Indiana Pacers

From ABA dynasty to NBA contender, the Pacers carry Indiana's racing spirit.

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 Central Division of the Eastern Conference. The team was founded in 1967 as an original 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, in 1970, 1972, and 1973, all in the ABA. They also reached the ABA Finals in 1969 and 1975, and have also appeared in the NBA Finals in 2000. The team has also won nine division titles.

Six Hall of Fame players – Reggie Miller, Alex English, Mel Daniels, Roger Brown, and George McGinnis – played with the Pacers for multiple seasons, while Chris Mullin played one season (1997–98). The franchise has multiple Hall of Fame coaches in Bobby "Slick" Leonard, Jack Ramsay, and Larry Brown. Furthermore, former Pacers inducted into international Halls of Fame include Miller and Detlef Schrempf in the FIBA Hall of Fame.

Lore & Background

The Pacers were the most successful team in ABA history, winning three ABA Championships in four years. They appeared in the ABA Finals five times in the league's nine-year history, an ABA record. After joining the NBA in 1976, they struggled financially and on the court, with only two non-losing seasons and two playoff appearances in their first 13 NBA years. The team drafted Reggie Miller in 1987, beginning a new era. Under coach Larry Brown, the Pacers won 47 games in 1993–94 and reached the Eastern Conference finals, though the franchise's single-season wins record is 61 (2003–04) or 56 (1997–98).

Did You Know?

The team played its first seven years at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum before moving to Market Square Arena in 1974.
Reggie Miller played his entire 18-year Hall of Fame career with the Pacers.