If you walk into Gainbridge Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis, you’ll see plenty of banners. You’ll see retired jerseys for Reggie Miller, George McGinnis, and Mel Daniels. You’ll see recognition for Eastern Conference titles and division wins. But if you’re looking for a gold Larry O'Brien Trophy, you're going to be looking for a very long time. Honestly, the answer to when was the last time Pacers won a championship depends entirely on how old you are and what league you actually count as "real" basketball.
The Indiana Pacers have never won an NBA championship. Not once. They are one of the most successful franchises in league history to never reach the mountain top, which is a weird, bittersweet pill for fans in the Hoosier State to swallow. However, if you're a historian of the game, the story changes. The Pacers were the absolute kings of the ABA—the American Basketball Association—back in the 1970s. Their last league title of any kind happened in 1973.
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That’s over 50 years of waiting.
It’s a drought that feels heavier because Indiana is a place where basketball isn't just a sport; it's a cultural identity. From the "Hick from French Lick" to the legendary high school gyms that hold more people than the towns they sit in, Indiana expects winning. So, why has the ultimate prize been so elusive?
The Glory Days of the 1970s
Before the 1976 merger, the Pacers weren't just good. They were a dynasty. They won three ABA titles in four years (1970, 1972, and 1973). Led by the legendary Slick Leonard on the sidelines, those teams featured Hall of Famers like Roger Brown and Mel Daniels.
1973 was the peak.
They beat the Kentucky Colonels in a grueling seven-game series. It was gritty. It was loud. It was exactly what Indiana basketball was supposed to be. But when the ABA folded and the Pacers moved to the NBA, they were stripped of their roster depth due to the heavy "entry fees" the NBA extorted from the surviving ABA teams. They started the NBA era behind the 8-ball, and some argue they’ve been playing catch-up ever since.
Why 2000 Was the Closest We Ever Got
When people ask when was the last time Pacers won a championship, they’re usually thinking of the Reggie Miller era. Reggie is the soul of the franchise. In 2000, he finally got them to the NBA Finals.
It was a clash of titans.
On one side, you had a veteran Pacers squad with Jalen Rose, Rik Smits, and Mark Jackson. On the other? The peak Shaq and Kobe Lakers. Larry Bird was coaching the Pacers back then. It was a series defined by narrow misses and the sheer physical dominance of Shaquille O'Neal, who averaged 38 points per game. Indiana pushed it to six games, but they couldn't stop the inevitable.
That 2000 run remains the only time the Pacers have ever stepped onto the court for an NBA Finals game. It’s the high-water mark of the franchise's modern era, a moment of "what if" that still haunts message boards today.
The Malice at the Palace Ruined Everything
You can't talk about the Pacers' championship drought without talking about November 19, 2004. Most experts—and honestly, most fans who lived through it—believe the 2004-2005 Pacers were the best team in the league. They were better than the 2000 Finals team. They had Jermaine O'Neal in his prime, a surging Ron Artest (now Metta Sandiford-Artest), and Stephen Jackson.
Then came the brawl.
A cup was thrown. Artest went into the stands. The season collapsed under the weight of the longest suspensions in NBA history. A team that was a lock for a title run was dismantled. It took the franchise nearly a decade to recover its identity. It wasn't just a lost season; it was a lost era. It’s arguably the biggest "robbery" of a championship in sports history, not by the refs, but by a moment of pure chaos.
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The Paul George vs. LeBron Years
In the early 2010s, the Pacers were the only team in the East that gave LeBron James’ "Heatles" any real trouble. Those series were wars. Frank Vogel’s defense-first mentality featured Roy Hibbert anchoring the paint and Paul George emerging as a superstar.
They were so close.
In 2013 and 2014, they reached the Eastern Conference Finals. They had the size to bother Miami. They had the heart. But LeBron was LeBron. Whether it was the "LeBron game-winning layup" or the Pacers' offense stagnating at the worst possible moments, they couldn't get over the hump. They were a great team born at the exact same time as a generational dynasty.
The Current State of the Hunt
Today, the vibe is different. Tyrese Haliburton has brought a fast-paced, high-octane energy that the franchise hasn't seen since the ABA days. The 2024 run to the Eastern Conference Finals proved that the "small market" Pacers could still hang with the big spenders. They didn't win it all, but they reminded the world that Indiana is never out of the fight for long.
The reality of when was the last time Pacers won a championship is that for NBA purposes, the clock is still ticking. They are a team of consistency, often making the playoffs but rarely having that singular, transcendent superstar needed to win four series in a row.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Historians
If you are tracking the Pacers' quest for their first NBA title, here is how to view the landscape:
- Study the ABA Roots: To understand the Pacers' DNA, watch highlights of the 1973 championship. The team’s "blue collar" identity started there.
- Watch the 2004 Timelines: If you want to see the best Pacers team that never was, look up full games from the 2004 season prior to the Detroit brawl. Their defensive rating was historic.
- Monitor the Salary Cap: As a small-market team, the Pacers' championship window usually opens through the draft and savvy trades (like the Haliburton-Sabonis swap) rather than big free-agent signings.
- Value the Eastern Conference Finals: In Pacers history, winning the East is often treated with the weight of a championship because of the legendary hurdles (Jordan, Shaq, LeBron) they had to face.
The search for a title continues in Indy. It’s been 50+ years since the ABA glory and 24 years since their only NBA Finals appearance. The drought is long, but in Indiana, the belief never really fades.
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Next Steps to Deepen Your Knowledge
Evaluate the current roster's defensive metrics compared to the 2000 and 2004 teams to see if the "Haliburton Era" has the grit required for a deep playoff run. You should also look into the 1976 ABA-NBA merger documents to understand the financial handicaps that historically stalled the franchise's early NBA success.