1995–96 Indiana Pacers season

The 1995–96 Indiana Pacers season was the 20th season for the Indiana Pacers in the National Basketball Association, and their 29th season as a franchise.

Season summary

Off-season During the off-season, the Pacers signed free agents Ricky Pierce and Eddie Johnson.

Regular season With the addition of Pierce and Johnson, the Pacers struggled with a 6–8 start to the regular season, as Rik Smits missed 19 games due to an ankle injury. However, the team posted a 14–2 record in January, which included a seven-game winning streak, and later on held a 31–16 record at the All-Star break. The Pacers won eight of their final nine games of the season, and finished in second place in the Central Division with a 52–30 record, which was the same record as the previous season, earning the third seed in the Eastern Conference; the team qualified for the NBA playoffs for the seventh consecutive year.

Reggie Miller averaged 21.1 points per game and led the Pacers with 168 three-point field goals, and was named to the All-NBA Third Team, while Smits averaged 18.5 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. In addition, Derrick McKey provided the team with 11.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per game, and was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team, while Dale Davis provided with 10.3 points, 9.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game, and Mark Jackson contributed 10.0 points and 7.8 assists per game. Off the bench, Pierce contributed 9.7 points per game, while sixth man Antonio Davis averaged 8.8 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, Johnson contributed 7.7 points per game, and Haywood Workman provided with 3.6 points and 2.8 assists per game.

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, Miller was selected for the 1996 NBA All-Star Game, as a member of the Eastern Conference All-Star team. The Pacers were also the only team in the league to defeat the Chicago Bulls twice during their historic 72–10 season, with a 103–97 home win at the Market Square Arena on December 26, 1995, and a 100–99 road win at the United Center on April 20, 1996. However, during the final month of the regular season, Miller suffered an eye socket injury.

The Pacers finished 17th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 673,967 at the Market Square Arena during the regular season.

NBA playoffs In the Eastern Conference First Round of the 1996 NBA playoffs, and for the third consecutive year, the Pacers faced off against the 6th–seeded Atlanta Hawks, a team that featured Steve Smith, Mookie Blaylock and Grant Long. Without Miller, the Pacers used Pierce as their starting shooting guard in his absence. The Hawks took a 2–1 series lead, but the Pacers managed to win Game 4 on the road, 83–75 at the Omni Coliseum to even the series. Miller returned to play in Game 5 at the Market Square Arena, scoring 29 points while wearing protective eye goggles; however, the Pacers lost to the Hawks at home, 89–87, thus losing in a hard-fought five-game series.

Notable incidents One notable incident of the regular season occurred on November 10, 1995, during a home game against the Sacramento Kings at the Market Square Arena, in which a brawl occurred. During the third quarter, Dale Davis fouled Kings guard Bobby Hurley hard as he drove into the lane; Kings forward Michael Smith confronted Davis, as both players fought with each other. Players from both teams left the bench to break up the fight. A total of 16 players were fined and suspended; Davis and Smith were both suspended for two games and fined $20,000, while 14 players, seven from each team, were all suspended for one game for leaving the bench during an altercation. 13 of the players that left the bench were all fined $2,500, while Kings center Duane Causwell was fined $7,500, because he did not try to break up the fight.

The Pacers lost to the Kings by a score of 119–95.

Aftermath Following the season, Jackson and Pierce were both traded to the Denver Nuggets; although Jackson would eventually return to the Pacers in a mid-season trade during the following season.

Offseason

Draft picks

Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 1 23 Travis Best PG Georgia Tech 2 52 Fred Hoiberg SG Iowa State

Roster

Regular season

Season standings

z – clinched division title y – clinched division title x – clinched playoff spot

Game log Regular season

| The Omni | 1–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 2 | November 4, 1995 | Toronto | W 97–89

| Market Square Arena | 2–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 3 | November 7, 1995 | @ Cleveland | W 104–101

| Gund Arena | 3–0 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 4 | November 9, 1995 | @ New York | L 95–103

| Madison Square Garden | 3–1 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 5 | November 10, 1995 | Sacramento | L 95–119

| Market Square Arena | 3–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 6 | November 15, 1995 | @ Miami | W 103–97

| Miami Arena | 4–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 7 | November 16, 1995 | @ Orlando | L 80–89

| Orlando Arena | 4–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 8 | November 18, 1995 | Seattle | W 118–104

| Market Square Arena | 5–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 9 | November 23, 1995 | Houston | L 108–115

| Market Square Arena | 5–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 10 | November 24, 1995 | Cleveland | L 93–100

| Market Square Arena | 5–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 11 | November 28, 1995 | @ Seattle | W 102–101

| KeyArena | 6–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 12 | November 30, 1995 | @ Sacramento | L 95–105

| ARCO Arena | 6–6

| Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena | 6–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 14 | December 3, 1995 | @ L.A. Lakers | L 96–104

| Great Western Forum | 6–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 15 | December 5, 1995 | Philadelphia | W 108–91

| Market Square Arena | 7–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 16 | December 8, 1995 | @ New Jersey | L 89–91

| Brendan Byrne Arena | 7–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 17 | December 10, 1995 | L.A. Clippers | W 111–104

| Market Square Arena | 8–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 18 | December 12, 1995 | Denver | W 125–92

| Market Square Arena | 9–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 19 | December 14, 1995 | @ Toronto | W 102–100

| SkyDome | 10–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 20 | December 15, 1995 | Milwaukee | W 112–95

| Market Square Arena | 11–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 21 | December 17, 1995 | @ Milwaukee | L 80–84

| Bradley Center | 11–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 22 | December 20, 1995 | L.A. Lakers | W 109–98

| Market Square Arena | 12–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 23 | December 22, 1995 | Dallas | W 90–79

| Market Square Arena | 13–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 24 | December 23, 1995 | @ Cleveland | L 96–97

| Gund Arena | 13–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 25 | December 26, 1995 | Chicago | W 103–97

| Market Square Arena | 14–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 26 | December 28, 1995 | Miami | W 91–77

| Market Square Arena | 15–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 27 | December 29, 1995 | @ Chicago | L 93–120

| United Center | 15–12

| McNichols Sports Arena | 16–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 29 | January 3, 1996 | @ L.A. Clippers | W 110–94

| Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena | 17–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 30 | January 5, 1996 | @ San Antonio | W 105–92

| Alamodome | 18–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 31 | January 6, 1996 | @ Houston | L 87–99

| The Summit | 18–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 32 | January 9, 1996 | @ Dallas | W 91–84

| Reunion Arena | 19–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 33 | January 11, 1996 | Milwaukee | W 96–88

| Market Square Arena | 20–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 34 | January 13, 1996 | Minnesota | W 103–94

| Market Square Arena | 21–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 35 | January 16, 1996 | @ Toronto | W 110–102

| SkyDome | 22–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 36 | January 17, 1996 | @ Atlanta | L 93–102

| The Omni | 22–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 37 | January 19, 1996 | Detroit | W 89–81

| Market Square Arena | 23–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 38 | January 21, 1996 | Washington | W 106–96

| Market Square Arena | 24–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 39 | January 23, 1996 | Phoenix | W 117–102

| Market Square Arena | 25–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 40 | January 24, 1996 | @ Milwaukee | W 97–89

| Bradley Center | 26–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 41 | January 26, 1996 | @ Boston | W 107–90

| FleetCenter | 27–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 42 | January 27, 1996 | Orlando | W 102–79

| Market Square Arena | 28–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 43 | January 30, 1996 | Atlanta | W 107–90

| Market Square Arena | 29–14

| The Palace of Auburn Hills | 29–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 45 | February 2, 1996 | Boston | W 116–108

| Market Square Arena | 30–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 46 | February 4, 1996 | New York | W 90–83

| Market Square Arena | 31–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 47 | February 7, 1996 | @ Philadelphia | L 101–102

| Market Square Arena | 31–17 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 49 | February 14, 1996 | @ New Jersey | L 87–88

| Continental Airlines Arena | 31–18 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 50 | February 16, 1996 | @ Washington | W 95–94

| Baltimore Arena | 32–18 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 51 | February 18, 1996 | Chicago | L 102–110

| Market Square Arena | 32–19 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 52 | February 21, 1996 | Orlando | L 97–99

| Market Square Arena | 32–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 53 | February 23, 1996 | Philadelphia | W 102–95

| Market Square Arena | 33–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 54 | February 24, 1996 | @ Charlotte | W 104–90

| Charlotte Coliseum | 34–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 55 | February 26, 1996 | @ Boston | W 122–119 (OT)

| FleetCenter | 35–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 56 | February 27, 1996 | Portland | W 101–87

| Market Square Arena | 36–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 57 | February 29, 1996 | Golden State | W 94–85

| Market Square Arena | 37–20

| Market Square Arena | 38–20 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 59 | March 5, 1996 | @ Phoenix | L 95–108

| America West Arena | 38–21 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 60 | March 6, 1996 | @ Utah | L 94–101

| Delta Center | 38–22 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 61 | March 8, 1996 | @ Vancouver | W 94–80

| General Motors Place | 39–22 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 62 | March 10, 1996 | @ Portland | L 108–113 (2OT)

| Rose Garden | 39–23 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 63 | March 15, 1996 | Utah | L 86–95

| Market Square Arena | 39–24 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 64 | March 17, 1996 | Toronto | W 105–96

| Market Square Arena | 40–24 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 65 | March 19, 1996 | @ Charlotte | L 94–102

| Charlotte Coliseum | 40–25 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 66 | March 20, 1996 | @ New York | L 99–102

| Madison Square Garden | 40–26 |- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 67 | March 22, 1996 | Vancouver | W 111–94

| Market Square Arena | 41–26

1995–96 Indiana Pacers season

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