“Unfinished Business: How the 2025 Pacers Are Completing a Journey 20 Years in the Making”

In the summer of 2003, the Indiana Pacers underwent a significant transition. Larry Bird returned as team president. Jermaine O’Neal and Reggie Miller resigned. The franchise also hired Rick Carlisle as head coach. Carlisle’s first year in command, and with a young squad, the Pacers quickly posted a league-best 61-21 record, a new franchise high.

That postseason, the Pacers swept the Celtics and defeated the surging Miami Heat, led by Dwyane Wade, to go to the Eastern Conference Finals. Despite losing to the tough Detroit Pistons in six games, most observers thought Indiana was on the verge of a championship run. Their nucleus — O’Neal, Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson, and Jamaal Tinsley — was still young, and Carlisle had already led the NBA in wins in his rookie season. Hopes were sky high.

The 2004-05 season began with Indiana seen as a legitimate title contender.

But one game transformed everything.

On November 19, 2004, the Pacers paid a visit to the Pistons in Detroit. With 45.9 seconds left, Indiana lead 97-82. The game had all but ended. As the starters began to tire, Ben Wallace retaliated against Artest for a hard foul. Artest did not retaliate. He took his therapist’s suggestion and lay back on the scorer’s table to chill out.

Then mayhem erupted.

A supporter in the stands flung a drink, striking Artest in the chest. Artest charged at the crowd. Stephen Jackson followed to safeguard him. Jermaine O’Neal punches a fan who has entered the court. What happened next became known as the “Malice at the Palace” – the most violent brawl in NBA history.

Arena security was low. Players had no bodyguards. Fans might reach the floor. If it happened now, cellphone videos would go viral, and the public might side with the athletes. However, in 2004, the NBA transferred all blame to the Pacers in order to control the crisis.

The punishments were unprecedented.
Ron Artest was suspended for the rest of the season, 73 games, the longest non-drug suspension in NBA history. Stephen Jackson was banned for 30 games. Jermaine O’Neal’s first 25-game punishment was reduced to 15 upon appeal. Nine players were suspended in total, with five from Indiana.

Overnight, Indiana lost more than half of its active roster.

With the team in ruins, Reggie Miller seized over. He teamed up with Fred Jones, James Jones, Austin Croshere, Eddie Gill, and David Harrison. Fans dubbed them “The Six Warriors.” With these six rotating bodies, the Pacers still made the playoffs. They defeated the Celtics in the first round, but ran out of steam against the Pistons in the second.

That spring, Reggie Miller played the final game of his illustrious career. The home crowd rose in applause. Their revered skipper had taken the team as far as he could.

The season was scheduled to end with a championship. Instead, it resulted in retribution and misery.

The following year, Rick Carlisle struggled to keep the squad afloat. Injuries and bans hampered the roster. By the end of the season, Carlisle had utilized almost every healthy player, rotating through almost 30 different starting combinations.

It marked the beginning of the end.

In the years after, the Pacers have been rebuilding. Danny Granger and Roy Hibbert were the new pillars. The squad made sporadic postseason appearances but never really competed. Carlisle left following the 2006–2007 season.

Even so, Indiana has never tanked.

They drafted Paul George. They turned him into a superstar. They later traded for Victor Oladipo and fought their way to the postseason. However, every time they reached the Eastern Conference Finals, LeBron James stood in their way.

That unfulfilled adventure remained stuck in 2005.

Until now.

Rick Carlisle returned to Indiana in 2021. By 2024, he had created a new brand for the Pacers, one that was young, selfless, and mature, with ideals that prioritized teamwork. In the 2025 playoffs, they finally broke through and advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time in 25 years.

This team is playing for more than just the moment. They are completing tasks that the 2005 team was unable to.

This is an homage to Reggie. A memorial to the six warriors. A homage to a squad that was poised to win it all — until the league stole it away.

And if you saw Tyrese Haliburton’s choking gesture at Madison Square Garden, you’ll notice he turned and aimed directly at the broadcast booth, where Reggie Miller was sitting. He cried, “Reggie!” That was more than just hype. It was a salutation.

Indiana is back.

It’s about time the league make things right.

Let this be the ending that Reggie, Carlisle, and 90-year-old team owner Herb Simon have been waiting for.

Let this be the year.

We’re back. Yes, Cers!

4 Things to Watch as the East Finals Return to Indiana for Game 6: Knicks-Pacers

Will the Knicks replicate their defensive performance from Game 5? Is it possible for the Pacers to impede Brunson or Towns? Is the home-court advantage significant?

Through the first five games of the Eastern Conference Finals, Jalen Brunson has averaged 33.0 points and 5.4 assists.

Access the NBA App by downloading it in 2025. Schedule for the NBA semifinals
NBA playoffs: Complete coverage and bracket

The Knicks were granted an additional 48 minutes of basketball and a return voyage to Indianapolis.

In Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Knicks delivered their most impressive defensive performance of the series (and potentially the entire season) as they faced elimination for the first time. They eventually slowed down a Pacers offense that had scored over 120 points per 100 possessions in 8 of its 14 games prior to Thursday.

In NBA history, only 4% of teams that have encountered a 3-1 deficit have recovered to win a best-of-seven series. However, the Knicks have successfully completed Step 1. Both of these teams are capable of winning on any given night, and the Knicks will qualify for the NBA Finals by winning two additional games.

The Pacers require only one more point, and their subsequent opportunity will be to return to their home court for Game 6 on Saturday (8 ET, TNT).

Please observe the following four items as Indiana attempts to secure a trip to Oklahoma City once more.

1. Is it possible for the Knicks to replicate their defensive performance?

The Knicks’ defensive effort is evident from the opening minutes of Game 5, and they maintain a consistent pace to impede the Pacers as they play.

The Pacers’ offensive end of the floor has been the focal point of this series, as they have averaged 126.1 points per 100 possessions in their three victories and 101.0 points per 100 possessions in their two defeats. The offense of the Knicks has been significantly more consistent in the past five games.

Indiana scored only 94 points on 97 possessions in Game 5, which was the Pacers’ most offensively challenged game of the postseason.

The Knicks did not exert as much pressure on them in the final minutes of the shot clock as they did in Game 3. The Pacers’ rate of 19% shots in the final seven seconds of the clock, as indicated by Second Spectrum tracking, is marginally lower than their rate during the first four games.
The Pacers’ ball movement was more extensive than in any other game in this series. They registered 384 passes per 24 minutes of possession, which is significantly higher than their previous peak of 335 passes per 24 minutes (Game 4).
The Pacers’ failure to capitalize on their initial actions may have contributed to the additional ball movement.

In the middle of the second quarter, Aaron Nesmith established a screen for Tyrese Haliburton, which allowed him to move into space. However, Karl-Anthony Towns rotated and eliminated the advantage. Jalen Brunson subsequently transitioned to Towns’ man, Myles Turner, necessitating that the Pacers attempt another shot:

The defense of the Knicks during the fifth game

The Knicks demonstrated increased effort and committed fewer errors. Their rotations and switching were executed flawlessly. The Pacers’ offensive performance could have been improved; however, their shooting may be regressing after reaching the highest eFG% in NBA playoff history during their initial 12 games (through Game 2 of this series).

If the Knicks are able to replicate their defensive performance on Saturday, or if the Pacers are unable to capitalize on open opportunities, it is possible that Madison Square Garden will host another Game 7.

2. Is it possible for the Pacers to impede Brunson or Towns?

New York never trailed Indiana in a must-win Game 5 at MSG, as Jalen Brunson scores 14 of his 32 points in the first quarter.

The Pacers’ offensive efficacy during the first four games obscured the fact that they were not generating a significant number of defensive stops. The Knicks have tallied 117.8 points per 100 possessions through Game 5, which is 7.1 more than they scored in the first two rounds. Additionally, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby have a combined success rate of 4 for 24 (17%) on corner 3-pointers.

Brunson and Towns have been particularly problematic in Indiana. Together, they have been the two most prolific scorers in this series, averaging 58.4 points on a true shooting percentage of 64.6%. This represents an increase from 49.4 points on 57.6% in the first two rounds.

Nesmith had some success defending Brunson during the first four games; however, in Game 5, Brunson shot 5-for-5 against him. The Knicks’ star was aggressive in the early stages of the contest and the shot clock.

Nesmith exerted full-court pressure on Brunson in the early stages of the third quarter, which Brunson capitalized on.

Aaron Nesmith drives against Jalen Brunson

Towns was defended more by Pascal Siakam than by Turner for the first time in Game 5. Neither of the Pacers’ matchups has been favorable; however, the Siakam matchup enables Towns to play more expansively, which is one of the reasons the Knicks held a 26-point advantage in the paint (60-34) on Thursday.

Karl-Anthony Towns’ rebound and put-back

The Knicks scored 29 points on 19 opportunities (1.53 per attempt) in Game 5 when either of their leaders were doubled, despite the fact that the Pacers have had some success when sending a double-team at Brunson or Towns, according to Second Spectrum.

3. The possession battle is consistently significant.

Charles Barkley believes that the Pacers ‘played contented’ instead of striving to eliminate the Knicks, which resulted in them losing Game 5 in New York.

Each of the initial four games was relatively evenly matched in terms of possession. The Knicks secured a greater number of offensive rebounds, while the Pacers committed fewer turnovers. Indiana had a plus-4 advantage in shooting opportunities (field goal attempts or visits to the line) prior to Thursday.

However, in Game 5, the Pacers were granted 12 fewer shooting opportunities than the New Yorkers. This was their most favorable differential of the playoffs, as the Knicks once again emerged victorious in the battle for the boards and, for the first time in the series, committed fewer turnovers than the Pacers.

The Pacers’ end of the floor was the most significant distinction, as it has been throughout the game. Their 20 turnovers were a postseason record and aided the Knicks in accumulating 24 transition points, a series high for New York.

In four of the five games, the Pacers have been able to obtain higher-quality shots; however, they are unable to take as many shots as they did in Game 5. It is imperative that both teams prioritize ball management and rebounding during the possession game.

4. Is the home-court advantage significant?

In addition to defeating the Knicks in Game 7 at Madison Square Garden last year, the Pacers have won two of the three games played in New York. Losing Game 6 would not necessarily indicate their demise. Nine of the last 14 Game 7s have been won by road teams, and either team has the potential to win any game in this series.

However, they would undoubtedly relish the opportunity to administer their affairs at home on Saturday. Indiana has not suffered consecutive losses since March 10, and they are determined to maintain this trend on the most significant stage of their career. A further defeat would rejuvenate the Knicks and instill them with confidence.

The Knicks, like the Pacers, have a 6-2 record on the road in these playoffs; however, they have been statistically superior at home. The Knicks have secured all six of those victories by a margin of six points or less, limiting their opponents to 46 points on 59 critical possessions (0.78 per game) during that span.

Another crucial situation may arise on Saturday. Each possession is significant.

NBA.com employs John Schuhmann as a senior statistician. You can contact him via email at this link, access his archive at this link, and follow him on X.

The opinions expressed on this page do not necessarily represent those of the NBA, its clubs, or Warner Bros. Discovery.