Detroit Pistons: 1960 - 1970
Season	W	L	%
1969-1970	31	51	.378
1968-1969	32	50	.390
1967-1968	40	42	.488
1966-1967	30	51	.370
1965-1966	22	58	.275
1964-1965	31	49	.388
1963-1964	23	57	.288
1962-1963	34	46	.425
1961-1962	37	43	.463
1960-1961	34	45	.430

The 1960-61 season began with a great deal of optimism. The Pistons acquired Bob Ferry and Don Ohl and drafted Jackie Moreland. Unfortunately, the optimism soon disappeared, fueled by the Pistons’ inability to win on the road. The Pistons finished their last season at Olympia with a record of 34-45, including a horrible 13-35 on the road. For the third straight year, they would exit in round one of the playoffs.

Though the regular season record may have been similar, the results were far better in 1961-62. The team moved to Cobo Hall and finished with a record of 37-43. They beat Cincinnati 3-1 in the first round of the playoffs and had a chance to get into the Finals, but the U.S. Army granted special leave for Pfc. Elgin Baylor, who played for the L.A. Lakers during the playoffs. Despite rookie Ray Scott’s 34 points in Game One and 26 rebounds in Game Two, the Pistons would lose the series 4-2. They would not get close to the NBA Finals again until 1987.

The good feeling would not carry over to the 1962-63 season. The Pistons began the season by losing 16 of their first 19 games, mostly because they were unable to replace Gene Shue, who had been traded during the off-season and had contributed 19.0 points per game. The Pistons did draft well, however, taking a Detroit kid, Dave DeBusschere from the University of Detroit in the territorial draft. DeBusschere was an outstanding athlete, excelling in baseball, track, and basketball and was a hometown hero, having attended Austin Catholic, and U of D. As DeBusschere rounded into his rookie season, the Pistons finished 31-30, for an overall record of 34-46.

A coaching change, injuries and player turmoil would lead the Pistons to their worst season (1963-64) since coming to Detroit. Displeasure with the coaching staff and injuries to key players led the team to a record of 23-57, a distant 25 games out of first place.

As bad as the 1963-64 season ended, the ’64-65 season would be worse. Broadcaster Don Wattrick, who had little basketball experience, was named general manager and 24-year old Dave Debusschere was named player-coach, the youngest in NBA history. The team would finish 31-49, again failing to make the playoffs

The downward spiral continued into the 1965-66 season. Terry Dischinger did two years in the military and Reggie Harding was suspended for criminal activity. The team finished the final 23 games of the season with a 4-19 mark and an overall record of 22-58. The final insult seemed to come when the Pistons lost a coin flip to the Knicks for Michigan All-American Cazzie Russell.

However, the loss of the coin flip would prove to be a godsend for the Pistons. It enabled the Pistons to draft Dave Bing out of Syracuse. Bing would average 20.0 points per game, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.1 assists to win Rookie of the Year honors. Despite failing to qualify for the playoffs for the fourth straight year, the team’s win total increased by eight and, Donnis Butcher became full-time coach, allowing Dave DeBusschere to concentrate on playing.

The franchise seemed to be turning the corner in 1967-68. They finished the season with their best record since moving to Detroit at 40-42. Dave Bing won the scoring title with 2,142 points (27.1 points per game) and Terry Dischinger returned from his military duty to chip in 13.1 points per game. The Pistons finally returned to the playoffs, only to lose to the eventual NBA Champion Boston Celtics in the first round.

The Pistons mirrored the turmoil of the times in the 1968-69 season. New head coach Paul Seymour traded All-Star DeBusschere to the Knicks for Walt Bellamy and Howie Komives. Though the move was done in an effort to jump-start the team, it backfired. The team went 11-18 after the trade and finished the season 32-50 and missed the playoffs. Debusschere would go on to thrive with the Knicks, winning NBA Championships in 1970 and 1973. He would be elected to the Naismith Hall of Fame in 1983 and would be included in the list of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996.

Before the ’69-70 season, the Pistons hired Butch van Breda Kolff, a proven coach who had guided the Lakers to two consecutive NBA Finals. Unfortunately, the Pistons did not have the Lakers’ frontcourt (which included Wilt Chamberlain) or its backcourt (which included Jerry West) and they finished the season 31-51 and out of the playoffs.

Futility landed them in another coin flip for the number one pick in the 1970 Draft. The Pistons would call it right and win the first pick. With the pick, the team selected Bob Lanier, a 6’11”, left-handed center who averaged 27.6 points per game and 15.7 rebounds per game at St. Bonaventure. The “Dobber” and the new decade brought great promise to the Pistons.