Indiana Pacers · Franchise era 4 of 7
The O'Neal contender: the Indiana Pacers story
Franchise era
2000–01—2005–06
The O'Neal contender
Indiana Pacers
The story in one sentence
A young defensive power won 61 games, but the Malice at the Palace and its fallout permanently altered the team's trajectory.
01
Elite defense undone by the brawl
02
Jermaine O'Neal, Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson gave the era its recognizable core.
03
Its ending created the conditions for the reset.
Timeline
How it unfolded
Before 2000–01
What came before
Miller turned playoff pressure into theater, leading five conference-finals appearances and the 2000 Finals.
2004
Eastern Conference Semifinals: Indiana Pacers vs Miami Heat
2004
Eastern Conference Finals: Indiana Pacers vs Detroit Pistons
2005
Eastern Conference Semifinals: Indiana Pacers vs Detroit Pistons
After 2005–06
What came next
Granger's scoring kept Indiana afloat while the front office patiently rebuilt the roster and culture.
The core