This is a list of seasons completed by the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association. The franchise was founded in 1937 as a semi-professional company basketball team known as the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons before they joined in the National Basketball League in 1941. In 1948, the franchise joined the Basketball Association of America as the Fort Wayne Pistons, which was the precursor to the NBA. However, the games won and lost in the NBL are not included in the franchise total.
The Pistons have had three main periods of success. In the early years of the NBA, the franchise reached the NBA Finals twice in consecutive years before falling to the Syracuse Nationals and the Philadelphia Warriors. Following an extended era of mediocrity the Pistons, led by the Hall of Fame backcourt of Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars and nicknamed the "Bad Boys" for their intimidating defense, posted winning records every seasons from 1983–84 to 1991–92, and after narrowly losing in 1988, ended the Los Angeles Lakers' dynasty of the 1980s the following season and repeated as NBA champions the following year. The Pistons' third period of success, with former on-court star Dumars serving as general manager and building a top team from other franchises' discards, occurred between 2001–02 and 2007–08 when the team won fifty games or more during every season, including a third NBA title in 2003–04 and a franchise record total of wins two seasons later.
The Pistons have experienced two major periods of failure. Between 1956–57 and 1982–83, the Pistons had just three winning seasons and overall had a winning percentage of , culminating in a combined record of 37–127 (win percent ) in the 1979–80 and 1980–81 seasons, after which the drafting of Thomas completely revitalized the franchise. Between 2009–10 and 2023-2024, the Pistons had only two seasons with at least a .500 winning percentage and made the postseason only two times, both times as an 8th seed who were swept (both sweeps were part of a larger NBA record 15 game playoff losing streak as well as an NBA record 11 game playoff home game losing streak between 2008-2025 (in the case of the overall playoff losing steak) and 2026 (in the case of the home playoff losing streak).
Seasons NBL championsNBA championsConference championsDivision championsPlayoff berth
Conference FinishDivision Finish Wins Losses Win% GBPlayoffsAwards Head coachFort Wayne Zollner Pistons () — 1941–42 — — — 2nd 15 9 .625 5 Won NBL Semifinals (Goodyear Wingfoots) 2–1 Lost NBL Championship (All-Stars) 2–1 Carl Bennett — 1942–43 — — — 1st 17 6 .739 — Won NBL Semifinals (Studebaker Flyers) 2–1 Lost NBL Championship (Red Skins) 2–1 Bobby McDermott (MVP) — 1943–44 — — — 1st 18 4 .818 — Won NBL Semifinals (Chase Brassmen) 2–0 Won NBL Championship (Red Skins) 3–0 Bobby McDermott (MVP, COY) Bobby McDermott — 1944–45 — — Eastern 1st 25 5 .833 — Won Division semifinals (Allmen Transfers) 2–0 Won NBL Championship (Red Skins) 3–2 Bobby McDermott (MVP, COY) — 1945–46 — — Eastern 1st 26 8 .765 — Lost Division semifinals (Royals) 3–1 Bobby McDermott (MVP) Carl Bennett — 1946–47 — — Eastern 2nd 25 19 .568 6 Won Opening Round (Jeeps) 3–2 Lost Division semifinals (Royals) 2–1 Bobby McDermottCarl BennettCurly Armstrong — 1947–48 — — Eastern 3rd 40 20 .667 4 Lost Opening Round (Royals) 3–1 Carl BennettFort Wayne Pistons 1948–49 1948–49 — — Western 5th 22 38 .367 23 Carl BennettCurly Armstrong 1949–50 — — Central 4th 40 28 .588 11 Won Division semifinals (Royals) 2–0 Lost Division finals (Lakers) 2–0 Murray Mendenhall 1950–51 — — Western 3rd 32 36 .471 12 Lost Division semifinals (Royals) 2–1 1951–52 — — Western 4th 29 37 .439 12 Lost Division semifinals (Royals) 2–0 Paul Birch 1952–53 — — Western 3rd 36 33 .522 11.5 Won Division semifinals (Royals) 2–1 Lost Division finals (Lakers) 3–2 Don Meineke (ROY) 1953–54 — — Western 3rd 40 32 .556 6 Lost Round-Robin (Royals) 2–0 Lost Round-Robin (Lakers) 2–0 1954–55 — — Western 1st 43 29 .597 — Won Division finals (Lakers) 3–1 Lost NBA Finals (Nationals) 4–3 Charley Eckman 1955–56 — — Western 1st 37 35 .514 — Won Division finals (Hawks) 3–2 Lost NBA Finals (Warriors) 4–1 1956–57 — — Western 3rd 34 38 .472 — Lost Division semifinals (Lakers) 2–0 Detroit Pistons 1957–58 — — Western 2nd 33 39 8 Won Division semifinals (Royals) 2–0 Lost Division finals (Hawks) 4–1 Charley EckmanRed Rocha 1958–59 — — Western 3rd 28 44 21 Lost Division semifinals (Lakers) 2–1 Red Rocha 1959–60 — — Western 2nd 30 45 16 Lost Division semifinals (Lakers) 2–0 Red RochaDick McGuire 1960–61 — — Western 3rd 34 45 17 Lost Division semifinals (Lakers) 3–2 Dick McGuire 1961–62 — — Western 3rd 37 43 17 Won Division semifinals (Royals) 3–1 Lost Division finals (Lakers) 4–2 1962–63 — — Western 3rd 34 46 19 Lost Division semifinals (Hawks) 3–1 1963–64 — — Western 5th 23 57 25 Charles Wolf 1964–65 — — Western 4th 31 49 18 Charles WolfDave DeBusschere 1965–66 — — Western 5th 22 58 23 Dave DeBusschere 1966–67 — — Western 5th 30 51 14 Dave Bing (ROY) Dave DeBusschereDonnis Butcher 1967–68 — — Eastern 4th 40 42 22 Lost Division semifinals (Celtics) 4–2 Donnis Butcher 1968–69 — — Eastern 6th 32 50 25 Donnis ButcherPaul Seymour 1969–70 — — Eastern 7th 31 51 29 Butch van Breda Kolff 1970–71 Western 6th Midwest 4th 45 37 21 1971–72 Western 8th Midwest 4th 26 56 37 Butch van Breda KolffTerry DischingerEarl Lloyd 1972–73 Western 5th Midwest 3rd 40 42 20 Earl LloydRay Scott 1973–74 Western 4th Midwest 3rd 52 30 7 Lost conference semifinals (Bulls) 4–3 Ray Scott (COY)Bob Lanier (ASG MVP) Ray Scott 1974–75 Western 5th Midwest 3rd 40 42 7 Lost First round (SuperSonics) 2–1 1975–76 Western 5th Midwest 2nd 36 46 2 Won First round (Bucks) 2–1 Lost conference semifinals (Warriors) 4–2 Ray ScottHerb Brown 1976–77 Western 5th Midwest 2nd 44 38 6 Lost First round (Warriors) 2–1 Herb Brown 1977–78 Western 9th Midwest 4th 38 44 10 Bob Lanier (JWKC) Herb BrownBob Kauffman 1978–79 Eastern 9th Central 5th 30 52 18 Dick Vitale 1979–80 Eastern 11th Central 6th 16 66 34 Dick VitaleRichie Adubato 1980–81 Eastern 11th Central 6th 21 61 39 Scotty Robertson 1981–82 Eastern 7th Central 3rd 39 43 16 Kent Benson (JWKC) 1982–83 Eastern 8th Central 3rd 37 45 14 1983–84 Eastern 4th Central 2nd 49 33 1 Lost First round (Knicks) 3–2 Isiah Thomas (ASG MVP) Chuck Daly 1984–85 Eastern 4th Central 2nd 46 36 13 Won First round (Nets) 3–0 Lost conference semifinals (Celtics) 4–2 1985–86 Eastern 5th Central 3rd 46 36 11 Lost First round (Hawks) 3–1 Isiah Thomas (ASG MVP) 1986–87 Eastern 3rd Central 2nd 52 30 5 Won First round (Bullets) 3–0 Won conference semifinals (Hawks) 4–1 Lost conference finals (Celtics) 4–3 Isiah Thomas (JWKC) 1987–88 Eastern 2nd Central 1st 54 28 — Won First round (Bullets) 3–2 Won conference semifinals (Bulls) 4–1 Won conference finals (Celtics) 4–2 Lost NBA Finals (Lakers) 4–3 1988–89 Eastern 1st Central 1st 63 19 — Won First round (Celtics) 3–0 Won conference semifinals (Bucks) 4–0 Won conference finals (Bulls) 4–2 Won NBA Finals (Lakers) 4–0 Joe Dumars (FMVP) 1989–90Eastern 1st Central 1st 59 23 — Won First round (Pacers) 3–0 Won conference semifinals (Knicks) 4–1 Won conference finals (Bulls) 4–3 Won NBA Finals (Trail Blazers) 4–1 Isiah Thomas (FMVP) Dennis Rodman (DPOY) 1990–91 Eastern 3rd Central 2nd 50 32 11 Won First round (Hawks) 3–2 Won conference semifinals (Celtics) 4–2 Lost conference finals (Bulls) 4–0 Dennis Rodman (DPOY) 1991–92 Eastern 5th Central 3rd 48 34 19 Lost First round (Knicks) 3–2 1992–93 Eastern 10th Central 6th 40 42 17 Ron Rothstein 1993–94 Eastern 14th Central 6th 20 62 37 Joe Dumars (JWKC) Don Chaney 1994–95 Eastern 12th Central 7th 28 54 24 Grant Hill (ROY) 1995–96 Eastern 7th Central 5th 46 36 26 Lost First round (Magic) 3–0 Joe Dumars (SPOR) Doug Collins 1996–97 Eastern 5th Central 4th 54 28 15 Lost First round (Hawks) 3–2 1997–98 Eastern 11th Central 6th 37 45 25 Doug CollinsAlvin Gentry 1998–99 Eastern 5th Central 3rd 29 21 4 Lost First round (Hawks) 3–2 Alvin Gentry 1999–00 Eastern 7th Central 5th 42 40 14 Lost First round (Heat) 3–0 Alvin GentryGeorge Irvine 2000–01 Eastern 10th Central 5th 32 50 20 George Irvine 2001–02 Eastern 2nd Central 1st 50 32 — Won First round (Raptors) 3–2 Lost conference semifinals (Celtics) 4–1 Ben Wallace (DPOY)Corliss Williamson (SIX)Rick Carlisle (COY) Rick Carlisle 2002–03 Eastern 1st Central 1st 50 32 — Won First round (Magic) 4–3 Won conference semifinals (76ers) 4–2 Lost conference finals (Nets) 4–0 Ben Wallace (DPOY)Joe Dumars (EOY) 2003–04 Eastern 3rd Central 2nd 54 28 7 Won First round (Bucks) 4–1 Won conference semifinals (Nets) 4–3 Won conference finals (Pacers) 4–2 Won NBA Finals (Lakers) 4–1 Chauncey Billups (FMVP) Larry Brown 2004–05 Eastern 2nd Central 1st 54 28 — Won First round (76ers) 4–1 Won conference semifinals (Pacers) 4–2 Won conference finals (Heat) 4–3 Lost NBA Finals (Spurs) 4–3 Ben Wallace (DPOY) 2005–06 Eastern 1st Central 1st 64 18 — Won First round (Bucks) 4–1 Won conference semifinals (Cavaliers) 4–3 Lost conference finals (Heat) 4–2 Ben Wallace (DPOY) Flip Saunders 2006–07 Eastern 1st Central 1st 53 29 — Won First round (Magic) 4–0 Won conference semifinals (Bulls) 4–2 Lost conference finals (Cavaliers) 4–2 2007–08 Eastern 2nd Central 1st 59 23 — Won First round (76ers) 4–2 Won conference semifinals (Magic) 4–1 Lost conference finals (Celtics) 4–2 Chauncey Billups (JWKC) 2008–09 Eastern 8th Central 3rd 39 43 27 Lost First round (Cavaliers) 4–0 Michael Curry 2009–10 Eastern 12th Central 5th 27 55 34 John Kuester 2010–11 Eastern 11th Central 4th 30 52 32 2011–12 Eastern 10th Central 4th 25 41 25 Lawrence Frank 2012–13 Eastern 11th Central 4th 29 53 20.5 2013–14 Eastern 11th Central 4th 29 53 27 Maurice CheeksJohn Loyer 2014–15 Eastern 12th Central 5th 32 50 21 Stan Van Gundy 2015–16 Eastern 8th Central 3rd 44 38 13 Lost First round (Cavaliers) 4–0 2016–17 Eastern 10th Central 5th 37 45 14 2017–18 Eastern 9th Central 4th 39 43 11 2018–19 Eastern 8th Central 3rd 41 41 19 Lost First round (Bucks) 4–0 Dwane Casey 2019–20 Eastern 13th Central 4th 20 46 32.5 2020–21 Eastern 15th Central 5th 20 52 26 2021–22 Eastern 14th Central 5th 23 59 30 2022–23 Eastern 15th Central 5th 17 65 41 2023–24 Eastern 15th Central 5th 14 68 50 Monty Williams 2024–25 Eastern 6th Central 4th 44 38 20 Lost First round (Knicks) 4–2 J. B. Bickerstaff 2025–26 Eastern 1st Central 1st 60 22 — Won First round (Magic) 4–3Lost conference semifinals (Cavaliers) 4–3
All-time records NBA records StatisticWinsLossesWin%Regular season record (1948–present)2,9313,231Post-season record (1948–present)197193All-time regular and post-season record3,1283,424 Detroit Pistons at Basketball ReferenceDetroit Pistons at Land of Basketball
NBL records StatisticWinsLossesWin%Regular season record (1941–1948)16671Post-season record (1941–1948)2218All-time regular and post-season record18889 NBL records at Basketball ReferenceFort Wayne Zollner Pistons at Basketball Reference
References