The 1994–95 Detroit Pistons season was the 47th season for the Detroit Pistons in the National Basketball Association, and their 38th season in Detroit, Michigan.

Season summary

Off-season After finishing with a miserable 20–62 record the previous season, along with the retirements of Bill Laimbeer and Isiah Thomas, the Pistons received the third overall pick in the 1994 NBA draft, and selected small forward Grant Hill out of Duke University. The team also signed free agents Oliver Miller, Johnny Dawkins, and Rafael Addison, and acquired Mark West from the Phoenix Suns during the off-season.

For the season, the Pistons revealed new red alternate road uniforms, which featured a blue and white trim, and blue side panels with white inlines on their jerseys and shorts; these uniforms would remain in use until the franchise's 1996 teal-colored rebrand.

Regular season With the addition of Hill, Miller, Dawkins and West, the Pistons played above .500 in winning percentage with an 8–7 start to the regular season. However, the team struggled losing 13 of their next 14 games, which included an eight-game losing streak between December and January, and later on held a 17–29 record at the All-Star break. Second-year guard Lindsey Hunter only played just 42 games due to foot and ankle injuries, and Dawkins was released to free agency after 50 games. The Pistons posted a six-game losing streak in March, and lost eight of their final nine games of the season, finishing in last place in the Central Division with a 28–54 record.

Hill became an immediate fan favorite averaging 19.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.8 steals per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, and was also named the co-NBA Rookie of the Year along with Jason Kidd of the Dallas Mavericks, while Joe Dumars averaged 18.1 points and 5.5 assists per game, and contributed 103 three-point field goals. In addition, Terry Mills provided the team with 15.5 points and 7.8 rebounds per game, while second-year guard Allan Houston showed improvement averaging 14.5 points per game, and leading the Pistons with 158 three-point field goals, and Miller averaged 8.5 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game. Meanwhile, Addison contributed 8.3 points per game off the bench, but was released by the team to free agency shortly before the regular season had ended, while Hunter contributed 7.5 points, 3.8 assists and 1.2 steals per game, and West provided with 7.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game.

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the America West Arena in Phoenix, Arizona, Hill and Dumars were both selected for the 1995 NBA All-Star Game, as members of the Eastern Conference All-Star team; it was Hill's first ever All-Star appearance, as he also became the first rookie ever to lead in All-Star voting. Houston finished in fifth place in Most Improved Player voting. The Pistons finished eighth in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 719,090 at The Palace of Auburn Hills during the regular season.

Aftermath Following the season, Miller was left unprotected in the 1995 NBA expansion draft, where he was selected by the Toronto Raptors expansion team, and head coach Don Chaney was fired.

Draft picks

Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 1 3 Grant Hill SF Duke 2 48 Jevon Crudup PF Missouri

Roster

Roster Notes Small forward Rafael Addison was waived on April 19, 1995.

Regular season

Season standings

z - clinched division title y - clinched division title x - clinched playoff spot

Game log

|- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc" | 1 | November 4 | L.A. Lakers | L 98–115 | Grant Hill (25) | Mark West (13) | Grant Hill (5) | The Palace of Auburn Hills21,454 | 0–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bfb" | 2 | November 5 | @ Atlanta | W 114–109 (OT) | Grant Hill (24) | Terry Mills (10) | Joe Dumars (6) | The Omni11,587 | 1–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bfb" | 3 | November 8 | Minnesota | W 126–112 | Joe Dumars (40) | Rafael Addison,Lindsey Hunter (5) | Lindsey Hunter (9) | The Palace of Auburn Hills13,424 | 2–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bfb" | 4 | November 10 | Indiana | W 112–110 | Grant Hill (23) | Terry Mills (11) | Lindsey Hunter (7) | The Palace of Auburn Hills15,355 | 3–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc" | 5 | November 12 | @ Charlotte | L 100–113 | Grant Hill (25) | Terry Mills,Oliver Miller,Johnny Dawkins (6) | Lindsey Hunter (4) | Charlotte Coliseum23,698 | 3–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bfb" | 6 | November 15 | Philadelphia | W 99–98 | Grant Hill (22) | Terry Mills (12) | Lindsey Hunter (7) | The Palace of Auburn Hills14,189 | 4–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bfb" | 7 | November 17 | @ Denver | W 94–92 | Joe Dumars (21) | Grant Hill (7) | Johnny Dawkins (6) | McNichols Sports Arena17,171 | 5–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc" | 8 | November 18 | @ Utah | L 96–121 | Grant Hill (16) | Eric Leckner,Oliver Miller,Bill Curley (5) | Johnny Dawkins (5) | Delta Center19,911 | 5–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc" | 9 | November 20 | @ Portland | L 96–98 | Joe Dumars (35) | Terry Mills (6) | Grant Hill,Johnny Dawkins (5) | Memorial Coliseum12,888 | 5–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bfb" | 10 | November 23 | Milwaukee | W 113–108 | Terry Mills (24) | Terry Mills (14) | Grant Hill (7) | The Palace of Auburn Hills21,454 | 6–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc" | 11 | November 25 | Miami | L 97–111 | Terry Mills (21) | Terry Mills,Mark West (10) | Lindsey Hunter,Joe Dumars (5) | The Palace of Auburn Hills20,284 | 6–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bfb" | 12 | November 27 | Golden State | W 106–91 | Joe Dumars,Grant Hill (21) | Terry Mills (14) | Johnny Dawkins (8) | The Palace of Auburn Hills15,189 | 7–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc" | 13 | November 30 | @ Boston | L 115–118 | Terry Mills (37) | Oliver Miller (15) | Joe Dumars (9) | Boston Garden14,890 | 7–6

|- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc" | 14 | December 2 | @ Washington | L 104–115 | Grant Hill (28) | Terry Mills (9) | Joe Dumars (5) | USAir Arena18,756 | 7–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bfb" | 15 | December 3 | Phoenix | W 107–97 | Grant Hill (19) | Oliver Miller (10) | Grant Hill,Johnny Dawkins,Joe Dumars (4) | The Palace of Auburn Hills21,454 | 8–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc" | 16 | December 6 | @ Indiana | L 83–90 | Terry Mills (16) | Oliver Miller,Grant Hill (7) | Oliver Miller (5) | Market Square Arena14,361 | 8–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc" | 17 | December 9 | Chicago | L 96–117 | Lindsey Hunter,Oliver Miller (18) | Oliver Miller (10) | Johnny Dawkins (6) | The Palace of Auburn Hills21,454 | 8–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc" | 18 | December 10 | @ Cleveland | L 79–87 | Allan Houston (28) | Terry Mills (9) | Johnny Dawkins (6) | Gund Arena19,129 | 8–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc" | 19 | December 13 | @ Chicago | L 78–98 | Joe Dumars,Terry Mills (16) | Terry Mills (13) | Joe Dumars (5) | United Center22,224 | 8–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc" | 20 | December 14 | Charlotte | L 93–106 | Grant Hill (21) | Mark West (17) | Joe Dumars (9) | The Palace of Auburn Hills15,528 | 8–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bfb" | 21 | December 17 | @ Philadelphia | W 97–92 | Terry Mills (32) | Terry Mills (7) | Joe Dumars (7) | CoreStates Spectrum11,642 | 9–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc" | 22 | December 21 | @ New Jersey | L 99–117 | Terry Mills (25) | Eric Leckner (9) | Johnny Dawkins,Grant Hill (6) | Brendan Byrne Arena11,380 | 9–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc" | 23 | December 23 | Atlanta | L 77–97 | Allan Houston (23) | Oliver Miller (13) | Grant Hill,Joe Dumars (5) | The Palace of Auburn Hills21,454 | 9–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc" | 24 | December 27 | Milwaukee | L 88–98 | Terry Mills (23) | Terry Mills (11) | Grant Hill (8) | The Palace of Auburn Hills18,209 | 9–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc" | 25 | December 28 | @ New York | L 93–101 | Joe Dumars (24) | Grant Hill,Oliver Miller (7) | Joe Dumars (6) | Madison Square Garden19,763 | 9–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc" | 26 | December 30 | Boston | L 107–124 | Terry Mills (23) | Terry Mills,Eric Leckner (6) | Grant Hill (7) | The Palace of Auburn Hills19,178 | 9–17

|- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc" | 27 | January 3 | @ L.A. Lakers | L 96–105 | Terry Mills (24) | Terry Mills (8) | Johnny Dawkins (10) | Great Western Forum13,228 | 9–18 |- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc" | 28 | January 5 | @ Sacramento | L 88–94 | Joe Dumars (24) | Terry Mills (11) | Terry Mills (5) | ARCO Arena17,317 | 9–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc" | 29 | January 8 | Orlando | L 88–108 | Joe Dumars (19) | Rafael Addison (11) | Joe Dumars (11) | The Palace of Auburn Hills21,454 | 9–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bfb" | 30 | January 10 | New Jersey | W 98–84 | Joe Dumars (32) | Terry Mills (15) | Johnny Dawkins,Negele Knight (6) | The Palace of Auburn Hills14,256 | 10–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc" | 31 | January 11 | @ Orlando | L 107–124 | Joe Dumars (21) | Terry Mills,Allan Houston (7) | Negele Knight (8) | Orlando Arena16,010 | 10–21 |- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc" | 32 | January 13 | @ Minnesota | L 92–104 | Joe Dumars (32) | Terry Mills,Eric Leckner (8) | Joe Dumars (8) | Orlando Arena16,010 | 10–22 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bfb" | 33 | January 16 | @ Philadelphia | W 116–110 | Joe Dumars (35) | Terry Mills,Eric Leckner (7) | Johnny Dawkins (12) | CoreStates Spectrum10,768 | 11–22 |- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc" | 34 | January 18 | Utah | L 86–99 | Rafael Addison (23) | Terry Mills (13) | Allan Houston,Joe Dumars (7) | The Palace of Auburn Hills14,755 | 11–23 |- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc" | 35 | January 20 | Houston | L 96–106 | Terry Mills (33) | Terry Mills (9) | Joe Dumars (8) | The Palace of Auburn Hills21,454 | 11–24 |- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc" | 36 | January 21 | @ Milwaukee | L 100–120 | Joe Dumars (29) | Terry Mills (7) | Johnny Dawkins (9) | Bradley Center18,633 | 11–25 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bfb" | 37 | January 24 | Philadelphia | W 116–105 | Allan Houston (32) | Terry Mills,Rafael Addison (7) | Johnny Dawkins (10) | The Palace of Auburn Hills13,613 | 12–25 |- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc" | 38 | January 26 | Portland | L 89–106 | Mark West (15) | Terry Mills,Oliver Miller (7) | Negele Knight (10) | The Palace of Auburn Hills13,850 | 12–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bfb" | 39 | January 28 | Miami | W 89–85 | Grant Hill (14) | Oliver Miller (16) | Joe Dumars (7) | The Palace of Auburn Hills15,345 | 13–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bfb" | 40 | January 30 | L.A. Clippers | W 102–95 | Grant Hill (27) | Oliver Miller (9) | Joe Dumars (14) | The Palace of Auburn Hills12,657 | 14–26

|- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc" | 41 | February 1 | @ Miami | L 75–98 | Terry Mills (20) | Terry Mills (9) | Grant Hill (5) | Miami Arena14,304 | 14–27 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bfb" | 42 | February 2 | Cleveland | W 85–83 | Grant Hill (22) | Terry Mills (9) | Negele Knight (7) | The Palace of Auburn Hills13,286 | 15–27 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bfb" | 43 | February 4 | Atlanta | W 84–78 | Grant Hill (22) | Terry Mills (17) | Grant Hill (6) | The Palace of Auburn Hills21,454 | 16–27 |- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc" | 44 | February 6 | @ New Jersey | L 97–101 | Joe Dumars (27) | Mark West (8) | Grant Hill (5) | Brendan Byrne Arena11,054 | 16–28 |- align="center" bgcolor="#bfb" | 45 | February 7 | Washington | W 119–115 | Joe Dumars (43) | Terry Mills (11) | Terry Mills (7) | The Palace of Auburn Hills18,155 | 17–28 |- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc" | 46 | February 8 | Washington | L 78–106 | Rafael Addison (25) | Mark West (8) | Johnny Dawkins,Negele Knight (4) | The Palace of Auburn Hills15,784 | 17–29 |- align="center" |colspan="9" bgcolor="#bbcaff"|All-Star Break |- style="background:#cfc;" |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" |- align="center" bgcolor="#bfb" | 47 | February 14 | New York | W 106–94 | Grant Hill (25) | Terry Mills (9) | Grant Hill (8) | The Palace of Auburn Hills15,513 | 18–29 |- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc" | 48 | February 15 | @ Indiana | L 88–114