1993–94 Indiana Pacers season

The 1993–94 Indiana Pacers season was the 18th season for the Indiana Pacers in the National Basketball Association, and their 27th season as a franchise.

Season summary

Off-season During the off-season, the Pacers hired Larry Brown as their new head coach, acquired Derrick McKey from the Seattle SuperSonics, and signed free agent Haywoode Workman, who previously played overseas in Italy. Rookie power forward Antonio Davis from the University of Texas-El Paso, who was drafted by the Pacers as the 45th overall pick in the 1990 NBA draft, but went to play overseas in Greece and Italy, made his debut in the NBA this season.

Regular season Under Brown and with the addition of McKey, Workman and Antonio Davis, the Pacers struggled losing six of their first seven games of the regular season, and then later on posted a five-game losing streak in December, leading to a 10–16 start. In December, the team signed free agent Byron Scott, who won championships with the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980s. However, the Pacers posted a seven-game winning streak between January and February, and held a 23–23 record at the All-Star break. With a 39–35 record as of April 8, 1994, the Pacers won their final eight games of the season, and finished in third place in the Central Division with a 47–35 record, earning the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference; the team qualified for the NBA playoffs for the fifth consecutive year.

Reggie Miller averaged 19.9 points and 1.5 steals per game, and led the Pacers with 123 three-point field goals, while Rik Smits averaged 15.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, and McKey provided the team with 12.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.5 steals per game. In addition, Dale Davis averaged 11.7 points, 10.9 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game, while Scott contributed 10.4 points per game off the bench as the team's sixth man, and Pooh Richardson provided with 10.0 points and 6.4 assists per game, but only played just 37 games due to calf and shoulder injuries. Meanwhile, Workman became the team's starting point guard in Richardson's absence, averaging 7.7 points and 6.2 assists per game, while off the bench, Antonio Davis averaged 7.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, second-year guard Malik Sealy contributed 6.6 points per game, but only played just 43 games due to injury, and Vern Fleming provided with 6.5 points and 3.1 assists per game.

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Antonio Davis was selected for the inaugural NBA Rookie Game, as a member of the Phenoms team, and also participated in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest. Dale Davis finished tied in fourth place in Most Improved Player voting. The Pacers finished 23rd in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 531,812 at the Market Square Arena during the regular season, which was the fifth-lowest in the league.

NBA playoffs In the Eastern Conference First Round of the 1994 NBA playoffs, the Pacers faced off against the 4th–seeded Orlando Magic, a team that featured All-Star center Shaquille O'Neal, rookie point guard Penny Hardaway, and Nick Anderson. The Pacers won the first two games over the Magic on the road at the Orlando Arena, before winning Game 3 at home, 99–86 at the Market Square Arena to win the series in a three-game sweep; it was the first time that the Pacers won an NBA playoff series since joining the NBA.

In the Eastern Conference Semi-finals, the team faced off against the top–seeded, and Central Division champion Atlanta Hawks, who were led by Kevin Willis, All-Star forward Danny Manning, and All-Star guard Mookie Blaylock. With the series tied at 1–1, the Pacers won the next two games at the Market Square Arena, including a Game 4 win over the Hawks, 102–86 to take a 3–1 series lead. After losing Game 5 on the road, 88–76 at the Omni Coliseum, the Pacers won Game 6 over the Hawks at the Market Square Arena, 98–79 to win the series in six games, and advance to the Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history.

In the Eastern Conference Finals, and for the second consecutive year, the Pacers faced off against the 2nd–seeded, and Atlantic Division champion New York Knicks, who were led by the All-Star trio of Patrick Ewing, John Starks and Charles Oakley. The Knicks took a 2–0 series lead, but the Pacers managed to win the next two games at the Market Square Arena to even the series. In Game 5 at Madison Square Garden, Miller scored 25 points in the fourth quarter alone, and also mocked Knicks fan and film director Spike Lee in the process; Miller finished the game with 39 points and made 6 out of 11 three-point field-goal attempts, as the Pacers defeated the Knicks, 93–86 to take a 3–2 series lead. However, the Pacers lost the next two games, including a Game 7 loss to the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, 94–90, thus losing in a hard-fought seven-game series.

The Knicks would advance to the 1994 NBA Finals, but would lose to the Houston Rockets in a full seven-game series.

Aftermath Following the season, Richardson and Sealy, who both did not participate in the NBA playoffs due to season-ending injuries, were both traded to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Offseason

NBA draft

Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 1 14 Scott Haskin C Oregon St. 2 39 Thomas Hill SG/SF Duke 2 51 Spencer Dunkley C Delaware

Roster

Regular season

Season standings

Game log Regular season

| The Omni | 0–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 2 | November 6, 1993 | Detroit | L 107–113

| Market Square Arena | 0–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 3 | November 9, 1993 | @ Orlando | L 98–104

| Orlando Arena | 0–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 4 | November 11, 1993 | @ New Jersey | W 108–105 (OT)

| Market Square Arena | 2–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 9 | November 22, 1993 | @ Boston | W 102–71

| Hartford Civic Center | 3–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 10 | November 24, 1993 | Philadelphia | L 97–108

| Market Square Arena | 3–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 11 | November 26, 1993 | L.A. Lakers | L 100–102

| Market Square Arena | 3–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 12 | November 29, 1993 | @ Sacramento | W 105–103

| ARCO Arena | 4–8

| Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena | 5–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 16 | December 7, 1993 | Sacramento | W 105–87

| Market Square Arena | 6–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 17 | December 9, 1993 | Orlando | W 111–105

| Market Square Arena | 8–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 20 | December 16, 1993 | @ Atlanta | W 99–81

| The Omni | 9–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 21 | December 18, 1993 | New Jersey | W 108–98

| Market Square Arena | 10–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 22 | December 20, 1993 | @ Phoenix | L 94–102

| America West Arena | 10–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 23 | December 21, 1993 | @ Seattle | L 88–91

| Market Square Arena | 10–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 24 | December 23, 1993 | @ Portland | L 96–108

| Memorial Coliseum | 10–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 25 | December 26, 1993 | @ Cleveland | L 103–107 (OT)

| Richfield Coliseum | 10–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 26 | December 30, 1993 | San Antonio | L 82–107

| Market Square Arena | 10–16

| Market Square Arena | 11–16 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 28 | January 5, 1994 | @ Washington | L 95–97

| USAir Arena | 11–17 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 29 | January 8, 1994 | @ Detroit | W 101–92

| The Palace of Auburn Hills | 12–17 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 30 | January 11, 1994 | @ Milwaukee | W 82–76

| Bradley Center | 13–17 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 31 | January 12, 1994 | Denver | W 107–96

| Market Square Arena | 14–17 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 32 | January 14, 1994 | @ Philadelphia | L 102–104 (OT)

| The Spectrum | 14–18 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 33 | January 15, 1994 | Atlanta | W 94–91

| Market Square Arena | 15–18 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 34 | January 19, 1994 | Miami | W 109–92

| Market Square Arena | 16–18 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 35 | January 21, 1994 | @ Chicago | L 95–96

| Chicago Stadium | 16–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 36 | January 22, 1994 | Chicago | L 81–90

| Market Square Arena | 16–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 37 | January 24, 1994 | Milwaukee | L 88–96

| Market Square Arena | 16–21 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 38 | January 26, 1994 | @ L.A. Lakers | L 99–103

| Great Western Forum | 16–22 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 39 | January 27, 1994 | @ Denver | L 106–113

| Market Square Arena | 18–23 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 42 | February 2, 1994 | @ Charlotte | W 124–112

| Charlotte Coliseum | 19–23 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 43 | February 4, 1994 | Minnesota | W 114–93

| Market Square Arena | 20–23 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 44 | February 5, 1994 | Charlotte | W 111–102

| Market Square Arena | 21–23 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 45 | February 7, 1994 | Golden State | W 104–99

| Market Square Arena | 22–23 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 46 | February 9, 1994 | @ Miami | W 102–98

| Alamodome | 23–24 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 48 | February 17, 1994 | @ Dallas | W 84–73

| Reunion Arena | 24–24 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 49 | February 20, 1994 | Seattle | W 101–95

| Market Square Arena | 25–24 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 50 | February 22, 1994 | Dallas | W 107–101

| Market Square Arena | 26–24 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 51 | February 23, 1994 | @ Orlando | L 99–103

| Orlando Arena | 26–25 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 52 | February 25, 1994 | Detroit | W 110–90

| Market Square Arena | 27–25 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 53 | February 26, 1994 | @ Chicago | W 96–86

| Chicago Stadium | 28–25

| Market Square Arena | 29–25 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"

1993–94 Indiana Pacers season

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