The 1999–2000 Detroit Pistons season was the 52nd season for the Detroit Pistons in the National Basketball Association, and their 43rd season in Detroit, Michigan.
Season summary
Off-season During the off-season, the team re-signed free agents, and former Pistons players Terry Mills, and Michael Curry; the team also signed John Crotty.
For the season, the Pistons revealed new burgundy alternate road uniforms, which featured a black trim and black side panels on their jerseys and shorts, along with teal and golden yellow outlines; these uniforms would remain in use until 2001.
Regular season With the return of Mills and Curry, and after the retirements of All-Star guard Joe Dumars and Bison Dele, the Pistons struggled losing their first four games of the regular season. However, the team won 18 of their next 28 games, which included a six-game winning streak between December and January, but soon posted a six-game losing streak in January, and later on held a 25–23 record at the All-Star break. At mid-season, Don Reid was released to free agency, and later on signed with the Washington Wizards, while head coach Alvin Gentry was fired after a 28–30 start, and was replaced with assistant coach George Irvine as an interim coach. Under Irvine, the Pistons won 14 of their final 24 games of the season, and finished in fourth place in the Central Division with a 42–40 record, earning the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference.
Grant Hill averaged 25.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.4 steals per game, and was named to the All-NBA Second Team, while Jerry Stackhouse averaged 23.6 points, 4.5 assists and 1.3 steals per game, and Lindsey Hunter provided the team with 12.7 points, 4.0 assists and 1.6 steals per game, and also led them with 168 three-point field goals. In addition, Christian Laettner provided with 12.2 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, while Jerome Williams played a sixth man role off the bench, averaging 8.4 points and 9.6 rebounds per game, and Mills contributed 6.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. Off the bench, second-year center Mikki Moore averaged 7.9 points and 3.9 rebounds per game, but only played just 29 games, while Curry provided with 6.2 points per game, and Crotty contributed 4.7 points per game.
During the NBA All-Star weekend at The Arena in Oakland in Oakland, California, Hill and Stackhouse were both selected for the 2000 NBA All-Star Game, as members of the Eastern Conference All-Star team; it was Stackhouse's first ever All-Star appearance. In addition, Hill also participated in the NBA 2Ball Competition, along with Jennifer Azzi of the WNBA's Detroit Shock, while Stackhouse participated in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest for the second time. Hill also finished in eighth place in Most Valuable Player voting, while Stackhouse finished in third place in Most Improved Player voting, and Williams finished in fifth place in Sixth Man of the Year voting.
The Pistons finished 16th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 678,470 at The Palace of Auburn Hills during the regular season.
NBA playoffs In the Eastern Conference First Round of the 2000 NBA playoffs, the Pistons faced off against the 2nd–seeded, and Atlantic Division champion Miami Heat, who were led by All-Star center, and Defensive Player of the Year, Alonzo Mourning, Jamal Mashburn and P.J. Brown. The Heat were without Tim Hardaway, who was out due to a knee injury. However, prior to the playoffs, Hill suffered a devastating ankle injury during the final month of the regular season, and then re-injured his ankle during Game 2, in which the Pistons lost to the Heat on the road, 84–82 at the American Airlines Arena. Without Hill, the Pistons lost Game 3 to the Heat at home, 91–72 at The Palace of Auburn Hills, thus losing the series in a three-game sweep.
Aftermath Following the season, Hill was traded to the Orlando Magic after six seasons with the Pistons, while Hunter was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. Meanwhile, Laettner and Mills were both dealt to the Dallas Mavericks, while Loy Vaught was traded to the Mavericks in a separate trade, and Crotty re-signed with his former team, the Utah Jazz. However, Mills was released by the Mavericks, and signed as a free agent with the Indiana Pacers.
Draft picks
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 2 54 Melvin Levett SG Cincinnati
Roster
Regular season
Season standings
z - clinched division title y - clinched division title x - clinched playoff spot
Game log
| 1 | November 2 | @ Miami | | Grant Hill (41) | Laettner & Williams (11) | Grant Hill (5) | Miami Arena14,623 | 0–1 |- | 2 | November 3 | @ Orlando | | Grant Hill (30) | Jerome Williams (12) | Grant Hill (7) | TD Waterhouse Centre14,253 | 0–2 |- | 3 | November 5 | New York | | Jerry Stackhouse (30) | Jerome Williams (12) | Grant Hill (6) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills22,076 | 0–3 |- | 4 | November 6 | @ Milwaukee | | Jerry Stackhouse (20) | Grant Hill (8) | Hill & Hunter (7) | Bradley Center18,374 | 0–4 |- | 5 | November 10 | @ Boston | | Jerry Stackhouse (30) | Jerome Williams (16) | Lindsey Hunter (9) | FleetCenter15,638 | 1–4 |- | 6 | November 11 | Toronto | | Grant Hill (25) | Jerome Williams (10) | Jerry Stackhouse (7) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills13,157 | 1–5 |- | 7 | November 13 | Seattle | | Grant Hill (34) | Williams & Mills (11) | Jerry Stackhouse (8) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills14,266 | 2–5 |- | 8 | November 16 | @ Toronto | | Stackhouse & Williams (26) | Jerome Williams (10) | Grant Hill (10) | Air Canada Centre14,273 | 2–6 |- | 9 | November 17 | New Jersey | | Grant Hill (32) | Jerome Williams (14) | Christian Laettner (6) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills12,683 | 3–6 |- | 10 | November 19 | Cleveland | | Grant Hill (28) | Hill & Williams (10) | Lindsey Hunter (7) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills15,377 | 4–6 |- | 11 | November 21 | Milwaukee | | Grant Hill (31) | Laettner & Williams (12) | Grant Hill (7) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills13,163 | 5–6 |- | 12 | November 25 | @ Indiana | | Jerry Stackhouse (26) | Stackhouse & Williams (9) | Jerry Stackhouse (6) | Conseco Fieldhouse18,345 | 6–6 |- | 13 | November 26 | Atlanta | | Grant Hill (30) | Jerome Williams (13) | Hill & Stackhouse (4) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills17,891 | 7–6 |- | 14 | November 28 | Orlando | | Grant Hill (24) | Jerome Williams (13) | Jerry Stackhouse (10) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills13,212 | 7–7 |- | 15 | November 30 | @ San Antonio | | Grant Hill (30) | Don Reid (7) | Hunter & Crotty (5) | Alamodome18,328 | 7–8
| 16 | December 1 | @ Denver | | Grant Hill (39) | Grant Hill (7) | Jerry Stackhouse (4) | Pepsi Center11,881 | 7–9 |- | 17 | December 3 | San Antonio | | Grant Hill (28) | Terry Mills (10) | Grant Hill (6) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills18,338 | 8–9 |- | 18 | December 4 | @ Atlanta | | Grant Hill (33) | Grant Hill (10) | Grant Hill (6) | Philips Arena17,328 | 8–10 |- | 19 | December 7 | @ Milwaukee | | Grant Hill (31) | Jerome Williams (10) | Grant Hill (12) | Bradley Center12,847 | 9–10 |- | 20 | December 10 | L.A. Clippers | | Grant Hill (27) | Hill & Williams (12) | Lindsey Hunter (8) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills15,249 | 10–10 |- | 21 | December 12 | @ L.A. Lakers | | Grant Hill (25) | Grant Hill (12) | Grant Hill (7) | STAPLES Center18,875 | 10–11 |- | 22 | December 14 | @ Phoenix | | Jerry Stackhouse (35) | Jerome Williams (10) | Jerry Stackhouse (7) | America West Arena18,575 | 10–12 |- | 23 | December 16 | @ Golden State | | Grant Hill (25) | Hill & Williams (8) | Jerry Stackhouse (11) | The Arena in Oakland10,249 | 11–12 |- | 24 | December 18 | Philadelphia | | Jerry Stackhouse (26) | Jerome Williams (16) | Grant Hill (7) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills16,792 | 12–12 |- | 25 | December 20 | @ Philadelphia | | Grant Hill (32) | Terry Mills (8) | Hill & Stackhouse (6) | First Union Center16,520 | 12–13 |- | 26 | December 21 | Washington | | Grant Hill (25) | Jerome Williams (11) | Terry Mills (4) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills14,181 | 12–14 |- | 27 | December 26 | Charlotte | | Grant Hill (30) | Jerome Williams (21) | Lindsey Hunter (7) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills15,339 | 13–14 |- | 28 | December 29 | @ Chicago | | Jerry Stackhouse (23) | Jerome Williams (12) | Grant Hill (5) | United Center22,363 | 14–14 |- | 29 | December 30 | Atlanta | | Jerry Stackhouse (33) | 3 players tied (9) | Grant Hill (12) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills18,891 | 15–14
| 30 | January 3 | @ Orlando | | Grant Hill (42) | Christian Laettner (14) | Grant Hill (8) | TD Waterhouse Centre12,568 | 16–14 |- | 31 | January 5 | @ Atlanta | | Grant Hill (42) | Christian Laettner (12) | Jerry Stackhouse (7) | Philips Arena15,849 | 17–14 |- | 32 | January 6 | Milwaukee | | Grant Hill (31) | Jerome Williams (17) | Hill & Hunter (7) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills14,233 | 18–14 |- | 33 | January 8 | Minnesota | | Grant Hill (40) | Jerome Williams (12) | Grant Hill (9) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills20,529 | 18–15 |- | 34 | January 12 | New York | | 3 players tied (29) | Christian Laettner (9) | Grant Hill (7) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills16,619 | 19–15 |- | 35 | January 14 | Washington | | Jerry Stackhouse (32) | Jerome Williams (13) | Lindsey Hunter (6) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills16,008 | 20–15 |- | 36 | January 15 | @ Washington | | Grant Hill (39) | Jerome Williams (14) | Hill & Hunter (5) | MCI Center17,072 | 21–15 |- | 37 | January 17 | @ New York | | Christian Laettner (23) | Jerome Williams (12) | Jerry Stackhouse (9) | Madison Square Garden19,763 | 21–16 |- | 38 | January 20 | @ New Jersey | | Laettner & Stackhouse (28) | Christian Laettner (8) | Jerry Stackhouse (9) | Continental Airlines Arena15,222 | 21–17 |- | 39 | January 22 | @ Chicago | | Terry Mills (20) | Terry Mills (9) | Jerry Stackhouse (6) | United Center22,191 | 21–18 |- | 40 | January 23 | Dallas | | Jerry Stackhouse (36) | Jerome Williams (10) | Lindsey Hunter (7) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills13,047 | 21–19 |- | 41 | January 25 | @ Cleveland | | Jerry Stackhouse (38) | Terry Mills (12) | Jerry Stackhouse (7) | Gund Arena10,930 | 21–20 |- | 42 | January 27 | @ Charlotte | | Jerry Stackhouse (34) | Jerome Williams (7) | Jerry Stackhouse (6) | Charlotte Coliseum16,238 | 21–21 |- | 43 | January 29 | Philadelphia | | Jerry Stackhouse (26) | Christian Laettner (16) | Jerry Stackhouse (5) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills20,158 | 22–21 |- | 44 | January 31 | @ Miami | | Jerry Stackhouse (17) | Jerome Williams (9) | Jerry Stackhouse (5) | American Airlines Arena19,128 | 22–22
| 45 | February 2 | Sacramento | | Jerry Stackhouse (35) | Jerome Williams (16) | Jerry Stackhouse (5) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills20,259 | 22–23 |- | 46 | February 4 | Cleveland | | Lindsey Hunter (26) | Christian Laettner (10) | Lindsey Hunter (10) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills16,903 | 23–23 |- | 47 | February 6 | Houston | | Grant Hill (36) | Jerome Williams (9) | Jerry Stackhouse (7) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills15,388 | 24–23 |- | 48 | February 9 | Toronto | | Grant Hill (30) | Grant Hill (13) | Hill & Crotty (4) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills17,710 | 25–23 |- align="center" |colspan="9" bgcolor="#bbcaff"|All-Star Break |- style="background:#cfc;" |- | 49 | February 15 | @ Houston | | Jerry Stackhouse (29) | Grant Hill (11) | Grant Hill (6) | Compaq Center14,453 | 25–24 |- | 50 | February 17 | @ Dallas | | Jerry Stackhouse (22) | Jerome Williams (17) | Grant Hill (6) | Reunion Arena16,241 | 25–25 |- | 51 | February 19 | @ Utah | | Lindsey Hunter (24) | Grant Hill (9) | Grant Hill (8) | Delta Center19,911 | 25–26 |- | 52 | February 21 | Miami | | Grant Hill (26) | 3 players tied (9) | Jerry Stackhouse (9) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills15,413 | 26–26 |- | 53 | February 23 | Indiana | | Grant Hill (24) | Terry Mills (7) | Grant Hill (6) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills16,371 | 26–27 |- | 54 | February 25 | Golden State | | Grant Hill (30) | Jerome Williams (12) | Jerry Stackhouse (7) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills17,599 | 27–27 |- | 55