8 points, 9 seconds
Fansided

Indiana Pacers 15 greatest playoff moments

By Jonathan Matthes

INDIANAPOLIS - APRIL 28: Reggie Miller #31 of the Indiana Pacers sits on the scorer's table during the game against the Boston Celtics in Game three of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2005 NBA Playoffs at Conseco Fieldhouse on April 28, 2005 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Pacers won 99-76 to take a 2-1 series lead. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2005 NBAE (Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS - APRIL 28: Reggie Miller #31 of the Indiana Pacers sits on the scorer's table during the game against the Boston Celtics in Game three of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2005 NBA Playoffs at Conseco Fieldhouse on April 28, 2005 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Pacers won 99-76 to take a 2-1 series lead. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2005 NBAE (Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /

The great rally of ’72

1972 ABA Finals, game 5

The 1972 Indiana Pacers were probably the greatest assemblage of talent in franchise history, even with a relatively lackluster regular season. Mel Daniels was still in the midst of his physical prime, it was Roger Brown’s final year of brilliance, George McGinnis was a rookie, Freddie Lewis was still running the point.

Indiana deployed two marvelous shooters in Rick Mount and Billy Keller. They had a flashy rookie named Darnell Hillman, and a flashy veteran named Bob Netolicky. The Pacers were loaded.

And they needed to be, the playoffs were brutal. Indiana had to go seven games in its first two series, setting up a Finals tilt against Rick Berry’s New York Nets. The teams traded the first four games, and New York got out to a blisteringly hot start to the pivotal game 5 at the Indiana State Fairground Coliseum.

Down by 20 in the second quarter, Indiana sliced it to a still imposing 15 at the half. But the Pacers continued their rally into the second half, steadily chipping away to the piquing interest and excitement of the Indiana crowd. It took 22 points from Lewis and Keller, 17 from Daniels and McGinnis, and 12 from Brown but the Pacers finally, in the final seconds, completed the comeback taking game 5, from the Nets, 100-99.

To the Nets credit, they took their crushing defeat in stride and gave Indiana everything the Pacers could take back on Long Island for game 6. They played the Pacers even through the first half, but the great Pacers of ’72 outlasted Berry’s Nets in the second half to win the franchise’s second championship. In a touching moment in game 6, Brown delivered his final moment of hall-of-fame brilliance, scoring 32 in the final game. But the sterling moment of the series was the fifth game when a battle-tested Pacers ripped victory out of certain defeat.

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