Indiana Pacers

The Indiana Pacers are a basketball team in the NBA's Central Division. Founded in 1967 as a member of the ABA, the Pacers won three ABA championships before being one of four franchises to join the NBA in 1976.

After a decade and a half of mediocrity, the Pacers fortunes improved in the early 1990s. Led by sharpshooter Reggie Miller and the "Flying Dutchman", 7-4 Rik Smits, the Pacers won their first playoff series in 1994 against Shaquille O'Neal's Orlando Magic.

With the additions of Chris Mullin and Jalen Rose, coach Larry Bird led a veteran team to the Finals in 2000 where the Pacers lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in six games.

The subsequent rebuilding period proved short-lived as the team under new coach Rick Carlisle won a league-best 61 games in 2004 but lost to the eventual champs from Detroit in the Conference Finals.

The Pacers, picked as one of the favourites in 2004-05, unraveled after a huge brawl during a game against the Detroit Pistons led to lengthy suspensions for the team's three best players - Jermaine O'Neal, Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson.

Artest and Jackson were both traded and O'Neal has frequently been hampered by injuries, causing the Pacers to miss the postseason in 2006-07. This year, Indiana is on pace to repeat their trip to the draft lottery.

Created by: Ole