22
Oct
5 min read
Indiana Pacers NBA Profile: Five things you need to know
The Indiana Pacers are yet to win an NBA title
- Tyrese Haliburton emerging as one of NBA's top young point guards
- Pacers set franchise playoff scoring records in 2024 postseason run
- First playoff series win since 2014 signals team on the rise
The Indiana Pacers are an up-and-coming NBA team built around young talent and high-powered offense. After years of rebuilding, they made a surprising run to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2024.
Key Details
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Year Founded: 1967
Home Arena: Gainbridge Fieldhouse
Championships: 3 (all in ABA - 1970, 1972, 1973)
Major Rivals: New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons
Australians who have played for the Indiana Pacers
Johnny Furphy: Born in Melbourne, Victoria, Furphy was selected by the Pacers with the 35th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Known for his athleticism and shooting ability, he is expected to contribute to the team's wing rotation.
Identity
The Pacers have embraced an up-tempo, offensive-minded identity under head coach Rick Carlisle. Led by dynamic point guard Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana plays at one of the fastest paces in the NBA and excels at spacing the floor with shooters to create driving lanes. The team philosophy centres on ball movement, player movement, and taking advantage of mismatches.
Defensively, the Pacers have struggled at times, often relying on outscoring opponents rather than getting consistent stops. However, the addition of players like Bruce Brown has helped improve their perimeter defense. The team culture emphasises player development and building chemistry among their young core.
Legacy & Impact
The Pacers' greatest era came in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when Reggie Miller led the team to its only NBA Finals appearance in 2000. The battles between Miller's Pacers and the New York Knicks defined an era of physical, defense-first basketball in the Eastern Conference.
More recently, the Paul George-led teams of the mid-2010s were perennial playoff contenders. However, the franchise hit a rebuilding phase after trading George in 2017. The current young core centred on Haliburton represents the team's next attempt to build a sustained contender.
Key figures in Pacers history include:
- Reggie Miller: All-time leading scorer and face of the franchise for 18 seasons
- Mel Daniels: ABA MVP who led Pacers to three ABA titles
- Paul George: Five-time All-Star who helped Pacers reach back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals
- Larry Bird: Indiana basketball legend who served as head coach and president of basketball operations
Five Fast Facts:
- The Pacers name comes from Indiana's history with harness racing and the Indianapolis 500 pace cars
- They are one of four ABA teams that joined the NBA in the 1976 ABA-NBA merger
- Reggie Miller holds the franchise record for points scored with 25,279
- The team has reached the conference finals six times but has only made the NBA Finals once
- Tyrese Haliburton set the franchise record for assists in a season with 624 in 2022-23
Club Timeline:
1967: Franchise founded as member of ABA
1970: Win first ABA championship
1976: Join NBA as part of ABA-NBA merger
1987: Draft Reggie Miller 11th overall
2000: Reach NBA Finals, lose to Lakers in 6 games
2010: Draft Paul George 10th overall
2017: Trade Paul George to Thunder, beginning rebuild
2022: Acquire Tyrese Haliburton in trade with Kings
2024: Reach Eastern Conference Finals
Key Statistics:
All-Time Record: 2,214-2,162 (as of end of 2023-24 season)
Championship History: 3 ABA Championships (1970, 1972, 1973)
Hall of Fame Players: 7 (including ABA)
Retired Numbers: 5 (30, 31, 34, 35, 529)
Notable Records: Most points in a playoff game (154 vs Knicks, 2024)
Today
The Pacers are viewed as one of the NBA's most exciting young teams after their surprise run to the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals. Led by 24-year-old All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana boasts one of the league's most potent offenses. They set multiple franchise playoff scoring records during their 2024 postseason run.
While defense remains a concern, the addition of All-Star forward Pascal Siakam midway through the 2023-24 season gave the team another elite offensive weapon to pair with Haliburton. The continued development of young players like Benedict Mathurin and Jarace Walker will be key to the Pacers taking the next step toward true title contention in coming seasons.
