Last Updated on July 29, 2026 by Mat Diekhake
League Search Page > NBA > Detroit Pistons > Roster & Statistics
The 1972–73 Detroit Pistons were built around the outstanding inside-out combination of Bob Lanier and Dave Bing, with Lanier dominating as the team’s leading scorer, rebounder, and interior defender while Bing directed the offence through his scoring and playmaking. Curtis Rowe added valuable frontcourt production, giving Detroit another reliable contributor. The Pistons’ statistical profile reflected a balanced offence with strong rebounding and capable ball movement, though inconsistent defensive results limited their overall effectiveness.
Roster
| No. | Player | Pos | Height | Weight | DOB | Age | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Don Adams | SF | 6’6″ | 210 | 11/27/1947 | 25 | Northwestern |
| 21 | Dave Bing | PG | 6’3″ | 180 | 11/24/1943 | 29 | Syracuse |
| 20 | Jim Davis | C | 6’9″ | 225 | 12/18/1941 | 31 | Colorado |
| 42 | Chris Ford | SG | 6’5″ | 190 | 1/11/1949 | 24 | Villanova |
| 25 | Fred Foster | SF | 6’5″ | 210 | 3/18/1946 | 26 | Miami (OH) |
| 16 | Bob Lanier | C | 6’11” | 250 | 9/10/1948 | 24 | St. Bonaventure |
| 15 | Stu Lantz | SG | 6’3″ | 185 | 7/13/1946 | 26 | Nebraska |
| 23 | John Mengelt | SG | 6’2″ | 185 | 10/16/1949 | 23 | Auburn |
| 24 | Willie Norwood | PF | 6’7″ | 220 | 8/8/1947 | 25 | Alcorn State |
| 12 | Bob Nash | SF | 6’8″ | 220 | 8/24/1950 | 22 | Hawaii |
| 22 | Erwin Mueller | PF | 6’8″ | 230 | 3/12/1944 | 28 | San Francisco |
| 11 | Harvey Marlatt | SG | 6’3″ | 185 | 8/14/1948 | 24 | Eastern Michigan |
| 14 | Justus Thigpen | SG | 6’1″ | 180 | 8/30/1947 | 25 | Weber State |
| 18 | Curtis Rowe | PF | 6’7″ | 225 | 7/2/1949 | 23 | UCLA |
Regular Season Per Game
| PLR | POS | AGE | GP | GS | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bob Lanier | C | 24 | 81 | 81 | 38.9 | 23.8 | 14.9 | 3.2 | – | – | – | 20.4 | 10.0 | .490 | – | – | – | 4.9 | 3.8 | .773 |
| Dave Bing | PG | 29 | 82 | 82 | 41.0 | 22.4 | 3.6 | 7.8 | – | – | – | 18.8 | 8.4 | .448 | – | – | – | 6.8 | 5.6 | .814 |
| Curtis Rowe | PF | 23 | 81 | 81 | 37.1 | 16.1 | 9.4 | 2.1 | – | – | – | 13.0 | 6.8 | .519 | – | – | – | 4.0 | 2.6 | .642 |
| John Mengelt | SG | 23 | 67 | 67 | 21.4 | 10.5 | 2.4 | 1.9 | – | – | – | 8.7 | 4.4 | .504 | – | – | – | 2.1 | 1.7 | .823 |
| Stu Lantz | SG | 26 | 51 | 51 | 31.4 | 9.6 | 3.4 | 2.7 | – | – | – | 8.9 | 3.6 | .407 | – | – | – | 2.9 | 2.4 | .800 |
| Don Adams | SF | 25 | 70 | 70 | 25.7 | 9.3 | 6.0 | 1.6 | – | – | – | 9.1 | 3.7 | .402 | – | – | – | 2.5 | 2.0 | .784 |
| Fred Foster | SF | 26 | 63 | 63 | 23.2 | 8.7 | 2.9 | 1.5 | – | – | – | 10.0 | 3.9 | .388 | – | – | – | 1.4 | 1.0 | .701 |
| Willie Norwood | SF | 25 | 79 | 79 | 16.2 | 8.3 | 4.1 | 0.7 | – | – | – | 6.4 | 3.2 | .494 | – | – | – | 2.8 | 1.9 | .684 |
| Chris Ford | SG | 24 | 74 | 74 | 20.8 | 6.4 | 3.6 | 2.6 | – | – | – | 5.9 | 2.8 | .479 | – | – | – | 1.3 | 0.8 | .645 |
| Jim Davis | C | 31 | 73 | 73 | 10.6 | 4.6 | 3.6 | 0.8 | – | – | – | 3.5 | 1.8 | .510 | – | – | – | 1.6 | 1.0 | .632 |
| Justus Thigpen | SG | 25 | 18 | 18 | 5.5 | 2.6 | 0.5 | 0.4 | – | – | – | 3.2 | 1.3 | .404 | – | – | – | 0.0 | 0.0 | – |
| Bob Nash | SF | 22 | 36 | 36 | 4.7 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 0.4 | – | – | – | 2.0 | 0.4 | .222 | – | – | – | 0.5 | 0.3 | .647 |
| Erwin Mueller | PF | 28 | 21 | 21 | 3.8 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.3 | – | – | – | 1.5 | 0.4 | .290 | – | – | – | 0.3 | 0.2 | .714 |
| Harvey Marlatt | SG | 24 | 7 | 7 | 3.7 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.6 | – | – | – | 0.6 | 0.3 | .500 | – | – | – | 0.0 | 0.0 | – |
| Team Totals | – | – | 82 | – | 241.2 | 110.3 | 50.1 | 23.0 | – | – | – | 96.5 | 44.7 | .463 | – | – | – | 28.0 | 20.9 | .745 |
Regular Season Totals
| PLR | POS | AGE | GP | GS | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bob Lanier | C | 24 | 81 | 81 | 3150 | 1927 | 1205 | 260 | – | – | – | 1654 | 810 | .490 | – | – | – | 397 | 307 | .773 |
| Dave Bing | PG | 29 | 82 | 82 | 3361 | 1840 | 298 | 637 | – | – | – | 1545 | 692 | .448 | – | – | – | 560 | 456 | .814 |
| Curtis Rowe | PF | 23 | 81 | 81 | 3009 | 1304 | 760 | 172 | – | – | – | 1053 | 547 | .519 | – | – | – | 327 | 210 | .642 |
| John Mengelt | SG | 23 | 67 | 67 | 1435 | 704 | 159 | 128 | – | – | – | 583 | 294 | .504 | – | – | – | 141 | 116 | .823 |
| Don Adams | SF | 25 | 70 | 70 | 1798 | 652 | 419 | 112 | – | – | – | 640 | 257 | .402 | – | – | – | 176 | 138 | .784 |
| Willie Norwood | SF | 25 | 79 | 79 | 1282 | 652 | 324 | 56 | – | – | – | 504 | 249 | .494 | – | – | – | 225 | 154 | .684 |
| Fred Foster | SF | 26 | 63 | 63 | 1460 | 547 | 183 | 94 | – | – | – | 627 | 243 | .388 | – | – | – | 87 | 61 | .701 |
| Stu Lantz | SG | 26 | 51 | 51 | 1603 | 490 | 172 | 138 | – | – | – | 455 | 185 | .407 | – | – | – | 150 | 120 | .800 |
| Chris Ford | SG | 24 | 74 | 74 | 1537 | 476 | 266 | 194 | – | – | – | 434 | 208 | .479 | – | – | – | 93 | 60 | .645 |
| Jim Davis | C | 31 | 73 | 73 | 771 | 334 | 261 | 56 | – | – | – | 257 | 131 | .510 | – | – | – | 114 | 72 | .632 |
| Justus Thigpen | SG | 25 | 18 | 18 | 99 | 46 | 9 | 8 | – | – | – | 57 | 23 | .404 | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | – |
| Bob Nash | SF | 22 | 36 | 36 | 169 | 43 | 34 | 16 | – | – | – | 72 | 16 | .222 | – | – | – | 17 | 11 | .647 |
| Erwin Mueller | PF | 28 | 21 | 21 | 80 | 23 | 14 | 7 | – | – | – | 31 | 9 | .290 | – | – | – | 7 | 5 | .714 |
| Harvey Marlatt | SG | 24 | 7 | 7 | 26 | 4 | 1 | 4 | – | – | – | 4 | 2 | .500 | – | – | – | 0 | 0 | – |
| Team Totals | – | – | 82 | – | 19780 | 9042 | 4105 | 1882 | – | – | – | 7916 | 3666 | .463 | – | – | – | 2294 | 1710 | .745 |
HeatingUp Impact Index: Team Impact Spotlight
| Player Name | Role Tier | MPG | Usage Tier | PPG | RPG | APG | STK (SPG+BPG) | Impact Index* | Notes | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bob Lanier | Core Anchor | 38.9 | High | 23.8 | 14.9 | 3.2 | N/A | ≈ (23.8+14.9+3.2)/2 = ~21.0 | As the team’s center, Lanier provided elite inside scoring and rebounding — a classic “go-to paint anchor.” His double‑double production (PPG + RPG) underpinned Detroit’s offensive and defensive structure. Sources note he was a complete big man with soft touch, solid mid‑range, and good passing/reflection for a center. | AS |
| Dave Bing | Primary Playmaker‑Scorer | 41.0 | High | 22.4 | 3.6 | 7.8 | N/A | ≈ (22.4+3.6+7.8)/2 = ~16.9 | Bing functioned as a scoring point guard — he carried the offense, initiating plays but also shouldering much of the scoring load. Known for smooth athleticism and being more scoring‑oriented than typical floor‑generals of his time. | AS |
| Curtis Rowe | Frontcourt Secondary | 37.1 | Medium | 16.1 | 9.4 | 2.1 | N/A | ≈ (16.1+9.4+2.1)/2 = ~13.8 | Rowe offered balanced frontcourt value: solid scoring with efficient shooting (your FG% shows .519) and strong rebounding. As a PF with reliable minutes, he added inside presence and secondary scoring. His outside-of-star‑rear depth helped stabilize the frontcourt alongside Lanier. | — |
| John Mengelt | Rotation Shooter | 21.4 | Medium‑Low | 10.5 | 2.4 | 1.9 | N/A | ≈ (10.5+2.4+1.9)/2 = ~7.4 | Came off the bench or mixed into rotation — provided modest scoring punch and spacing with >.500 FG. A complementary guard/wing rather than focal option. | — |
| Stu Lantz | Secondary Perimeter Contributor | 31.4 | Medium‑Low | 9.6 | 3.4 | 2.7 | N/A | ≈ (9.6+3.4+2.7)/2 = ~7.85 | As a guard/wing, Lantz played steady minutes, offering some scoring and playmaking. Less usage than stars but likely contributed in spacing and outside shooting. | — |
| Don Adams | Wing Role‑Player | 25.7 | Low‑Medium | 9.3 | 6.0 | 1.6 | N/A | ≈ (9.3+6.0+1.6)/2 = ~8.45 | Played a complementary SF role: contributed moderately on both ends, and his 6.0 RPG suggests he helped on the boards from the wing — underscoring role‑player value beyond scoring. | — |
| Fred Foster | Reserve/Role Wing | 23.2 | Low | 8.7 | 2.9 | 1.5 | N/A | ≈ (8.7+2.9+1.5)/2 = ~6.55 | Provided bench depth on the wing or forward — modest scoring, lower rebounding and playmaking. Role likely limited to spot minutes and occasional relief. | — |
| Willie Norwood | Bench Depth Forward | 16.2 | Low | 8.3 | 4.1 | 0.7 | N/A | ≈ (8.3+4.1+0.7)/2 = ~6.55 | As a lower‑minute rotation SF, Norwood added occasional scoring and some rebounding — a typical bench‑forward profile with limited workload. | — |
| Chris Ford | Backup Guard | 20.8 | Low | 6.4 | 3.6 | 2.6 | N/A | ≈ (6.4+3.6+2.6)/2 = ~6.3 | Provided guard depth, contributed some assists and boards — likely a relief ball‑handler/shooter rather than primary playmaker. | ROY‑3 (per user data) |
| Jim Davis | Spot Big/Bench Center | 10.6 | Low | 4.6 | 3.6 | 0.8 | N/A | ≈ (4.6+3.6+0.8)/2 = ~4.5 | Sporadic minutes as backup C — modest scoring and rebounding in limited action, adding size off bench when needed. | — |
| Justus Thigpen | Deep Bench Guard | 5.5 | Very Low | 2.6 | 0.5 | 0.4 | N/A | ≈ (2.6+0.5+0.4)/2 = ~1.75 | Minimal role — likely garbage‑time or end‑of‑bench minutes, limited impact. | — |
| Bob Nash | Minimal Rotation | 4.7 | Very Low | 1.2 | 0.9 | 0.4 | N/A | ≈ (1.2+0.9+0.4)/2 = ~1.25 | Practically a deep‑bench or emergency player with negligible contributions. | — |
| Erwin Mueller | Minimal Rotation | 3.8 | Very Low | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.3 | N/A | ≈ (1.1+0.7+0.3)/2 = ~1.05 | Very limited minutes — nominal production, likely spot-up or end-of‑bench usage. | — |
| Harvey Marlatt | Marginal Roster Spot | 3.7 | Very Low | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.6 | N/A | ≈ (0.6+0.1+0.6)/2 = ~0.65 | Extremely limited — likely on the margin of the active roster, used only sparingly. | — |