Last Updated on August 7, 2026 by Mat Diekhake
League Search Page > NBA > Detroit Pistons > Roster & Statistics
The 1977–78 Detroit Pistons were led by Bob Lanier, whose scoring, rebounding, and interior presence remained the foundation of the team. Kevin Porter directed the offence as an elite playmaker while providing reliable scoring, and Eric Money added another consistent backcourt scoring option. Detroit’s statistical profile reflected a balanced offensive approach built on strong ball movement and inside-out scoring, but inconsistent defence and rebounding limited the team’s overall effectiveness.
Roster
| No. | Player | Pos | Height | Weight | DOB | Age | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Bob Lanier | C | 6’11” | 250 | 9/10/1948 | 29 | St. Bonaventure |
| 23 | M.L. Carr | SF | 6’6″ | 205 | 1/9/1951 | 27 | Guilford |
| 42 | Chris Ford | SG | 6’5″ | 190 | 1/11/1949 | 29 | Villanova |
| 25 | Howard Porter | SF | 6’8″ | 220 | 8/31/1948 | 29 | Villanova |
| 21 | Kevin Porter | PG | 6’0″ | 170 | 4/17/1950 | 27 | St. Francis (PA) |
| 24 | Eric Money | PG | 6’0″ | 170 | 2/6/1955 | 22 | Arizona |
| 22 | Ralph Simpson | SG | 6’5″ | 200 | 8/10/1949 | 28 | Michigan State |
| 34 | Leon Douglas | C | 6’10” | 230 | 8/26/1954 | 23 | Alabama |
| 8 | Marvin Barnes | PF | 6’8″ | 210 | 7/27/1952 | 25 | Providence |
| 44 | Al Eberhard | SF | 6’6″ | 225 | 5/10/1952 | 25 | Missouri |
| 12 | Phil Sellers | SF | 6’4″ | 215 | 11/20/1953 | 24 | Rutgers |
| 20 | Roger Brown | C | 6’11” | 225 | 2/23/1950 | 27 | Kansas |
| 31 | George Trapp | PF | 6’8″ | 210 | 7/2/1948 | 29 | Long Beach State |
| 15 | Cornelius Cash | PF | 6’8″ | 220 | 8/29/1952 | 25 | Bowling Green |
Regular Season Per Game
| PN | POS | AGE | G | GS | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bob Lanier | C | 29 | 63 | 36.7 | 24.5 | 11.3 | 3.4 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 3.6 | 18.4 | 9.9 | .537 | 6.1 | 4.7 | .772 | ||||
| Eric Money | PG | 22 | 76 | 33.6 | 18.6 | 2.8 | 4.7 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 4.2 | 15.8 | 7.9 | .500 | 3.9 | 2.8 | .718 | ||||
| John Shumate | PF | 25 | 62 | 35.0 | 15.5 | 8.9 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 3.0 | 10.0 | 5.1 | .508 | 6.6 | 5.3 | .797 | ||||
| M.L. Carr | SF | 27 | 79 | 32.4 | 12.4 | 7.1 | 2.3 | 1.9 | 0.3 | 2.7 | 10.8 | 4.9 | .455 | 3.4 | 2.5 | .738 | ||||
| Jim Price | PG | 28 | 34 | 24.7 | 11.5 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 1.3 | 0.1 | 2.2 | 10.7 | 4.5 | .421 | 3.0 | 2.5 | .816 | ||||
| Leon Douglas | C | 23 | 79 | 25.2 | 10.9 | 7.4 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 2.5 | 8.4 | 4.1 | .481 | 4.4 | 2.8 | .641 | ||||
| Ralph Simpson | SG | 28 | 32 | 23.1 | 10.6 | 2.6 | 2.7 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 2.4 | 10.8 | 4.5 | .413 | 2.0 | 1.7 | .844 | ||||
| Chris Ford | SG | 29 | 82 | 31.5 | 10.5 | 3.3 | 4.6 | 2.0 | 0.2 | 2.8 | 9.5 | 4.6 | .481 | 1.9 | 1.4 | .734 | ||||
| Marvin Barnes | PF | 25 | 12 | 22.4 | 10.0 | 7.6 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 2.4 | 9.8 | 4.4 | .449 | 2.4 | 1.2 | .483 | ||||
| Gus Gerard | SF | 24 | 47 | 17.1 | 7.9 | 3.1 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 7.6 | 3.3 | .434 | 2.0 | 1.4 | .688 | ||||
| Al Skinner | SG | 25 | 69 | 18.5 | 7.0 | 2.5 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 1.9 | 5.6 | 2.6 | .468 | 2.3 | 1.8 | .774 | ||||
| Jim Bostic | PF | 25 | 4 | 12.0 | 6.5 | 4.0 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 5.5 | 3.0 | .545 | 1.3 | 0.5 | .400 | ||||
| Willie Norwood | SF | 30 | 16 | 16.3 | 5.5 | 3.4 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 5.1 | 2.1 | .415 | 1.8 | 1.3 | .690 | ||||
| Al Eberhard | SF | 25 | 37 | 15.6 | 4.9 | 2.8 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 4.3 | 1.9 | .444 | 1.6 | 1.1 | .672 | ||||
| Kevin Porter | PG | 27 | 8 | 15.9 | 4.6 | 1.9 | 4.5 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 3.9 | 1.8 | .452 | 1.6 | 1.1 | .692 | ||||
| Howard Porter | SF | 29 | 8 | 13.4 | 4.5 | 2.1 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 5.4 | 2.0 | .372 | 0.9 | 0.5 | .571 | ||||
| Ben Poquette | PF | 22 | 52 | 12.0 | 4.5 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 4.3 | 1.8 | .422 | 1.2 | 0.8 | .700 | ||||
| Wayman Britt | SG | 25 | 7 | 2.3 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.4 | 0.4 | .300 | 0.6 | 0.4 | .750 | ||||
| Team Totals | 82 | 242.1 | 109.0 | 46.7 | 22.4 | 10.6 | 4.0 | 22.7 | 90.5 | 43.3 | .478 | 30.4 | 22.3 | .736** |
Playoff Per Game
| PLAYER | POS | AGE | GP | GS | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | FGA | FGM | FG% | 3PA | 3PM | 3P% | FTA | FTM | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bob Lanier | C | 29 | 63 | 2311 | 1542 | 715 | 216 | 82 | 93 | 225 | 1159 | 622 | .537 | 386 | 298 | .772 | ||||
| Eric Money | PG | 22 | 76 | 2557 | 1414 | 209 | 356 | 123 | 12 | 322 | 1200 | 600 | .500 | 298 | 214 | .718 | ||||
| M.L. Carr | SF | 27 | 79 | 2556 | 980 | 557 | 185 | 147 | 27 | 210 | 857 | 390 | .455 | 271 | 200 | .738 | ||||
| John Shumate | PF | 25 | 62 | 2170 | 958 | 554 | 122 | 76 | 43 | 186 | 622 | 316 | .508 | 409 | 326 | .797 | ||||
| Leon Douglas | C | 23 | 79 | 1993 | 863 | 582 | 112 | 57 | 48 | 197 | 667 | 321 | .481 | 345 | 221 | .641 | ||||
| Chris Ford | SG | 29 | 82 | 2582 | 861 | 268 | 381 | 166 | 17 | 232 | 777 | 374 | .481 | 154 | 113 | .734 | ||||
| Al Skinner | SG | 25 | 69 | 1274 | 485 | 172 | 113 | 52 | 15 | 132 | 387 | 181 | .468 | 159 | 123 | .774 | ||||
| Jim Price | PG | 28 | 34 | 839 | 390 | 101 | 102 | 45 | 5 | 74 | 363 | 153 | .421 | 103 | 84 | .816 | ||||
| Gus Gerard | SF | 24 | 47 | 805 | 372 | 146 | 44 | 34 | 22 | 54 | 355 | 154 | .434 | 93 | 64 | .688 | ||||
| Ralph Simpson | SG | 28 | 32 | 739 | 340 | 82 | 87 | 32 | 3 | 78 | 346 | 143 | .413 | 64 | 54 | .844 | ||||
| Ben Poquette | PF | 22 | 52 | 626 | 232 | 145 | 20 | 10 | 22 | 40 | 225 | 95 | .422 | 60 | 42 | .700 | ||||
| Al Eberhard | SF | 25 | 37 | 576 | 183 | 102 | 26 | 13 | 4 | 23 | 160 | 71 | .444 | 61 | 41 | .672 | ||||
| Marvin Barnes | PF | 25 | 12 | 269 | 120 | 91 | 19 | 7 | 11 | 29 | 118 | 53 | .449 | 29 | 14 | .483 | ||||
| Willie Norwood | SF | 30 | 16 | 260 | 88 | 54 | 14 | 13 | 3 | 17 | 82 | 34 | .415 | 29 | 20 | .690 | ||||
| Kevin Porter | PG | 27 | 8 | 127 | 37 | 15 | 36 | 5 | 0 | 12 | 31 | 14 | .452 | 13 | 9 | .692 | ||||
| Howard Porter | SF | 29 | 8 | 107 | 36 | 17 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 43 | 16 | .372 | 7 | 4 | .571 | ||||
| Jim Bostic | PF | 25 | 4 | 48 | 26 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 22 | 12 | .545 | 5 | 2 | .400 | ||||
| Wayman Britt | SG | 25 | 7 | 16 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 3 | .300 | 4 | 3 | .750 | ||||
| Team Totals | 82 | 19855 | 8936 | 3830 | 1840 | 866 | 330 | 1840 | 7424 | 3552 | .478 | 2490 | 1832 | .736** |
HeatingUp Impact Index: Team Impact Spotlight
| Player Name | Role Tier | MPG | Usage Tier | PPG | RPG | APG | STK | Impact Index* | Notes | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bob Lanier | Alpha – Primary Post Anchor | 36.7 | High | 24.5 | 11.3 | 3.4 | 2.8 | 20.0 | Despite injuries limiting him to 63 games, Lanier remained the team’s interior backbone — high-efficiency scoring, elite rebounding and rim presence. His inside scoring and physical dominance kept Detroit competitive game-to-game. | All‑Star (AS), 10th in MVP voting (MVP‑10) |
| Eric Money | Alpha – Primary Ball‑Handler & Scorer | 33.6 | High | 18.6 | 2.8 | 4.7 | 1.8 | 13.45 | As the leading guard, Money carried heavy playmaking and scoring responsibilities. His 4.7 assists and decent defense (steals + blocks) reflect a dual‑threat backcourt role. | — |
| M.L. Carr | Beta – Two‑Way Wing / Secondary Scorer‑Defender | 32.4 | Mid‑High | 12.4 | 7.1 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 12.15 | Provided steady two‑way value: contributing rebounding, facilitating, and bringing active defense with strong steal + block rates. On a roster thin at wing positions, his versatility was valuable. | NBA All‑Defensive Second Team (DEF2) |
| John Shumate | Beta – Front‑Court Scorer / Complementary Big | 35.0 | Mid | 15.5 | 8.9 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 14.15 | As a PF playing starter-level minutes, Shumate offered a strong second scoring/rebounding front‑court option behind Lanier — valuable in a physical, inside‑oriented roster. His inside touch added needed balance to perimeter-heavy guards. | — |
| Chris Ford | Beta – Starter Guard / Perimeter Role Player | 31.5 | Mid | 10.5 | 3.3 | 4.6 | 2.2 | 10.30 | As a regular rotation guard, Ford filled out the backcourt with playmaking and reliable floor‑spacing. His defensive activity (steals + blocks) added glue to the perimeter defense. | — |
| Leon Douglas | Gamma – Rotation Big / Rebounding Presence | 25.2 | Low‑Mid | 10.9 | 7.4 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 10.50 | As a backup/rotation center, Douglas provided front‑court depth with solid rebounds and modest scoring. In a bruising era, having a reliable reserve big helped absorb wear over 82 games. | — |
| Jim Price | Gamma – Backup Guard / Spot Minutes Contributor | 24.7 | Low | 11.5 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 1.4 | 9.45 | In his limited minutes, Price offered scoring and ball‑handling relief — useful for giving starters rest or injecting energy when needed. | — |
| Ralph Simpson | Gamma – Spot Wing / Bench Scorer | 23.1 | Low | 10.6 | 2.6 | 2.7 | 1.0 | 8.95 | Functioned as a bench wing option, providing perimeter scoring and supporting depth. In a thin roster, such bench scoring was a minor but welcome boost. | — |
| Marvin Barnes | Gamma – Limited Role PF | 22.4 | Low | 10.0 | 7.6 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 10.35 | Though he played only 12 games, Barnes showed front‑court scoring and rebounding capability — a potential depth piece that unfortunately saw little opportunity. | — |
| Al Skinner | Gamma – Deep Bench / Role–Minute Guard | 18.5 | Low | 7.0 | 2.5 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 5.05 | Low minutes but offered guard depth and occasional offense — limited impact but provided roster flexibility. | — |
| Gus Gerard | Delta – Fringe Rotation Wing | 17.1 | Low | 7.9 | 3.1 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 6.55 | Saw spot minutes as wing depth — contributed modestly but not central to team performance. | — |
| Willie Norwood | Delta – Deep Reserve Wing | 16.3 | Very Low | 5.5 | 3.4 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 5.40 | Minimal role; provided occasional depth, especially to fill spot minutes in front‑court or wing. | — |
| Kevin Porter (2nd stint) | Delta – Brief Guard Role | 15.9 | Very Low | 4.6 | 1.9 | 4.5 | 0.6 | 5.30 | Very limited sample — had past pedigree, but this brief appearance provided little impact due to small sample size and likely limited role. | — |
| Al Eberhard | Delta – Fringe Wing / End‑of‑Bench | 15.6 | Very Low | 4.9 | 2.8 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 4.45 | Spot minutes, little influence — mostly used for depth in case of injuries or match‑ups. | — |
| Howard Porter | Delta – Rare Rotation Wing | 13.4 | Very Low | 4.5 | 2.1 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 4.95 | Minimal usage and impact; marginal contributor. | — |
| Ben Poquette | Delta – Deep Front‑Court Reserve | 12.0 | Very Low | 4.5 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 4.15 | Provided occasional rebound support and physicality, but overall a deep‑bench role. | — |
| Jim Bostic | Delta – Bottom‑of‑Rotation Big | 12.0 | Very Low | 6.5 | 4.0 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 5.15 | In limited games, offered a small interior presence — depth insurance more than a core contributor. | — |
| Wayman Britt | Delta – Marginal Guard / End‑of‑Bench | 2.3 | Very Low | 1.3 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 1.65 | Played extremely limited minutes; negligible impact. | — |