons season

1960–61 Detroit Pistons season
Head coachDick McGuire
General managerNick Kerbawy
OwnerFred Zollner
ArenaDetroit Olympia
Results
Record34–45 (.430)
PlaceDivision: 3rd (Western)
Playoff finishWest Division Semifinals
(eliminated 2–3)
Stats at Basketball Reference

The 1960–61 Detroit Pistons season was the Detroit Pistons' 13th season in the NBA and fourth season in the city of Detroit.[1] The team played home games at Olympia Stadium.

The Pistons finished 34-45[2] (.430), 3rd in the Western Division. The team advanced to the playoffs, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers 3–2 as Laker Elgin Baylor dominated the series with a 39.4 ppg average in the series. Detroit was led on the season by forward Bailey Howell (23.6 ppg, 14.4 rpg, NBA All-Star), center Walter Dukes (11.7 ppg, 14.1 rpg, NBA All-Star) and guard Gene Shue (22.6 ppg, 6.8 apg, NBA All-Star).

The 1960-61 Detroit Pistons were an offensive minded team, finishing their season at 2nd overall in Offensive Rating in the 1960-61 NBA season, which included eight NBA teams. However, Detroit had one of the poorer defenses in the NBA, ranking 6th overall in Defensive Rating.[1]

Detroit ranked 6th overall in field goal attempts and 4th overall in field goal percentage and Effective Field Goal Percentage. The high-powered 1960-61 Pistons offense relied heavily on the free throw, ranking 1st in free throw attempt rate and free throws per field goal percentage.[1]

The 1960-61 Pistons had a slightly more successful season than their previous year, winning 4 more games than the 1959-1960 season. However, Detroit still ended the year with the same amount of losses as the 1959-60 season. This is because the NBA expanded their schedule from 75 to 79 games in the 1960-61 season, so the Pistons played four more games than the 1959-1960 season.[1]

Although the Pistons had a 34-45 (.430) losing record, they still made it to the 1961 NBA playoffs where they played the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers hosted the first two games of the series, beating the Pistons 120–102 on March 14, 1961, and 127–118 on March 15th. The Pistons were able to tie the series after beating the Lakers twice in Detroit with scores of 124–113 on March 17 and 123–114 on March 18.[3] The March 17th victory was bolstered by a defensive assignment switch which placed Walter Dukes on Laker's star, Elgin Baylor. Baylor, who had averaged 44.5 points in the first two games in Los Angeles, was held to 26 points with only 10 of those points coming in the second half.[4] The Pistons lost to the Lakers in the final game of the series 137–120, and were eliminated from the playoffs.[3]

Regular season

Season standings

Western Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Neutral Div
x-St. Louis Hawks 51 28 .646 – 29–5 15–20 7–3 25–14
x-Los Angeles Lakers 36 43 .456 15 16–12 8–20 12–11 19–20
x-Detroit Pistons 34 45 .430 17 20–11 3–19 11–15 18–21
Cincinnati Royals 33 46 .418 18 18–13 8–19 7–14 16–23
x – clinched playoff spot

Regular season by month

October 1960: The Detroit Pistons had a record of 2-1 through 3 games in October.[2]

November 1960: The Detroit Pistons had a record of 5-11 through 16 games in November.[2]

December 1960: The Detroit Pistons had a record of 7-7 through 14 games in December.[2]

January 1961: The Detroit Pistons had a record of 11-10 through 21 games in January.[2]

February 1961: The Detroit Pistons had a record of 5-12 through 17 games in February.[2]

March 1961: The Detroit Pistons had a record of 4-4 through 8 games in March.[2]

Game log

1960–61 Game log
# Date Opponent Score High points Record
1 October 22 @ Boston L 116–118 Bailey Howell (27) 0–1
2 October 26 Cincinnati W 131–117 Gene Shue (30) 1–1
3 October 29 New York W 115–110 Bailey Howell (23) 2–1
4 November 2 St. Louis L 117–132 Gene Shue (18) 2–2
5 November 4 @ Philadelphia L 121–136 Don Ohl (24) 2–3
6 November 5 vs. Philadelphia L 123–130 Howell, Shue (27) 2–4
7 November 9 @ St. Louis L 120–126 Gene Shue (20) 2–5
8 November 12 Cincinnati W 116–112 Gene Shue (31) 3–5
9 November 13 @ Cincinnati W 125–113 Don Ohl (31) 4–5
10 November 15 vs. Boston W 115–114 (OT) Gene Shue (26) 5–5
11 November 16 Philadelphia W 119–118 Bailey Howell (30) 6–5
12 November 17 vs. St. Louis L 105–112 Gene Shue (25) 6–6
13 November 19 @ Los Angeles L 122–130 Walter Dukes (32) 6–7
14 November 20 vs. Los Angeles L 131–135 Bailey Howell (36) 6–8
15 November 23 Syracuse W 122–115 Gene Shue (24) 7–8
16 November 25 Los Angeles L 128–141 (OT) Bailey Howell (43) 7–9
17 November 26 vs. New York L 119–127 Bailey Howell (28) 7–10
18 November 29 @ New York L 107–118 Bailey Howell (25) 7–11
19 November 30 Boston L 110–125 Jackie Moreland (22) 7–12
20 December 4 vs. Cincinnati W 116–115 Bailey Howell (31) 8–12
21 December 6 @ St. Louis L 110–146 Bailey Howell (18) 8–13
22 December 7 St. Louis W 113–83 Bailey Howell (25) 9–13
23 December 10 Syracuse L 107–117 Ohl, Shue (19) 9–14
24 December 13 vs. Philadelphia L 108–110 Gene Shue (25) 9–15
25 December 14 Philadelphia W 134–126 Bailey Howell (38) 10–15
26 December 16 New York L 104–108 Bailey Howell (30) 10–16
27 December 19 vs. Los Angeles L 103–107 Gene Shue (30) 10–17
28 December 20 vs. Los Angeles W 97–94 Bailey Howell (31) 11–17
29 December 24 @ Boston L 106–150 Bailey Howell (18) 11–18
30 December 25 @ Cincinnati L 119–126 Bailey Howell (30) 11–19
31 December 26 Cincinnati W 137–132 Gene Shue (33) 12–19
32 December 29 St. Louis W 112–89 Bailey Howell (31) 13–19
33 December 30 vs. Syracuse W 121–112 Bailey Howell (33) 14–19
34 January 1 Los Angeles W 116–105 Bailey Howell (26) 15–19
35 January 2 vs. Los Angeles L 113–123 Don Ohl (25) 15–20
36 January 3 vs. Philadelphia L 125–128 (OT) George Lee (26) 15–21
37 January 5 vs. New York L 102–104 Bailey Howell (19) 15–22
38 January 6 Boston L 102–108 Shellie McMillon (20) 15–23
39 January 8 @ Syracuse L 115–138 Gene Shue (24) 15–24
40 January 10 vs. Boston L 98–118 Ferry, Shue (17) 15–25
41 January 11 Cincinnati W 126–122 Gene Shue (32) 16–25
42 January 12 vs. Cincinnati W 124–112 Bailey Howell (33) 17–25
43 January 14 @ St. Louis L 113–135 Gene Shue (24) 17–26
44 January 15 St. Louis W 137–122 Don Ohl (25) 18–26
45 January 18 vs. Cincinnati W 144–128 Gene Shue (41) 19–26
46 January 20 New York W 132–128 Bailey Howell (29) 20–26
47 January 21 vs. Cincinnati W 130–106 Bailey Howell (29) 21–26
48 January 22 Philadelphia W 136–128 Gene Shue (32) 22–26
49 January 24 @ Cincinnati W 106–104 Bailey Howell (29) 23–26
50 January 25 Cincinnati W 138–125 Gene Shue (24) 24–26
51 January 27 @ Boston L 111–140 Dukes, Howell (18) 24–27
52 January 29 @ Los Angeles L 113–137 Gene Shue (21) 24–28
53 January 30 @ Los Angeles L 116–117 Bailey Howell (27) 24–29
54 January 31 vs. Los Angeles W 121–112 Gene Shue (26) 25–29
55 February 1 vs. St. Louis L 131–137 Don Ohl (22) 25–30
56 February 3 Syracuse W 121–118 Bailey Howell (26) 26–30
57 February 4 vs. Syracuse W 111–104 Gene Shue (31) 27–30
58 February 5 Los Angeles L 120–125 Bailey Howell (34) 27–31
59 February 7 @ New York L 120–131 Don Ohl (33) 27–32
60 February 8 Philadelphia W 125–123 Gene Shue (28) 28–32
61 February 10 Boston W 137–134 Gene Shue (35) 29–32
62 February 11 vs. Syracuse L 111–141 Gene Shue (21) 29–33
63 February 12 @ Syracuse L 122–148 Bob Ferry (25) 29–34
64 February 14 @ St. Louis L 134–135 George Lee (31) 29–35
65 February 16 Los Angeles L 106–129 Bob Ferry (25) 29–36
66 February 17 vs. Syracuse L 113–115 Bob Ferry (31) 29–37
67 February 18 St. Louis L 138–141 Bob Ferry (39) 29–38
68 February 21 vs. Syracuse L 118–123 Gene Shue (35) 29–39
69 February 22 New York W 123–117 Gene Shue (29) 30–39
70 February 23 @ Philadelphia L 121–129 Bob Ferry (29) 30–40
71 February 26 Boston L 99–113 Bailey Howell (17) 30–41
72 March 1 @ Cincinnati L 122–137 Don Ohl (33) 30–42
73 March 3 vs. New York W 129–112 George Lee (30) 31–42
74 March 4 @ St. Louis L 102–104 Gene Shue (29) 31–43
75 March 5 St. Louis L 122–127 Bailey Howell (30) 31–44
76 March 8 Los Angeles W 120–103 Bailey Howell (28) 32–44
77 March 9 vs. Boston L 118–119 Gene Shue (30) 32–45
78 March 10 vs. Philadelphia W 120–103 Bailey Howell (35) 33–45
79 March 12 @ New York W 120–106 Howell, Lee (24) 34–45

Playoffs

1961 playoff game log
Division Semifinals: 2–3 (home: 2–0; road: 0–3)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds Location
Attendance		 Series
1 March 14 @ Los Angeles L 102–120 Gene Shue (20) Walter Dukes (11) Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena 0–1
2 March 15 @ Los Angeles L 118–127 McMillon, Shue (24) Walter Dukes (12) Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena
4,253 		0–2
3 March 17 Los Angeles W 124–113 Bob Ferry (30) — Detroit Olympia
3,422 		1–2
4 March 18 Los Angeles W 123–114 Gene Shue (29) — Detroit Olympia 2–2
5 March 19 @ Los Angeles L 120–137 Bob Ferry (25) Bob Ferry (16) Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena
3,705 		2–3
1961 schedule

Awards and records

References

  1. ^ a b c d 1960–61 Detroit Pistons
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Proballers. "Detroit Pistons Schedule (1960-1961)". Proballers. Retrieved October 11, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "1961 NBA Playoffs: Scores by Day". www.landofbasketball.com. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
  4. ^ "PISTONS DEFEAT LAKERS, 124-113: FERRY AND LEE PACE DETROIT IN N.B.A. PLAY-OFF WITH SECOND-PERIOD SURGE". New York Times. March 18, 1961.
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