69 Fun Facts About Indiana Pacers

What name did the Pacers' home arena, opened in 1999, take in 2021?

Gainbridge Fieldhouse is the building's third name, after Conseco and Bankers Life; its brick-and-glass design copies Indiana's old high-school gyms, which is why it is called a fieldhouse.

By a founding investor's account, the Pacers' name honours the Indianapolis 500 pace car and which other Indiana tradition?

Harness racing: investor Dick Tinkham recalled pairing Indiana's pacing horses with the 500's pace car, though the club's 1967 announcement said only that it meant to set the pace.

Which former Indiana Mr. Basketball was playoff MVP when the Pacers won their third ABA title in 1973?

George McGinnis was playoff MVP as the Pacers won a third ABA title in four years; two seasons later he was the league's MVP, and that summer he left for the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers.

Before reaching their second NBA Finals, in 2025, the Pacers knocked out which top-seeded East team in five games?

The Cleveland Cavaliers had the East's best record, but Indiana won all three games played in Cleveland, one on a Tyrese Haliburton three with 1.1 seconds left, and took the series 4-1.

Which team beat the Pacers in the 1975 ABA Finals, then was left out of the 1976 merger with the NBA?

The Kentucky Colonels were ABA champions in 1975 and gone a year later: the NBA agreed to take only four clubs, the Pacers among them, and the Colonels folded.

Nearly bankrupt after joining the NBA, the Pacers were kept afloat in 1977 by what kind of fundraiser?

A telethon: the $3.2 million NBA entry fee and a first season without television money had left the club near ruin, and the July 1977 'Save the Pacers' broadcast rallied enough support to keep it going.

Which coach has the most wins in Pacers history, 529 across 12 seasons?

Slick Leonard won all three of the Pacers' ABA titles, was let go in 1980, and came back as the broadcaster whose shout of 'Boom, baby!' greeted every three-pointer.

Which future scoring great did the Pacers trade to Denver in 1980 to bring back a former ABA star of theirs?

Alex English went on to score more points than any other NBA player in the 1980s, while the star Indiana got back was waived within three seasons.

Which player did Portland select second overall with the 1984 pick from the Pacers' Tom Owens trade?

Portland used the Pacers' pick on center Sam Bowie at No. 2 in 1984, with Michael Jordan yet to be picked; leg injuries derailed Bowie's career.

Which Pacers rookie, nicknamed 'The Rifleman', won NBA Rookie of the Year in 1986–87?

Chuck Person was born Chuck Connors Person, named after the actor who starred in the TV western The Rifleman, so the nickname was waiting for him long before he reached the NBA.

Reggie Miller was drafted by the Pacers in 1987 out of which college?

UCLA got a shooter who had spent his first years in leg braces: Reggie Miller was born with a hip deformity that kept him from walking properly, yet he went 11th in the 1987 draft.

Fans were upset the Pacers drafted Reggie Miller in 1987 instead of which Indiana University star?

Steve Alford had just led Indiana to the 1987 NCAA title, and some fans booed the pick; Alford went 26th to Dallas and averaged 4.4 points over four NBA seasons.

Which 7-foot-4 center did the Pacers select in the 1988 NBA draft?

Rik Smits, the 'Dunking Dutchman', spent all 12 NBA seasons in Indiana; his 34 points against Patrick Ewing in a 1995 playoff series opener were upstaged by Reggie Miller's finish to the same game.

In 1989 the Pacers traded Herb Williams to Dallas for which future Sixth Man of the Year?

Detlef Schrempf won the award with Indiana in 1991 and 1992, and the second-round pick Dallas threw into the deal became Antonio Davis.

Reggie Miller's 1994 'choke sign' was aimed at which Knicks celebrity fan?

Reggie Miller flashed the choke sign at Spike Lee while scoring 25 fourth-quarter points to win Game 5 of the 1994 East finals in New York, but the Knicks took the next two games and the series.

In Game 1 of the 1995 East semifinals, Reggie Miller scored eight points in how many seconds?

8.9 seconds was all Reggie Miller needed: down 105-99 with 18.7 seconds left, he hit a three, stole the inbounds pass and hit another, then made two free throws for a 107-105 win.

The 1995–96 Pacers were the only team to beat which title contender twice in the regular season?

The Chicago Bulls went 72-10, then the best record in NBA history, and won the title; two of the ten losses were to Indiana, yet the Pacers went out in the first round of the playoffs.

Who was hired as the Pacers' head coach in 1997?

Larry Bird had never coached before, yet he improved the Pacers by 19 wins in his first season, was named Coach of the Year, and reached the NBA Finals in his third and final season.

Which team defeated the Pacers in six games in the 2000 NBA Finals?

The Los Angeles Lakers took the first title of the Shaq-and-Kobe era; the swing game was Game 4, which they won in overtime in Indianapolis even after Shaquille O'Neal fouled out.

Which 1992 Dream Team sharpshooter did the Pacers acquire from Golden State in 1997?

Chris Mullin started all 82 games in his first Pacers season and led the NBA in free-throw percentage; by 2000 he was a little-used reserve, but he finally played in an NBA Finals.

Which star of the Pistons' 'Bad Boys' teams coached the Pacers from 2000 to 2003?

Isiah Thomas went 131-115 as Pacers coach, reaching the playoffs each year but never winning a series, before being dismissed in 2003.

Which Pacers forward went to Portland in the 2000 trade that brought Jermaine O'Neal?

Dale Davis, fresh off his only All-Star appearance, was sent to Portland that August for Jermaine O'Neal, who went on to make six All-Star teams with the Pacers.

The 2002 trade that brought Ron Artest to Indiana sent which Fab Five member to the Bulls?

Jalen Rose, the Pacers' leading scorer two seasons earlier, went to Chicago in February 2002; in Indiana, Artest became an All-Star and the 2004 Defensive Player of the Year.

In 2024 the Pacers reached their first East finals in ten years, only to be swept by which team?

The Boston Celtics, on their way to the title, won all four games, the last two by three points each, after Tyrese Haliburton hurt his hamstring in Game 2 and missed the rest of the series.

The 'Malice at the Palace' brawl on November 19, 2004, took place during a game against which team?

The Detroit Pistons were hosting the Pacers at The Palace of Auburn Hills; the game was called off with 45.9 seconds left as Indiana led 97-82 and left the floor under a shower of drinks.

Which NBA commissioner banned Ron Artest for 73 games and the playoffs after the 2004 brawl?

David Stern's ban ran to the end of the 2004-05 season, the longest ever given for an on-court incident, and cost Artest about $5 million in salary.

Which Pacer followed Ron Artest into the stands during the 2004 brawl and was suspended for 30 games?

Stephen Jackson went into the crowd behind Artest and traded punches with fans, drawing a 30-game ban, the second-longest of the nine suspensions handed out.

Which jersey number did the Pacers retire for Reggie Miller in March 2006?

Reggie Miller's No. 31 went to the rafters on March 30, 2006; in his final game, a 2005 playoff loss, he scored 27 points and left to a standing ovation that the visiting team joined.

In 2005–06 the Pacers traded Ron Artest to Sacramento in exchange for which sharpshooting forward?

Peja Stojaković arrived in January 2006 after Artest had demanded a trade and been left off the active roster, but he played only half a season in Indiana before leaving for New Orleans.

Which center did the Pacers receive in the 2008 trade of Jermaine O'Neal?

Roy Hibbert, a Georgetown center drafted in the first round in 2008, came to Indiana in the Jermaine O'Neal deal and became a two-time All-Star anchoring the 2013 and 2014 East finals teams.

Paul George, drafted 10th by the Pacers in 2010, came out of which college?

Fresno State had him for two seasons; with Indiana he made four All-Star teams, and in 2014 he swapped No. 24 for No. 13 so that his nickname could become 'PG-13'.

The Pacers landed Tyrese Haliburton in a February 2022 trade with which team?

The Sacramento Kings gave up Haliburton, then 21, to get All-Star Domantas Sabonis; three years later he led the Pacers to the NBA Finals.

Which Pacer famously blew into LeBron James's ear during Game 5 of the 2014 Eastern Conference finals?

Lance Stephenson blew into LeBron James's ear in Game 5 of the 2014 East finals; the Pacers won that game to stave off elimination but lost Game 6 in Miami.

Paul George's 2014 leg fracture happened in a Team USA scrimmage while defending which player on a fast break?

Paul George was chasing James Harden on a fast break in the August 2014 Las Vegas scrimmage when his leg caught the stanchion; he played just six games in 2014-15.

Which associate head coach was promoted to lead the Pacers in 2016?

Nate McMillan went 183–136 and reached the playoffs in all four seasons without winning a series; the Pacers fired him in August 2020, two weeks after announcing a contract extension.

In 2017 the Pacers traded Paul George to the Thunder for Domantas Sabonis and which guard?

Victor Oladipo, a former Indiana University star, became an All-Star in his first Pacers season, leading the NBA in steals and winning the Most Improved Player award.

Which sharpshooter broke Reggie Miller's Pacers record for three-pointers made in a season in 2022–23?

Buddy Hield, who came to Indiana in the 2022 trade for Tyrese Haliburton, passed Miller's 26-year-old mark of 229 in February and finished the season with 288.

Which honour in 2023–24 pushed Tyrese Haliburton's Pacers contract extension to its highest possible value?

All-NBA team: his Third Team place meant the five-year extension started at 30% of the salary cap instead of 25%, a raise of roughly $40 million over the life of the deal.

From which team did the Pacers acquire Pascal Siakam in a January 2024 three-team deal?

Pascal Siakam won the 2019 title with the Toronto Raptors; as a boy in Cameroon he was sent to a seminary at 11 to train for the priesthood, and by 15 he wanted out.

When the Pacers hosted the 2024 NBA All-Star Game, which Indianapolis venue staged the Saturday-night contests?

Lucas Oil Stadium held the dunk and three-point contests on Saturday while the game itself stayed at the Pacers' arena on Sunday; Indianapolis had been due to host in 2021 until the pandemic pushed it back.

Brothers Mel and Herb Simon, who bought the Pacers in 1983, made their fortune building what?

Shopping malls: with outside buyers looking to move the club in 1983, the Indianapolis developers stepped in, a purchase credited with saving professional basketball in Indiana.

Which team beat the Pacers in seven games in the 2025 NBA Finals?

The Oklahoma City Thunder took Game 7 103-91 at home, after Indiana had led the series 2-1 and forced the decider with a Game 6 win.

What injury did Tyrese Haliburton suffer in the first quarter of Game 7 of the 2025 Finals?

Tyrese Haliburton suffered a torn Achilles tendon in his right leg early in the first quarter of Game 7 of the 2025 Finals, having played through a calf strain, and was ruled out for the whole 2025-26 season.

After a late three in the 2023 In-Season Tournament semifinal, Haliburton mimicked which opposing star's wrist-pointing celebration?

Damian Lillard's 'Dame Time' gesture was turned on his own team: Haliburton hit his third three with under a minute left, pointed at his wrist, and sent Indiana to the tournament final with a 128-119 win in Las Vegas.

After ten seasons in Indiana, center Myles Turner left in 2025 to sign with which division rival?

Myles Turner signed a four-year deal with the Milwaukee Bucks in July 2025, about two weeks after playing for Indiana in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.

What kind of animal is Boomer, the Pacers' mascot since 1991–92?

Boomer, often called the Pacers Panther, arrived in 1991 and made his name with acrobatic dunks; he now has a place in the Mascot Hall of Fame.

Which Pacers center was named ABA Most Valuable Player twice?

Mel Daniels won the award in 1969 and 1971; Indiana had picked him up from the struggling Minnesota Muskies after his Rookie of the Year season and built three title teams around him.

In 2015–16 the Pacers wore 'Hickory' alternate uniforms based on which film?

For the film's 30th anniversary, the Pacers and MGM dressed the team as Hoosiers' fictional Hickory High; the story was inspired by tiny Milan High School's 1954 Indiana state title.

Which Olympic track star designed the Pacers' uniforms worn from 1990 to 1997?

Florence Griffith Joyner, who designed many of her own eye-catching racing outfits, drew up the look in 1989, a year after winning three gold medals at the Seoul Olympics.

By the team's own account, the Pacers' original blue and gold colours were chosen to echo what?

The flag of Indiana, a gold torch ringed by stars on a blue field, is the model the team gives for its blue and gold; the blue later darkened to navy.

Michael Jordan's first game back from his first retirement, in 1995, was played in which Pacers venue?

Market Square Arena, the Pacers' home from 1974 to 1999, saw a rusty return: wearing No. 45, Jordan made only 7 of 28 shots and Indiana won 103-96 in overtime.

Which player, barred from the NBA after a gambling scandal, became the Pacers' first signing in 1967?

Roger Brown had only associated with a gambler and was never accused of fixing a game; he went on to be MVP of the 1970 ABA playoffs, and the Pacers retired his No. 35.

What is the nickname of the WNBA team that shares the Pacers' home arena?

The Indiana Fever have shared the arena since their first season in 2000, and in 2012 they won the WNBA championship, while the Pacers were still without an NBA title as of 2025.

The Pacers' first NBA playoff series win was a 1994 first-round sweep of which young expansion team?

The Orlando Magic were in the first playoff series in their history; the Pacers swept them 3-0, then upset top-seeded Atlanta before losing a seven-game East finals in New York.

Which coach, rehired in 2021, had also led the Pacers from 2003 to 2007?

Rick Carlisle's second stint paid off in 2025, when he took the Pacers to the NBA Finals, 25 years after reaching them as an Indiana assistant coach.

In 1983 the Pacers missed out on top draft pick Ralph Sampson by losing what to Houston?

A coin flip between each conference's worst team settled the first pick in those days: Indiana, 20-62 that season, lost it and picked second, and in 1985 the NBA replaced the flip with a draft lottery.

Which Arizona wing did the Pacers draft sixth overall in 2022?

Bennedict Mathurin made the All-Rookie First Team, and in Game 3 of the 2025 Finals he came off the bench to score 27 points in a Pacers win.

Where did the Pacers play their home games for their first seven seasons, 1967 to 1974?

The State Fairgrounds Coliseum was home for all three ABA championships; the Pacers left in 1974 for a new downtown arena the city had built as a centrepiece of urban renewal.

Which team did the Pacers beat in the 1972 ABA Finals?

The New York Nets, led by Rick Barry, had stunned a 68-win team in the first round, but the Pacers beat them four games to two for their second ABA title.

Which team did the Pacers beat in six games in the 2025 Eastern Conference finals?

The New York Knicks led Game 1 by 14 with under three minutes left, but Indiana forced overtime, won 138-135 and went on to take the series in six.

Which future Utah Jazz scoring champion did the Pacers acquire for Billy Knight in 1977, then trade that December?

Adrian Dantley came from Buffalo for Billy Knight in September 1977 and lasted only 23 games before Indiana, wanting a bigger center, traded him for James Edwards.

Which 1982 Pacers draftee finished second in Rookie of the Year voting?

Clark Kellogg, the eighth pick in 1982, averaged 20.1 points as a rookie and finished runner-up to Terry Cummings for Rookie of the Year before knee injuries cut his career short.

Which point guard did the Pacers acquire from the Clippers before their 52-30 season in 1994-95?

Mark Jackson arrived from the Clippers in June 1994 for Pooh Richardson and Malik Sealy; Indiana traded him to Denver in 1996, then brought him back at the next trade deadline.

Which Pacers guard set an NBA record with nine steals in one half in March 2021?

T.J. McConnell came off the bench, stole the ball nine times before half-time and ten in all, and added 16 points and 13 assists without missing a shot.

Which draft pick did the Pacers receive from Toronto for forward Antonio Davis before the 1999-2000 season?

Jonathan Bender, the fifth pick in 1999 straight out of high school, came to Indiana for Antonio Davis that August, but chronic knee problems wrecked his career.

Whom did the Pacers trade to Sacramento in 2003 for Scot Pollard after they could not afford to keep him?

Brad Miller, a 2003 All-Star, left in a sign-and-trade for Scot Pollard that July; Indiana had just re-signed Jermaine O'Neal for the maximum and could not pay both big men.

Which Pacers forward was the NBA's Most Improved Player in 2009?

Danny Granger lifted his scoring from 7.5 points as a rookie to 25.8 in 2008-09; knee trouble later held him to five games in 2012-13, and Indiana traded him the next season.

Who was named interim head coach when the Pacers dismissed Jim O'Brien on January 30, 2011?

Frank Vogel, then an assistant, took over on an interim basis in January 2011, went 20-18, was made permanent that July and later reached back-to-back East finals.

On draft night in 2011, the Pacers acquired which guard from the San Antonio Spurs?

George Hill, an Indianapolis native who starred at IUPUI, came from San Antonio on draft night 2011 for the rights to 15th pick Kawhi Leonard, who was Finals MVP three years later.