First playoff series win
1969 East Division Semifinal, game 7
The first two years of the Indiana Pacers were tumultuous, cementing active fan interest was slow developing, there was a coaching change nine games into the season (with the eventual hall of famer Bobby “Slick” Leonard replacing Larry Staverman). And the Pacers entered game five at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum in a world of hurt and down 3-1 to the Colonels.
But a combined 69 points from Roger Brown and Bob Netolicky forced a game six in Louisville, which the Pacers won.
Something was in the air when both teams returned to Indianapolis for the decisive seventh game. Maybe it was having the drama of a game seven, maybe Hoosiers were drawn to the fight in the Pacers, whatever the reason the line of ticket seekers extended outside of the Pacers office and around the block.
The roads to the Coliseum were clogged like Los Angeles rush hour. An above-capacity crowd, largest in franchise history, squeezed into the Coliseum and were engaged from the opening warmups on.
What greeted them was a classic. Indy led by just two at the half, then the Pacers outscored the Colonels by eight in the third and clung onto their lead for dear life while the Colonels rallied in the fourth.
Four Colonels scored in the twenties, but it wasn’t enough.
Pacers 120, Colonels 111.
The court was stormed. Netolicky and a gaggle of fans carried Leonard off the court on their shoulders. And the victory ushered the Pacers through the East finals and into their first ABA Finals. The longer effect, while not actually saving the franchise from oblivion, it practically did, the city was hooked and championships and 50-plus years of professional basketball in Indiana followed.