1997–98 Indiana Pacers season

The 1997–98 NBA season was the Pacers' 22nd season in the National Basketball Association, and 31st season as a franchise.[1] In the off-season, the Pacers hired former Indiana State and Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird as head coach,[2] and acquired All-Star forward Chris Mullin from the Golden State Warriors.[3] Bird and Mullin were once teammates on the "Dream Team" from the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.[4] The Pacers struggled early in the season losing five of their first seven games, but then won 15 of their next 18 games, and held the best record in the Eastern Conference at 33–13 before the All-Star break. The Pacers won nine of their final eleven games, and returned to the playoffs after a one-year absence finishing second in the Central Division with a 58–24 record.[5] It was also the first time since joining the NBA that the Pacers finished with a winning road record. Reggie Miller, Rik Smits and coach Bird represented the Eastern Conference during the 1998 NBA All-Star Game. It was also Smits' only All-Star appearance.[6]

1997–98 Indiana Pacers season
Head coachLarry Bird
General managerDonnie Walsh
PresidentDonnie Walsh
Owners
ArenaMarket Square Arena
Results
Record58–24 (.707)
PlaceDivision: 2nd (Central)
Conference: 3rd (Eastern)
Playoff finishConference Finals
(Lost to Bulls 3–4)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionWTTV
Fox Sports Midwest
RadioWIBC

Miller led the Pacers in scoring averaging 19.5 points per game, and was selected to the All-NBA Third Team, while Smits provided the team with 16.7 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. Mullin contributed 11.3 points per game, while sixth man Antonio Davis averaged 9.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game off the bench, and Jalen Rose provided them with 9.4 points per game off the bench. Dale Davis led the team with 7.8 rebounds per game, and Mark Jackson led them with 8.7 assists per game.[7] Bird was named Coach of The Year after his first season as head coach.[8] The Pacers had the fifth best team defensive rating in the NBA.[9]

In the playoffs, the Pacers would defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers three games to one in the Eastern Conference First Round,[10] then defeat the 7th-seeded New York Knicks four games to one in the Eastern Conference Semi-finals.[11] However, in the Eastern Conference Finals, they would lose in seven games to Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and the defending champion Chicago Bulls in a hard fought series.[12] The Bulls would go on to defeat the Utah Jazz in the finals in six games for their third consecutive championship, and sixth overall in eight years.[13] Following the season, the team released Haywoode Workman, who missed the entire season with a knee injury and signed as a free agent with the Milwaukee Bucks.[14]

For the season, the team sported new pinstripe uniforms, which would remain in use until 2005.[15][16]

Draft picks
Main article: 1997 NBA Draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
112Austin CroshereSF/PF United StatesProvidence

Roster
1997–98 Indiana Pacers roster
Players Coaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOB (YYYY-MM-DD)From
PG 4 Best, Travis 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 182 lb (83 kg) 1972–07–12 Georgia Tech
PF 21 Bohannon, Etdrick  6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1973–05–29 Auburn Montgomery
PF 44 Croshere, Austin  6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1975–05–01 Providence
C 33 Davis, Antonio 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1968–10–31 UTEP
PF 32 Davis, Dale 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1969–03–25 Clemson
SG 20 Hoiberg, Fred 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 203 lb (92 kg) 1972–10–15 Iowa State
PG 13 Jackson, Mark 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1965–04–01 St. John's
SF 9 McKey, Derrick 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1966–10–10 Alabama
SG 31 Miller, Reggie (C) 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1965–08–24 UCLA
SF 17 Mullin, Chris 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1963–07–30 St. John's
PF 43 Pope, Mark 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1972–09–11 Kentucky
SF 5 Rose, Jalen 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1973–01–30 Michigan
C 45 Smits, Rik 7 ft 4 in (2.24 m) 250 lb (113 kg) 1966–08–23 Marist
C 41 West, Mark 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1960–11–05 Old Dominion
PG 3 Workman, Haywoode  (IN) 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

Roster
Last transaction: September 8, 1997

Roster Notes

Regular season

Season standings
Central Division W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Chicago Bulls 6220.756–37–425–1621–7
x-Indiana Pacers 5824.707432–926–1519–9
x-Charlotte Hornets 5131.6221132–919–2216–12
x-Atlanta Hawks 5032.6101229–1221–2019–9
x-Cleveland Cavaliers 4735.5731527–1420–2114–14
Detroit Pistons 3745.4512525–1612–2912–16
Milwaukee Bucks 3646.4392621–2015–269–19
Toronto Raptors 1666.195469–327–342–26
# Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 c-Chicago Bulls6220.756–
2 y-Miami Heat5527.6717
3 x-Indiana Pacers5824.7074
4 x-Charlotte Hornets5131.62211
5 x-Atlanta Hawks5032.61012
6 x-Cleveland Cavaliers4735.57315
7 x-New York Knicks4339.52419
8 x-New Jersey Nets4339.52419
9 Washington Wizards4240.51220
10 Orlando Magic4141.50021
11 Detroit Pistons3745.45125
12 Boston Celtics3646.43926
12 Milwaukee Bucks3646.43926
14 Philadelphia 76ers3151.37831
15 Toronto Raptors1666.19546
z - clinched division title
y - clinched division title
x - clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents
1997-98 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 –2–14–01–34–02–02–02–22–01–11–32–00–21–33–10–21–22–22–23–10–21–12–01–11–14–00–22–04–0
Boston 1–2–1–21–31–31–11–12–21–11–10–42–01–10–42–21–12–22–22–23–10–21–11–10–21–13–00–22–03–2
Charlotte 0–42–1–1–32–22–02–03–11–12–03–12–01–13–13–11–12–21–33–12–11–12–01–11–11–14–01–12–02–2
Chicago 3–13–13–1–2–21–12–03–12–02–02–22–01–12–14–01–14–04–03–12–11–11–12–02–01–14–00–22–03–1
Cleveland 0–43–12–22–2–1–12–03–12–01–12–22–01–11–32–22–03–11–22–23–12–01–12–00–20–23–11–12–01–2
Dallas 0–21–10–21–11–1–3–10–21–30–41–11–30–40–20–22–20–21–10–20–20–40–40–40–42–21–10–44–01–1
Denver 0–21–10–20–20–21–3–0–21–30–40–22–20–40–20–21–30–20–20–20–20–42–21–30–40–40–20–41–31–1
Detroit 2–22–21–31–31–32–02–0–2–01–11–32–00–21–22–20–22–22–21–23–11–10–21–11–10–24–00–20–22–2
Golden State 0–21–11–10–20–23–13–10–2–1–30–21–31–30–20–20–40–21–11–10–20–41–32–21–31–30–20–41–30–2
Houston 1–11–10–20–21–14–04–01–13–1–1–14–01–30–21–11–31–11–10–21–11–31–34–02–21–32–00–43–11–1
Indiana 3–14–01–32–22–21–12–03–12–01–1–2–00–23–14–02–02–12–13–14–01–11–12–00–20–24–01–12–04–0
L.A. Clippers 0–20–20–20–20–23–12–20–23–10–40–2–0–40–20–20–41–10–20–21–10–40–43–11–30–41–11–31–30–2
L.A. Lakers 2–01–11–11–11–14–04–02–03–13–12–04–0–1–12–04–01–11–11–10–22–22–24–04–01–32–03–14–01–1
Miami 3–14–01–31–23–12–02–02–12–02–01–32–01–1–3–11–13–12–23–14–00–22–02–00–20–24–01–12–02–2
Milwaukee 1–32–21–30–42–22–02–02–22–01–10–42–00–21–3–1–10–43–12–12–20–22–02–00–21–13–10–21–11–2
Minnesota 2–01–11–11–10–22–23–12–04–03–10–24–00–41–11–1–2–01–10–22–03–11–33–11–31–31–11–34–00–2
New Jersey 2–12–22–20–41–32–02–02–22–01–11–21–11–11–34–00–2–2–23–13–11–11–12–01–10–23–10–22–01–3
New York 2–22–23–10–42–11–12–02–21–11–11–22–01–12–21–31–12–2–4–02–22–01–11–10–21–13–10–22–01–3
Orlando 2–22–21–31–32–22–02–02–11–12–01–32–01–11–31–22–01–30–4–4–00–22–00–20–21–13–10–22–03–1
Philadelphia 1–31–31–21–21–32–02–01–32–01–10–41–12–00–42–20–21–32–20–4–1–11–11–10–20–22–20–22–03–1
Phoenix 2–02–01–11–10–24–04–01–14–03–11–14–02–22–02–01–31–10–22–01–1–2–23–13–12–22–01–34–01–1
Portland 1–11–10–21–11–14–02–22–03–13–11–14–02–20–20–23–11–11–10–21–12–2–3–12–20–42–03–12–21–1
Sacramento 0–21–11–10–20–24–03–11–12–20–40–21–30–40–20–21–30–21–12–01–11–31–3–0–41–31–12–22–21–1
San Antonio 1–12–01–10–22–04–04–01–13–12–22–03–10–42–02–03–11–12–02–02–01–32–24–0–2–22–01–34–01–1
Seattle 1–11–11–11–12–02–24–02–03–13–12–04–03–12–01–13–12–01–11–12–02–24–03–12–2–2–02–24–01–1
Toronto 0–40–30–40–41–31–12–00–42–00–20–41–10–20–41–31–11–31–31–32–20–20–21–10–20–2–0–21–10–3
Utah 2–02–01–12–01–14–04–02–04–04–01–13–11–31–12–03–12–02–02–02–03–11–32–23–12–22–0–4–00–2
Vancouver 0–20–20–20–20–20–43–12–03–11–30–23–10–40–21–10–40–20–20–20–20–42–22–20–40–41–10–4–1–1
Washington 0–42–32–21–32–11–11–12–22–01–10–42–01–12–22–12–03–13–11–31–31–11–11–11–11–13–02–01–1—

Playoffs
1998 playoff game log
First round: 3–1 (Home: 2–0; Road: 1–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Series
1 April 23 Cleveland W 106–77 Chris Mullin (20) Chris Mullin (6) Mark Jackson (10) Market Square Arena
16,644		 1–0
2 April 25 Cleveland W 92–86 Reggie Miller (18) Dale Davis (10) Mark Jackson (11) Market Square Arena
16,617		 2–0
3 April 27 @ Cleveland L 77–86 Rik Smits (26) Dale Davis (9) Mark Jackson (17) Gund Arena
17,495		 2–1
4 April 30 @ Cleveland W 80–74 Reggie Miller (19) Antonio Davis (9) Mark Jackson (6) Gund Arena
18,188		 3–1
Conference Semi-finals: 4–1 (Home: 3–0; Road: 1–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Series
1 May 5 New York W 93–83 Reggie Miller (17) Dale Davis (11) Mark Jackson (6) Market Square Arena
16,630		 1–0
2 May 7 New York W 85–77 Rik Smits (22) Dale Davis (9) Mark Jackson (5) Market Square Arena
16,765		 2–0
3 May 9 @ New York L 76–83 Reggie Miller (23) Dale Davis (9) Mark Jackson (9) Madison Square Garden
19,763		 2–1
4 May 10 @ New York W 118–107 (OT) Reggie Miller (38) Antonio Davis (9) Mark Jackson (15) Madison Square Garden
19,763		 3–1
5 May 13 New York W 99–88 Reggie Miller (24) Mark Jackson (14) Mark Jackson (13) Market Square Arena
16,767		 4–1
Conference Finals: 3–4 (Home: 3–0; Road: 0–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance		Series
1 May 17 @ Chicago L 79–85 Reggie Miller (16) Antonio Davis (11) Mark Jackson (6) United Center
23,844		 0–1
2 May 19 @ Chicago L 98–104 Reggie Miller (19) Dale Davis (9) Mark Jackson (8) United Center
23,844		 0–2
3 May 23 Chicago W 107–105 Reggie Miller (28) Antonio Davis (12) Rose, Jackson (6) Market Square Arena
16,576		 1–2
4 May 25 Chicago W 96–94 Rik Smits (26) Chris Mullin (9) Mark Jackson (7) Market Square Arena
16,560		 2–2
5 May 27 @ Chicago L 87–106 Reggie Miller (14) Smits, Davis (7) Mark Jackson (5) United Center
23,844		 2–3
6 May 29 Chicago W 92–89 Rik Smits (25) Dale Davis (8) three players tied (3) Market Square Arena
16,566		 3–3
7 May 31 @ Chicago L 83–88 Reggie Miller (22) Antonio Davis (10) Mark Jackson (6) United Center
23,844		 3–4
1998 schedule

Player stats
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
Travis Best 82018.9.419.300.8551.53.41.00.16.5
Etdrick Bohannon 502.2.0001.20.20.00.40.0
Austin Croshere 2609.3.372.308.5711.70.30.30.22.9
Antonio Davis 821226.7.481.000.6966.80.70.50.99.6
Dale Davis 787827.9.548.4657.80.90.71.18.0
Fred Hoiberg 65113.4.383.376.8551.90.70.60.04.0
Mark Jackson 828229.4.416.314.7613.98.71.00.08.3
Derrick McKey 57423.1.459.235.7143.71.51.00.56.3
Reggie Miller 818134.5.477.429.8682.92.11.00.119.5
Chris Mullin 828226.5.481.440.9393.02.31.20.511.3
Mark Pope 2806.9.341.333.5880.90.30.10.21.4
Jalen Rose 82020.8.476.342.7282.41.90.70.29.4
Rik Smits 736928.6.495.000.7836.91.40.51.216.7
Mark West 1517.0.476.5001.00.10.10.31.5

Playoffs
Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Travis Best 16017.5.375.278.8841.01.90.70.26.1
Antonio Davis 16028.7.462.6706.80.90.81.19.2
Dale Davis 161629.1.651.4537.50.80.31.18.8
Fred Hoiberg 2010.0.375.5001.0002.00.50.50.04.5
Mark Jackson 161630.9.417.378.7944.68.31.40.09.2
Derrick McKey 15018.9.333.300.7832.70.70.60.54.5
Reggie Miller 161639.3.426.400.9041.82.01.20.219.9
Chris Mullin 161625.8.460.385.8573.61.40.90.68.9
Mark Pope 706.0.667.0001.0000.70.10.10.01.3
Jalen Rose 15019.5.480.375.7411.81.90.70.48.1
Rik Smits 161629.8.502.000.8595.31.30.50.916.6
Mark West 402.8.500.3330.30.00.00.00.8

Awards

See also

References
  1. 1997-98 Indiana Pacers
  2. "Bird Shoots for Coaching Greatness With the Pacers". New York Times. August 10, 1997. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
  3. "Pacers Get Mullin From Warriors for Two Players". Los Angeles Times. August 13, 1997. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  4. "Starting over: Playing for Bird gives Mullin "chills" up his spine". AP News. August 13, 1997. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
  5. "1997–98 Indiana Pacers Schedule and Results". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  6. "1998 NBA All-Star Game: East 135, West 114". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  7. "1997–98 Indiana Pacers Roster and Stats". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  8. "Bird Named Coach of the Year". Washington Post. May 12, 1998. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  9. "Teams Defense". NBA.com. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
  10. "N.B.A.: PLAYOFFS; Cleveland Ousted". New York Times. May 1, 1998. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  11. "THE N.B.A. PLAYOFFS; Guarantees? Pacers Eliminate Knicks". New York Times. May 14, 1998. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  12. "THE N.B.A. PLAYOFFS; An Era Continues As Jordan Pushes Bulls Past Pacers". New York Times. June 1, 1998. Retrieved July 26, 2017.
  13. "Michael Jordan hits 'The Shot', and the Chicago Bulls beat Utah Jazz for their 6th NBA championship". Chicago Tribune. June 15, 1998. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  14. "BUCKING THE ODDS HAYWOODE WORKMAN WAS DOWN WITH A BAD KNEE, BUT NEVER OUT". Vault SI. April 19, 1999. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
  15. "Indiana Pacers Uniform". Chris Creamer's Sports Logos Page - SportsLogos.Net. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  16. "Indiana Pacers Uniform". Chris Creamer's Sports Logos Page - SportsLogos.Net. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
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