Indiana Pacers

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Lore & Background

The Pacers were 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. For their first seven years, they played in the Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum, although they did play select playoff games in various places, such as Anderson High School Wigwam for four playoff games (1969, 1971, 1972) and Assembly Hall for two playoff games (1972). In 1974, they moved to the new Market Square Arena in downtown Indianapolis, where they played for 25 years. Early in the Pacers' second season, Bob "Slick" Leonard became the team's head coach, replacing Larry Staverman. The Pacers were one of four ABA teams that joined the NBA in the ABA–NBA merger in the 1976–77 season, along with the Denver Nuggets, New York Nets, and San Antonio Spurs. The league charged a $3.2 million entry fee for each former ABA team. The Pacers finished their inaugural NBA season with a record of 36–46. Billy Knight and Don Buse represented Indiana in the NBA All-Star Game. During their first 13 years in the NBA, they had only two non-losing seasons and only two playoff appearances. In 1980, they traded Alex English to the Nuggets to reacquire former ABA star George McGinnis. The next year, they traded a 1984 draft pick to the Portland Trail Blazers for center Tom Owens. 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 the Blazers used to select Sam Bowie. Clark Kellogg was drafted by the Pacers in 1982 and finished 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. 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 their second playoff appearance as an NBA team. Chuck Person won NBA Rookie of the Year honors. Their first playoff win in NBA franchise history was earned in game 3 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. Reggie Miller from UCLA was drafted by the Pacers in 1987. The Pacers missed the playoffs in 1987–88, drafted Rik Smits in the 1988 NBA draft, and suffered

In Their Own Story

After joining the NBA in 1976–77, the Pacers faced significant challenges, including a $3.2 million entry fee and limited access to national TV revenues. Their inaugural season ended with a 36–46 record, followed by years of instability marked by trade losses that sent future stars like Alex English away for underwhelming replacements. The low point came in 1983–84 when they finished with the worst record in the Eastern Conference, missing out on selecting Michael Jordan due to the Tom Owens trade. Turnaround arrived in 1986–87 under coach Jack Ramsay, who led them to a .500 finish and their first NBA playoff win against the Atlanta Hawks. The arrival of Reggie Miller in 1987 sparked a new era; by 1992–93, he had become the franchise's all-time leading scorer in the NBA era, setting the stage for future contention.

Reader's Guide

The Pacers 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 and 2025. The team has also 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. 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.

Did You Know?

• The Pacers were the most successful team in ABA history, winning three ABA Championships in four years.
• The Pacers played select playoff games at Anderson High School Wigwam for four playoff games (1969, 1971, 1972) and at Assembly Hall for two playoff games (1972).
• The Pacers were one of four ABA teams that joined the NBA in the ABA–NBA merger in the 1976–77 season.
• Reggie Miller became the first Pacer to play in the All-Star Game since 1976.
• Chuck Person won NBA Rookie of the Year honors for the 1986–87 season.