What’s new with the Indiana Pacers? That’s what this page is all about.

The Team Spirit FAST BREAK website begins where the Team Spirit books end.

That’s because basketball never stands still … And I can never squeeze everything I want into 48 pages!

Take a look at some of the Pacers collectibles I have in my home.

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Updates

2023-24 Season

Season Preview: Indiana fans are used to seeing tough D and rugged, half-court offensive play. This year, they will be jumping out of their seats when the new-look Pacers specialize in fast-moving, end-to-end “transition” basketball. Newcomers Bruce Brown and Obi Toppin join Tyrese Haliburton to form an exciting “big three.” Rising star Benedict Mathurin and veteran Myles Turner round out a lineup that could turn up the temperature on the Central Division favorites, the Milwaukee Bucks.

2022-23 Season

May 8, 2023: Bennedict Mathurn was named to the All-Rookie First Team.

Season Recap: The Pacers missed the playoffs but were 10 wins better than the year before. Although Tyrese Halliburton missed time to injuries, he was an All-Star and led the team in scoring, assists, and steals. Center Myles Turner increased his scoring, while veteran Buddy Hield and a solid season in his first full year with the Pacers. Rookie Bennedict Mathurin and backup center Isaiah Jackson gave the team a lift coming off the bench.

December 1, 2022: Bennedict Mathurn was named Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for November.

Season Preview: The Pacers are in a rebuilding year, but that does not mean their fans won’t have anything to cheer about. On the contrary, Indiana should be fun to watch, as their young players develop and test their skills against the rest of the NBA. First-round draft pick Bennedict Mathurin joins a lineup that includes Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, Jalen Smith, Chris Duarte, and veteran defensive star Myles Turner.

2021-22 Season

Season Recap: The Pacers won just 25 games—20 fewer than they did two years earlier. Defense was most often the problem, as the club gave up almost 115 points per game. Malcolm Brogdon led Indiana in points per game again, but only played in 36 games due to injury and illness—and just two after the All-Star break. He wasn’t the only Pacers battling injuries. One who did not was young Tyrese Haliburton. When he and Brogdon shared the backcourt, opponents had a hard time stopping them.

November 29, 2021: Domantas Sabonis set a new personal best when he pulled down 25 rebounds in a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. A few days later he was named NBA Player of the Week.

Season Preview: The Pacers look much the same this year as they did last year. Domantas Sabonis is a talented center, Malcolm Brogdon is a good floor leader, and Caris LeVert is an exciting player when healthy. If a superstar is available in a trade this season, the Pacers might take a chance on him hoping to go deeper into the playoffs. New coach Rick Carlisle has a solid starting five, and also deep talent at the guard position. That could be enough to produce a 50-win season.

2020-21 Season

Season Recap: The Pacers finished the year 34–38 and lost their play-in game to fall short of the playoffs. Young center Domantas Sabonis led Indiana in scoring, rebounding, and assists while veteran Malcolm Brogdon averaged over 20 points a game in his second year with the club.

March 3, 2021: TJ McConnell established a new NBA mark with 9 steals in the first half of a game against the Cavaliers. He set record despite the fact he did not start the game.

Season Preview: Even though Indiana’s best player, Victor Oladipo, was slowed by injury in 2019–20, the Pacers had a great year. Forwards TJ Warren and Domantas Sabonis stepped up and became primetime players. If Oladipo is 100% and point guard Malcolm Brogdon continues to develop, the Pacers should be in good shape come playoff time.

2019-20 Season

Season Recap: The Pacers had a good year, finishing 45–28 and making the playoffs. Unfortunately, they ran into the red-hot Miami Heat, who swept them in the opening round. The team’s star, Victor Oladipo, returned to the court a year after injuring his knee, but only played in 19 games. That left the door open for a group of young stars to step up, and they did: Myles Turner, Domantas Sabonis, and Aaron Holliday all showed they were ready for primetime.

Season Preview: In a league where 3-pointers and slam dunks make the headlines, the Pacers win with old-fashioned defense. Fans will be counting the day until Victor Oladipo is back to 100% from last year’s injury, but the Pacers have a balanced attack that should win them games before that happens, especially with newcomers TJ Warren and Malcolm Brogdon in the starting lineup.

2018-19 Season

Season Recap: Indiana survived a season-ending injury to Victor Oladipo to win 48 games. Several players picked up the slack, including veterans Wesley Matthews, Thaddeus Young and Bojan Bogdanovic. Domantas Sabonis came off the bench to lead the team in rebounding, while Darren Collison was Indiana’s top playmaker. The Pacers did not have enough firepower to survive their playoff series with the Celtics, but it was inspiring to watch the team pull together when many predicted it would fall apart.

October 31, 2018: Damontas Sabonis shot a perfect 12-for-12 from the field in a win over the Knicks and scored a career-high 30 points.

Season Preview: Victor Oladipo is on the edge of superstardom, which gives the Pacers a great chance to challenge the Celtics in the Eastern Conference. Behind a group of solid starters is a bench that could make the difference in close games. It would not be a surprise to see power forward Domantis Sabonis and newcomer Tyreke Evans play a major role for Indiana come playoff time.

2017-18 Season

Season Recap: Coach Nate McMillan did an excellent job putting together a winning team when many fans were expecting a losing season. Newcomer Victor Oladipo was sensational. He led the team in scoring and led the NBA in steals. Veteran point guard Darren Collison had the highest shooting percentage from the 3-point line (46.8%). Oladipo nearly led the Pacers past LeBron James and the Cavaliers in the playoffs, but they fell in seven games.

Season Preview: The team’s starting five and Sixth Man can all put the ball in the basket, but with Paul George and Jeff Teague playing elsewhere this year, no one is sure who will step up and take their place as team leaders. Indy fans hope it is Myles Turner, who may be ready for a breakout season.

2016-17 Season

Season Recap: The Pacers played solid ball all season, led by veterans Paul George and Jeff Teague, and 20-year-old center Miles Turner. After losing to the Cavs in the first round, the club traded George, let Teague go to free agency, and named a new team president to replace Larry Bird.

2015-16 Season

Season Preview: After “going big” for many years, the Pacers will feature a smaller, faster lineup in 2015–16. They also get Paul George back after losing him for most of last season to a broken leg. Guards George Hill and Monta Ellis will trigger the offense, while Jordan Hill, Ian Mahimni, and rookie Myles Turner share time in the paint.

2014-15 Season

Season Recap: After reaching the conference finals two years in a row, the Pacers missed the playoffs entirely in 2014–15. Injuries hurt Indiana badly. Superstar Paul George missed all but a handful of games and George Hill sat for half the year. Veterans David West and Roy Hibbert carried the load, but could not make the team a consistent winner.

Season Preview: The Pacers have the defense to win the Eastern Conference, but they need to be more consistent and take better care of the basketball. They have a bright future, with forward Solomon Hill and guard Donald Sloan joining a core that includes shot-blocker Roy Hibbert and David West. Can they survive without their best player, Paul George? A broken leg suffered in August may keep him out all year.

2013-14 Season

Season Recap: The quartet of Roy Hibbert, Paul George, David West, and Lance Stephenson boosted the Pacers to the best record in the East, and through tough playoff series on their way to a showdown with the Miami Heat in the conference finals. Unfortunately, they fell to Miami in 6 games.

More Go-To Guys

This old wire photo shows Bob Netolicky in his first year with the Pacers. Wire photos were sent to newspapers over telephone lines back when dinosaurs roamed the earth. A lot of people like to collect them. (United Press International)

Vern Fleming always found a way to do something positive in a game, usually at a key moment. (Topps, Inc.)

  • Bob Netolicky — 6′ 9″ Forward
    Born: 8/2/1942
    Played for Team: 1967–68 to 1971–72 & 1973–74 to 1975–76
    Bob Netolicky was a terrific scorer and rebounder. “Neto” averaged over 20 points a game during the 1970 playoffs, when Indiana won its first ABA title.

  • Herb Williams — 6′ 10″ Center/Forward
    Born: 2/16/1958
    Played for Team: 1981–82 to 1988–89
    Herb Williams did everything well, and was one of the smartest players in the NBA. He could guard anyone on the floor and was one of the league’s best shot-blockers.

  • Vern Fleming — 6′ 5″ Guard
    Born: 2/4/1962
    Played for Team: 1984–85 to 1994–95
    Vern Fleming played all but one of his 12 NBA seasons for thePacers and trails only Reggie Miller and Rik Smits in all-time games played. He was a skilled passer and accurate shooter who helped the club as a starter and sixth man.

  • Ron Artest — 6′ 7″ Forward
    Born: 11/13/1979
    Played for Team: 2001–02 and 2005–06
    Ron Artest (who later changed his name to Metta World Peace) played with great skill and emotion. In 2003–04 he was an All-Star as well as the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year.

  • Lance Stephenson — 6′ 5″ Guard
    Born: 9/5/1990
    First Season with Team: 2010–11
    Lance Stephenson led his high school team to four New York City titles and joined the Pacers at age 20. In his fourth year with the team, he blossomed into a star who could shoot, pass, rebound and play great defense.

More Fun Facts

This card shows Reggie Miller at an age when his big sister, Cheryl, probably destroyed him in their driveway games. Their older brother, Daryl, was a catcher for the Angels in the 1970s. (Sports Illustrated for Kids)

  • OUTSIDE SHOOTER
    Reggie Miller developed his unusual shooting style in driveway games against his older sister, Cheryl, who was taller than Reggie until he was in high school. Cheryl was an All-American in college and an Olympic gold medalist. Both Reggie and Cheryl are in the Basketball Hall of Fame.

  • GIVE AND TAKE
    In the final year of the ABA, Don Buse led the league in assists and steals. Most basketball fans doubted whether he would be as good after the Pacers moved to the NBA in 1976–77. All Buse did was lead his “new” league in steals and assists again!

  • OLD SCHOOL
    Mel Daniels was the first of several All-Star players to graduate from Pershing High in Detroit, Michigan. He was followed by Spencer Haywood, Ralph Simpson, Kevin Willis, and Steve Smith. Before Daniels gained fame, Pershing was known for producing two members of the legendary music group The Four Tops.

League Leaders

The Sporting News had big, amazing covers when I was a kid. What a great picture of young Mel Daniels! (The Sporting News)

Is Don Buse going up for a shot, or pulling down a rebound? It’s hard to tell. You can tell from the ball that this was from his ABA days. (Topps, Inc.)

  • SCORING
    1974–75 George McGinnis 29.8*

  • REBOUNDING
    1968–69 Mel Daniels 16.5*
    1970–71 Mel Daniels 18.0*

  • ASSISTS
    1975–76 Don Buse 8.2*
    1976–77 Don Buse 8.5
    1996–97 Mark Jackson 11.4

  • STEALS
    1975–76 Don Buse 4.1*
    1976–77 Don Buse 3.5

    Steals did not become an official statistic until 1973–74.

  • BLOCKED SHOTS

    2018–19 Myles Turner 2.7

    *ABA Leader
    ** Also played with the Denver Nuggets

Playing for the Championship

The Pacers put up a good fight in the 2000 NBA Finals, but Shaq and Kobe were just too much for them. (National Basketball Association)

PACERS in the FINALS

American Basketball Association Finals

SEASON OPPONENT SCORE
1968–69 Oakland Oaks Lost 1–4
1969–70 Los Angeles Stars Won 4–2
1971–72 New York Nets Won 4–2
1972–73 Kentucky Colonels Won 4–3
1974–75 Kentucky Colonels Lost 1–4

National Basketball Association Finals

SEASON OPPONENT SCORE
1999–00 Los Angeles Lakers Lost 2–4

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