1996–97 Indiana Pacers season

1996–97 Indiana Pacers season
Head coach	Larry Brown
General manager	Donnie Walsh
Arena	Market Square Arena
Results
Record	39–43 (.476)
Place	Division: 6th (Central) Conference: 10th (Eastern)
Playoff finish	Did Not Qualify
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

The 1996–97 NBA season was the Pacers' 21st season in the National Basketball Association, and 30th season as a franchise. During the offseason, the Pacers acquired Jalen Rose from the Denver Nuggets. Injuries and sluggish play would hamper the Pacers all season long as Rik Smits only played just 52 games due to a foot injury, and Derrick McKey appeared in just 50 games due to a ruptured Achilles tendon. They missed the playoffs for the first time in eight years with a disappointing 39–43 record, sixth in the Central Division. Reggie Miller averaged 21.6 points per game and led the league with 229 three-point field goals. At midseason, the Pacers brought back playmaker Mark Jackson in exchange for Eddie Johnson after a brief stint with the Denver Nuggets. Jackson 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.

Following the season, head coach Larry Brown, who won his 600th game during the season was forced to resign. He would later on take a coaching job with the Philadelphia 76ers. Also following the season, top draft pick Erick Dampier was traded to the Golden State Warriors.

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

Indiana Pacers roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From PG 4 Best, Travis 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 182 lb (83 kg) Georgia Tech C 25 Dampier, Erick 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 265 lb (120 kg) Mississippi State PF 33 Davis, Antonio 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 215 lb (98 kg) UTEP PF 32 Davis, Dale 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 230 lb (104 kg) Clemson SF 27 Ferrell, Duane 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 209 lb (95 kg) Georgia Tech SF 24 Ham, Darvin 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Texas Tech SG 20 Hoiberg, Fred 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 203 lb (92 kg) Iowa State PG 13 Jackson, Mark 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) St. John's SF 9 McKey, Derrick  6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Alabama SG 31 Miller, Reggie 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 185 lb (84 kg) UCLA SG 5 Rose, Jalen 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Michigan PF 55 Scott, Brent 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 250 lb (113 kg) Rice C 45 Smits, Rik 7 ft 4 in (2.24 m) 250 lb (113 kg) Marist C 41 Thompson, LaSalle  6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 245 lb (111 kg) Texas PG 3 Workman, Haywoode  6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Oral Roberts

Head coach Larry Brown (North Carolina) Assistant coach(es) Bill Blair (VMI) Gar Heard (Oklahoma) Billy King (Duke) Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured Roster Last transaction: {{{access-date}}}

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 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	REB	AST	STL	BLK	PTS	AVG
Reggie Miller
Rik Smits
Antonio Davis
Dale Davis
Travis Best
Mark Jackson
Derrick McKey
Jalen Rose
Duane Ferrell
Vincent Askew
Haywoode Workman
Eddie Johnson
Erick Dampier
Fred Hoiberg
Jerome Allen
Darvin Ham
Reggie Williams
Brent Scott
LaSalle Thompson

Transactions

Overview

Players added Via draft Erick Dampier Mark Pope Via trade Jalen Rose Reggie Williams Mark Jackson LaSalle Thompson Darvin Ham Via free agency Jerome Allen Brent Scott

Players Lost Via trade Reggie Williams Jerome Allen Vincent Askew Eddie Johnson Via free agency Scott Haskin Dwayne Schintzius Adrian Caldwell

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

See also

• 1996–97 NBA season