Wikipedia

1960–61 Detroit Pistons season

The 1960–61 NBA 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.

1960–61 Detroit Pistons season
Head coachDick McGuire
ArenaDetroit Olympia
Results
Record34–45 (.430)
PlaceDivision: 3rd (Western)
Playoff finishWest Division Semifinals
(eliminated 2–3)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
< 1959–60 1961–62 >

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

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Season standings

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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

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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]

Record vs. opponents

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1960-61 NBA Records
Team BOS CIN DET LAL NYK PHI STL SYR
Boston — 7–3 8–2 8–2 10–3 8–5 6–4 10–3
Cincinnati 3–7 — 2–11 8–5 8–2 2–8 6–7 4–6
Detroit 2–8 11–2 — 4–9 5–5 5–5 3–10 4–6
Los Angeles 2–8 5–8 9–4 — 7–3 2–8 5–8 6–4
New York 3–10 2–8 5–5 3–7 — 2–11 1–9 5–8
Philadelphia 5–8 8–2 5–5 8–2 11–2 — 3–7 6–7
St. Louis 4–6 7–6 10–3 8–5 9–1 7–3 — 6–4
Syracuse 3–10 6–4 6–4 4–6 8–5 7–6 4–6 —

Game log

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

Playoffs

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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

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References

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  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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