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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 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 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.
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 even 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, former Indiana Hoosiers standout Bobby 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 Mel Daniels, George McGinnis, Bob Netolicky, Rick Mount, Freddie Lewis and Roger Brown. 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, which was an ABA record.
The league charged a $3.2 million entry fee for each former ABA team. Since the NBA would only agree to accept four ABA teams in the merger, the surviving ABA teams also had to compensate the two remaining ABA franchises which were not a part of the merger, the Spirits of St. Louis and Kentucky Colonels (a third ABA team, the Virginia Squires, would fold operations before the merger talks began). As a result of the merger, the four teams dealt with financial troubles. Additionally, the Pacers had some financial troubles, which dated back to their waning days in the ABA; they had begun selling off some of their star players in the last ABA season. The new NBA teams also were barred from sharing in national TV revenues for four years.
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. However, this was one of the few bright spots of the Pacers' first 13 years in the NBA. During this time, they had only two non-losing seasons and only two playoff appearances.
A lack of 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 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, who had played for the Pacers during their last ABA season. Owens played one year for the Pacers with little impact and was out of the league altogether a year 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 the Blazers 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 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 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 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 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.
From 1989 to 1993, the Pacers would play at or near .500 and qualify for the playoffs; in 1989–90, the Pacers parlayed a fast start into the team's third playoff appearance under coach Bob Hill. But the Pacers were swept by the Detroit Pistons, who would go on to win their second consecutive NBA championship. Reggie Miller became the first Pacer to play in the All-Star Game since 1976 on the strength of his 24.6 points-per-game average. Despite four straight first-round exits, this period was highlighted by a first-round series with the Boston Celtics in the 1991 playoffs that went to game 5. The next season, the Pacers returned to the playoffs in 1992 and met the Boston Celtics for the second year in a row. This time, the Celtics swept the Pacers in three games. Chuck Person and point guard Micheal Williams were traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the off-season, and the Pacers got Pooh Richardson and Sam Mitchell in return. For the 1992–93 season, Detlef Schrempf moved from sixth man to the starter at small forward and was elected to his first All-Star game. Meanwhile, Miller became the Pacers' all-time NBA era leading scorer during this season (fourth overall). The Pacers returned to the playoffs with a 41–41 record, but lost to the New York Knicks in the first round, three games to one.
Mark Jackson joined the team in an off-season trade with the Los Angeles Clippers, giving the team a 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 first 50+ win season since the ABA days. The team swept the Hawks in the first round of the 1995 NBA playoffs, before another meeting with the rival Knicks in the conference semifinals. This time, with the Pacers down six points with 16.4 seconds remaining in game 1, Miller scored eight points in 8.9 seconds to help secure a two-point victory. The Pacers beat the Knicks in seven games. They pushed the Orlando Magic to seven games before falling in the Eastern Conference finals.
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 Knicks in a six-game Eastern Conference finals.
The Pacers got off to a 13–2 start in 2002–03 but hit the wall after the All-Star break thanks in no small part to Ron Artest's multiple suspensions and family tragedies befalling Jermaine O'Neal, Jamaal Tinsley and Austin Croshere. O'Neal and Brad Miller both made the All-Star team, and the Pacers made a substantial improvement as they finished 48–34, but they suffered a loss to the underdog Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs.
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 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 the New Orleans Hornets after being traded there by the Golden State Warriors. 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.
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, winning game 7 in Boston with a score of 97–70, just the third time the Celtics had dropped a game 7 at home. 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 three 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 standing ovation from the crowd. Despite Miller's effort, the Pacers lost, sending Miller into retirement without an NBA Finals 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.
The Pacers finished the 2006–07 season as one of the worst seasons in team history. 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 backup 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 1996–97 season.
Despite missing the playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time since the 1980s, 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 eighth 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 Pacers players to score 1500 points each in a single season since Reggie Miller and Detlef Schrempf did it in the early 1990s.
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 Herb Simon and Jim Morris, who was promoted to President of Pacers Sports & Entertainment.
During the 2009 off-season, the Pacers traded declining Jermaine O'Neal along with Nathan Jawai to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Roy Hibbert, T. J. Ford, Rasho Nesterović and Maceo Baston. Hibbert would go on to be a two-time all–star for the Pacers and was known as a defensive force with his shot-blocking abilities.
During the 2009–10 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 four years in a row. Despite another disappointing season, the Pacers managed to sweep the waning Detroit Pistons for the first time in five years, and the abysmal New Jersey Nets. 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 four and six months, to be back just in time for training camp.
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 in that trade.
In the 2010–11 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 third 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.
On January 30, 2011, the Pacers relieved Jim O'Brien of his coaching duties and named assistant coach Frank Vogel interim head coach.
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 first seed Chicago Bulls in five games. 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 five points.
The Pacers named Vogel their permanent head coach on July 7, 2011. They acquired George Hill from the San Antonio Spurs on draft night. After the lockout, and losing Mike Dunleavy Jr. to free agency, the Pacers signed former two-time All-Star power forward David West to a two-year deal. These new players contributed to the Pacers' record of 21–12 at the All-Star break. The Pacers acquired another key piece in Leandro Barbosa from the Toronto Raptors at the trade deadline, mid-season.
At the end of the 2011–12 season, the team, led in scoring by Danny Granger, clinched the playoffs as the third seed in the Eastern Conference. They finished with a 42–24 record, their best record since their 2003–04 season. On May 8, 2012, the Pacers defeated the Orlando Magic 105–87 to win their first playoff series since 2005 and would go on to play the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference semifinals. On May 15, 2012, they defeated Miami to tie the second-round series at 1–1. On May 17, they again beat Miami 94–75 to take the series lead 2–1. However, despite a hard-fought series between the two, the Heat won game 6 to close the series at 4–2.
The following season, Granger was sidelined by a knee injury and managed only to play five games. Granger made his return during the 2013–14 season; however, he failed to regain his form of the previous seasons. Granger was then traded to the Philadelphia 76ers for wing Evan Turner and forward Lavoy Allen in a swap that took place approximately 30 minutes before the trade deadline.
On April 7, 2013, the Pacers clinched their first Central Division championship since the 2003–04 season. They finished the 2012–13 season with a 49–32 record, the third seed in the Eastern Conference, and beat the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the playoffs. The Pacers then beat the New York Knicks in six games to advance to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2004 to face the defending champs, the Miami Heat. The Pacers lost game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals on May 22, 2013, in overtime 103–102. On May 24, 2013, in game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals, the Pacers were victorious by a score of 97–93. The game was clinched for Indiana after David West deflected a pass from LeBron James. The team headed home to Indianapolis, where they had been a perfect 6–0 in the playoffs. The Heat won game 3 in Indianapolis on May 26, 2013, with contributions from role players Udonis Haslem and Chris Andersen, and won 114–96. The Pacers bounced back in game 4 with a strong contribution from Lance Stephenson and won 99–92. The Pacers lost game 5 in Miami on May 30 but won game 6 at home on June 1, extending the series to game 7. The Pacers were defeated by Miami 99–76.
One year after stepping down, Larry Bird returned as president of basketball operations. Donnie Walsh, who was brought back to hold the position for Bird, was named a consultant for the Pacers. In the 2013 NBA draft, the Pacers selected Solomon Hill with the 23rd overall pick. During the 2013 off-season, the Pacers made strengthening their bench a priority, resulting in the acquisitions of point guard C. J. Watson, and forwards Chris Copeland and Luis Scola, the latter being acquired via trade with the Phoenix Suns.
The 2013–14 season saw the Pacers jump to an explosive first half of a season, as they started the season 33–7 thanks to the rise of Paul George and Lance Stephenson. On January 14, 2014, Vogel was named the Eastern Conference head coach for 2014 NBA All-Star Game. Paul George and Roy Hibbert were selected for the All-Star Game. The Pacers signed two-time NBA champion and 2012 All-Star Andrew Bynum for the remainder of the season. However, after the All-Star Break, the Pacers collapsed. After starting the season 40–11, the Pacers crashed and stumbled to a 16–15 finish, with rumors of fighting in the locker room being a potential cause for the meltdown. Regardless, they managed to hold onto their first seed in the East, finished the season with a 56–26 record.
The Pacers started off the playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks, defeating them in seven games. The Pacers then defeated Washington in six games in the semifinals, then a rematch with the second-seeded and defending champion Miami in the Eastern Conference finals. The Pacers surprised many critics, taking game 1 in the Eastern Conference finals with a score of 107–95. Unfortunately for the Pacers, they ended up losing the next three to the Heat before managing to avoid elimination in game 5 with a close win over the Heat. The game was notable for the infamous incident where Lance Stephenson blew into LeBron James' ear. Despite the win, the Pacers were eliminated in game 6 by the Miami Heat for the third straight year.
During the off-season, the Pacers signed star Monta Ellis as well as role player Jordan Hill, while acquiring Ty Lawson during the season. Paul George fully recovered from his injury and made the 2016 NBA All-Star Game as a starter. The Pacers would go on to lose game 7 in the first round against the Toronto Raptors ending their 2015–16 season. Despite the Pacers going 45–37 and making the playoffs, on May 5, 2016, Pacers' president Larry Bird announced that head coach Frank Vogel's contract would not be renewed, citing a need for "a new voice" to lead the players. Later that month former Seattle SuperSonics and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Nate McMillan was promoted to replace Vogel.
The team made several off-season moves, acquiring new starters Jeff Teague and Thaddeus Young, as well as key bench players Al Jefferson and Aaron Brooks. During the season, the Pacers waived Rodney Stuckey in order to sign former fan-favorite Lance Stephenson. The Pacers qualified to play in the 2017 NBA Playoffs with a 42–40 record, which earned them the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. However, they were given a quick exit by the defending champions, the Cleveland Cavaliers, who swept them in four games.
The 2018–19 season welcomed new players Tyreke Evans, Wesley Matthews, and Doug McDermott. Oladipo would be selected as an All-Star reserve again for the 2019 game. However, while playing against the Toronto Raptors on January 23, 2019, he left the game with a ruptured quad tendon, and he was ruled out for the rest of the season. Regardless, the Pacers again finished the season going 48–34 and secured a playoff spot for the fourth consecutive time on March 22, but were swept in the first round of the 2019 playoffs by the Boston Celtics.
After an active 2019 off-season, the Pacers fielded four new starters on opening night. Holdover Myles Turner was joined by reserve–turned–starter Domantas Sabonis, as well as new acquisitions Malcolm Brogdon, T. J. Warren, and Jeremy Lamb, who was slated to become a top reserve once all-star guard Victor Oladipo returned from injury. The Pacers also signed reserves T. J. McConnell and Justin Holiday, with Justin Holiday joining his younger brother Aaron Holiday on the team. The Pacers also saw three players with the name "T. J." take the court in McConnell, Warren, and Leaf. in Following an 0–3 start to the season, the Pacers held a 26–15 record halfway through the season, ranking them fifth place in the Eastern Conference. Domantas Sabonis averaged a careerbest 18.5 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 5 assists a game. Subsequently, Sabonis was named an NBA All-Star for the first time in his career. Unfortunately, his season was cut short due to a foot injury and would miss the postseason.
Following the suspension of the 2019–20 NBA season, the Pacers were one of the 22 teams invited to the NBA Bubble to participate in the final eight games of the regular season. The Pacers would finish the 2019–20 regular season with a record of 45–28 and headed into the playoffs as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. On August 12, 2020, the team announced that they had extended Nate McMillan's contract. They then matched up with the fifth seeded Miami Heat where they would go on to lose the first-round series 4–0 which subsequently ended their 2019–20 season.
Following the loss to the Heat, the Pacers parted ways with head coach Nate McMillan, despite the recent extension. On October 20, 2020, it was announced that former Toronto Raptors assistant coach, Nate Bjorkgren, had signed a multi-year deal to become the next head coach. On January 16, 2021, Victor Oladipo was traded to the Houston Rockets as a part of a four-team deal that sent James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets and Caris LeVert to Indiana. Sabonis would go on to earn his second NBA All-Star appearance during the 2020–21 season. The team also signed Oshae Brissett this year. The season would end in the 2021 NBA play-in tournament in a loss to the Washington Wizards. After missing the 2021 NBA Playoffs, and amid reported locker room tension, the Pacers fired Bjorkgren on June 9, 2021.
The team would go on to draft Bennedict Mathurin sixth overall in the 2022 NBA draft along with standout second-round pick Andrew Nembhard. Mathurin was the Pacers' highest pick the franchise has owned since selecting Rik Smits second overall in the 1988 NBA draft. On January 31, 2023, both Mathurin and Nembhard were named 2023 NBA Rising Stars. Tyrese Haliburton was also selected to his first ever NBA All-Star Game in 2023 as a reserve guard for the Eastern Conference. Both Tyrese Haliburton and Buddy Hield were selected to participate in the 2023 NBA Three-Point Contest. At the 2023 trade deadline, the team acquired three future second-round picks, Jordan Nwora, Serge Ibaka, as well as Indiana-native and former Pacer, George Hill in exchange for the draft rights to Juan Pablo Vaulet. On March 25, against the Atlanta Hawks, Jordan Nwora posted his Pacers season-high 33 points and added six rebounds, scoring 25 of his 33 points in the second quarter, setting the Pacers regular season franchise record for most points in a quarter since tracking began in the 1996–97 NBA season. At the conclusion of the season, Bennedict Mathurin passed Chris Duarte for most three-pointers made as a rookie in Pacers franchise history. Additionally, Buddy Hield broke Reggie Miller's record of most three-pointers made in a season in Pacers history. Furthermore, Bennedict Mathurin finished fourth in the 2023 NBA Rookie of the Year Award voting and earned NBA All-Rookie Team honors.
Following a 35–47 record in the 2022–23 season, the 2023 NBA draft saw the Pacers select Bilal Coulibaly seventh overall. The Washington Wizards selected Jarace Walker with the eighth overall pick and immediately traded him to the Pacers along with two future second-round picks for the draft rights to Bilal Coulibaly. Following several draft-day trades, the Pacers walked away with the eighth pick Jarace Walker, the 26th pick Ben Sheppard, the 47th pick Mojave King, and the 55th pick Isaiah Wong. On July 1, 2023, Jarace Walker signed his rookie contract with the Pacers alongside Ben Sheppard.
On July 6, 2023, during NBA free agency, Haliburton officially signed a max contract extension with the Pacers worth up to $260 million over five years. It was also announced that Haliburton would represent the United States men's national team at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. The same day, the team announced they had signed Bruce Brown to a two-year, $45 million contract.
During the 2023 off-season, the Pacers made several acquisitions including trading away Chris Duarte to the Sacramento Kings in exchange for two future second-round picks. Oshae Brissett left the Pacers to sign a contract with the Boston Celtics while the team decided against bringing back veteran George Hill but later re-signed James Johnson. In addition, the Pacers acquired Obi Toppin, the eighth overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft, from the New York Knicks in exchange for two future second-round picks. On the Pacers, Toppin joined Jalen Smith, Tyrese Haliburton, Aaron Nesmith, and Jordan Nwora, all selected in the 2020 NBA draft. The same off-season, the team announced they had lost Ronald Nored to an assistant coaching position with the Atlanta Hawks, while simultaneously rehiring former Pacers assistant and Chicago Bulls head coach Jim Boylen to replace Nored, who had been previously serving as a Pacers consultant. The team also hired former Pacer player Shayne Whittington as an assistant to Carlisle. In a surprising move, the Pacers brought back Larry Bird to serve as a consultant, returning to the franchise for the first time since July 2022.
The Pacers were particularly successful in the 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament, beating the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks en route to reaching the In-Season Tournament finals against the Los Angeles Lakers, where they lost 123–109.
On January 17, 2024, it was reported that the Pacers acquired All-Star forward Pascal Siakam in a three-team deal with the Toronto Raptors and New Orleans Pelicans, where the Pacers gave up Bruce Brown, Jordan Nwora, and three future first-round picks for Siakam. On January 25, 2024, Siakam earned his first win as a Pacer in a 134–122 victory against the Philadelphia 76ers, also recording his first triple double of the season. That same day, Haliburton was named an Eastern Conference starting guard for the 2024 NBA All-Star Game, which was played in Indianapolis. This marked his second consecutive All-Star selection and his first selection as a starter.
The Pacers finished the regular season with a record of 47–35, securing the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. In the first round they faced the third seed Milwaukee Bucks, who were without star player Giannis Antetokounmpo due to injury. The Pacers won the series 4–2, with second star Damian Lillard also missing time for the Bucks. In the conference semifinals, the Pacers faced the second seed New York Knicks. The Knicks had their own injury issues, with starting forward Julius Randle and role-player Bojan Bogdanovic set to miss the series. The Knicks won game 1 after a series of controversial officiating decisions in the final minute, before also winning game 2, in which they lost OG Anunoby to injury. The Pacers responded by winning games 3 and 4 at home, before the teams traded home wins in games 5 and 6. The Pacers won the series with a historic offensive performance in game 7, winning the series 4–3. They were then beaten by Boston.
On March 27, 2025, the Pacers defeated the Washington Wizards 162–109, breaking their NBA scoring record.
The Pacers ended the 2024–2025 season as the 4th seed winning 50 games and qualifying for the playoffs. They faced the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round and beat them in 5 games. They entered the second round playing against the 1st seed Cleveland Cavaliers. They beat the Cavaliers in 5 games, advancing to the Eastern Conference finals against the New York Knicks. They won in 6 games with Tyrese Halliburton hitting a game-tying 2-point shot in Game 1. After hitting the 2-pointer, Haliburton imitated Reggie Miller's iconic choke sign done in the 1994 Eastern conference finals, also against the Knicks. The Pacers got to their 2nd NBA finals in franchise history, where they faced the Oklahoma City Thunder. They lost in 7 games, forcing the first Game 7 in the finals since the 2016 NBA Finals.
It hosted the Big Ten men's basketball tournament in 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008–2012, 2014, 2016, 2022, and 2025. Gainbridge has been the home to the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2017, 2021, 2022, and 2024. Previously, the men's tournament was held at Market Square Arena in 1978 and 1982. Furthermore, the stadium hosted the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament in 2011, 2016, and 2028. The Fieldhouse also hosted the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend. It hosts concerts and philanthropic events as well.
Ahead of the 1971–72 season, the Pacers debuted their "double stripes" uniform, featuring said stripes running through the right side. The "P" logo then occupied the left leg. This uniform would be worn during two of their three ABA championship seasons. In 1974, the stripes were modified, and both the team and state name was changed to a script lettering design.
In 1985, the Pacers radically changed their uniform, featuring a contrasting stripe on the chest and incorporating a "streaking bullet" stripe across the "PACERS" wordmark. Initially, the numbers were located on the left chest and right leg, but was changed the following year, with the numbers now centered and the team logo replacing the shorts number. This would be the first uniform that Reggie Miller wore upon joining the Pacers.
The 2018–19 "City" uniform was loosely based on the 1990s FloJos design and was also inspired by Indiana's racing history. It featured a gray base with an italicized "PACERS" wordmark in yellow trimmed in navy blue. A tapered navy blue stripe with yellow pinstripes was hugely inspired by a similar motif that defined the FloJo uniforms. A white version served as its "Earned" uniform that season as a reward for making the NBA playoffs the previous year.
For the Pacers' 2020–21 "City" uniform, they revived the original royal blue and yellow shade worn in their ABA years while incorporating pinstripes as a nod to the early 2000s teams. This design with a yellow base and navy blue pinstripes was used as its "Earned" uniform that season.
The following season, the Pacers wore a "mix-tape" version of the "City" uniform in commemoration of the NBA's 75th anniversary. The design featured subtle nods to the franchise's history, from the "streaking bullet" stripe of the late 1980s to the 1990s FloJos striping, as well as a reimagined version of the classic Pacers logo which merged the current gold ball with the outstretched arm of the original logo. This design was reused in the 2025–26 season, but recolored to a white base and the original shades of royal blue and yellow.
The "City" uniform in the 2022–23 season honored the team's current home of Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Black was featured heavily on the uniform, with the only blue elements seen on the top. Subtle yellow stripes separate the blue and black bases.
The Pacers' "City" uniform in the 2023–24 season featured a black base with light blue and yellow accents, incorporating a graffiti-style "INDY" wordmark across the chest. This uniform was a nod to Indiana's art scene. A white version was worn as their "City" uniform the following season.
They met in the 2004 Eastern Conference finals. Indiana narrowly won game 1, thanks to some late heroics from Miller. Rasheed, unimpressed, stated "they will not win game 2" during an interview before the second game (locally known as the "Guaran-Sheed" victory). Late in game 2, Detroit held a two-point lead, Billups turned over the ball, and Miller appeared to have an uncontested lay-up that would have tied the game. However, before Miller could score, he was chased down by Prince, who leapt from behind and blocked the shot. Near the end of game 6, when Detroit held a slight lead, Artest committed a flagrant foul on Hamilton, which nearly caused tempers to boil over. Detroit won the series 4–2, and went on to win the NBA title.
On November 19, 2004, at The Palace of Auburn Hills, what has become known as the Malice at the Palace took place. Nine players were suspended for varying lengths after a violent altercation in the stands. Artest received the longest penalty: the remainder of the season.
That year teams split the four regular season meetings. They met in the Eastern Conference semifinals and split the first two games. The Pacers blew an 18-point lead, but still won game 3 in Indianapolis. However, just as he did a year earlier, Rasheed promised a win in game 4 saying, "When we return, we will be tied at two". The Pistons won games 4 and 5. The Pacers, knowing a loss would lead to Miller's retirement, fought hard, but fell to the Pistons 88–79.
The Knicks and Pacers next met in the 2013 Eastern Conference semifinals with the Pacers upsetting the New York Knicks 4–2. This series included Pacers All–Star Paul George, David West, Roy Hibbert, George Hill, Lance Stephenson, Tyler Hansbrough, Gerald Green, Ian Mahinmi, and D. J. Augustin. The Knicks consisted of All-Star Carmelo Anthony, J. R. Smith, Raymond Felton, Tyson Chandler, Jason Kidd, Iman Shumpert, Rasheed Wallace, Kenyon Martin, and Marcus Camby. The Pacers battled without All-Star forward Danny Granger as he sustained a season-ending injury, while Knicks All-Star big-man Amar'e Stoudemire also experienced limited playing-time due to injury. Following the season, Chris Copeland left the Knicks to sign with the Pacers.
The Knicks and Pacers would again meet in the 2024 Eastern Conference semifinals. The Pacers were now led by All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, joined by Myles Turner, Pascal Siakam, Aaron Nesmith and Andrew Nembhard in the starting lineup. The "Nova Knicks" in turn were led by their own All-Star point guard, Jalen Brunson, while other key players included Julius Randle, OG Anunoby, Mitchell Robinson, Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart. Despite Randle missing the series due to injury, the Knicks jumped out to a series lead after winning game 1 at home, via a series of controversial officiating decisions in the final minute, before also winning game 2, in which they lost Anunoby to injury. The Pacers responded by winning games 3 and 4 at home, before the teams traded home wins in games 5 and 6. The Pacers won the series with a historic offensive performance in game 7, winning the series 4–3.
A true rivalry with the Miami Heat was triggered in the Eastern Conference semifinals of the 2012 NBA playoffs. During the series, both head coaches were fined for statements made relating to the officiating: Frank Vogel accused the Heat of flopping before the series started, while Erik Spoelstra took offense to what he perceived to be deliberate "head-hunting" of his players on the part of the Pacers. In 2012, Indiana took a 2–1 lead after Miami's Chris Bosh was sidelined with an abdominal strain. Powered by LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, Miami won three straight games to take the series, 4–2 and later become 2012 NBA Champions. The series was marked by several suspensions, flagrant fouls, and confrontations between the players: Tyler Hansbrough's flagrant foul on Dwyane Wade (which drew blood), Udonis Haslem's retaliatory flagrant foul on Hansborough (which led to Haslem's game 6 suspension), Wade colliding with Darren Collison in transition, Juwan Howard confronting Lance Stephenson over the latter's flashing of the choke sign to James, and Dexter Pittman elbowing Stephenson in the neck (which led to his own three-game suspension). Indiana's Danny Granger received technical fouls in three consecutive games for his confrontations with Heat players; he stripped James of his headband in game 2, while attempting to block a shot, pulled the back of James' jersey in game 3, while trying to stop a fast-break, and chest-bumped Wade in game 4 after the latter was fouled by Roy Hibbert.
The following season saw improvements for both teams, from Miami's acquisitions of Ray Allen and Chris Andersen, to the emergence of Paul George and Lance Stephenson in the absence of Danny Granger due to a season-ending injury. Notably, it was after the Heat lost to the Pacers that they compiled a 27-game winning streak; the last time the Heat lost two in a row in the year were the games against Indiana and Portland. During the waning minutes of game 6 in the conference semifinals between the Pacers and the New York Knicks, the Pacers' fans were chanting "Beat The Heat" as their team beat their old New York rivals. True to form, the Heat and the Pacers met in the conference finals of the 2013 NBA playoffs on May 22, 2013. Several instances of physicality became prominent in the series: Shane Battier received an offensive foul for throwing his knee at Hibbert's midsection; Hibbert claimed that it was intentional dirty play on the part of Battier. Andersen suffered a bloodied nose after colliding with David West. Ian Mahinmi received a retroactive flagrant foul for a grab of James' arm. Norris Cole latched a hand on West's groin area as he tried to slip through West. Wade received a retroactive flagrant foul for hitting Stephenson in the head, another incident that the Pacers, notably Paul George, felt was a dirty play. The Heat survived game 1 on a James game-winning layup, while the Pacers came back to tie the series at 1–1 after forcing James into two late fourth-quarter turnovers for game 2. In Game 3, the Heat set a team record for points in a postseason half with 70. It was the first time the Pacers had given up 70 points since 1992. Allen's single turnover was the least ever suffered by the Heat in a first half. Their five total turnovers is tied for the fewest in franchise history. The game 3 victory marked the first time that an NBA team had won five straight road games by double digits. The Heat won the series 4–3, with a 99–76 win in game 7, eventually becoming 2013 NBA champions.
In the 2014 NBA playoffs, the Pacers and Heat renewed their rivalry in a second consecutive Eastern Conference finals match up. Indiana entered the series with home court advantage, having earned the first seed in the Eastern Conference, with a 56–26 record during the 2013–14 season. Indiana's core players from this series included Paul George, David West, Lance Stephenson, George Hill, Roy Hibbert, and new acquisitions, Evan Turner, Luis Scola, and Andrew Bynum. Likewise, Miami's key players again consisted of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Ray Allen, Mario Chalmers, as well as newcomers Greg Oden and Michael Beasley. Even though the Pacers were viewed as legitimate title contenders, Miami eliminated Indiana again, this time in six games.
In 2023, the last players active on either team was Udonis Haslem on the Heat and George Hill on the Pacers, who both competed in all three 2012, 2013, and 2014 playoff series.
Indiana and Miami would meet again for the first time since 2014 in the 2020 NBA playoffs with the Heat sweeping the Pacers in the first round. Indiana was led by Victor Oladipo, Malcolm Brogdon, T.J. Warren and Myles Turner. The Heat were led by Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Goran Dragić, and Tyler Herro, who ended up reaching the 2020 NBA Finals. Indiana sustained significant injuries preventing All-Star Domantas Sabonis and Jeremy Lamb from playing in the 2020 NBA Bubble.
Almost a week later, on December 13, the teams met at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, wherein Bucks franchise superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo scored a career-high 64 points. In the same game, Pacers rookie Oscar Tshiebwe scored his first career points, resulting in both teams wanting the official game ball to give to their players. At the end of the game, both teams had a basketball, but confusion arose towards who had the game ball; believing that the Pacers had it, multiple Bucks players entered the Pacers' tunnel to retrieve it, leading to a verbal altercation between Antetokounmpo and Haliburton. Footage later showed a member of Bucks' security receiving a ball from the officials towards the end of the game, however it is not known if it was the game ball or an alternate, with Antetokounmpo later stating he did not believe it to be the game ball. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle also alleged a member of the Bucks of elbowing general manager Chad Buchanan in the ribs, though this was not confirmed and multiple Bucks players chose not to comment on it.
The matchup intensified during the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs, where the 3rd-seed Bucks had home-court advantage over the 6th-seed Pacers. The Pacers' core players included Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam, Myles Turner, Benedict Mathurin, and Andrew Nembhard. The Bucks' core included Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez, and Bobby Portis. The Bucks dealt with injury trouble throughout the series, with Antetokounmpo not playing the entire series and Lillard missing games 4 and 5. Despite missing key contributors, the Bucks were able to remain competitive, though in the end the Pacers won the series 4–2.
The two teams met again in the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs, featuring an almost identical core from the Pacers, whereas the Bucks had traded Middleton for Kyle Kuzma at the trade deadline and added Gary Trent Jr. in free agency. The Pacers had earned the 4th-seed and home-court advantage after going 50–32 in the regular season, whereas the Bucks owned the 5th-seed with a 48–34 record. While Antetokoumpo was healthy and played every game of the series, Lillard missed game 1, playing in games 2, 3, and 4 before tearing his achilles tendon in the latter game, ending his season. The Pacers would win the series 4–1 in game 5, following a comeback win from the Pacers and a game-winning basket from Tyrese Haliburton. When the game concluded, Antetokounmpo was involved in a scuffle with Benedict Mathurin, and later a verbal altercation with Haliburton's father, John. John Haliburton would later be barred from attending Pacers games for most of their playoff run. The Pacers would go on to make it to that year's NBA Finals, but lost the Oklahoma City Thunder in 7 games, wherein Tyrese Haliburton would tear his achilles tendon in the final game of the series. That offseason began with a shocking move where Pacers center Myles Turner, who was the team's longest tenured player (having been with the team since 2015) signed with the Bucks, who had lost veteran center Brook Lopez to the Los Angeles Clippers in free agency. Pacers executives later stated they had been willing to enter the luxury tax to keep Turner, but had not had the chance to match Milwaukee's offer.
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, W–L% = Winning percentage
Italic denotes still active but not with team.
Points scored (regular season) (as of the end of the 2025–26 season)
Other statistics (regular season) (as of the end of the 2025–26 season)
NBA Defensive Player of the Year
NBA Rookie of the Year
NBA Sixth Man of the Year
NBA Most Improved Player of the Year
NBA Coach of the Year
NBA Executive of the Year
All-NBA Second Team
All-NBA Third Team
NBA All-Defensive First Team
NBA All-Defensive Second Team
Magic Johnson Award
J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award
USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year
NBA All-Rookie First Team
NBA All-Rookie Second Team
NBA Annual Assists Leaders
NBA Annual Steals Leaders
NBA Annual Blocks Leaders
NBA Annual Three-Point Field Goal Leaders
NBA Annual Three-Point Field Goal Percentage Leaders
NBA Annual Free Throw Percentage Leaders
NBA 50–40–90 Club
NBA All-Seeding Games First Team
NBA 75th Anniversary Team
Top 15 Greatest Coaches in NBA History
Top 10 Coaches in NBA History
ABA Playoffs Most Valuable Player
ABA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award
ABA All-Star East Head coach
ABA All-Star selections
All-ABA First Team
All-ABA Second Team
ABA All-Defensive Team
ABA All-Rookie Team
ABA All-Time Team
ABA All-Time Coaches
NBA All-Star Eastern Conference head coach
NBA Rising Stars Challenge head coach
NBA All-Star Legends Game
NBA Three-Point Contest
NBA Rising Stars Challenge Most Valuable Player
NBA Rising Stars Challenge
NBA Skills Challenge
NBA Clorox Clutch Challenge
NBA Slam Dunk Contest
1976–1990
The Pacers reverted to a simpler look reminiscent of their early ABA years upon moving to the NBA in 1976, this time extending the side stripes through the uniform. After one season, the white uniform was tweaked, incorporating the "P" logo to the "PACERS" wordmark. Slight changes were made in the early 1980s, with both the white and blue uniform incorporating the team logo on the left leg and changing the typeface on the state and team name. The white uniform was then replaced with a gold uniform in 1983, featuring the state name.
1990–1997: FloJos
Midway through the 1989–90 season, the Pacers introduced a new uniform that would debut the following season. Designed by track and field star Florence Griffith Joyner, the uniform featured a darker navy blue and deeper yellow palette, and incorporated a Helvetica-like typeface with drop shadows. The contrasting side stripes on the right taper towards the top of the uniform. The logo itself removed the outstretched hand and added some lines towards the yellow basketball to signify motion. This look became synonymous with the Pacers' mid-1990s success, which included two Conference Finals appearances and a budding rivalry with the New York Knicks.
1997–2005: Pinstripes
The arrival of Larry Bird in 1997 brought a new look to the Pacers. Block letters returned as were the contrasting side stripes. For the first time, the uniform incorporated pinstripes, a design feature that was used by a few NBA teams during the 1990s. In the 1998–99 season, a yellow alternate uniform was added. All three uniforms used the state name on the chest. This design would be worn by the Pacers during their first NBA Finals appearance in 2000.
2005–2017: Post-Miller era
On September 29, 2005, the Indiana Pacers unveiled then-new uniforms, coinciding with a new era following the retirement of Reggie Miller. This design eliminated the pinstripes and incorporated thinner stripes across the uniform. The team name returned on the white uniform, which also added bolder yellow accents on each side. Silver was also added to both the logo and uniforms. Updated typefaces were introduced, and an alternate roundel logo featuring the full team name in a yellow circle with navy blue and silver borders surrounding the "P" logo also debuted. The roundel logo would make its way to the uniforms. A gold alternate uniform was added ahead of the 2008–09 season. The uniform would become synonymous with Paul George, as he wore this set throughout his Pacers career, including two Conference Finals appearances.
Hoosiers uniform
On July 21, 2015, the Indiana Pacers, in collaboration with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Studios, unveiled a new uniform based on the 1986 motion picture Hoosiers. The Pacers wore these maroon and gold "Hickory" (the name and colors of the fictional High School from the film) uniforms for several home games and a few select road contests during the 2015–16 season. It is the first time a major North American pro sports team wore a uniform based on a film.
2017–present: Nike era
The Indiana Pacers unveiled new uniforms and logos to coincide with the NBA's uniform contract with Nike on July 28, 2017. The roundel logo, which had been the alternate since 2005, was promoted to a "Global" logo. Initially, the white "Association", navy blue "Icon" and yellow "Statement" uniforms mirrored each other, with the full team name encircling the uniform number and subtle pinstripes added on each side. However, ahead of the 2019–20 season, the Pacers released an updated "Statement" uniform, which was a nod to the FloJo design from 1990 to 1997. The right side incorporated subtle silver pinstripes as a nod to Indiana's farmlands, while the state name was emblazoned on the chest. This "Statement" uniform was worn during their second NBA Finals appearance in 2025.
"City" and "Earned" uniforms
A fourth uniform set, the "City" uniform, was also part of Nike's contract with the NBA. The Pacers' first "City" uniform is in navy blue with subtle yellow racing flag stripes on the left side. A vertical orientation of the state name was emblazoned within the yellow stripe and yellow numbers were encircled in a nod to IndyCar racing history. A white and navy blue version of the uniform served as its "City" uniform in the 2019–20 season.
Rivalries
Detroit Pistons
The Pacers and Pistons met for the first time in the 1990 Playoffs; the Pistons swept the Pacers in three straight games on their way to their second straight NBA championship. But the rivalry truly began in the 2000s, specifically during the 2003–04 season. The Pacers finished with a league-best 61 wins and were led by Jermaine O'Neal, Ron Artest, and Reggie Miller, and coached by Rick Carlisle. Carlisle had been fired by Detroit at the end of the previous season. Detroit was led by Chauncey Billups, Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace, Tayshaun Prince, and Richard Hamilton, and coached by former Pacers head coach Larry Brown. Indiana won the first three matchups in the regular season, before being defeated by the Pistons in the final regular-season meeting at the Palace. That was also the first time the two met after Rasheed Wallace was traded to Detroit.
New York Knicks
The Knicks–Pacers Rivalry has been heavily documented since 1977. During the 1990s, the Knicks and Pacers were perennial playoff teams. They met in the playoffs six times from 1993 to 2000, fueling a rivalry epitomized by the enmity between Reggie Miller and prominent Knick fan Spike Lee. The rivalry was likened by Miller to the Hatfield–McCoy feud, and described by The New York Times, in 1998 as being "as combustible as any in the league". During those years, the Pacers were led by a core of Reggie Miller, Rik Smits, Mark Jackson, Jalen Rose, Chris Mullin, Dale Davis, Antonio Davis, Derrick McKey, Detlef Schrempf, and others. On the other hand, the Knicks consistently built teams around Patrick Ewing, John Starks, Charles Oakley, Allan Houston, Larry Johnson, Latrell Sprewell, as well as former Pacer legend Herb Williams.
Miami Heat
The two franchises first met in the 2004 NBA playoffs, when Indiana won 4–2 in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Indiana was seen as title contenders, having the first seed in the Eastern Conference, and the best record in the league, led by Reggie Miller, Jermaine O'Neal, Ron Artest, and Al Harrington. The Heat were led by rookie Dwyane Wade, Lamar Odom, Eddie Jones, and Caron Butler, with this being Wade's first ever playoff experience. The Pacers would go on to lose in six games in the Eastern Conference finals to the eventual 2004 NBA champion Detroit Pistons. Following the 2003–04 NBA season, and before meeting again in 2012, Indiana remained competitive in the Eastern Conference, while Miami would win their first ever championship in 2006 after acquiring Shaquille O'Neal.
Milwaukee Bucks
While the franchises have been divisional rivals since 1976 (originally as part of the Midwest Division, though both have since moved to the Central Division), it is only in recent years that the matchup has been described as a true rivalry. On December 7, 2023, the two teams met in Las Vegas during the semifinals of that season's inaugural In-Season Tournament. While the Bucks led for most of the game, the Pacers staged a comeback in the fourth quarter, culminating in Tyrese Haliburton hitting a game-winning stepback 3-pointer over Bucks center Brook Lopez. Haliburton then tapped his wrist, mimicking Bucks guard Damian Lillard's iconic "Dame Time" celebration. The loss resulted in Bobby Portis later calling out former Bucks coach Adrian Griffin in the locker room, as well as his other teammates.
Season-by-season record
List of the last five seasons completed by the Pacers. For the full season-by-season history, see List of Indiana Pacers seasons.
+Overview of recent Pacers seasons
Personnel
Current roster
Retired numbers
Notes:
Indiana Pacers retired numbers
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famers
Indiana Pacers players Hall of Famers 22
!scope="row" Alex English 1997 4
!scope="row" Adrian Dantley 2008 25
!scope="row" Gus Johnson 2010 17
!scope="row" Chris Mullin 2011 34
!scope="row" Mel Daniels 2012 31
!scope="row" Reggie Miller 2012 1
35
!scope="row"Roger Brown 2013 30
!scope="row" George McGinnis 2017 14
!scope="row" Tim Hardaway 2022 Indiana Pacers coaches Hall of Famers !scope="row"Jack Ramsay
1992 !scope="row"Larry Brown
2002 529
!scope="row" Bobby Leonard 2014
Notes:
Indiana Pacers contributors Hall of Famers
FIBA Hall of Famers
Indiana Pacers FIBA Hall of Famers 11
!scope="row" Detlef Schrempf 2021 16
!scope="row" Peja Stojaković 2024 31
!scope="row" Reggie Miller 2024
Draft picks
Head coaches
There have been 13 head coaches for the Pacers franchise. Larry Staverman was the first coach of the team in 1967, when the team was in the ABA. Coach Bobby Leonard has the most wins in franchise history, with 529 in his 12 seasons with the team. After Leonard, Jack McKinney, George Irvine, and Jack Ramsay. When Ramsay abruptly resigned in 1988 after the team got off to a weak start, Pacers legend Mel Daniels took over on an interim basis for two games, before Irvine returned for 20 more. Dick Versace then led the Pacers through another sub-par stretch before Bob Hill got the Pacers back to the playoffs and into contention. Then in 1993, Larry Brown joined the Pacers franchise and led the team to many playoff appearances as Reggie Miller blossomed into a superstar and eventual Hall of Famer. Larry Bird took over the team in 1997 and coached until 2000. Bird took the Pacers to their first NBA Finals appearance in the 1999–2000 season. Isiah Thomas, Rick Carlisle, and Jim O'Brien were next up as the Pacers top coach. The most recent head coach of the Pacers was Frank Vogel, until May 5, 2016, when his contract was not renewed after the seventh-seeded Pacers lost game 7 of the first round of the 2016 NBA playoffs to the number two seeded Toronto Raptors. Subsequently, associate head coach Nate McMillan was promoted to the top spot. After four seasons in which he compiled a 183–136 record, McMillan and the team parted ways on August 26, 2020, just two weeks after it had been announced that the team had re-signed him. On October 20, 2020, the team hired former Toronto Raptors assistant coach Nate Bjorkgren as their new head coach. Bjorkgren would lead the Pacers to a 34–38 record in his lone season and the team missed the playoffs. On June 24, 2021, the Pacers re-hired Rick Carlisle for a second stint as the team's head coach.
Franchise records and individual awards
Franchise leaders
Bold denotes still active with team.
Most minutes played Most rebounds Most assists Most steals Most blocks
NBA individual awards
NBA Eastern Conference Finals Most Valuable Player
ABA individual awards
ABA Most Valuable Player Award
NBA All-Star Weekend
NBA All-Star selections
Mascot
Boomer, the Pacers Panther, has been the official team mascot since the 1991–1992 season. Boomer is known for performing high flying dunks and dance moves. Boomer has performed for multiple NBA All-Star Games. He used to have a partner, known as Bowser who was a canine ("K-9") mascot that worked in tandem with Boomer who was retired during the 2009–10 season.
Dance squad
Founded in 1967, the same year as the Pacers franchise, the Indiana Pacemates were one of the original professional sports dance squads and the first such entity in the NBA. Originally known in the ABA era as the Marathon Scoreboard Girls, then later as the Paul Harris Pacesetters, the Pacemates name has been used since the 1972–1973 season.
External links
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