Indiana Pacers
Encyclopedia
The Indiana Pacers
are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis
, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division
of the Eastern Conference
of the National Basketball Association
(NBA). The Pacers play their home games at Conseco Fieldhouse
, which they share with their WNBA
counterpart, the Indiana Fever
, also owned by Herb Simon
.
The Indiana Pacers began play in 1967 as members of the American Basketball Association
(ABA), where they won three championships and created a dynasty. In 1976, the Pacers moved from the ABA to the NBA when the Indiana dynasty ended and the Pacer organization began to struggle. The Pacers organization saw success with the acquisition of Reggie Miller
. Following the appearance in the 2000 NBA Finals
, the Pacers have not seen much playoff success, experiencing a four-season playoff drought from 2007 until making the playoffs again in 2011.
, John DeVoe, Chuck DeVoe, sports agent Chuck Barnes
and Indianapolis Star sports writer Bob Collins) pooled their resources to purchase a franchise in the proposed American Basketball Association
.
For their first seven years, they played in the Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum, now called the Pepsi Coliseum
. In 1974, they moved to the plush new Market Square Arena
in downtown Indianapolis, where they stayed for 25 years.
Early in the Pacers' second season, former Indiana Hoosiers
standout Bob "Slick" Leonard became the team's head coach, replacing Larry Staverman. Leonard quickly turned the Pacers into a juggernaut. His teams were buoyed by the great play of superstars such as Jimmy Rayl
, Mel Daniels
, George McGinnis
, Bob Netolicky
, Rick Mount
and Roger Brown
. The Pacers were – and ended – as the most successful team in ABA history, winning three ABA Championships in four years. In all, they appeared in the ABA Finals five times in the league's nine year history: a feat that was never bettered by any other ABA franchise.
in 1976. For the 1976–77 season the Pacers were joined in the merged league by the New York Nets
, Denver Nuggets
and San Antonio Spurs
of the ABA. Financially, the Pacers were by far the weakest of the four ABA refugees. Indeed, they were on far weaker financial footing than the team acknowledged to be the last ABA team left out of the expansion, the Kentucky Colonels
. However, the Colonels were shut out because the Chicago Bulls
owned the NBA rights to the Colonels' best player, Artis Gilmore
, and wouldn't have allowed the merger to go through unless the Colonels were left out.
The Pacers' financial troubles dated back to their waning days in the ABA; they already begun selling off some of their star players in the last ABA season. They were further weakened by the price required to join the NBA. The league charged a $3.2 million dollar entry fee to each former ABA team. Because the NBA would only agree to accept four ABA teams in the ABA-NBA merger, the Pacers and the three other surviving ABA teams also had to compensate the two remaining ABA franchises which were not a part of the merger. The new NBA teams also were barred from sharing in national TV revenues for four years.
As a result of the steep price they paid to join the NBA, the Pacers were in a dire financial situation. It took a $100,000 contribution from a group of local businesses to keep the franchise going through June 1977. The team announced that unless season-ticket sales reached 8,000 by the end of July 1977, the club would be sold to someone who might take the franchise elsewhere. WTTV
, which was the television flagship for Pacers' games at the time, offered to hold a 16.5 hour telethon to keep the team in Indiana. The telethon began on the night of July 3, 1977, and the next day, 10 minutes before the show was set to go off the air, it was announced that team officials had reached the 8,000-ticket goal. In part because of the telethon, the Pacers' average attendance jumped from 7,615 during the 1976–77 season to 10,982 during the 1977–78 season.
The Pacers finished their inaugural NBA season with a record of 36–46. Pacers Billy Knight
and Don Buse
represented Indiana in the NBA All-Star Game. However, this was one of the few bright spots of the Pacers' first 13 years in the NBA. During this time, they had only three non-losing seasons and only two playoff appearances.
A lack of year-to-year continuity became the norm for most of the next decade, as they traded away Knight and Buse before the 1977–78 season even started. They acquired Adrian Dantley
in exchange for Knight, but Dantley (who was averaging nearly 27 points per game at the time) was traded in December, while the Pacers' second-leading scorer, John Williamson
, was dealt in January.
The early Pacers came out on the short end of two of the most one-sided trades in NBA history. In 1980, they traded Alex English
to the Nuggets in order to reacquire former ABA star George McGinnis
. McGinnis was long past his prime, and contributed very little during his two-year return. English, in contrast, went on to become one of the greatest scorers in NBA history. The next year, they traded a 1984 draft
pick to the Portland Trail Blazers
for center Tom Owens
. Owens only played one year for the Pacers with little impact. This trade looked even more horrendous three years later. In 1983–84, the Pacers finished with the worst record in the Eastern Conference, which would have given the Pacers the second overall pick in the draft—the pick that that the Blazers famously used to select Sam Bowie
while Michael Jordan
was still available. As a result of the Owens trade, they were left as bystanders in the midst of one of the deepest drafts in NBA history—including such future stars as Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon
, Sam Perkins
, Charles Barkley
, and John Stockton
.
Clark Kellogg
was drafted by the Pacers in the 1982
and showed tremendous promise, finishing second in the Rookie of the Year voting, but the Pacers finished the 1982–83 season with their all-time worst record of 20–62, and won only 26 games the following season. After winning 22 games in 1984–85 and 26 games in 1985–86, Jack Ramsay
replaced George Irvine
as coach and led the Pacers to a 41–41 record in 1986–87 and only their second playoff appearance as an NBA team. Chuck Person
, nicknamed "The Rifleman" for his renowned long-range shooting, led the team in scoring as a rookie and won NBA Rookie of the Year honors. Their first playoff win in NBA franchise history was earned in Game 4 of their first-round, best-of-five series against the Atlanta Hawks
, but it was their only victory in that series, as the Hawks defeated them in four games.
was drafted by the Pacers in 1987
, beginning his career as a backup to John Long
. Many fans at the time disagreed with Miller's selection over Indiana Hoosiers' standout Steve Alford
. The Pacers missed the playoffs in 1987–88, drafted Rik Smits
in the 1988 NBA Draft
, and suffered through a disastrous 1988–89 season in which coach Jack Ramsay stepped down following an 0–7 start. Mel Daniels and George Irvine filled in on an interim basis before Dick Versace
took over the 6–23 team on the way to a 28–54 finish. In February 1989, the team did manage to make a trade that would eventually pay off, as they traded veteran center Herb Williams
to the Dallas Mavericks
for future NBA 6th Man-of-the Year Detlef Schrempf
.
Larry Brown
was brought on as Pacers' coach for the 1993–94 season, and Pacers' general manager Donnie Walsh
completed a highly-criticized (at the time) trade as he sent Schrempf to the Seattle SuperSonics
in exchange for Derrick McKey
and little known Gerald Paddio. But the Pacers, who began the season in typically average fashion, kicked it up a notch in April, winning their last eight games of the season to finish with an NBA-era franchise-high 47 wins. They stormed past Shaquille O'Neal
and the Orlando Magic
in a first-round sweep to earn their first NBA playoff series win
, and pulled off a tremendous upset by defeating the top-seeded Atlanta Hawks in the Conference Semifinals.
It was during the 1994 Eastern Conference
Finals that the Pacers—particularly Reggie Miller—finally became a household name. With the series tied 2–2 going into game 5 in New York, Miller had the first of many legendary playoff performances. With the Pacers trailing the Knicks by 15 points early in the 4th quarter, Miller scored 25 points in the 4th quarter, including five 3-point field goals. Miller also famously flashed the choke sign to the Knicks' number one fan, Spike Lee
, while leading the Pacers to the improbable come from behind victory. The Knicks ultimately came back to win the next two games and the series, but Reggie became an NBA superstar overnight. Miller was a tri-captain and leading scorer of the USA Basketball team that won the gold medal at the 1994 FIBA World Championship
.
Mark Jackson
joined the team in an offseason trade with the Los Angeles Clippers
, giving the team the steady hand at the point guard position that had been lacking in recent years. The Pacers enjoyed a 52–30 campaign in 1994–95, giving them their first Central Division title and their first 50+ win season since the ABA days. The team swept the Hawks in the first round
, before another meeting with the rival Knicks
in the conference semi-finals. Once again, it was up to Reggie Miller to provide some fireworks. This time, with the Pacers down six points with 16.4 seconds remaining in game one, Miller scored eight points in 8.9 seconds to help secure the two point victory. The Pacers ultimately dispatched the Knicks in seven games and pushed the Magic to seven games before falling in the Eastern Conference Finals.
In the 1997–98 NBA season the Pacers selected Larry Bird
to coach the team, under whom they posted a new franchise record, finishing 58–24—a dramatic 19-game improvement from the previous season. Chris Mullin
joined the team in the offseason and immediately became a valuable part of the Pacers lineup—and their starting small forward. Assistant coaches Rick Carlisle
, in charge of the offense, and Dick Harter
, who coached the defense, were key in getting the most out of the Pacers' role players such as Dale Davis
, Antonio Davis
and Derrick McKey
. Reggie Miller and Rik Smits both made the All-Star team that year, and in the playoffs
, the Pacers breezed past the Cleveland Cavaliers
and New York Knicks
before falling to the Chicago Bulls
in an epic seven-game Eastern Conference Final.
In the lockout-shortened
1998–99 season, the Pacers
won the Central Division with a 33–17 record and swept the Milwaukee Bucks
and Philadelphia 76ers
before falling to the New York Knicks in a six-game Eastern Conference Finals series. The Pacers traded popular forward Antonio Davis to the Toronto Raptors
in exchange for first-round draft choice Jonathan Bender
, which remains to this day a subject of controversy among Pacers fans. But in the Playoffs
, after a 56–26 regular season, the Pacers survived the upset-minded Bucks in round one, handled the 76ers in the second round and finally broke through to the NBA Finals
by virtue of a six-game East Finals victory over the New York Knicks
.
Their first NBA Finals appearance was against the Los Angeles Lakers
, who proved too much for them to handle as they ended Indiana's championship hopes in six games. However, the Pacers dealt Los Angeles their worst playoff defeat up to that time by a margin of 33 points in Game five.
In the midseason of 2001–02, the Pacers made a blockbuster trade with the Chicago Bulls that sent Jalen Rose and Travis Best to Chicago in exchange for Brad Miller
, Ron Artest
, Kevin Ollie
and Ron Mercer
. Brad Miller and Ron Artest would, in the next few years, go on to be All-Stars for the Pacers. The trade bolstered a team that had been floundering, and the Pacers managed to return to the playoffs
, where they pushed the top-seeded New Jersey Nets to five games before losing Game 5 in double overtime. Jermaine O'Neal made his first of what would be several All-Star appearances this year, erasing any doubt that trading the veteran workhorse, Dale Davis, to Portland for him was a good idea.
at The Palace of Auburn Hills
, the Pacers' Ron Artest
committed a hard foul against Ben Wallace. Wallace retaliated with a hard push, and the situation escalated to a full-scale brawl
, with fans and several Pacers taking part. While Artest defiantly laid atop the scorer's table, Piston fan John Green threw a cup of beer at Artest, causing him to charge into the stands. Stephen Jackson followed him into the stands while Jermaine O'Neal struck a fan who came onto the court. The game was called off with 46 seconds left on the clock and the Pacers left the floor amid a shower of beer and other beverages that rained down from the stands.
Several of the involved players were suspended by NBA Commissioner David Stern
. Artest was suspended for the rest of the regular season and playoffs, a total of 73 games—the longest suspension for an on-court incident in NBA history. Other suspensions included Jackson (suspended for 30 games), O'Neal (25 games), Wallace (6 games) and the Pacers' Anthony Johnson
(5 games) (O'Neal's suspension was later reduced to 15 games by arbitrator Roger Kaplan, a decision that was upheld by U.S. District Judge George B. Daniels). O'Neal was charged with two counts of assault and battery, while Artest, Jackson, Johnson and David Harrison
were charged with one count each.
After the brawl and suspensions that followed, the Pacers fell downward into the Central Division. They went from a legitimate title contender to a team that hovered around .500 in winning percentage. The Pistons eventually became the Central Division champions. Despite the difficulties with the suspensions and injuries, the Pacers earned a sixth seed in the playoffs with a record of 44–38. An important reason for their strong finish was the re-acquisition of Dale Davis
, who had been released by New Orleans after being traded there by Golden State. He played the final 25 games of the regular season and every playoff game, contributing a strong presence at center. And Davis' signing coincided with an injury to Jermaine O'Neal that would knock him out for virtually the remainder of the regular season—indeed, O'Neal's first missed game due to his injury was Davis' first game back with the Pacers.
Despite the adversity they had gone through, the Pacers made the playoffs
for the 13th time in 14 years. In the first round, Indiana defeated the Atlantic Division champion Boston Celtics
in seven games, winning Game 7 in Boston by the decisive margin of 97–70. The Pacers then advanced to the second-round against the Detroit Pistons
, in a rematch of the previous year's Eastern Conference Finals. The series featured games back at The Palace of Auburn Hills, the scene of the brawl that many assumed at the time had effectively ended the Pacers' season. After losing Game 1, the Pacers won the next two games to take a 2–1 lead. However, the Pacers could not repeat their victories against the Pistons and lost the next 3 games, losing the series 4–2. The final game (Game 6) was on May 19, 2005; Reggie Miller
, in his final NBA game, scored 27 points and received a huge standing ovation from the crowd. Despite Miller's effort, the Pacers lost, sending Miller into retirement without an NBA Championship
in his 18-year career, all with the Pacers. Miller had his No. 31 jersey retired by the Pacers on March 30, 2006 when the Pacers played the Phoenix Suns.
Despite the loss of Miller, the Artest saga, and many key injuries the Pacers made the playoffs
in 2006 for the 14th time in 15 years. They also were the only road team to win Game 1 of a first-round playoff series. However New Jersey won game 2 to tie the series at 1–1 heading back to Indiana. In game 3 Jermaine O'Neal
scored 37 points as the Pacers regained a 2–1 series lead. The Nets, however, won games four and five to take a 3–2 series lead. In Game 6 Anthony Johnson
scored 40 points but the Pacers' season came to an end as the Nets won 96–90.
The Pacers finished the 2006–07 season as one of the worst seasons in team history. For the Pacers, who finished with a 35–47 record, nearly everything that could have gone wrong did. The turning point of the season would be an 11-game losing streak that started around the all-star break. Injuries to Jermaine O'Neal and Marquis Daniels, a lack of a solid back up point guard, the blockbuster trade midway through the season that interrupted the team chemistry, poor defensive efforts, and being the NBA's worst offensive team were the main reasons leading to the team's struggles. The April 15 loss to New Jersey Nets
knocked the Pacers out of the playoffs
for the first time since the 1996–1997 season.
On April 25, 2007, the Pacers announced the firing of coach Rick Carlisle
, with the Pacers' first losing record in ten seasons being the main reason for the coach's dismissal. Pacers President Larry Bird noted that Carlisle had the opportunity to return to the Pacers franchise in another role. Later, Carlisle opted to leave and took a broadcasting job with ESPN
before returning to coach the Dallas Mavericks
in 2008. On May 31, 2007, Jim O'Brien was named Carlisle's successor. O'Brien made it clear that he intended to take the Pacers back to the playoffs in the 2007–08 season, but he didn't, and didn't in his tenure. He also made it known that he favored a more up-tempo, fast-paced style as opposed to Carlisle's slower, more meticulous style of coaching. Many people have taken note that this style, while exciting at times, failed to produce a winning record and O'Brien's inability to change his style to better suit his talent available has hurt the team.
Despite missing the playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time since the 80's, the 2007–08 season displayed many signs of growth in the team, especially towards the end of the season. Off-court legal distraction from Jamaal Tinsley
, Marquis Daniels
, and Shawne Williams
in the middle of the season did not help the Pacers struggles, and injuries to Tinsley and Jermaine O'Neal damaged the Pacers' already weak defense and left almost all point guard duties to recently acquired Travis Diener, who saw minimal minutes on his previous NBA teams. Despite this, and a 36–46 record, the Pacers had a very strong finish to the season, which included a desperate attempt to steal the 8th seed from the Atlanta Hawks
, and dramatic improvement in forwards Danny Granger
and Mike Dunleavy
. Both Granger and Dunleavy were involved in the voting for Most Improved Player, with Dunleavy finishing in the top 10. The two were also the first Pacer pair to score 1500 points each in a single season since Reggie Miller and Detlef Schrempf did it in the early 90s.
In April of the 2007–08 Season, Donnie Walsh
, Pacers Sports & Entertainment CEO & President, left the Indiana Pacers to join the New York Knicks
. All of Walsh's basketball-related duties were given to Pacers' President of Basketball Operations Larry Bird
. Walsh's business-related roles were given to co-owner Herbert Simon and Jim Morris, who was promoted to President of Pacers Sports & Entertainment.
During the 2009–2010 season, Pacers forward Tyler Hansbrough
(drafted in 2009) suffered a season-ending ear injury and without center Jeff Foster, the Pacers again fell into another season under .500 and missed the playoffs for 4 years in a row. Despite another disappointing season, the Pacers managed to sweep the waning Detroit Pistons
for the first time in 5 years, and the abysmal New Jersey Nets
for the first time in 20. The team showed signs of life near the end of the season, winning nearly all of their last 14 games.
In May 2010, after completing his rookie season, guard A. J. Price
suffered a knee injury during a charity pick-up game that would require surgery. His expected rehabilitation was to last between 4–6 months, to be back just in time for training camp.
out of the Fresno State University in the first round and guard Lance Stephenson
from the University of Cincinnati
in the second round. The Pacers also selected forward Ryan Reid
from the Florida State University
. The draft rights to Reid were traded on draft night to the Oklahoma City Thunder
in exchange to the rights to forward/center Magnum Rolle
from Louisiana Tech
. The Pacers signed Paul George to his rookie contract on July 1, 2010. Lance Stephenson
signed a multi-year contract with the team on July 22. 2010. Just before training camp, Rolle was signed, along with big man Lance Allred
.
On August 11, 2010, the Pacers acquired guard Darren Collison
and swingman James Posey
from the New Orleans Hornets in a four-team, five-player deal. Troy Murphy
was dealt to the New Jersey Nets
within that trade. The gain of Collison has been a sign that the Pacers' starting point guard dilemma has been solved for many years to come.
Adding to the already young core of Danny Granger and Roy Hibbert, the newly-acquired Darren Collison added what will hopefully be the team's first stable point guard since Mark Jackson from the early 2000s. In the 2010–2011 season, the team went 2–3 in the first five games. On November 9 in a home game against Denver, the team scored 54 points in the 3rd quarter alone, shooting 20–21 in the process, on the way to a 144–113 rout of the Nuggets. Led by Mike Dunleavy's 24 points in the period, the team set a franchise record for most points in a quarter and was only four points short of the all-time NBA record for points in a quarter (58) set in the 1970s.
Despite all the progress, there has been speculation that Jim O'Brien is not the coach to lead this team back to the playoffs. There has been a growing unrest, both in the locker room and in the stands that O'Brien is too stubborn about changing his system. His rotations have also puzzled locals, including beat writers. He often has backup TJ Ford playing crucial fourth quarter minutes, instead of Darren Collison, as well as giving extended minutes to veteran James Posey at the power forward position. This was evident in a recent close loss to the New York Knicks when Posey was guarding all-star Amare Stoudamire in the fourth quarter for reasons no one could figure out. O'Brien's inability to try to develop young talent has also hurt his reputation. Paul George and Tyler Hansbrough, who many think are two key pieces to the Pacers return to the playoffs, have barely gotten off the bench for the most of the season.
On January 30, 2011, the Pacers relieved Jim O'Brien of his coaching duties and named assistant coach Frank Vogel
interim head coach.
On the NBA's trade deadline on February 24, 2011, numerous sports news outlets including ESPN
reported that the Pacers had agreed to a three-team trade that would have sent Josh McRoberts
to the Memphis Grizzlies
and Brandon Rush
to the New Orleans Hornets, while the Pacers would have received O.J. Mayo from the Grizzlies in return, and the Hornets would have sent an unidentified player to the Grizzlies. However, the trading period expired at 3:00 pm EST
, and the trade paperwork did not reach the NBA's main offices for approval until 3:02 pm. Thus, the trade was canceled and all aforementioned players remained with their original teams.
With a victory over the Washington Wizards
on April 6, 2011, the Pacers clinched their first playoff berth
since 2006. In the first round, they were defeated by the No. 1 seed and league-best Chicago Bulls in 5 games in what was a hard-fought series. Despite a lopsided comparison in terms of the two teams' win-loss records, three of the four Pacers losses were close, losing games 1–3 by an average of just 5 points, gathering praise from the national media for their play.
The Indiana Pacers play their home games at Conseco Fieldhouse
, where they have resided since 1999. Conseco Fieldhouse is located in downtown Indianapolis
and seats 18,165 for basketball games, and hosts many concerts as well as Pacer and Fever
games. Conseco Fieldhouse is owned by the Capital Improvement Board, City of Indianapolis
, Indiana and it's groundbreaking was on July 22, 1997 by Ellerbe Becket
Architects & Engineers. Conseco Fieldhouse officially opened on November 6, 1999. Conseco Fieldhouse also hosts the Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament and hosted the 2011 NCAA Women's Basketball Final Four
. The Fieldhouse is considered one of the best arenas in the NBA, being rated the No. 1 venue in the NBA according to the Sports Business Journal/Sports Business Daily Reader Survey. Before moving to Conseco Fieldhouse, the Pacers played their games at Market Square Arena
from 1974–1999 and at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum
(currently known as the Pepsi Coliseum) from 1967–1974.
, they wore the gold home uniform with blue and white trim.
was the first coach of the team in 1967, when the team was in the ABA. Coach Bobby Leonard holds the most win in franchise history with 328 in his 12 season with the Pacers. Larry Brown
came to the Pacers and led the team to many playoff appearances after the acquisition of star Reggie Miller
. Larry Bird
took over the team in 1997 and coached until 2000. Bird took the Pacers to their only NBA Finals
appearance in the 1999–2000 season. The current head coach of the Pacers is Frank Vogel
.
NBA Rookie of the Year
NBA Sixth Man of the Year
NBA Most Improved Player of the Year
NBA Coach of the Year
All-NBA Second Team
All-NBA Third Team
NBA All-Defensive First Team
NBA All-Defensive Second Team
NBA Rookie First Team
NBA Rookie Second Team
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division
Central Division (NBA)
The Central Division is one of the three divisions in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . The division consists of five teams, the Chicago Bulls, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Detroit Pistons, the Indiana Pacers and the Milwaukee Bucks...
of the Eastern Conference
Eastern Conference (NBA)
The Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association is made up of fifteen teams, organized in three divisions of five teams each.The three division winners and the non-division winner with the best record are seeded 1 through 4 for the playoffs in order of their records, with all...
of the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA). The Pacers play their home games at Conseco Fieldhouse
Conseco Fieldhouse
Conseco Fieldhouse is a multi-purpose arena located in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Opened in November 1999 to replace Market Square Arena, it is home to the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association and the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association...
, which they share with their WNBA
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
counterpart, the Indiana Fever
Indiana Fever
The Indiana Fever is a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
, also owned by Herb Simon
Herbert Simon (real estate)
Herbert Simon is an American real estate magnate. He lives in Indiana and is a billionaire. He was educated at the City College of New York. He is the owner of the Indiana Pacers, and chairman emeritus of the shopping mall developer Simon Property Group. In 2010 he purchased Kirkus...
.
The Indiana Pacers began play in 1967 as members of the American Basketball Association
American Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
(ABA), where they won three championships and created a dynasty. In 1976, the Pacers moved from the ABA to the NBA when the Indiana dynasty ended and the Pacer organization began to struggle. The Pacers organization saw success with the acquisition of Reggie Miller
Reggie Miller
Reginald Wayne "Reggie" Miller is a retired American professional basketball player who played his entire 18-year National Basketball Association career with the Indiana Pacers...
. Following the appearance in the 2000 NBA Finals
2000 NBA Finals
The 2000 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1999-2000 National Basketball Association season. The Los Angeles Lakers of the Western Conference took on the Indiana Pacers of the Eastern Conference for the title, with the Lakers holding home court advantage...
, the Pacers have not seen much playoff success, experiencing a four-season playoff drought from 2007 until making the playoffs again in 2011.
1967–1976: ABA dynasty
In early 1967, a group of six investors (among them attorney Richard TinkhamRichard Tinkham
Richard P. Tinkham was the co-founder of the current American Basketball Association with Joe Newman.Tinkham graduated from the University of Michigan law school in 1957. In 1967, he co-founded the original ABA and the Indiana Pacers franchise, serving for two years as President of the ABA Board of...
, John DeVoe, Chuck DeVoe, sports agent Chuck Barnes
Chuck Barnes
Chuck Barnes The son of then Dayton Tire & Rubber Company president C.M. "Pat" Barnes and a former P.R. manager for Firestone, Barnes spearheaded the field of sports management when he founded Sports Headliners, Inc. in 1965. Initially representing racing greats Mario Andretti, Jimmy Clark, A.J...
and Indianapolis Star sports writer Bob Collins) pooled their resources to purchase a franchise in the proposed American Basketball Association
American Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
.
For their first seven years, they played in the Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum, now called the Pepsi Coliseum
Pepsi Coliseum
Pepsi Coliseum is an 8,200-seat multi-purpose arena, in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was formerly known as the Indiana State Fair Coliseum. The current arena was built in 1939, replacing a previous coliseum that was built in 1907...
. In 1974, they moved to the plush new Market Square Arena
Market Square Arena
Market Square Arena was an indoor arena, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. Completed in 1974, at a cost of $23 million, it seated 16,530, for basketball and 15,993, for ice hockey.-History:...
in downtown Indianapolis, where they stayed for 25 years.
Early in the Pacers' second season, former Indiana Hoosiers
Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball
The Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing Indiana University . The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the NCAA. The Hoosiers play on Branch McCracken Court at the Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana on the IU...
standout Bob "Slick" Leonard became the team's head coach, replacing Larry Staverman. Leonard quickly turned the Pacers into a juggernaut. His teams were buoyed by the great play of superstars such as Jimmy Rayl
Jimmy Rayl
Jimmy Rayl is a former professional basketball player in the ABA.-1956-1959:Jimmy, the "Splendid Splinter", went to Kokomo High School, located in Kokomo, Indiana. He was named the 1959's Indiana "Mr...
, Mel Daniels
Mel Daniels
Melvin Joe Daniels is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6' 9" center, he played for the University of New Mexico Lobo men's basketball team from 1964-67...
, George McGinnis
George McGinnis
George F. McGinnis is a retired American professional basketball player, most notably with the Indiana Pacers of the American Basketball Association . He was drafted into the ABA from Indiana University in 1971...
, Bob Netolicky
Bob Netolicky
Robert Netolicky is a retired American basketball player. A 6'9" power forward/center, he played professionally in the now-defunct American Basketball Association from 1967 to 1976....
, Rick Mount
Rick Mount
Richard Carl Mount is a former American basketball player in the American Basketball Association . He was the first high school athlete to be featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated.-Early life:...
and Roger Brown
Roger Brown
Roger William Brown , nicknamed "The Rajah", was an American professional basketball player.-Career:A 6'5" forward/guard, Brown starred at Brooklyn's George W...
. The Pacers were – and ended – as the most successful team in ABA history, winning three ABA Championships in four years. In all, they appeared in the ABA Finals five times in the league's nine year history: a feat that was never bettered by any other ABA franchise.
1976–1987: Early NBA struggles
The Pacers were one of four ABA teams that joined the NBA in the ABA-NBA mergerABA-NBA merger
The ABA–NBA merger was the merger of the American Basketball Association with the National Basketball Association, which after multiple attempts over several years finally occurred in 1976.- Origins of ABA-NBA competition :...
in 1976. For the 1976–77 season the Pacers were joined in the merged league by the New York Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
and San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
of the ABA. Financially, the Pacers were by far the weakest of the four ABA refugees. Indeed, they were on far weaker financial footing than the team acknowledged to be the last ABA team left out of the expansion, the Kentucky Colonels
Kentucky Colonels
The Kentucky Colonels were a member of the American Basketball Association for all of the league's nine years. The name is derived from the historic Kentucky colonels. The Colonels won the most games and had the highest winning percentage of any franchise in the league's history, but the team did...
. However, the Colonels were shut out because the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
owned the NBA rights to the Colonels' best player, Artis Gilmore
Artis Gilmore
Artis Gilmore is a retired American Hall of Fame basketball player who played in the American Basketball Association and National Basketball Association...
, and wouldn't have allowed the merger to go through unless the Colonels were left out.
The Pacers' financial troubles dated back to their waning days in the ABA; they already begun selling off some of their star players in the last ABA season. They were further weakened by the price required to join the NBA. The league charged a $3.2 million dollar entry fee to each former ABA team. Because the NBA would only agree to accept four ABA teams in the ABA-NBA merger, the Pacers and the three other surviving ABA teams also had to compensate the two remaining ABA franchises which were not a part of the merger. The new NBA teams also were barred from sharing in national TV revenues for four years.
As a result of the steep price they paid to join the NBA, the Pacers were in a dire financial situation. It took a $100,000 contribution from a group of local businesses to keep the franchise going through June 1977. The team announced that unless season-ticket sales reached 8,000 by the end of July 1977, the club would be sold to someone who might take the franchise elsewhere. WTTV
WTTV
WTTV is a CW-affiliated television station licensed to Bloomington, Indiana, serving the Indianapolis television market. WTTV is owned by the Tribune Company, and is one-half of a duopoly with WXIN , the market's Fox affiliate. The two stations share a studio at 6910 Network Place on the northwest...
, which was the television flagship for Pacers' games at the time, offered to hold a 16.5 hour telethon to keep the team in Indiana. The telethon began on the night of July 3, 1977, and the next day, 10 minutes before the show was set to go off the air, it was announced that team officials had reached the 8,000-ticket goal. In part because of the telethon, the Pacers' average attendance jumped from 7,615 during the 1976–77 season to 10,982 during the 1977–78 season.
The Pacers finished their inaugural NBA season with a record of 36–46. Pacers Billy Knight
Billy Knight
William R. "Billy" Knight is an American former professional basketball player who most recently served as the Executive Vice President and General Manager of the National Basketball Association's Atlanta Hawks from 2003–08.Knight grew up in Braddock, a suburb of Pittsburgh, where he...
and Don Buse
Don Buse
Donald R. Buse is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6'4" guard from the University of Evansville, Buse played 13 seasons in the American Basketball Association and National Basketball Association as a member of the Indiana Pacers, the Phoenix Suns, the Portland Trail Blazers,...
represented Indiana in the NBA All-Star Game. However, this was one of the few bright spots of the Pacers' first 13 years in the NBA. During this time, they had only three non-losing seasons and only two playoff appearances.
A lack of year-to-year continuity became the norm for most of the next decade, as they traded away Knight and Buse before the 1977–78 season even started. They acquired Adrian Dantley
Adrian Dantley
Adrian Delano Dantley is a retired American basketball player who played 15 seasons in the NBA, including seven as a member of the Utah Jazz. A forward/guard and six-time NBA All-Star, he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008...
in exchange for Knight, but Dantley (who was averaging nearly 27 points per game at the time) was traded in December, while the Pacers' second-leading scorer, John Williamson
John Williamson (basketball)
John Lee Williamson was an American basketball player.Williamson played high school basketball at Wilbur Cross High School in New Haven, Connecticut and played college basketball at New Mexico State University. He was a 6'2" guard...
, was dealt in January.
The early Pacers came out on the short end of two of the most one-sided trades in NBA history. In 1980, they traded Alex English
Alex English
Alexander English is a retired American basketball player and former assistant coach of the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association who played at the forward position...
to the Nuggets in order to reacquire former ABA star George McGinnis
George McGinnis
George F. McGinnis is a retired American professional basketball player, most notably with the Indiana Pacers of the American Basketball Association . He was drafted into the ABA from Indiana University in 1971...
. McGinnis was long past his prime, and contributed very little during his two-year return. English, in contrast, went on to become one of the greatest scorers in NBA history. The next year, they traded a 1984 draft
1984 NBA Draft
The 1984 NBA Draft was the 38th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held at the Felt Forum at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York on June 19, 1984 before the 1984–85 season. The draft was broadcast in the United States on the USA Network. In this draft,...
pick to the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
for center Tom Owens
Tom Owens
Thomas William Owens is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6'10" center from the University of South Carolina, Owens played five seasons in the American Basketball Association and seven seasons in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Carolina Cougars, Memphis...
. Owens only played one year for the Pacers with little impact. This trade looked even more horrendous three years later. In 1983–84, the Pacers finished with the worst record in the Eastern Conference, which would have given the Pacers the second overall pick in the draft—the pick that that the Blazers famously used to select Sam Bowie
Sam Bowie
Samuel Paul "Sam" Bowie is a retired American basketball player. A national sensation in high school and outstanding collegian, Bowie's professional promise was undermined by repeated injury...
while Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
was still available. As a result of the Owens trade, they were left as bystanders in the midst of one of the deepest drafts in NBA history—including such future stars as Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon is a retired Nigerian-American professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played the center position in the National Basketball Association for the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors. He led the Rockets to back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995. In 2008,...
, Sam Perkins
Sam Perkins
Samuel Perkins is a retired American professional basketball player, also known by the nicknames "Sleepy Sam" and "Big Smooth." He attended Samuel J. Tilden High School, Shaker High School and the University of North Carolina, where he was a teammate of Michael Jordan...
, Charles Barkley
Charles Barkley
Charles Wade Barkley is a former American professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Sir Charles" and "The Round Mound of Rebound", Barkley established himself as one of the National Basketball Association's most dominating power forwards...
, and John Stockton
John Stockton
John Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...
.
Clark Kellogg
Clark Kellogg
Clark Clifton Kellogg, Jr. is the VP of player relations for the Indiana Pacers as well as the lead college basketball analyst for CBS Sports and former player in the National Basketball Association.-High School:...
was drafted by the Pacers in the 1982
1982 NBA Draft
The 1982 NBA Draft took place on June 29, 1982 at the Felt Forum at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York.-Key:-Draft:-Other picks:-External links:**...
and showed tremendous promise, finishing second in the Rookie of the Year voting, but the Pacers finished the 1982–83 season with their all-time worst record of 20–62, and won only 26 games the following season. After winning 22 games in 1984–85 and 26 games in 1985–86, Jack Ramsay
Jack Ramsay
Jack T. Ramsay is an American former basketball coach, commonly known as "Dr. Jack" . He is best known for coaching the Portland Trail Blazers to the 1977 NBA Title, and for his broadcasting work with the Indiana Pacers, the Miami Heat, and for ESPN TV and ESPN Radio...
replaced George Irvine
George Irvine
George R. "Hawkeye" Irvine is a retired American professional basketball player and coach. A 6'6" forward, Irvine played collegiately at the University of Washington and selected by the Seattle SuperSonics in the 8th round of the 1970 NBA Draft. However, he never played for his hometown...
as coach and led the Pacers to a 41–41 record in 1986–87 and only their second playoff appearance as an NBA team. Chuck Person
Chuck Person
Chuck Connors Person is a retired American National Basketball Association player and current assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers.-High school and college:...
, nicknamed "The Rifleman" for his renowned long-range shooting, led the team in scoring as a rookie and won NBA Rookie of the Year honors. Their first playoff win in NBA franchise history was earned in Game 4 of their first-round, best-of-five series against the Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
, but it was their only victory in that series, as the Hawks defeated them in four games.
1987–2003: The Reggie Miller Era
Reggie MillerReggie Miller
Reginald Wayne "Reggie" Miller is a retired American professional basketball player who played his entire 18-year National Basketball Association career with the Indiana Pacers...
was drafted by the Pacers in 1987
1987 NBA Draft
The 1987 Draft of the National Basketball Association was held on June 22, 1987 in New York City, New York.This draft is notable for the selection of two future members of the NBA 50 Greatest Players list, David Robinson and Scottie Pippen. Other notable selections include Reggie Miller, Kevin...
, beginning his career as a backup to John Long
John Long (basketball)
John Eddie Long is a retired American professional basketball player.After starring at the University of Detroit, the 6’5” shooting guard was selected by the Detroit Pistons in the second round of the 1978 NBA Draft. The move was largely influenced by Dick Vitale, who coached Long at UD before...
. Many fans at the time disagreed with Miller's selection over Indiana Hoosiers' standout Steve Alford
Steve Alford
Stephen Todd Alford is a retired American basketball player and the current head coach of the University of New Mexico Lobos men's basketball team...
. The Pacers missed the playoffs in 1987–88, drafted Rik Smits
Rik Smits
Rik Smits is a retired Dutch professional basketball player who spent his entire professional career with the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association. The 7'4" center was drafted by the Pacers out of Marist College with the second overall pick in the 1988 NBA Draft...
in the 1988 NBA Draft
1988 NBA Draft
The 1988 NBA Draft took place on June 28, 1988 in New York City, New York. The length was reduced from seven rounds in the previous year to three rounds.-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Notable undrafted players:...
, and suffered through a disastrous 1988–89 season in which coach Jack Ramsay stepped down following an 0–7 start. Mel Daniels and George Irvine filled in on an interim basis before Dick Versace
Dick Versace
Dick Versace is a former basketball coach and National Basketball Association executive. He's also the first person of Puerto Rican descent to have coached an NBA team.-Early years:...
took over the 6–23 team on the way to a 28–54 finish. In February 1989, the team did manage to make a trade that would eventually pay off, as they traded veteran center Herb Williams
Herb Williams
Herbert L. Williams is a retired American basketball player in the National Basketball Association for eighteen seasons from 1981 to 1999. Williams served as the interim head coach of the NBA's New York Knicks...
to the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
for future NBA 6th Man-of-the Year Detlef Schrempf
Detlef Schrempf
Detlef Schrempf is a retired German NBA basketball player.-High school and college career:...
.
Larry Brown
Larry Brown (basketball)
Lawrence Harvey "Larry" Brown is an American basketball coach and former player. He most recently served as head coach of the National Basketball Association's Charlotte Bobcats....
was brought on as Pacers' coach for the 1993–94 season, and Pacers' general manager Donnie Walsh
Donnie Walsh
Joseph Donald Walsh Jr., better known as Donnie Walsh is a former professional basketball coach, and former president of basketball operations for the New York Knicks.-Biography:...
completed a highly-criticized (at the time) trade as he sent Schrempf to the Seattle SuperSonics
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
in exchange for Derrick McKey
Derrick McKey
Derrick Wayne McKey is a retired American basketball player who played the most part of his NBA career between the small forward and the power forward positions.-Early life and college career:...
and little known Gerald Paddio. But the Pacers, who began the season in typically average fashion, kicked it up a notch in April, winning their last eight games of the season to finish with an NBA-era franchise-high 47 wins. They stormed past Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal , nicknamed "Shaq" , is a former American professional basketball player. Standing tall and weighing , he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA...
and the Orlando Magic
1993–94 Orlando Magic season
The 1993-94 season was the Magic's fifth season in the NBA. Despite missing the playoffs in 1993 gave the Magic unexpected good fortune. Despite having the worst odds, the Magic won the NBA Draft Lottery for the second consecutive season. The Magic drafted Chris Webber with the first pick overall...
in a first-round sweep to earn their first NBA playoff series win
1994 NBA Playoffs
The 1994 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1993-94 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets defeating the Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals...
, and pulled off a tremendous upset by defeating the top-seeded Atlanta Hawks in the Conference Semifinals.
It was during the 1994 Eastern Conference
Eastern Conference (NBA)
The Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association is made up of fifteen teams, organized in three divisions of five teams each.The three division winners and the non-division winner with the best record are seeded 1 through 4 for the playoffs in order of their records, with all...
Finals that the Pacers—particularly Reggie Miller—finally became a household name. With the series tied 2–2 going into game 5 in New York, Miller had the first of many legendary playoff performances. With the Pacers trailing the Knicks by 15 points early in the 4th quarter, Miller scored 25 points in the 4th quarter, including five 3-point field goals. Miller also famously flashed the choke sign to the Knicks' number one fan, Spike Lee
Spike Lee
Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee is an American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks, has produced over 35 films since 1983....
, while leading the Pacers to the improbable come from behind victory. The Knicks ultimately came back to win the next two games and the series, but Reggie became an NBA superstar overnight. Miller was a tri-captain and leading scorer of the USA Basketball team that won the gold medal at the 1994 FIBA World Championship
1994 FIBA World Championship
The 1994 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Canada from August 4 to August 14, 1994. The tournament was held at SkyDome and Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto as well as at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton...
.
Mark Jackson
Mark Jackson (basketball)
Mark A. Jackson is a retired American professional basketball player and the current head coach of the Golden State Warriors. He played point guard for the New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, and Houston Rockets in the NBA in a career...
joined the team in an offseason trade with the Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
, giving the team the steady hand at the point guard position that had been lacking in recent years. The Pacers enjoyed a 52–30 campaign in 1994–95, giving them their first Central Division title and their first 50+ win season since the ABA days. The team swept the Hawks in the first round
1995 NBA Playoffs
The 1995 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1994-1995 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets winning their second consecutive NBA championship by defeating the Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic...
, before another meeting with the rival Knicks
1994–95 New York Knicks season
The 1994–95 New York Knicks season was the 49th season for the team in the National Basketball Association . In the regular season, the Knicks posted a 55–27 record in the Atlantic Division and finished in second place, two games behind the Orlando Magic...
in the conference semi-finals. Once again, it was up to Reggie Miller to provide some fireworks. This time, with the Pacers down six points with 16.4 seconds remaining in game one, Miller scored eight points in 8.9 seconds to help secure the two point victory. The Pacers ultimately dispatched the Knicks in seven games and pushed the Magic to seven games before falling in the Eastern Conference Finals.
In the 1997–98 NBA season the Pacers selected Larry Bird
Larry Bird
Larry Joe Bird is a former American NBA basketball player and coach. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, spearheading one of the NBA's most formidable frontcourts that included center Robert Parish...
to coach the team, under whom they posted a new franchise record, finishing 58–24—a dramatic 19-game improvement from the previous season. Chris Mullin
Chris Mullin (basketball)
Christopher Paul Mullin is a retired American basketball player and former general manager of the NBA's Golden State Warriors. He has also been elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame....
joined the team in the offseason and immediately became a valuable part of the Pacers lineup—and their starting small forward. Assistant coaches Rick Carlisle
Rick Carlisle
Richard Preston Carlisle is the head coach of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks. He has also coached the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons, and was previously a player in the NBA. He is also one of the only 11 people to win an NBA championship both as a player and as a coach.-Playing career:Carlisle...
, in charge of the offense, and Dick Harter
Dick Harter
Dick Harter is an American basketball coach, who has served as both a head and assistant coach in both the NBA and NCAA.-Coaching career:...
, who coached the defense, were key in getting the most out of the Pacers' role players such as Dale Davis
Dale Davis (basketball)
Elliott Lydell Davis is a former American professional basketball player who played center and power forward. He is 6'11" and weighs 252 pounds....
, Antonio Davis
Antonio Davis
Antonio Lee Davis is a retired American National Basketball Association player. Davis is also the former president of the NBA Players Association .-College career:...
and Derrick McKey
Derrick McKey
Derrick Wayne McKey is a retired American basketball player who played the most part of his NBA career between the small forward and the power forward positions.-Early life and college career:...
. Reggie Miller and Rik Smits both made the All-Star team that year, and in the playoffs
1998 NBA Playoffs
The 1998 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1997-98 NBA season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls winning their sixth championship of the decade by defeating the Western Conference champion Utah Jazz four...
, the Pacers breezed past the Cleveland Cavaliers
1997–98 Cleveland Cavaliers season
The 1997-98 Cleveland Cavaliers season was the 28th season of NBA basketball in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers finished the season with a 47-35 record, finishing 5th in the Central Division and qualifying for the Eastern Conference playoffs...
and New York Knicks
1997–98 New York Knicks season
The 1997–98 New York Knicks season was the 52nd season for the team in the National Basketball Association . In the regular season, the Knicks had a 43–39 record, which placed them in a tie for second in the Atlantic Division...
before falling to the Chicago Bulls
1997–98 Chicago Bulls season
The 1997–98 Chicago Bulls were an elite team in the NBA's Eastern Conference, as they had been throughout the decade, and defeated the Utah Jazz in the 1998 NBA Finals. The championship was their sixth in eight years and completed the franchise's second "three-peat". This was Michael Jordan's final...
in an epic seven-game Eastern Conference Final.
In the lockout-shortened
1998–99 NBA lockout
The 1998–99 NBA lockout was the third lockout in the history of the National Basketball Association . It lasted from July 1, 1998 to January 20, 1999, and forced the 1998–99 season to be shortened to 50 games per team and that season's All-Star Game to be canceled...
1998–99 season, the Pacers
1998–99 Indiana Pacers season
The 1998-99 Indiana Pacers season was Indiana's 23rd season in the NBA. The Pacers would entered the season as a heavy favorite because Michael Jordan retired and other members of the Chicago Bulls were broken up by their management. After a 4-month lockout, the Pacers would win the Central...
won the Central Division with a 33–17 record and swept the Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
and Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
before falling to the New York Knicks in a six-game Eastern Conference Finals series. The Pacers traded popular forward Antonio Davis to the Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
in exchange for first-round draft choice Jonathan Bender
Jonathan Bender
Jonathan Rene Bender is an American professional basketball player who most recently played for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association .-Career:...
, which remains to this day a subject of controversy among Pacers fans. But in the Playoffs
2000 NBA Playoffs
The 2000 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1999–2000 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers win their first championship in twelve years by defeating the Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers...
, after a 56–26 regular season, the Pacers survived the upset-minded Bucks in round one, handled the 76ers in the second round and finally broke through to the NBA Finals
2000 NBA Finals
The 2000 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1999-2000 National Basketball Association season. The Los Angeles Lakers of the Western Conference took on the Indiana Pacers of the Eastern Conference for the title, with the Lakers holding home court advantage...
by virtue of a six-game East Finals victory over the New York Knicks
1999–2000 New York Knicks season
The 1999–00 New York Knicks season was the 53rd season of NBA basketball in New York City, New York.-NBA Draft:-Roster:Patrick Ewing -- Larry Johnson -- Latrell Sprewell -- Allan Houston -- Charlie Ward -- Marcus Camby -- Kurt Thomas -- John Wallace -- Rick Brunson -- Chris Childs --...
.
Their first NBA Finals appearance was against the Los Angeles Lakers
1999–2000 Los Angeles Lakers season
The 1999-2000 Los Angeles Lakers season was the 54th season of the franchise, 52nd in the National Basketball Association and 40th in Los Angeles. They finished the regular season with 67 wins, finishing with the most wins since the 1971–72 team won a franchise record 69 games...
, who proved too much for them to handle as they ended Indiana's championship hopes in six games. However, the Pacers dealt Los Angeles their worst playoff defeat up to that time by a margin of 33 points in Game five.
In the midseason of 2001–02, the Pacers made a blockbuster trade with the Chicago Bulls that sent Jalen Rose and Travis Best to Chicago in exchange for Brad Miller
Brad Miller (basketball)
Bradley Alan Miller is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the NBA...
, Ron Artest
Ron Artest
Metta World Peace is an American professional basketball player and rapper who is currently with the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA. World Peace gained a reputation as one of the league's premier defenders as he won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2004...
, Kevin Ollie
Kevin Ollie
Kevin Jermaine Ollie is an American former professional basketball player. He played for eleven National Basketball Association franchises in thirteen seasons...
and Ron Mercer
Ron Mercer
Ronald Eugene Mercer is a former American basketball player at the University of Kentucky who also had a career in the National Basketball Association; the last time he played was for the New Jersey Nets in 2005.-Basketball career:...
. Brad Miller and Ron Artest would, in the next few years, go on to be All-Stars for the Pacers. The trade bolstered a team that had been floundering, and the Pacers managed to return to the playoffs
2002 NBA Playoffs
The 2002 NBA Playoffs were the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2001–02 season. This would be the final postseason that held a best-of-5 first-round series; next year's postseason would see those series expanded to a best-of-7 format...
, where they pushed the top-seeded New Jersey Nets to five games before losing Game 5 in double overtime. Jermaine O'Neal made his first of what would be several All-Star appearances this year, erasing any doubt that trading the veteran workhorse, Dale Davis, to Portland for him was a good idea.
2003–2010: The brawl and decline
Toward the end of a Pacers victory over the Detroit Pistons2004–05 Detroit Pistons season
-NBA Draft:-Depth chart:-Player stats:Note: GP= Games played; MIN= Minutes; STL= Steals; REB = Rebounds; ASST = Assists; BLK = Blocks; PTS = Points-External links:* * -References:...
at The Palace of Auburn Hills
The Palace of Auburn Hills
The Palace of Auburn Hills, often referred to simply as The Palace, is a sports and entertainment venue in Auburn Hills, Michigan, a suburb on the northern outskirts of Detroit, Michigan, United States. Opened in 1988, it is the home of the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association...
, the Pacers' Ron Artest
Ron Artest
Metta World Peace is an American professional basketball player and rapper who is currently with the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA. World Peace gained a reputation as one of the league's premier defenders as he won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2004...
committed a hard foul against Ben Wallace. Wallace retaliated with a hard push, and the situation escalated to a full-scale brawl
Pacers-Pistons brawl
The Pacers–Pistons brawl was an altercation that occurred in a National Basketball Association game between the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers on November 19, 2004 at The Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Michigan.With less than a minute left in the game, a fight broke out between...
, with fans and several Pacers taking part. While Artest defiantly laid atop the scorer's table, Piston fan John Green threw a cup of beer at Artest, causing him to charge into the stands. Stephen Jackson followed him into the stands while Jermaine O'Neal struck a fan who came onto the court. The game was called off with 46 seconds left on the clock and the Pacers left the floor amid a shower of beer and other beverages that rained down from the stands.
Several of the involved players were suspended by NBA Commissioner David Stern
David Stern
David Joel Stern is the commissioner of the National Basketball Association. He started with the Association in 1966 as an outside counsel, joined the NBA in 1978 as General Counsel, and became the league's Executive Vice President in 1980. He became Commissioner in 1984 succeeding Larry O'Brien...
. Artest was suspended for the rest of the regular season and playoffs, a total of 73 games—the longest suspension for an on-court incident in NBA history. Other suspensions included Jackson (suspended for 30 games), O'Neal (25 games), Wallace (6 games) and the Pacers' Anthony Johnson
Anthony Johnson (basketball)
Anthony Mark Johnson is an American professional basketball player who most recently played with the Orlando Magic of the NBA. Johnson is a 6'3" point guard. He found success in pro basketball, becoming the first NBA D-League player to participate in a NBA Finals...
(5 games) (O'Neal's suspension was later reduced to 15 games by arbitrator Roger Kaplan, a decision that was upheld by U.S. District Judge George B. Daniels). O'Neal was charged with two counts of assault and battery, while Artest, Jackson, Johnson and David Harrison
David Harrison (basketball)
David Joshua Harrison is an American professional basketball player. A former NBA player, he was a member of the Beijing Ducks for the 2008-09 season and played with the Guangdong Southern Tigers for the next two years. He is now a member of Tianjin Ronggang. At Brentwood Academy, Harrison...
were charged with one count each.
After the brawl and suspensions that followed, the Pacers fell downward into the Central Division. They went from a legitimate title contender to a team that hovered around .500 in winning percentage. The Pistons eventually became the Central Division champions. Despite the difficulties with the suspensions and injuries, the Pacers earned a sixth seed in the playoffs with a record of 44–38. An important reason for their strong finish was the re-acquisition of Dale Davis
Dale Davis (basketball)
Elliott Lydell Davis is a former American professional basketball player who played center and power forward. He is 6'11" and weighs 252 pounds....
, who had been released by New Orleans after being traded there by Golden State. He played the final 25 games of the regular season and every playoff game, contributing a strong presence at center. And Davis' signing coincided with an injury to Jermaine O'Neal that would knock him out for virtually the remainder of the regular season—indeed, O'Neal's first missed game due to his injury was Davis' first game back with the Pacers.
Despite the adversity they had gone through, the Pacers made the playoffs
2005 NBA Playoffs
The 2005 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2004–05 season.The San Antonio Spurs, the number two ranked team in the Western Conference, won the 2005 NBA Playoffs by defeating the defending champions, the Detroit Pistons, 4-3 in the NBA Finals...
for the 13th time in 14 years. In the first round, Indiana defeated the Atlantic Division champion Boston Celtics
2004–05 Boston Celtics season
The 2004–05 Boston Celtics season was the 59th season of the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association .-Draft picks:No...
in seven games, winning Game 7 in Boston by the decisive margin of 97–70. The Pacers then advanced to the second-round against the Detroit Pistons
2004–05 Detroit Pistons season
-NBA Draft:-Depth chart:-Player stats:Note: GP= Games played; MIN= Minutes; STL= Steals; REB = Rebounds; ASST = Assists; BLK = Blocks; PTS = Points-External links:* * -References:...
, in a rematch of the previous year's Eastern Conference Finals. The series featured games back at The Palace of Auburn Hills, the scene of the brawl that many assumed at the time had effectively ended the Pacers' season. After losing Game 1, the Pacers won the next two games to take a 2–1 lead. However, the Pacers could not repeat their victories against the Pistons and lost the next 3 games, losing the series 4–2. The final game (Game 6) was on May 19, 2005; Reggie Miller
Reggie Miller
Reginald Wayne "Reggie" Miller is a retired American professional basketball player who played his entire 18-year National Basketball Association career with the Indiana Pacers...
, in his final NBA game, scored 27 points and received a huge standing ovation from the crowd. Despite Miller's effort, the Pacers lost, sending Miller into retirement without an NBA Championship
NBA Finals
The NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association . The series was named the NBA World Championship Series until 1986....
in his 18-year career, all with the Pacers. Miller had his No. 31 jersey retired by the Pacers on March 30, 2006 when the Pacers played the Phoenix Suns.
Despite the loss of Miller, the Artest saga, and many key injuries the Pacers made the playoffs
2006 NBA Playoffs
The 2006 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2005–06 season. The Miami Heat won the first championship in the history of the franchise by defeating the Dallas Mavericks 4-2 in the 2006 NBA Finals...
in 2006 for the 14th time in 15 years. They also were the only road team to win Game 1 of a first-round playoff series. However New Jersey won game 2 to tie the series at 1–1 heading back to Indiana. In game 3 Jermaine O'Neal
Jermaine O'Neal
Jermaine Lee O'Neal is an American professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics. The 6 ft 11 in , 255 lb forward-center had a successful high school career and declared his eligibility for the 1996 NBA Draft straight out of high school...
scored 37 points as the Pacers regained a 2–1 series lead. The Nets, however, won games four and five to take a 3–2 series lead. In Game 6 Anthony Johnson
Anthony Johnson (basketball)
Anthony Mark Johnson is an American professional basketball player who most recently played with the Orlando Magic of the NBA. Johnson is a 6'3" point guard. He found success in pro basketball, becoming the first NBA D-League player to participate in a NBA Finals...
scored 40 points but the Pacers' season came to an end as the Nets won 96–90.
The Pacers finished the 2006–07 season as one of the worst seasons in team history. For the Pacers, who finished with a 35–47 record, nearly everything that could have gone wrong did. The turning point of the season would be an 11-game losing streak that started around the all-star break. Injuries to Jermaine O'Neal and Marquis Daniels, a lack of a solid back up point guard, the blockbuster trade midway through the season that interrupted the team chemistry, poor defensive efforts, and being the NBA's worst offensive team were the main reasons leading to the team's struggles. The April 15 loss to New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
knocked the Pacers out of the playoffs
2007 NBA Playoffs
The 2007 NBA Playoffs was the postseason to the National Basketball Association's 2006–2007 season.There were four rounds of postseason action, all of them in a best-of-seven format, with teams seeded on a bracket. The team with the better record wasn't necessarily the basis of seeding teams in...
for the first time since the 1996–1997 season.
On April 25, 2007, the Pacers announced the firing of coach Rick Carlisle
Rick Carlisle
Richard Preston Carlisle is the head coach of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks. He has also coached the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons, and was previously a player in the NBA. He is also one of the only 11 people to win an NBA championship both as a player and as a coach.-Playing career:Carlisle...
, with the Pacers' first losing record in ten seasons being the main reason for the coach's dismissal. Pacers President Larry Bird noted that Carlisle had the opportunity to return to the Pacers franchise in another role. Later, Carlisle opted to leave and took a broadcasting job with ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
before returning to coach the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
in 2008. On May 31, 2007, Jim O'Brien was named Carlisle's successor. O'Brien made it clear that he intended to take the Pacers back to the playoffs in the 2007–08 season, but he didn't, and didn't in his tenure. He also made it known that he favored a more up-tempo, fast-paced style as opposed to Carlisle's slower, more meticulous style of coaching. Many people have taken note that this style, while exciting at times, failed to produce a winning record and O'Brien's inability to change his style to better suit his talent available has hurt the team.
Despite missing the playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time since the 80's, the 2007–08 season displayed many signs of growth in the team, especially towards the end of the season. Off-court legal distraction from Jamaal Tinsley
Jamaal Tinsley
Jamaal Lee Tinsley is an American professional basketball player. Tinsley was drafted out of Iowa State University by the Vancouver Grizzlies with the 27th pick of the 2001 NBA Draft, and was immediately dealt to the Atlanta Hawks, and then on to the Indiana Pacers on draft night...
, Marquis Daniels
Marquis Daniels
Marquis Antwane Daniels is a , guard-forward who most recently was a member of the Sacramento Kings. Daniels was an undrafted guard in the 2003 NBA Draft, yet has become a regular rotation player averaging at least 17.8 minutes per game in each one of his first six seasons...
, and Shawne Williams
Shawne Williams
Shawne Brian Williams is an American professional basketball player who last played for the New York Knicks of the NBA...
in the middle of the season did not help the Pacers struggles, and injuries to Tinsley and Jermaine O'Neal damaged the Pacers' already weak defense and left almost all point guard duties to recently acquired Travis Diener, who saw minimal minutes on his previous NBA teams. Despite this, and a 36–46 record, the Pacers had a very strong finish to the season, which included a desperate attempt to steal the 8th seed from the Atlanta Hawks
2007–08 Atlanta Hawks season
The 2007–08 Atlanta Hawks season was the 62nd season of the franchise, 59th in the National Basketball Association .Key dates prior to the start of the season:*The 2007 NBA Draft took place in New York City, New York on June 28....
, and dramatic improvement in forwards Danny Granger
Danny Granger
Danny Granger, Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Pacers of the NBA. He is mainly a small forward, though he does log time at the power forward position. He is also able to initiate the team's offense and so is regarded as one who can play the point forward position...
and Mike Dunleavy
Mike Dunleavy, Jr.
Michael Joseph "Mike" Dunleavy, Jr. is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association...
. Both Granger and Dunleavy were involved in the voting for Most Improved Player, with Dunleavy finishing in the top 10. The two were also the first Pacer pair to score 1500 points each in a single season since Reggie Miller and Detlef Schrempf did it in the early 90s.
In April of the 2007–08 Season, Donnie Walsh
Donnie Walsh
Joseph Donald Walsh Jr., better known as Donnie Walsh is a former professional basketball coach, and former president of basketball operations for the New York Knicks.-Biography:...
, Pacers Sports & Entertainment CEO & President, left the Indiana Pacers to join the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. All of Walsh's basketball-related duties were given to Pacers' President of Basketball Operations Larry Bird
Larry Bird
Larry Joe Bird is a former American NBA basketball player and coach. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, spearheading one of the NBA's most formidable frontcourts that included center Robert Parish...
. Walsh's business-related roles were given to co-owner Herbert Simon and Jim Morris, who was promoted to President of Pacers Sports & Entertainment.
During the 2009–2010 season, Pacers forward Tyler Hansbrough
Tyler Hansbrough
Andrew Tyler Hansbrough is an American basketball player for the Indiana Pacers. Hansbrough completed a college basketball career with the North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team in 2009, and was drafted into the NBA by the Indiana Pacers with the 13th pick of the 1st round of the 2009 NBA...
(drafted in 2009) suffered a season-ending ear injury and without center Jeff Foster, the Pacers again fell into another season under .500 and missed the playoffs for 4 years in a row. Despite another disappointing season, the Pacers managed to sweep the waning Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
for the first time in 5 years, and the abysmal New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
for the first time in 20. The team showed signs of life near the end of the season, winning nearly all of their last 14 games.
In May 2010, after completing his rookie season, guard A. J. Price
A. J. Price
Anthony Jordan "A.J." Price , is an American professional basketball player at point guard for the Indiana Pacers of the NBA. He was born in Orange, New Jersey and raised in East Massapequa, New York...
suffered a knee injury during a charity pick-up game that would require surgery. His expected rehabilitation was to last between 4–6 months, to be back just in time for training camp.
2010–present: Danny Granger and a new era
The 2010 NBA Draft brought in five new faces for the Pacers. Guard Paul GeorgePaul George (basketball)
Paul George is an American basketball player with the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association. George plays small forward, and was drafted by the Indiana Pacers as the 10th overall pick at the 2010 NBA Draft after playing two years with the Fresno State Bulldogs.-NBA:George signed...
out of the Fresno State University in the first round and guard Lance Stephenson
Lance Stephenson
Lance Stephenson, Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Pacers. He was drafted with the 40th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft. He is a shooting guard and attended Lincoln High School in the Coney Island section of Brooklyn...
from the University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati Bearcats
The Cincinnati Bearcats are the NCAA athletic teams representing the University of Cincinnati. Since July 1, 2005, the school's athletic teams have been members of the Big East Conference....
in the second round. The Pacers also selected forward Ryan Reid
Ryan Reid
Ryan Reid is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Tulsa 66ers in the NBA Development League , a minor league basketball organization owned and run by the National Basketball Association . Reid played college basketball with the Florida State Seminoles...
from the Florida State University
Florida State Seminoles
The Florida State Seminoles are the men's and women's sports teams of Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. Florida State participates in the NCAA's Division I . FSU joined the Atlantic Coast Conference in 1991, and competes in the Atlantic Division in any sports split into a...
. The draft rights to Reid were traded on draft night to the Oklahoma City Thunder
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are a professional basketball franchise based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ; their home court is at Chesapeake Energy Arena....
in exchange to the rights to forward/center Magnum Rolle
Magnum Rolle
Magnum Rolle is a Bahamian professional basketball player currently with the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association. Born in Freeport, Bahamas, Rolle did not play basketball until his freshman year in high school and was taught by his coach at St. George's High School, Darrel Sears....
from Louisiana Tech
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs basketball
The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs basketball program represents intercollegiate men's basketball at Louisiana Tech University. The school competes in the Western Athletic Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and play home games at the Thomas Assembly Center in Ruston,...
. The Pacers signed Paul George to his rookie contract on July 1, 2010. Lance Stephenson
Lance Stephenson
Lance Stephenson, Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Pacers. He was drafted with the 40th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft. He is a shooting guard and attended Lincoln High School in the Coney Island section of Brooklyn...
signed a multi-year contract with the team on July 22. 2010. Just before training camp, Rolle was signed, along with big man Lance Allred
Lance Allred
Lance Collin Allred is an American professional basketball player. Allred is hearing impaired, with a 75-80% hearing loss. He is the first legally deaf player in NBA history...
.
On August 11, 2010, the Pacers acquired guard Darren Collison
Darren Collison
Darren Michael Collison is an American professional basketball point guard for the Indiana Pacers. He was drafted 21st overall in the 2009 NBA Draft by New Orleans. He is a right-hander and a native of Rancho Cucamonga, California...
and swingman James Posey
James Posey
James Mikely Mantell Posey, Jr. is an American professional basketball player, currently a small forward for the Indiana Pacers of the NBA.-Early life:...
from the New Orleans Hornets in a four-team, five-player deal. Troy Murphy
Troy Murphy
Troy Brandon Murphy is an American professional basketball power forward who last played with the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association. Murphy was born in Morristown, New Jersey but grew up in Sparta Township located in northwest New Jersey...
was dealt to the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
within that trade. The gain of Collison has been a sign that the Pacers' starting point guard dilemma has been solved for many years to come.
Adding to the already young core of Danny Granger and Roy Hibbert, the newly-acquired Darren Collison added what will hopefully be the team's first stable point guard since Mark Jackson from the early 2000s. In the 2010–2011 season, the team went 2–3 in the first five games. On November 9 in a home game against Denver, the team scored 54 points in the 3rd quarter alone, shooting 20–21 in the process, on the way to a 144–113 rout of the Nuggets. Led by Mike Dunleavy's 24 points in the period, the team set a franchise record for most points in a quarter and was only four points short of the all-time NBA record for points in a quarter (58) set in the 1970s.
Despite all the progress, there has been speculation that Jim O'Brien is not the coach to lead this team back to the playoffs. There has been a growing unrest, both in the locker room and in the stands that O'Brien is too stubborn about changing his system. His rotations have also puzzled locals, including beat writers. He often has backup TJ Ford playing crucial fourth quarter minutes, instead of Darren Collison, as well as giving extended minutes to veteran James Posey at the power forward position. This was evident in a recent close loss to the New York Knicks when Posey was guarding all-star Amare Stoudamire in the fourth quarter for reasons no one could figure out. O'Brien's inability to try to develop young talent has also hurt his reputation. Paul George and Tyler Hansbrough, who many think are two key pieces to the Pacers return to the playoffs, have barely gotten off the bench for the most of the season.
On January 30, 2011, the Pacers relieved Jim O'Brien of his coaching duties and named assistant coach Frank Vogel
Frank Vogel
Frank Vogel is head coach for the Indiana Pacers of the NBA. Vogel has previously served as a scout for both the Los Angeles Lakers and Washington Wizards. Vogel was also an assistant coach for the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics....
interim head coach.
On the NBA's trade deadline on February 24, 2011, numerous sports news outlets including ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
reported that the Pacers had agreed to a three-team trade that would have sent Josh McRoberts
Josh McRoberts
Joshua Scott McRoberts is an American professional basketball player who last played for the NBA's Indiana Pacers. He was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers with the 37th overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft...
to the Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
and Brandon Rush
Brandon Rush
Brandon Leray Rush is an American basketball player. On July 15, 2008, Rush signed a contract to play basketball for the Indiana Pacers. He was drafted in 2008 by the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers. Rush played for the University of Kansas in college for three seasons, including the 2007–2008...
to the New Orleans Hornets, while the Pacers would have received O.J. Mayo from the Grizzlies in return, and the Hornets would have sent an unidentified player to the Grizzlies. However, the trading period expired at 3:00 pm EST
EST
-Places:* Est , a town in Gelderland* Estonia, a nation in northern Europe** Estonian language, the Estonian language in ISO 639.2 or ISO 639–3 language codes* Est Region , one of Burkina Faso's 13 administrative regions...
, and the trade paperwork did not reach the NBA's main offices for approval until 3:02 pm. Thus, the trade was canceled and all aforementioned players remained with their original teams.
With a victory over the Washington Wizards
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
on April 6, 2011, the Pacers clinched their first playoff berth
2011 NBA Playoffs
The 2011 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2010–11 season. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualified for the playoffs, all seeded 1 to 8 in a tournament bracket, with all rounds in a best-of-seven format. The 2011 NBA Playoffs began on...
since 2006. In the first round, they were defeated by the No. 1 seed and league-best Chicago Bulls in 5 games in what was a hard-fought series. Despite a lopsided comparison in terms of the two teams' win-loss records, three of the four Pacers losses were close, losing games 1–3 by an average of just 5 points, gathering praise from the national media for their play.
Home arenas
- Indiana State Fairgrounds ColiseumPepsi ColiseumPepsi Coliseum is an 8,200-seat multi-purpose arena, in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was formerly known as the Indiana State Fair Coliseum. The current arena was built in 1939, replacing a previous coliseum that was built in 1907...
(1967–1974) - Market Square ArenaMarket Square ArenaMarket Square Arena was an indoor arena, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. Completed in 1974, at a cost of $23 million, it seated 16,530, for basketball and 15,993, for ice hockey.-History:...
(1974–1999) - Conseco FieldhouseConseco FieldhouseConseco Fieldhouse is a multi-purpose arena located in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Opened in November 1999 to replace Market Square Arena, it is home to the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association and the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association...
(1999–present)
The Indiana Pacers play their home games at Conseco Fieldhouse
Conseco Fieldhouse
Conseco Fieldhouse is a multi-purpose arena located in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Opened in November 1999 to replace Market Square Arena, it is home to the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association and the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association...
, where they have resided since 1999. Conseco Fieldhouse is located in downtown Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
and seats 18,165 for basketball games, and hosts many concerts as well as Pacer and Fever
Indiana Fever
The Indiana Fever is a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
games. Conseco Fieldhouse is owned by the Capital Improvement Board, City of Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, Indiana and it's groundbreaking was on July 22, 1997 by Ellerbe Becket
Ellerbe Becket
Ellerbe Becket, an AECOM Company, is a Minneapolis, Minnesota-based architectural, engineering, interior design and construction firm – ranked as one of the world's largest architectural firms – and with offices in Dallas, TX, Kansas City, MO, San Francisco, CA, Washington, DC, Dubai,...
Architects & Engineers. Conseco Fieldhouse officially opened on November 6, 1999. Conseco Fieldhouse also hosts the Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament and hosted the 2011 NCAA Women's Basketball Final Four
2011 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2011 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament began on March 19, 2011 and concluded on April 5, 2011. The Texas A&M Aggies won the championship....
. The Fieldhouse is considered one of the best arenas in the NBA, being rated the No. 1 venue in the NBA according to the Sports Business Journal/Sports Business Daily Reader Survey. Before moving to Conseco Fieldhouse, the Pacers played their games at Market Square Arena
Market Square Arena
Market Square Arena was an indoor arena, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. Completed in 1974, at a cost of $23 million, it seated 16,530, for basketball and 15,993, for ice hockey.-History:...
from 1974–1999 and at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum
Pepsi Coliseum
Pepsi Coliseum is an 8,200-seat multi-purpose arena, in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was formerly known as the Indiana State Fair Coliseum. The current arena was built in 1939, replacing a previous coliseum that was built in 1907...
(currently known as the Pepsi Coliseum) from 1967–1974.
Uniforms
The Indiana Pacers colors are navy blue, gold, silver, and white. The Pacers wear the usual white home uniform with navy blue and gold trim. Their road uniform is navy blue with gold trim. They also have a third uniform which is gold with navy blue trim. During the 1983 season1983-84 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-Yearly awards:*Most Valuable Player: Larry Bird, Boston Celtics*Rookie of the Year: Ralph Sampson, Houston Rockets*Defensive Player of the Year: Sidney Moncrief, Milwaukee Bucks...
, they wore the gold home uniform with blue and white trim.
Depth chart
| Pos. | Starter | Bench | Reserve | Inactive |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C Center (basketball) The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well... |
Roy Hibbert Roy Hibbert Roy Denzil Hibbert is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Pacers of the NBA. He plays at the center position, and graduated from Georgetown University in 2008. He was drafted 17th overall in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Toronto Raptors and was immediately traded to the Pacers... |
Jeff Foster | ||
| PF Power forward (basketball) Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low... |
Tyler Hansbrough Tyler Hansbrough Andrew Tyler Hansbrough is an American basketball player for the Indiana Pacers. Hansbrough completed a college basketball career with the North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team in 2009, and was drafted into the NBA by the Indiana Pacers with the 13th pick of the 1st round of the 2009 NBA... |
Josh McRoberts Josh McRoberts Joshua Scott McRoberts is an American professional basketball player who last played for the NBA's Indiana Pacers. He was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers with the 37th overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft... |
||
| SF Small forward The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall... |
Danny Granger Danny Granger Danny Granger, Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Pacers of the NBA. He is mainly a small forward, though he does log time at the power forward position. He is also able to initiate the team's offense and so is regarded as one who can play the point forward position... |
Dahntay Jones Dahntay Jones Dahntay Lavall Jones is an American professional basketball player, currently playing for the Indiana Pacers of the NBA.Originally a student at Rutgers University, Jones transferred to Duke University... |
James Posey James Posey James Mikely Mantell Posey, Jr. is an American professional basketball player, currently a small forward for the Indiana Pacers of the NBA.-Early life:... |
|
| SG Shooting guard The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team... |
Paul George Paul George (basketball) Paul George is an American basketball player with the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association. George plays small forward, and was drafted by the Indiana Pacers as the 10th overall pick at the 2010 NBA Draft after playing two years with the Fresno State Bulldogs.-NBA:George signed... |
Brandon Rush Brandon Rush Brandon Leray Rush is an American basketball player. On July 15, 2008, Rush signed a contract to play basketball for the Indiana Pacers. He was drafted in 2008 by the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers. Rush played for the University of Kansas in college for three seasons, including the 2007–2008... |
Lance Stephenson Lance Stephenson Lance Stephenson, Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Pacers. He was drafted with the 40th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft. He is a shooting guard and attended Lincoln High School in the Coney Island section of Brooklyn... |
|
| PG Point guard Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that... |
Darren Collison Darren Collison Darren Michael Collison is an American professional basketball point guard for the Indiana Pacers. He was drafted 21st overall in the 2009 NBA Draft by New Orleans. He is a right-hander and a native of Rancho Cucamonga, California... |
George Hill George Hill George Hill may refer to:*George Hill , American basketball player*George Hill , American race car driver*George Hill , 4-time U.S... |
A. J. Price A. J. Price Anthony Jordan "A.J." Price , is an American professional basketball player at point guard for the Indiana Pacers of the NBA. He was born in Orange, New Jersey and raised in East Massapequa, New York... |
International rights
| C |  England | Andrew Betts | 1998 NBA Draft 1998 NBA Draft The 1998 NBA Draft took place on June 24, 1998 at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This draft helped turn around three struggling franchises: the Dallas Mavericks, the Sacramento Kings, and the Toronto Raptors.... | 51st pick |
| C |  Bosnia and Herzegovina | Stanko Barać Stanko Barac Stanko Barać is a Croatian professional basketball player, currently plays with Anadolu Efes in the Turkish Basketball League and Euroleague... | 2007 NBA Draft 2007 NBA Draft The 2007 NBA Draft was held on June 28, 2007 at the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. It was broadcast on television in 115 countries. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S... | 39th pick |
Head coaches
There have been 13 head coaches for the Pacers franchise. Larry StavermanLarry Staverman
Larry Joseph Staverman was an American professional basketball player and coach. A 6' 7" forward from Villa Madonna College , Staverman was drafted in the 9th round of the 1958 NBA Draft by the Cincinnati Royals...
was the first coach of the team in 1967, when the team was in the ABA. Coach Bobby Leonard holds the most win in franchise history with 328 in his 12 season with the Pacers. Larry Brown
Larry Brown (basketball)
Lawrence Harvey "Larry" Brown is an American basketball coach and former player. He most recently served as head coach of the National Basketball Association's Charlotte Bobcats....
came to the Pacers and led the team to many playoff appearances after the acquisition of star Reggie Miller
Reggie Miller
Reginald Wayne "Reggie" Miller is a retired American professional basketball player who played his entire 18-year National Basketball Association career with the Indiana Pacers...
. Larry Bird
Larry Bird
Larry Joe Bird is a former American NBA basketball player and coach. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, spearheading one of the NBA's most formidable frontcourts that included center Robert Parish...
took over the team in 1997 and coached until 2000. Bird took the Pacers to their only NBA Finals
NBA Finals
The NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association . The series was named the NBA World Championship Series until 1986....
appearance in the 1999–2000 season. The current head coach of the Pacers is Frank Vogel
Frank Vogel
Frank Vogel is head coach for the Indiana Pacers of the NBA. Vogel has previously served as a scout for both the Los Angeles Lakers and Washington Wizards. Vogel was also an assistant coach for the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics....
.
Hall of Famers and retired numbers
| Indiana Pacers Basketball Hall of Famers & Retired Numbers | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | |||||||||
| Number | Name | Positions | Seasons | Year elected | Number | Name | Positions | Seasons | Year elected |
| 17 | Chris Mullin Chris Mullin (basketball) Christopher Paul Mullin is a retired American basketball player and former general manager of the NBA's Golden State Warriors. He has also been elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.... |
SF Small forward The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall... /SG Shooting guard The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team... |
1997–2000 | 2011 | |22 | Alex English Alex English Alexander English is a retired American basketball player and former assistant coach of the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association who played at the forward position... |
F | 1978–1980 | 1997 |
| 30 | |George McGinnis George McGinnis George F. McGinnis is a retired American professional basketball player, most notably with the Indiana Pacers of the American Basketball Association . He was drafted into the ABA from Indiana University in 1971... |
|F | |1971–1975, 1980–1982 | |- | 31 | |Reggie Miller Reggie Miller Reginald Wayne "Reggie" Miller is a retired American professional basketball player who played his entire 18-year National Basketball Association career with the Indiana Pacers... |
|G | |1987–2005 | |- |
| 34 | |Mel Daniels Mel Daniels Melvin Joe Daniels is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6' 9" center, he played for the University of New Mexico Lobo men's basketball team from 1964-67... |
|C Center (basketball) The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well... |
|1968–1974 | |- | 35 | |Roger Brown | |F | |1967–74 | |- |
| Management | |||||||||
| Number | Name | Positions | Seasons | Year elected | Number | Name | Positions | Seasons | Year elected |
| 529 | |Bobby Leonard | |Coach Head coach A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches... |
|1968–1980 | |- | |||||
| Jack Ramsay Jack Ramsay Jack T. Ramsay is an American former basketball coach, commonly known as "Dr. Jack" . He is best known for coaching the Portland Trail Blazers to the 1977 NBA Title, and for his broadcasting work with the Indiana Pacers, the Miami Heat, and for ESPN TV and ESPN Radio... |
Coach Head coach A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches... |
1986–1988 | 1992 | ||||||
| – | Larry Brown Larry Brown (basketball) Lawrence Harvey "Larry" Brown is an American basketball coach and former player. He most recently served as head coach of the National Basketball Association's Charlotte Bobcats.... |
Coach Head coach A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches... |
1993–1997 | 2002 | |- | Larry Bird Larry Bird Larry Joe Bird is a former American NBA basketball player and coach. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, spearheading one of the NBA's most formidable frontcourts that included center Robert Parish... |
Coach Head coach A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches... |
1997–2000 | 1998 |
| – | Isiah Thomas Isiah Thomas Isiah Lord Thomas III , nicknamed "Zeke",is the men's basketball coach for the FIU Golden Panthers, and a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association from 1981 until 1994. He led the "Bad Boys" to the NBA... |
Coach Head coach A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches... |
2000–2003 | 2000 | |||||
| Enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame | |||||||||
| Uniform number officially retired by the team | |||||||||
Career
- Games: Reggie MillerReggie MillerReginald Wayne "Reggie" Miller is a retired American professional basketball player who played his entire 18-year National Basketball Association career with the Indiana Pacers...
(1,389) - Minutes Played: Reggie MillerReggie MillerReginald Wayne "Reggie" Miller is a retired American professional basketball player who played his entire 18-year National Basketball Association career with the Indiana Pacers...
(47,621) - Field Goals Made: Reggie MillerReggie MillerReginald Wayne "Reggie" Miller is a retired American professional basketball player who played his entire 18-year National Basketball Association career with the Indiana Pacers...
(8,241) - Field Goal Attempts: Reggie MillerReggie MillerReginald Wayne "Reggie" Miller is a retired American professional basketball player who played his entire 18-year National Basketball Association career with the Indiana Pacers...
(17,699) - 3-Point Field Goals Made: Reggie MillerReggie MillerReginald Wayne "Reggie" Miller is a retired American professional basketball player who played his entire 18-year National Basketball Association career with the Indiana Pacers...
(2,560) - 3-Point Field Goal Attempts: Reggie MillerReggie MillerReginald Wayne "Reggie" Miller is a retired American professional basketball player who played his entire 18-year National Basketball Association career with the Indiana Pacers...
(6,486) - Free Throws Made: Reggie MillerReggie MillerReginald Wayne "Reggie" Miller is a retired American professional basketball player who played his entire 18-year National Basketball Association career with the Indiana Pacers...
(6,237) - Free Throw Attempts: Reggie MillerReggie MillerReginald Wayne "Reggie" Miller is a retired American professional basketball player who played his entire 18-year National Basketball Association career with the Indiana Pacers...
(7,026) - Offensive Rebounds: Dale DavisDale Davis (basketball)Elliott Lydell Davis is a former American professional basketball player who played center and power forward. He is 6'11" and weighs 252 pounds....
(2,276) - Defensive Rebounds: Mel DanielsMel DanielsMelvin Joe Daniels is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6' 9" center, he played for the University of New Mexico Lobo men's basketball team from 1964-67...
(5,461) - Total Rebounds: Mel DanielsMel DanielsMelvin Joe Daniels is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6' 9" center, he played for the University of New Mexico Lobo men's basketball team from 1964-67...
(7,643) - Assists: Reggie MillerReggie MillerReginald Wayne "Reggie" Miller is a retired American professional basketball player who played his entire 18-year National Basketball Association career with the Indiana Pacers...
(4,141) - Steals: Reggie MillerReggie MillerReginald Wayne "Reggie" Miller is a retired American professional basketball player who played his entire 18-year National Basketball Association career with the Indiana Pacers...
(1,505) - Blocked Shots: Jermaine O'NealJermaine O'NealJermaine Lee O'Neal is an American professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics. The 6 ft 11 in , 255 lb forward-center had a successful high school career and declared his eligibility for the 1996 NBA Draft straight out of high school...
(1,247) - Turnovers: Reggie MillerReggie MillerReginald Wayne "Reggie" Miller is a retired American professional basketball player who played his entire 18-year National Basketball Association career with the Indiana Pacers...
(2,409) - Personal Fouls: Rik SmitsRik SmitsRik Smits is a retired Dutch professional basketball player who spent his entire professional career with the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association. The 7'4" center was drafted by the Pacers out of Marist College with the second overall pick in the 1988 NBA Draft...
(3,011) - Points: Reggie MillerReggie MillerReginald Wayne "Reggie" Miller is a retired American professional basketball player who played his entire 18-year National Basketball Association career with the Indiana Pacers...
(25,279)
Per game
- Minutes Played: Mel DanielsMel DanielsMelvin Joe Daniels is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6' 9" center, he played for the University of New Mexico Lobo men's basketball team from 1964-67...
(37.07) - Field Goals Made: Chuck PersonChuck PersonChuck Connors Person is a retired American National Basketball Association player and current assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers.-High school and college:...
(7.85) - Field Goal Attempts: Chuck PersonChuck PersonChuck Connors Person is a retired American National Basketball Association player and current assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers.-High school and college:...
(16.33) - 3-Point Field Goals Made: Reggie MillerReggie MillerReginald Wayne "Reggie" Miller is a retired American professional basketball player who played his entire 18-year National Basketball Association career with the Indiana Pacers...
(1.84) - 3-Point Field Goal Attempts: Stephen JacksonStephen JacksonStephen Jesse Jackson is an American professional basketball player for the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks. Jackson is a 6'8" guard-forward.-Early life, high school, and college:Jackson was born in Houston and grew up in Port Arthur, Texas...
(4.73) - Free Throws Made: Detlef SchrempfDetlef SchrempfDetlef Schrempf is a retired German NBA basketball player.-High school and college career:...
(5.31) - Free Throw Attempts: George McGinnisGeorge McGinnisGeorge F. McGinnis is a retired American professional basketball player, most notably with the Indiana Pacers of the American Basketball Association . He was drafted into the ABA from Indiana University in 1971...
(7.05) - Offensive Rebounds: Mel DanielsMel DanielsMelvin Joe Daniels is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6' 9" center, he played for the University of New Mexico Lobo men's basketball team from 1964-67...
(4.56) - Defensive Rebounds: Mel DanielsMel DanielsMelvin Joe Daniels is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6' 9" center, he played for the University of New Mexico Lobo men's basketball team from 1964-67...
(11.40) - Total Rebounds: Mel DanielsMel DanielsMelvin Joe Daniels is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6' 9" center, he played for the University of New Mexico Lobo men's basketball team from 1964-67...
(15.96) - Assists: Mark JacksonMark Jackson (basketball)Mark A. Jackson is a retired American professional basketball player and the current head coach of the Golden State Warriors. He played point guard for the New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, and Houston Rockets in the NBA in a career...
(8.13) - Steals: Don BuseDon BuseDonald R. Buse is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6'4" guard from the University of Evansville, Buse played 13 seasons in the American Basketball Association and National Basketball Association as a member of the Indiana Pacers, the Phoenix Suns, the Portland Trail Blazers,...
(2.55) - Blocked Shots: Jermaine O'NealJermaine O'NealJermaine Lee O'Neal is an American professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics. The 6 ft 11 in , 255 lb forward-center had a successful high school career and declared his eligibility for the 1996 NBA Draft straight out of high school...
(2.42) - Turnovers: Ricky SobersRicky SobersRicky Brad Sobers is a former professional basketball player who spent eleven seasons in the NBA....
(4.10) - Personal Fouls: James EdwardsJames Edwards (basketball)James Franklin Edwards is a retired American professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Buddha" for his appearance and stoic demeanor, the 7' 0" Edwards played 19 years in the NBA, playing both the center and power forward positions...
(4.04) - Points: Danny GrangerDanny GrangerDanny Granger, Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Pacers of the NBA. He is mainly a small forward, though he does log time at the power forward position. He is also able to initiate the team's offense and so is regarded as one who can play the point forward position...
(25.8)
Per 48 minutes
- Field Goals Made: Billy KnightBilly KnightWilliam R. "Billy" Knight is an American former professional basketball player who most recently served as the Executive Vice President and General Manager of the National Basketball Association's Atlanta Hawks from 2003–08.Knight grew up in Braddock, a suburb of Pittsburgh, where he...
(11.41) - Field Goal Attempts: George McGinnisGeorge McGinnisGeorge F. McGinnis is a retired American professional basketball player, most notably with the Indiana Pacers of the American Basketball Association . He was drafted into the ABA from Indiana University in 1971...
(23.53) - 3-Point Field Goals Made: Chris MullinChris Mullin (basketball)Christopher Paul Mullin is a retired American basketball player and former general manager of the NBA's Golden State Warriors. He has also been elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame....
(2.74) - 3-Point Field Goal Attempts: Reggie MillerReggie MillerReginald Wayne "Reggie" Miller is a retired American professional basketball player who played his entire 18-year National Basketball Association career with the Indiana Pacers...
(6.54) - Free Throws Made: Detlef SchrempfDetlef SchrempfDetlef Schrempf is a retired German NBA basketball player.-High school and college career:...
(7.57) - Free Throw Attempts: George McGinnisGeorge McGinnisGeorge F. McGinnis is a retired American professional basketball player, most notably with the Indiana Pacers of the American Basketball Association . He was drafted into the ABA from Indiana University in 1971...
(10.33) - Offensive Rebounds: Mel BennettMel BennettMelvin P. Bennett is a retired American professional basketball player.He played forward for the Virginia Squires of the American Basketball Association and the Indiana Pacers , Utah Jazz and Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association...
(6.38) - Defensive Rebounds: Mel DanielsMel DanielsMelvin Joe Daniels is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6' 9" center, he played for the University of New Mexico Lobo men's basketball team from 1964-67...
(14.76) - Total Rebounds: Mel DanielsMel DanielsMelvin Joe Daniels is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6' 9" center, he played for the University of New Mexico Lobo men's basketball team from 1964-67...
(20.66) - Assists: Mark JacksonMark Jackson (basketball)Mark A. Jackson is a retired American professional basketball player and the current head coach of the Golden State Warriors. He played point guard for the New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, and Houston Rockets in the NBA in a career...
(13.09) - Steals: Dudley BradleyDudley BradleyDudley Leroy Bradley is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA.Bradley played collegiately at the University of North Carolina and was selected 13th overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Indiana Pacers...
(4.89) - Blocked Shots: Granville WaitersGranville WaitersGranville Stephen Waiters is a retired American professional basketball player.At 6 ft 11 in and 225 lb , Waiters played center for Ohio State University's men's basketball team and was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers in the second round of the 1983 NBA Draft...
(3.55) - Turnovers: George McGinnisGeorge McGinnisGeorge F. McGinnis is a retired American professional basketball player, most notably with the Indiana Pacers of the American Basketball Association . He was drafted into the ABA from Indiana University in 1971...
(5.77) - Personal Fouls: Greg DreilingGreg DreilingGregory Alan Dreiling is a retired American professional basketball player. A 7'1" center who attended Wichita State University and later transferred and graduated from the University of Kansas, he was selected by the Indiana Pacers in the second round of the 1986 NBA Draft...
(10.57) - Points: Billy KnightBilly KnightWilliam R. "Billy" Knight is an American former professional basketball player who most recently served as the Executive Vice President and General Manager of the National Basketball Association's Atlanta Hawks from 2003–08.Knight grew up in Braddock, a suburb of Pittsburgh, where he...
(29.09)
Individual awards
NBA Defensive Player of the YearNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Defensive Player of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1982–83 NBA season, to the top defensive player of the regular season...
- Ron ArtestRon ArtestMetta World Peace is an American professional basketball player and rapper who is currently with the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA. World Peace gained a reputation as one of the league's premier defenders as he won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2004...
– 2004
NBA Rookie of the Year
NBA Rookie of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Rookie of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1952–53 NBA season, to the top rookie of the regular season. The winner receives the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy, which is named in honor of the Philadelphia Warriors head...
- Chuck PersonChuck PersonChuck Connors Person is a retired American National Basketball Association player and current assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers.-High school and college:...
– 1987
NBA Sixth Man of the Year
NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Sixth Man of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1982–83 NBA season to the league's most valuable player for his team coming off the bench as a substitute . A panel of sportswriters and broadcasters from throughout...
- Detlef SchrempfDetlef SchrempfDetlef Schrempf is a retired German NBA basketball player.-High school and college career:...
– 1991, 1992
NBA Most Improved Player of the Year
NBA Most Improved Player Award
The National Basketball Association's Most Improved Player Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1985–86 NBA season, to the most improved player of the regular season. The winner is selected by a panel of sportswriters throughout the United States and Canada,...
- Jalen RoseJalen RoseJalen Anthony Rose is a retired American professional basketball player, who currently works as a sports analyst for the sports television network ESPN...
– 2000 - Jermaine O'NealJermaine O'NealJermaine Lee O'Neal is an American professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics. The 6 ft 11 in , 255 lb forward-center had a successful high school career and declared his eligibility for the 1996 NBA Draft straight out of high school...
– 2002 - Danny GrangerDanny GrangerDanny Granger, Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Pacers of the NBA. He is mainly a small forward, though he does log time at the power forward position. He is also able to initiate the team's offense and so is regarded as one who can play the point forward position...
– 2009
NBA Coach of the Year
NBA Coach of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Coach of the Year is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1962–63 NBA season. The winner receives the Red Auerbach Trophy, which is named in honor of the head coach who led the Boston Celtics to nine NBA Championships from 1956 to 1966...
- Jack McKinneyJack McKinney (basketball)Jack McKinney is a former college and professional basketball coach. He has served as head coach for three NBA teams--the Los Angeles Lakers, the Indiana Pacers, and the Kansas City Kings...
– 1981 - Larry BirdLarry BirdLarry Joe Bird is a former American NBA basketball player and coach. Drafted into the NBA sixth overall by the Boston Celtics in 1978, Bird started at small forward and power forward for thirteen seasons, spearheading one of the NBA's most formidable frontcourts that included center Robert Parish...
– 1998
All-NBA Second Team
- Jermaine O'NealJermaine O'NealJermaine Lee O'Neal is an American professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics. The 6 ft 11 in , 255 lb forward-center had a successful high school career and declared his eligibility for the 1996 NBA Draft straight out of high school...
– 2004
All-NBA Third Team
- Reggie MillerReggie MillerReginald Wayne "Reggie" Miller is a retired American professional basketball player who played his entire 18-year National Basketball Association career with the Indiana Pacers...
– 1995, 1996, 1998 - Jermaine O'NealJermaine O'NealJermaine Lee O'Neal is an American professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics. The 6 ft 11 in , 255 lb forward-center had a successful high school career and declared his eligibility for the 1996 NBA Draft straight out of high school...
– 2002, 2003 - Ron ArtestRon ArtestMetta World Peace is an American professional basketball player and rapper who is currently with the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA. World Peace gained a reputation as one of the league's premier defenders as he won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2004...
– 2004
NBA All-Defensive First Team
- Don BuseDon BuseDonald R. Buse is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6'4" guard from the University of Evansville, Buse played 13 seasons in the American Basketball Association and National Basketball Association as a member of the Indiana Pacers, the Phoenix Suns, the Portland Trail Blazers,...
– 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980 - Ron ArtestRon ArtestMetta World Peace is an American professional basketball player and rapper who is currently with the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA. World Peace gained a reputation as one of the league's premier defenders as he won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2004...
– 2004, 2006
NBA All-Defensive Second Team
- Dudley BradleyDudley BradleyDudley Leroy Bradley is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA.Bradley played collegiately at the University of North Carolina and was selected 13th overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Indiana Pacers...
– 1981 - Micheal WilliamsMicheal WilliamsMicheal Douglas Williams is a retired American professional basketball player at the point guard position in the National Basketball Association ....
– 1992 - Derrick McKeyDerrick McKeyDerrick Wayne McKey is a retired American basketball player who played the most part of his NBA career between the small forward and the power forward positions.-Early life and college career:...
– 1995, 1996 - Ron ArtestRon ArtestMetta World Peace is an American professional basketball player and rapper who is currently with the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA. World Peace gained a reputation as one of the league's premier defenders as he won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2004...
– 2003
NBA Rookie First Team
NBA All-Rookie Team
The NBA All-Rookie Team is an annual National Basketball Association honor given since the 1962–63 NBA season to the top rookies during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches; who are not allowed to vote for players on their own team. The All-Rookie Team is generally...
- Clark KelloggClark KelloggClark Clifton Kellogg, Jr. is the VP of player relations for the Indiana Pacers as well as the lead college basketball analyst for CBS Sports and former player in the National Basketball Association.-High School:...
– 1983 - Steve StipanovichSteve StipanovichStephen Samuel Stipanovich is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6-ft 11-inch center from the University of Missouri, Stipanovich was selected by the Indiana Pacers with the second pick of the 1983 NBA Draft...
– 1984 - Chuck PersonChuck PersonChuck Connors Person is a retired American National Basketball Association player and current assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers.-High school and college:...
– 1987 - Rik SmitsRik SmitsRik Smits is a retired Dutch professional basketball player who spent his entire professional career with the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association. The 7'4" center was drafted by the Pacers out of Marist College with the second overall pick in the 1988 NBA Draft...
– 1989
NBA Rookie Second Team
NBA All-Rookie Team
The NBA All-Rookie Team is an annual National Basketball Association honor given since the 1962–63 NBA season to the top rookies during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches; who are not allowed to vote for players on their own team. The All-Rookie Team is generally...
- Jamaal TinsleyJamaal TinsleyJamaal Lee Tinsley is an American professional basketball player. Tinsley was drafted out of Iowa State University by the Vancouver Grizzlies with the 27th pick of the 2001 NBA Draft, and was immediately dealt to the Atlanta Hawks, and then on to the Indiana Pacers on draft night...
– 2002 - Danny GrangerDanny GrangerDanny Granger, Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Indiana Pacers of the NBA. He is mainly a small forward, though he does log time at the power forward position. He is also able to initiate the team's offense and so is regarded as one who can play the point forward position...
– 2006 - Paul GeorgePaul George (basketball)Paul George is an American basketball player with the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association. George plays small forward, and was drafted by the Indiana Pacers as the 10th overall pick at the 2010 NBA Draft after playing two years with the Fresno State Bulldogs.-NBA:George signed...
– 2011
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