2003–04 Indiana Pacers season
2003–04 Indiana Pacers season | |
---|---|
Division champions | |
Head coach | Rick Carlisle |
General manager | Larry Bird |
Arena | Conseco Fieldhouse |
Results | |
Record | 61–21 (.744) |
Place | Division: 1st (Central) Conference: 1st (Eastern) |
Playoff finish | Eastern Conference Finals (Lost to Pistons 2–4) |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Local media | |
Television | Fox Sports Net Midwest, WTTV |
Radio | WIBC |
The 2003–04 NBA season was the Pacers' 28th season in the National Basketball Association, and 37th season as a franchise.[1] During the offseason, former Pacers head coach Larry Bird was named President of Basketball Operations. One of Bird's first moves in his new position was to fire head coach Isiah Thomas, after Thomas had led the Pacers to first-round playoff exits for three consecutive years. The defensive-minded Rick Carlisle, former head coach of the Detroit Pistons, was announced as Thomas' replacement. Also during the offseason, the Pacers acquired Scot Pollard from the Sacramento Kings in a three-team trade and signed free agent Kenny Anderson.
The Pacers got off to a fast start winning 14 of their first 16 games, and finished the season with a record of 61–21, which was worthy of the Eastern Conference first seed in the playoffs, guaranteed home-court advantage throughout the playoffs for the first time since 2000, and a new all-time franchise-best win-loss record. Jermaine O'Neal was named to the All-NBA Second Team, the first Pacer ever to do so, and even finished third in the MVP voting, which was the highest in the voting any Pacers player had ever reached. Ron Artest was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team, and also was named Defensive Player of the Year, the first Pacer ever to receive this award. Both O'Neal and Artest were selected for the 2004 NBA All-Star Game, with Carlisle coaching the Eastern Conference. Second-year guard Fred Jones won the Slam Dunk Contest during the All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles.
In the first round of the playoffs, the Pacers swept the 8th-seeded Boston Celtics 4–0. They proceeded to defeat the 4th-seeded Miami Heat 4–2 in the second round, earning the Pacers their sixth spot in the Eastern Conference Finals in 11 years. The Pacers fell 2–4 in the Eastern Conference Finals to the eventual NBA champions, the 3rd-seeded Detroit Pistons, who were coached by former Pacers coach Larry Brown.[2] Following the season, Al Harrington was traded to the Atlanta Hawks, while Anderson went along with him signing as a free agent with the Hawks.
NBA Draft
Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club Team |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 | 49 | James Jones | SF | ![]() |
Miami |
Roster
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Roster |
Regular season
Standings
Team | W | L | PCT. | GB |
---|---|---|---|---|
Indiana Pacers-y (1) | 61 | 21 | .744 | - |
Detroit Pistons-x (3) | 54 | 28 | .659 | 7 |
New Orleans Hornets-x (5) | 41 | 41 | .500 | 20 |
Milwaukee Bucks-x (6) | 41 | 41 | .500 | 20 |
Cleveland Cavaliers | 35 | 47 | .427 | 26 |
Toronto Raptors | 33 | 49 | .402 | 28 |
Atlanta Hawks | 28 | 54 | .341 | 33 |
Chicago Bulls | 23 | 59 | .280 | 38 |
Playoff seeds in parentheses
Record vs. opponents
2003-04 NBA Records | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | ATL | BOS | CHI | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | LAC | LAL | MEM | MIA | MIL | MIN | NJN | NOH | NYK | ORL | PHI | PHO | POR | SAC | SAS | SEA | TOR | UTA | WAS |
Atlanta | — | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–2 |
Boston | 1–3 | — | 1–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
Chicago | 1–3 | 2–1 | — | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 |
Cleveland | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | — | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–2 |
Dallas | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | — | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 |
Denver | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | — | 0–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 |
Detroit | 3–1 | 3–0 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 |
Golden State | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–1 | — | 2–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 |
Houston | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | — | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 |
Indiana | 4–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | — | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 |
L.A. Clippers | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 0–2 | — | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 |
L.A. Lakers | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | — | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 |
Memphis | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–0 |
Miami | 3–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | — | 1–2 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 |
Milwaukee | 2–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | — | 0–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
Minnesota | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | — | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 |
New Jersey | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 1–3 | 1–1 | — | 2–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 |
New Orleans | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–2 | — | 1–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
New York | 3–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–1 | — | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 4–0 |
Orlando | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–3 | — | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 |
Philadelphia | 2–1 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–2 |
Phoenix | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 |
Portland | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | — | 3–1 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 |
Sacramento | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–3 | — | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 |
San Antonio | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 2–2 | — | 4–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 2–0 |
Seattle | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | — | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 |
Toronto | 3–1 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | — | 1–1 | 1–3 |
Utah | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 1–1 | — | 1–1 |
Washington | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | — |
Playoffs
East First Round
(1) Indiana Pacers vs. (8) Boston Celtics: Pacers win series 4–0
- Game 1 @ Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis: Indiana 104, Boston 88
- Game 2 @ Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis: Indiana 103, Boston 90
- Game 3 @ FleetCenter, Boston: Indiana 108, Boston 85
- Game 4 @ FleetCenter, Boston: Indiana 90, Boston 75
Last Playoff Meeting: 2003 Eastern Conference First Round (Boston won 4-2)
East Conference Semifinals
(1) Indiana Pacers vs. (4) Miami Heat: Pacers win series 4–2
- Game 1 @ Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis: Indiana 94, Miami 81
- Game 2 @ Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis: Indiana 91, Miami 80
- Game 3 @ AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami: Miami 94, Indiana 87
- Game 4 @ AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami: Miami 100, Indiana 88
- Game 5 @ Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis: Indiana 94, Miami 83
- Game 6 @ AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami: Indiana 73, Miami 70
Last Playoff Meeting: This is the first meeting between the Pacers and Heat.
East Conference Finals
(1) Indiana Pacers vs. (3) Detroit Pistons: Pistons win series 4–2
- Game 1 @ Conseco Fieldhouse, Indiana: Indiana 78, Detroit 74 ESPN 8:00pm/7:00ct
- Game 2 @ Conseco Fieldhouse, Indiana: Detroit 72, Indiana 67 ESPN 8:00pm/7:00ct
- Game 3 @ The Palace of Auburn Hills, Detroit: Detroit 85, Indiana 78 ESPN 8:00pm
- Game 4 @ The Palace of Auburn Hills, Detroit: Indiana 83, Detroit 68 ESPN 8:00pm
- Game 5 @ Conseco Fieldhouse, Indiana: Detroit 83, Indiana 65 ESPN 8:00pm/7:00ct
- Game 6 @ The Palace of Auburn Hills, Detroit: Detroit 69, Indiana 65 ESPN 8:00pm
Last Playoff Meeting: 1990 Eastern Conference First Round (Detroit won 3-0)
Player statistics
Season
Playoffs
Transactions
Additions
Player | Acquired | Former team | Position |
Kenny Anderson | Signed as free agent | New Orleans Hornets | PG |
Danny Ferry | Trade | San Antonio Spurs | PF |
Anthony Johnson | Signed as free agent | New Jersey Nets | PG |
James Jones | Draft selection | rookie | SF |
Scot Pollard | Trade | Sacramento Kings | C |
Subtractions
Player | Departed | New team | Position |
Danny Ferry | Waived | none | PF |
Tim Hardaway | Retired | none | PG |
Ron Mercer | Trade | San Antonio Spurs | SF |
Brad Miller | Trade | Sacramento Kings | C |
Erick Strickland | Signed as free agent | Milwaukee Bucks | PG |
Awards and records
- Ron Artest – NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award, All-NBA Third Team, All-Star Game, NBA All-Defensive First Team
- Rick Carlisle – East All-Star Team Game Head Coach
- Jermaine O'Neal – All-NBA Second Team, All-Star Game
References
- ^ 2003-04 Indiana Pacers
- ^ "PRO BASKETBALL; Flagrant Foul Helps Pistons Put Away The Pacers". New York Times. June 2, 2004. Retrieved August 29, 2017.