Indiana Pacers · Franchise era 2 of 7
The difficult NBA transition: the Indiana Pacers story
Franchise era
1976–77—1986–87
The difficult NBA transition
Indiana Pacers
The story in one sentence
Merger costs and unstable rosters kept Indiana near the bottom until a UCLA shooter arrived in the draft.
01
Financial strain and a decade of rebuilding
02
Billy Knight, Clark Kellogg and Herb Williams gave the era its recognizable core.
03
Its ending created the conditions for reggie miller time.
Timeline
How it unfolded
Before 1976–77
What came before
The Pacers were the ABA's defining franchise, winning championships in 1970, 1972 and 1973.
1981
Eastern Conference First Round: Indiana Pacers vs Philadelphia 76ers
1987
Eastern Conference First Round: Indiana Pacers vs Atlanta Hawks
After 1986–87
What came next
Miller turned playoff pressure into theater, leading five conference-finals appearances and the 2000 Finals.
The core