1997–98 Indiana Pacers season

The 1997–98 NBA season was the Pacers' 22nd season in the National Basketball Association, and 31st season as a franchise. In the off-season, the Pacers hired former Indiana State and Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird as head coach, acquired All-Star forward Chris Mullin from the Golden State Warriors, and signed free agent Mark West. Bird and Mullin were once teammates on the "Dream Team" from the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. The Pacers struggled early in the season losing five of their first seven games, but then won 15 of their next 18 games, and held the best record in the Eastern Conference at 33–13 before the All-Star break. The Pacers won nine of their final eleven games, and returned to the playoffs after a one-year absence finishing second in the Central Division with a 58–24 record. It was also the first time since joining the NBA that the Pacers finished with a winning road record. The Pacers had the fifth best team defensive rating in the NBA.Reggie Miller, Rik Smits and coach Bird represented the Eastern Conference during the 1998 NBA All-Star Game. It was also Smits' only All-Star appearance. Miller led the Pacers in scoring averaging 19.5 points per game, and was selected to the All-NBA Third Team, while Smits averaged 16.7 points and 6.9 rebounds per game, and Mullin provided the team with 11.3 points per game. In addition, sixth man Antonio Davis averaged 9.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game off the bench, while Jalen Rose contributed 9.4 points per game also off the bench, Dale Davis provided with 8.0 points and 7.8 rebounds per game, and Mark Jackson contributed 8.3 points and 8.7 assists per game.

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1999–2000 Indiana Pacers season

The 1999–2000 NBA season was the Pacers' 24th season in the National Basketball Association, and 33rd season as a franchise. It was their first season playing at the Conseco Fieldhouse. During the off-season, the Pacers acquired top draft pick and high school star Jonathan Bender from the Toronto Raptors, and acquired rookie center Jeff Foster from the Golden State Warriors. The Pacers played around .500 with a 7–7 start to the season, but then won 15 of their next 17 games, and held a 32–16 record at the All-Star break. The team finished first place in the Central Division with a 56–26 record, highlighted by a franchise-best 25-game winning streak at home, which was worthy of the Eastern Conference first seed in the playoffs, guaranteed home-court advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs for the first time in franchise history, and an all-time franchise best win–loss record.Jalen Rose, who played the previous three seasons off the Pacers' bench, became a starter replacing Chris Mullin in the lineup at small forward, and led the team in scoring with 18.2 points per game, and was named Most Improved Player of the Year. In addition, Reggie Miller finished second on the team in scoring averaging 18.1 points per game, while Rik Smits provided with 12.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game, and Dale Davis contributed 10.0 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. Austin Croshere played an increased role as the team's sixth man, averaging 10.3 points per game off the bench, while finishing in fourth place in Most Improved Player voting, while Travis Best contributed 8.9 points and 3.3 assists per game also off the bench, and Mark Jackson provided with 8.1 points and 8.0 assists per game. Miller and Davis were both selected for the 2000 NBA All-Star Game in Oakland.In the playoffs, the Pacers defeated the Milwaukee Bucks in five games in the Eastern Conference First Round, and the Philadelphia 76ers in six games in the Eastern Conference Semi-finals, before preceding to defeat their arch-rivals, the New York Knicks in a tough, hard-fought six-game series in the Eastern Conference Finals for the fifth time in seven years, en route to advancing to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. However, the Pacers would lose in the Finals to the Los Angeles Lakers in six games.Following the season, Larry Bird resigned as head coach after three seasons, while Davis was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers, Mullin was released and later re-signed as a free agent with his former team, the Golden State Warriors, Jackson signed with the Toronto Raptors, and Smits retired after playing 12 seasons in the NBA with the Pacers.

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2003–04 Indiana Pacers season

The 2003–04 NBA season was the Pacers' 28th season in the National Basketball Association, and 37th season as a franchise. During the offseason, former Pacers head coach Larry Bird was named President of Basketball Operations. One of Bird's first moves in his new position was to fire head coach Isiah Thomas, after Thomas had led the Pacers to first-round playoff exits for three consecutive years. The defensive-minded Rick Carlisle, former head coach of the Detroit Pistons, was announced as Thomas' replacement. Also during the offseason, the Pacers acquired Scot Pollard from the Sacramento Kings in a three-team trade and signed free agent Kenny Anderson. The Pacers got off to a fast start winning 14 of their first 16 games, and finished the season with a record of 61–21, which was worthy of the Eastern Conference first seed in the playoffs, guaranteed home-court advantage throughout the playoffs for the first time since 2000, and a new all-time franchise-best win–loss record. Jermaine O'Neal was named to the All-NBA Second Team, the first Pacer ever to do so, and even finished third in the MVP voting, which was the highest in the voting any Pacers player had ever reached. Ron Artest was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team, and also was named Defensive Player of the Year, the first Pacer ever to receive this award. Both O'Neal and Artest were selected for the 2004 NBA All-Star Game, with Carlisle coaching the Eastern Conference. Second-year guard Fred Jones won the Slam Dunk Contest during the All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles.

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2004–05 Indiana Pacers season

The 2004–05 NBA season was the Pacers' 29th season in the National Basketball Association, and 38th season as a franchise. The Pacers finished third in the Central Division with a 44–38 record. This season also marked the final season for All-Star guard Reggie Miller.

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2013–14 Indiana Pacers season

The 2013–14 Indiana Pacers season was 47th season of the franchise and 38th season in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Pacers marked their best start in franchise history, 16–1. The Pacers finished the regular season with a win-loss record of 56-26, their best since 2004. It consisted of a home record of 36-5, their best since 2000, and a road record of 21-20. At the end of the season, they were in first place of the division for the second consecutive season and the Eastern Conference for the first time since 2004. In the playoffs, the Pacers defeated the Atlanta Hawks in seven games in the First Round in a rematch of last season's First Round in which Indiana won in six games, and the Washington Wizards in six games in the Semi-finals to advance to the Conference Finals for the second straight year, only again to be stopped by the two-time defending NBA champion Miami Heat in six games, making it the third straight year that the Pacers had their playoff run ended by the Heat. Miami would go on to lose to a rejuvenated San Antonio Spurs team in a five-game NBA Finals series ending their chances to three-peat.

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2021–22 Indiana Pacers season

The 2021–22 Indiana Pacers season was the 55th season of the franchise and the 46th season in the National Basketball Association (NBA). After the Pacers failed to make the NBA playoffs for the first time since 2015, Nate Bjorkgren was fired on June 9, 2021. The Pacers would later re-hire Rick Carlisle back as the new head coach, reuniting him with the Pacers for their second stint after coaching the team from 2003 to 2007 after coaching 13 seasons with the Dallas Mavericks. The Pacers missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season which would be the first time since 2007–10 that they missed the playoffs in consecutive seasons.

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2022–23 Indiana Pacers season

The 2022–23 Indiana Pacers season will be the 56th season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

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Indiana Pacers

The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The Pacers were first established in 1967 as a member of the American Basketball Association (ABA) and became a member of the NBA in 1976 as a result of the ABA–NBA merger. They play their home games at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The team is named after the state of Indiana's history with the Indianapolis 500's pace cars and with the harness racing industry.The Pacers have won three championships, all in the ABA. The Pacers were NBA Eastern Conference champions in 2000. The team has won nine division titles. Six Hall of Fame players – Reggie Miller, Chris Mullin, Alex English, Mel Daniels, Roger Brown, and George McGinnis – played with the Pacers for multiple seasons.

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List of Indiana Pacers seasons

The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Pacers were founded in 1967, originally as members of the American Basketball Association, where they were crowned league champions three times and made the playoffs in all of the nine seasons they participated in the league. The Pacers were led during the ABA days by two-time MVP Mel Daniels and by head coach Bobby Leonard. The 1976–77 season marked the first season of NBA play for the Pacers and the team struggled early, compared to their ABA success. The Pacers only made it to the NBA playoffs three times in their first 13 seasons. The Pacers would not win their first playoff series until the 1993–94 season, which came against the Orlando Magic. It was during this time that the Pacers were led by 1987 draft pick, Reggie Miller, who entered the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012. Miller would play for the Pacers until the 2005 season and with his help, the Pacers would go on to win one Eastern Conference championship, four Central Division championships, and make 15 playoff appearances.Over the Pacers' 53 seasons of play they have made the playoffs 36 times (27 in the NBA and 9 in the ABA). The Pacers have appeared in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals eight times (1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2013, 2014) The Pacers are one of 11 franchises to have never won an NBA championship and the only Central Division team without at least one title.

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The Malice at the Palace

The Malice at the Palace (also known as the Pacers–Pistons brawl) occurred during a National Basketball Association (NBA) game between the Indiana Pacers and the defending champion Detroit Pistons on Friday, November 19, 2004, at The Palace in Auburn Hills, Michigan, United States. The Associated Press (AP) called it "the most infamous brawl in NBA history."With the Pacers leading 97–82 and 45.9 seconds left in the game, Pistons center Ben Wallace attempted a layup shot but was fouled from behind by Pacers small forward Ron Artest. A furious Wallace then shoved Artest, and a fight broke out on the court between players of both teams. After the fight was broken up, a fan, John Green, threw a drink at Artest from the stands while he was lying on the scorer's table to calm himself down. Artest then charged up to the stands and grabbed another fan, Michael Ryan, whom he mistakenly believed was the culprit, and this immediately escalated into a brawl that lasted for several minutes with fans and players involved. Referees subsequently called an end to the game without playing the remaining time. After the game, the NBA suspended nine players, including Artest and Wallace, for a total of 146 games, leading to the players losing US$11 million in salary. Five players were charged with assault, and eventually sentenced to a year of probation and community service. Five fans also faced assault charges and were banned from attending Pistons home games for life. The fight also led the NBA to increase security between players and fans and limit the sale of alcohol at games.

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