Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana, competing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Established in 1967 as part of the American Basketball Association (ABA), the Pacers quickly became one of the league's top franchises, winning three ABA championships before joining the NBA in 1976. Throughout their history, the Pacers have been known for their competitive spirit, achieving significant success with an all-time win/loss record of .511 as of the 2023–2024 season. The team’s home games are held at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, and they are recognized for their navy blue, gold, and cool gray colors.
Notable figures in Pacers history include Reggie Miller, a Hall of Famer and the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, and Larry Bird, who played a crucial role as a player and later as coach and executive. The Pacers have experienced various ups and downs, including multiple playoff appearances and a memorable run to the NBA Finals in the year 2000, though they ultimately lost to the Los Angeles Lakers. In recent years, the team has focused on rebuilding and developing young talent, including standout player Tyrese Haliburton, who has emerged as an All-Star. The franchise remains a respected member of the NBA, with a significant cultural and historical impact on the sport.
Indiana Pacers
Team information
- Inaugural season: 1967
- Home arena: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Owner: Herbert Simon
- Team colors: Navy blue, gold, and cool gray
Overview
The Indiana Pacers is a National Basketball League (NBL) team that plays in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference. Initially founded as one of the original American Basketball Association (ABA) franchises, the Pacers took the court for the first time in 1967 and eventually joined the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1976. Over the course of their history, the Pacers won three ABA championships and earned numerous other accolades in both the ABA and NBA. By the 2019–2020 season, the Pacers amassed an all-time record that included 2,210 wins and 2,076 losses for an overall .516 win/loss percentage. Frequent playoff contenders throughout most of their history, the Pacers are typically counted among the NBA’s most competitive teams. The Pacers are also a financially successful franchise, worth an estimated $1.525 billion in 2020.
In addition to their on-court activities, the Indiana Pacers also maintain an active commitment to philanthropy. Much of the team’s work in this realm is performed through the Pacers Foundation. Established in 1993, the Pacers Foundation aims to meet the needs of Indiana’s underserved youth by providing them with opportunities to pursue fruitful academic careers, take part in community activities, and achieve their goals. As part of its efforts, the foundation gives grants to various state and local youth agencies across Indiana. Over the years, it has distributed almost $8 million in grants to these agencies. The Pacers Foundation also regularly awards scholarships to Indianan college students who study sports medicine, physical therapy, or athletic training. The Pacers also sponsor a variety of other community programs promoting education, health and wellness, and general social outreach.
History
The history of the Indiana Pacers began with the 1967 formation of the ABA, an upstart professional basketball league intended to rival the already well-established NBA. As the ABA was forming, a group of investors in Indianapolis, Indiana, came together to purchase a franchise in the new league. When the purchase was complete, they named their new franchise the Pacers as a nod to both Indiana’s fame as the home of the Indianapolis 500 auto race and the state’s proud tradition of harness racing. Taking the court for the first time in October 1967, the Pacers quickly earned a reputation for being one of the ABA’s top teams. In addition to being one of only two teams to play in the ABA through its entire nine-year history, the Pacers also soon emerged as perhaps the league’s only legitimate dynasty. After appearing in the ABA Finals in just their second season, the Pacers went on to win their first ABA championship the following year. This early success continued into the 1970s, with the Pacers winning additional championships in 1972 and 1973 and remaining competitive for the rest of their time in the ABA. When the league ultimately folded in 1976, the Pacers and three other ABA teams were absorbed into the NBA.
Once in the NBA, the Pacers’ fortunes took an immediate nosedive. Through their first thirteen years in the NBA, the Pacers posted a winning season only once. The first signs of improvement did not begin to appear until the team drafted shooting guard Reggie Miller in 1987. With Miller leading the way, the Pacers finally began finding success on the court. Starting in the 1989–1990 season, the Pacers embarked on a streak of seven consecutive playoff appearances. In both 1994 and 1995, the team made it all the way to the conference finals before being eliminated. Two years later, the Pacers—by then playing under the direction of new head coach and former NBA great Larry Bird—returned to the conference finals once more only to be eliminated by the then-dominant Chicago Bulls. After another conference finals appearance the following year, the Pacers went on to have the best season of their NBA history up to that point in 1999–2000. After a strong postseason performance topped off by a conference finals victory over the New York Knicks, the Pacers advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. Facing the Los Angeles Lakers, the Pacers ultimately lost the series in six games. Despite losing some of their most talented contributors after that season, the Pacers remained competitive over the next few years that followed. Between 2001 and 2006, the team made it to the post season every year. In 2004, the Pacers even made another appearance in the conference finals.
By the 2006–2007 season, the depleted Pacers were forced to enter a rebuilding period that left them out of postseason contention for several years. Eventually, however, a refreshed Pacers team emerged in the 2010–2011 season. Led by star players like Paul George and Roy Hibbert, the Pacers enjoyed a resurgence that took them back to the playoffs at last. While the team’s initial playoff return was short-lived, the Pacers continued to improve. In the 2012–2013 season, the team returned to the conference finals for the first time in nearly a decade before ultimately falling to the Miami Heat. The following year, the Pacers narrowly earned a playoff berth after a late stumble that almost derailed an otherwise stellar regular season. In the postseason, the Pacers once again met and lost to the Heat in the conference finals. Worse yet, the Pacers lost George for most of the following year after he broke his leg during the offseason. Without their star forward, the Pacers struggled through the 2014–2015 season and failed to make the playoffs. The following season, the Pacers got back on track and returned to the playoffs only to be eliminated in the first round. This soon became a recurring trend, occurring for each of the next three years. The first of these losses came when the team was swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers. After that, the team chose to trade George to the Oklahoma City Thunder as part of another rebuilding attempt. The 2017–2018 Pacers ultimately returned to the playoffs only to be eliminated by the Cavaliers once again. In 2018–2019, the Pacers were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs yet again following a loss to the Boston Celtics.
Notable players
Several Indiana Pacers have been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts. Chief among these honorees is shooting guard Reggie Miller. In an 18-season career played entirely with the Pacers, Miller distinguished himself as the best player in franchise history and an all-time NBA great. During that time, he scored more than 25,000 points and made more than 4,100 rebounds. On one memorable occasion, Miller even scored eight points in a span of nine seconds. Although he played only three seasons with the Pacers near the end of his career, small forward and shooting guard Chis Mullin was another of the team’s top players. In two of his three seasons, the Pacers advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals. While in Indiana, Mullin scored more than 1,600 points and made more than 400 rebounds. Hall of Fame small forward Adrian Dantley played with the Pacers for a single season in 1977–1978. Despite being with the team for such a short time, Dantley scored more than 600 points and made more than 200 rebounds before departing for the Los Angeles Lakers. Center Mel Daniels played with the Pacers during their ABA days and was often considered one of that league’s best players. In fact, he was the ABA’s leading rebounder in three of his first four seasons. During his six-season run with the Pacers, Daniels scored more than 9,300 points and made more than 7,600 rebounds. Other Pacers Hall of Famers include Alex English, Gus Johnson, Roger Brown, and George McGinnis.
There have been many other notable Indiana Pacers as well. Center and power forward Jermaine O’Neal played with the Pacers from 2000 to 2008. During that time, he was a multiple-time All-Star and one of the team’s key contributors. By the time of his departure, O’Neal scored more than 9,500 points and made more than 4,900 rebounds. Towering center Rik Smits made a name for himself with his mid-range jumpers and semi-hook shots. Also known as “The Dunking Dutchman,” Smits scored more than 12,000 points while playing with the Pacers from late 1980s to the early 2000s. Center and power forward Dale Davis was one of the Pacers’ key players in the 1990s and early 2000s. In a total of ten seasons with the team, Davis scored more than 6,200 points and made slightly more than 6,000 rebounds. Point guard Mark Jackson spent six years with the Pacers in the 1990s and into the early 2000s. He was an important part of the team’s three runs to the NBA Finals during the latter stages of his tenure. During his time with the Pacers, Jackson scored more than 3,400 points and made more than 1,500 rebounds. Point guard and shooting guard Victor Oladipo came to the Pacers from the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2017. By the 2019–2020 season, he accumulated more than 2,500 points and more than 600 rebounds.
Bibliography
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“Indiana Pacers.” Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, 2020, www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/query/?q=Indiana+Pacers. Accessed 24 Apr. 2020.
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