Indiana Pacers · Franchise era 3 of 7
Reggie Miller time: the Indiana Pacers story
Franchise era
1987–88—1999–00
Reggie Miller time
Indiana Pacers
The story in one sentence
Miller turned playoff pressure into theater, leading five conference-finals appearances and the 2000 Finals.
01
Clutch shooting and the first NBA Finals
02
Reggie Miller, Rik Smits and Mark Jackson gave the era its recognizable core.
03
Its ending created the conditions for the o'neal contender.
Timeline
How it unfolded
Before 1987–88
What came before
Merger costs and unstable rosters kept Indiana near the bottom until a UCLA shooter arrived in the draft.
1995
Eastern Conference Finals: Indiana Pacers vs Orlando Magic
1998
Eastern Conference Finals: Indiana Pacers vs Chicago Bulls
2000
NBA Finals: Indiana Pacers vs Los Angeles Lakers
After 1999–00
What came next
A young defensive power won 61 games, but the Malice at the Palace and its fallout permanently altered the team's trajectory.
The core