1996–97 Indiana Pacers season

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1996–97 Indiana Pacers season
Head coachLarry Brown
General managerDonnie Walsh
Owner(s)Herbert Simon
ArenaMarket Square Arena
Results
Record39–43 (.476)
PlaceDivision: 6th (Central)
Conference: 10th (Eastern)
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionWTTV
Fox Sports Midwest
RadioWIBC
< 1995–96 1997–98 >

The 1996–97 NBA season was the Pacers' 21st season in the National Basketball Association, and 30th season as a franchise.[1] During the off-season, the Pacers acquired Jalen Rose and Reggie Williams from the Denver Nuggets.[2] The Pacers also received the tenth pick in the 1996 NBA draft from the Nuggets, which they used to select Erick Dampier out of Mississippi State.[3] After playing just two games for the team, Williams was then traded to the New Jersey Nets for Vincent Askew.[4] Injuries and sluggish play would hamper the Pacers all season long as Rik Smits only played 52 games due to a foot injury,[5] Derrick McKey only appeared in just 50 games due to a ruptured Achilles tendon, and Haywoode Workman was lost for the remainder of the season with a knee injury after only playing just four games.[6]

The Pacers got off to a slow 3–8 start, then won five straight games, but continued to struggle playing around .500 for the rest of the season. At midseason, the team traded Askew and Eddie Johnson to the Denver Nuggets for former Pacers guard Mark Jackson and former Pacers forward LaSalle Thompson.[7] Jackson, who returned to Indiana after a brief stint with the Nuggets, would remain with the Pacers until 2000, where the team reached the NBA Finals. He also led the league with 11.4 assists per game. The Pacers missed the playoffs for the first time in eight years with a disappointing 39–43 record, sixth in the Central Division.[8]

Reggie Miller led the team in scoring with 21.6 points per game, and also led the league with 229 three-point field goals, while Smits averaged 17.1 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. In addition, Antonio Davis provided the team with 10.5 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, while Dale Davis contributed 10.4 points and 9.7 rebounds per game, second-year guard Travis Best provided with 9.9 points and 4.2 assists per game, and McKey contributed 8.0 points per game.[9] Following the season, head coach Larry Brown, who won his 600th game during the season, was forced to resign after coaching the Pacers for four seasons. He would later on take a coaching job with the Philadelphia 76ers.[10] Also following the season, Dampier and Duane Ferrell were both traded to the Golden State Warriors,[11] and Thompson retired.

Offseason[]

Draft picks[]

Main article: 1996 NBA draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
1 10 Erick Dampier C  United States Mississippi State
2 52 Mark Pope PF/C  United States Kentucky

Roster[]

1996–97 Indiana Pacers roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB (YYYY-MM-DD) From
G 4 Best, Travis 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 182 lb (83 kg) 1972–07–12 Georgia Tech
C 25 Dampier, Erick 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 265 lb (120 kg) 1975–07–14 Mississippi State
F 33 Davis, Antonio 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1968–10–31 UTEP
F/C 32 Davis, Dale 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1969–03–25 Clemson
F 27 Ferrell, Duane 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 209 lb (95 kg) 1965–02–28 Georgia Tech
F 24 Ham, Darvin 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1973–07–23 Texas Tech
G 20 Hoiberg, Fred 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 203 lb (92 kg) 1972–10–15 Iowa State
G 13 Jackson, Mark 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1965–04–01 St. John's
F 9 McKey, Derrick Injured 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1966–10–10 Alabama
G 31 Miller, Reggie 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1965–08–24 UCLA
G/F 5 Rose, Jalen 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1973–01–30 Michigan
F 55 Scott, Brent 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 250 lb (113 kg) 1971–06–15 Rice
C 45 Smits, Rik 7 ft 4 in (2.24 m) 250 lb (113 kg) 1966–08–23 Marist
C 41 Thompson, LaSalle Injured 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 245 lb (111 kg) 1961–06–23 Texas
G 3 Workman, Haywoode Injured 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1966–01–23 Oral Roberts
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Roster

Regular season[]

Season standings[]

Central Division
W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Chicago Bulls 69 13 .841 – 39–2 30–11 24–4
x-Atlanta Hawks 56 26 .683 13 36–5 20–21 17–11
x-Detroit Pistons 54 28 .659 15 30–11 24–17 17–11
x-Charlotte Hornets 54 28 .659 15 30–11 24–17 14–14
Cleveland Cavaliers 42 40 .512 27 25–16 17–24 13–15
Indiana Pacers 39 43 .476 30 21–20 18–23 11–17
Milwaukee Bucks 33 49 .402 36 20–21 13–28 10–18
Toronto Raptors 30 52 .366 39 18–23 12–29 6–22
1996–97 NBA East standings
# Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 z-Chicago Bulls 69 13 .841 –
2 y-Miami Heat 61 21 .744 8
3 x-New York Knicks 57 25 .695 12
4 x-Atlanta Hawks 56 26 .683 13
5 x-Detroit Pistons 54 28 .659 15
6 x-Charlotte Hornets 54 28 .659 15
7 x-Orlando Magic 45 37 .549 24
8 x-Washington Bullets 44 38 .537 25
9 Cleveland Cavaliers 42 40 .512 27
10 Indiana Pacers 39 43 .476 30
11 Milwaukee Bucks 33 49 .402 36
12 Toronto Raptors 30 52 .366 39
13 New Jersey Nets 26 56 .317 43
14 Philadelphia 76ers 22 60 .268 47
15 Boston Celtics 15 67 .183 54
z – clinched division title
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents[]

1996-97 NBA Records
Team ATL BOS CHA CHI CLE DAL DEN DET GSW HOU IND LAC LAL MIA MIL MIN NJN NYK ORL PHI PHO POR SAC SAS SEA TOR UTA VAN WAS
Atlanta — 3–1 1–3 1–3 3–1 2–0 1–1 1–3 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 1–2 4–0 2–0 3–1 1–3 3–1 4–0 1–1 2–0 2–0 2–0 1–1 4–0 1–1 2–0 2–1
Boston 1–3 — 0–4 0–4 1–2 1–1 1–1 0–4 1–1 0–2 1–2 0–2 1–1 0–4 1–3 0–2 0–4 0–4 0–4 1–3 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 3–1 0–2 0–2 0–4
Charlotte 3–1 4–0 — 0–4 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–2 2–0 2–0 2–2 1–1 1–1 1–2 2–2 2–0 4–0 3–1 1–2 4–0 1–1 0–2 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–2 0–2 2–0 3–1
Chicago 3–1 4–0 4–0 — 3–1 2–0 2–0 3–1 2–0 1–1 4–0 2–0 1–1 2–2 4–0 2–0 3–1 2–2 3–0 4–0 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–0 2–0 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–1
Cleveland 1–3 2–1 1–3 1–3 — 2–0 1–1 2–2 1–1 0–2 3–1 2–0 1–1 0–4 2–2 2–0 4–0 1–3 2–2 3–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 0–2 0–2 3–1 1–1 2–0 1–3
Dallas 0–2 1–1 1–1 0–2 0–2 — 3–1 0–2 0–4 0–4 1–1 2–2 0–4 0–2 0–2 1–3 1–1 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–3 1–3 2–2 1–3 1–3 0–2 1–3 3–1 0–2
Denver 1–1 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 1–3 — 0–2 1–3 1–3 0–2 1–3 0–4 0–2 1–1 0–4 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 2–2 0–4 2–2 2–2 0–4 1–1 0–4 3–1 1–1
Detroit 3–1 4–0 2–2 1–3 2–2 2–0 2–0 — 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 0–4 3–1 2–0 4–0 1–2 2–2 2–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 3–1 1–1 2–0 4–0
Golden State 0–2 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 4–0 3–1 0–2 — 0–4 1–1 1–3 0–4 0–2 1–1 1–3 2–0 0–2 1–1 2–0 0–4 2–2 1–3 4–0 0–4 2–0 0–4 3–1 0–2
Houston 1–1 2–0 0–2 1–1 2–0 4–0 3–1 1–1 4–0 — 1–1 3–1 3–1 0–2 1–1 4–0 2–0 1–1 0–2 2–0 2–2 2–2 4–0 3–1 3–1 1–1 2–2 3–1 2–0
Indiana 1–3 2–1 2–2 0–4 1–3 1–1 2–0 1–3 1–1 1–1 — 2–0 1–1 1–3 2–2 2–0 2–2 1–3 1–3 3–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–0 0–2 2–0 1–3
L.A. Clippers 0–2 2–0 1–1 0–2 0–2 2–2 3–1 0–2 3–1 1–3 0–2 — 2–2 0–2 2–0 1–3 1–1 0–2 1–1 1–1 2–2 0–4 2–2 4–0 1–3 2–0 1–3 4–0 0–2
L.A. Lakers 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–0 4–0 1–1 4–0 1–3 1–1 2–2 — 1–1 2–0 3–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 2–0 4–0 1–3 4–0 2–2 3–1 1–1 1–3 4–0 2–0
Miami 2–1 4–0 2–1 2–2 4–0 2–0 2–0 4–0 2–0 2–0 3–1 2–0 1–1 — 4–0 1–1 3–1 1–3 2–2 3–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 2–0 0–2 3–1 0–2 2–0 3–1
Milwaukee 0–4 3–1 2–2 0–4 2–2 2–0 1–1 1–3 1–1 1–1 2–2 0–2 0–2 0–4 — 0–2 2–1 1–2 2–2 3–1 1–1 0–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 3–1 1–1 2–0 1–3
Minnesota 0–2 2–0 0–2 0–2 0–2 3–1 4–0 0–2 3–1 0–4 0–2 3–1 1–3 1–1 2–0 — 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 3–1 2–2 0–4 4–0 0–4 1–1 1–3 4–0 1–1
New Jersey 1–3 4–0 0–4 1–3 0–4 1–1 1–1 0–4 0–2 0–2 2–2 1–1 0–2 1–3 1–2 0–2 — 2–2 1–3 2–2 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–0 1–1 0–3 0–2 2–0 1–3
New York 3–1 4–0 1–3 2–2 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–1 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–1 1–1 2–2 — 3–1 3–2 1–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 0–2 3–0 1–1 2–0 4–0
Orlando 1–3 4–0 2–1 0–3 2–2 1–1 2–0 2–2 1–1 2–0 3–1 1–1 1–1 2–2 2–2 1–1 3–1 1–3 — 2–2 1–1 2–0 1–1 1–1 1–1 4–0 0–2 1–1 1–3
Philadelphia 0–4 3–1 0–4 0–4 0–3 0–2 1–1 1–2 0–2 0–2 0–3 1–1 0–2 1–3 1–3 1–1 2–2 2–3 2–2 — 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 0–2 1–3 0–2 2–0 1–3
Phoenix 1–1 1–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 3–1 2–2 2–0 4–0 2–2 1–1 2–2 0–4 0–2 1–1 1–3 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–1 — 1–3 4–0 3–1 2–2 0–2 1–3 2–2 1–1
Portland 0–2 1–1 2–0 0–2 1–1 3–1 4–0 1–1 2–2 2–2 1–1 4–0 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–2 2–0 1–1 0–2 1–1 3–1 — 2–2 4–0 1–3 0–2 2–2 4–0 0–2
Sacramento 0–2 2–0 0–2 0–2 0–2 2–2 2–2 1–1 3–1 0–4 1–1 2–2 0–4 0–2 2–0 4–0 1–1 0–2 1–1 2–0 0–4 2–2 — 3–1 1–3 1–1 0–4 4–0 0–2
San Antonio 0–2 1–1 0–2 0–2 2–0 3–1 2–2 0–2 0–4 1–3 1–1 0–4 2–2 0–2 1–1 0–4 0–2 0–2 1–1 1–1 1–3 0–4 1–3 — 0–4 1–1 1–3 1–3 0–2
Seattle 1–1 2–0 0–2 0–2 2–0 3–1 4–0 1–1 4–0 1–3 1–1 3–1 1–3 2–0 1–1 4–0 1–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 2–2 3–1 3–1 4–0 — 2–0 1–3 4–0 2–0
Toronto 0–4 1–3 2–2 1–3 1–3 2–0 1–1 1–3 0–2 1–1 0–4 0–2 1–1 1–3 1–3 1–1 3–0 0–3 0–4 3–1 2–0 2–0 1–1 1–1 0–2 — 1–1 1–1 2–2
Utah 1–1 2–0 2–0 1–1 1–1 3–1 4–0 1–1 4–0 2–2 2–0 3–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 3–1 2–0 1–1 2–0 2–0 3–1 2–2 4–0 3–1 3–1 1–1 — 4–0 2–0
Vancouver 0–2 2–0 0–2 0–2 0–2 1–3 1–3 0–2 1–3 1–3 0–2 0–4 0–4 0–2 0–2 0–4 0–2 0–2 1–1 0–2 2–2 0–4 0–4 3–1 0–4 1–1 0–4 — 1–1
Washington 1–2 4–0 1–3 1–2 3–1 2–0 1–1 0–4 2–0 0–2 3–1 2–0 0–2 1–3 3–1 1–1 3–1 0–4 3–1 3–1 1–1 2–0 2–0 2–0 0–2 2–2 0–2 1–1 —

Game log[]

1996–97 game log
November
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
December
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
January
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
February
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
March
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
April
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Record
1996–97 schedule

Player statistics[]

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game

Season[]

Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Reggie Miller 81 81 36.6 44.4 42.7 88.0 3.5 3.4 0.9 0.3 21.6
Rik Smits 52 52 29.2 48.6 25.0 79.7 6.9 1.3 0.4 1.1 17.1
Antonio Davis 82 28 28.5 48.0 7.1 66.6 7.3 0.8 0.5 1.0 10.5
Dale Davis 80 76 32.4 53.8 0.0 42.8 9.7 0.7 0.8 1.0 10.4
Travis Best 76 46 27.2 44.2 36.8 75.6 2.2 4.2 1.3 0.1 9.9
Mark Jackson 30 30 35.1 42.7 31.6 76.6 4.1 9.8 1.5 0.1 9.0
Derrick McKey 50 49 29.0 39.1 25.9 72.4 4.8 2.7 0.9 0.6 8.0
Jalen Rose 66 6 18.0 45.6 29.2 75.0 1.8 2.3 0.9 0.3 7.3
Duane Ferrell 62 18 18.0 47.2 40.9 61.7 2.3 1.1 0.6 0.1 6.4
Vincent Askew 41 0 20.0 43.2 29.2 79.1 2.4 2.2 0.4 0.1 5.7
Haywoode Workman 4 2 20.3 55.0 0.0 0.0 1.8 2.8 0.8 0.0 5.5
Eddie Johnson 28 0 10.9 43.4 32.1 74.1 1.4 0.6 0.2 0.0 5.3
Erick Dampier 72 21 14.6 39.0 100.0 63.7 4.1 0.6 0.3 1.0 5.1
Fred Hoiberg 47 0 12.2 42.9 41.4 79.2 1.7 0.9 0.6 0.1 4.8
Jerome Allen 51 1 13.6 38.8 39.0 57.4 1.3 2.1 0.5 0.0 3.2
Darvin Ham 1 0 5.0 100.0 0.0 50.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 3.0
Reggie Williams 2 0 16.5 22.2 0.0 50.0 3.5 1.0 0.0 0.0 2.5
Brent Scott 16 0 3.4 47.1 0.0 50.0 0.6 0.2 0.1 0.1 1.2
LaSalle Thompson 9 0 3.9 0.0 0.0 75.0 0.9 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.3

Player Statistics Citation:[9]

Awards and records[]

Transactions[]

Overview[]

Players added

Via draft

Via trade

Via free agency

Players Lost

Via trade

Via free agency

Trades[]

June 13, 1996 To Indiana Pacers
Reggie Williams, Jalen Rose and the draft rights to Erick Dampier 		To Denver Nuggets
Mark Jackson, Ricky Pierce, and a first round draft pick
November 4, 1996 To Indiana Pacers
Vincent Askew 		To New Jersey Nets
Reggie Williams
February 20, 1997 To Indiana Pacers
Mark Jackson, LaSalle Thompson, and Darvin Ham 		To Denver Nuggets
Vincent Askew, Eddie Johnson, Jerome Allen, and 1997 and 1998 Second Round draft picks

Free agents[]

Additions
Player Date signed Former team
Jerome Allen August 17, 1996 Minnesota Timberwolves
Brent Scott September 27, 1996 Olitalia Forli (Italy)
Subtractions
Player Reason Left New team
Scott Haskin Unknown None
Dwayne Schintzius Free Agency Los Angeles Clippers
Adrian Caldwell Free Agency New Jersey Nets

Player Transactions Citation:[12]

References[]

  1. ^ 1996–97 Indiana Pacers
  2. ^ "Pacers trade Jackson, Pierce to Denver". UPI Archives. June 13, 1996. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  3. ^ "For 76ers, Iverson Is No. 1 Choice". Washington Post. June 27, 1996. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
  4. ^ "Nets Trade Askew for Pacers' Williams". New York Times. November 5, 1996. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
  5. ^ "Smits Is Still Not Ready". New York Times. October 24, 1996. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  6. ^ "PACERS LOSE WORKMAN FOR SEASON". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
  7. ^ "NUGGETS MAKE THREE DEALS AS DEADLINE PASSES". Chicago Tribune. February 21, 1997. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
  8. ^ "1996–97 Indiana Pacers Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  9. ^ a b "1996–97 Indiana Pacers Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  10. ^ "Carr Is Out at Boston; Brown Leaves Indiana". Los Angeles Times. May 1, 1997. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
  11. ^ "Warriors Trade Mullin to Pacers". New York Times. August 12, 1997. Retrieved January 18, 2022.
  12. ^ "1996–97 Indiana Pacers Transactions". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved July 3, 2021.

See also[]

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