Indiana Pacers · Franchise era 1 of 7

The ABA dynasty: the Indiana Pacers story

Franchise era

1967–68—1975–76

The ABA dynasty

Indiana Pacers

The story in one sentence

The Pacers were the ABA's defining franchise, winning championships in 1970, 1972 and 1973.

01

Three titles in four Finals trips

02

Mel Daniels, Roger Brown and George McGinnis gave the era its recognizable core.

03

Its ending created the conditions for the difficult nba transition.

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. The foundation

    The franchise context

    Indiana's franchise identity joins ABA banners, Reggie Miller's fearless shooting and a succession of smartly rebuilt contenders that rarely stay down for long.

  2. 1967–68—1975–76

    The ABA dynasty

    The Pacers were the ABA's defining franchise, winning championships in 1970, 1972 and 1973.

  3. After 1975–76

    What came next

    Merger costs and unstable rosters kept Indiana near the bottom until a UCLA shooter arrived in the draft.

The core

Faces of the chapter

Next era →The difficult NBA transition1976–77—1986–87