2003–04 Indiana Pacers season

The 2003–04 Indiana Pacers season was the 28th season completed by the Indiana Pacers in the National Basketball Association (NBA).^[1] The Pacers finished with the best record in the league with a 61-21 record.

Offseason

NBA Draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	School/Club Team
2	49	James Jones	SF	United States	Miami

Roster

Indiana Pacers roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB (YYYY–MM–DD) From 1.5 !G 13 USA ! Anderson, Kenny 7000182880000000000♠6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 168 lb (76 kg) 1970–10–09 Georgia Tech 4.0 !F 23 USA ! Artest, Ron 7000198120000000000♠6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 244 lb (111 kg) 1979–11–13 St. John's 4.0 !F 24 USA ! Bender, Jonathan 7000210820000000000♠6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 202 lb (92 kg) 1981–01–30 Picayune Memorial HS (MS) 1.5 !G 2 USA ! Brewer, Jamison 7000193040000000000♠6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 184 lb (83 kg) 1980–11–19 Auburn 6.0 !C 27 SVN ! Brezec, Primož 7000218440000000000♠7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) 252 lb (114 kg) 1979–10–02 Slovenia 4.0 !F 44 USA ! Croshere, Austin 7000205740000000000♠6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1975–05–01 Providence 5.5 !F/C 10 USA ! Foster, Jeff 7000210820000000000♠6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 236 lb (107 kg) 1977–01–16 Texas State 4.0 !F 3 USA ! Harrington, Al 7000205740000000000♠6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1980–02–17 St. Patrick HS (NJ) 1.5 !G 8 USA ! Johnson, Anthony 7000190500000000000♠6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1974–10–02 College of Charleston 2.5 !G/F 20 USA ! Jones, Fred 7000193040000000000♠6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1979–03–11 Oregon 4.0 !F 33 USA ! Jones, James 7000203200000000000♠6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1980-10-04 Miami (FL) 2.5 !G/F 31 USA ! Miller, Reggie 7000200659999999999♠6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1965–08–24 UCLA 5.5 !F/C 7 USA ! O'Neal, Jermaine 7000210820000000000♠6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 226 lb (103 kg) 1978–10–13 Eau Claire HS (SC) 6.0 !C 62 USA ! Pollard, Scot 7000210820000000000♠6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1975–02–12 Kansas 1.5 !G 11 USA ! Tinsley, Jamaal 7000190500000000000♠6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1978–02–28 Iowa State	Head coach Rick Carlisle Legend (C) Team captain (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured Roster • Transactions Last transaction: 2012–10–10

Regular Season

During the Summer of 2003, 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.

Due to the Pacers' financial overextension, the Pacers had little choice but to make a three-way trade in which they gave up All-Star big man Brad Miller to the Sacramento Kings and swingman Ron Mercer to the San Antonio Spurs for lesser-paid veterans Scot Pollard and Danny Ferry in order to save money. However, Ferry was waived shortly after the Pacers acquired him.

The Pacers started the season strong and never lost momentum. Although the Pacers began the season with Kenny Anderson starting at point guard and Pollard at center, Carlisle eventually chose to replace them in the lineup with Jamaal Tinsley and Jeff Foster after an injury to Anderson knocked him off the active list, and Carlisle observed the contrast between Foster's blue-collar work ethic and Pollard's poor play. The combination of Carlisle's defensive schemes and outstanding play on both ends of the floor by All-Star power forward Jermaine O'Neal proved too much for the competition, and the Pacers led the Eastern Conference as well as the entire NBA with the best record for most of the season. The Pacers finished the season with a record of 61-21, which was worthy of the Eastern Conference first seed in the 2004 NBA Playoffs, guaranteed home-court advantage throughout the playoffs, and a new all-time franchise-best win-loss record. 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. All-Star small forward 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.

The Pacers had reached a peak in confidence that they had not reached since the 2000 Pacers team which reached the NBA Finals. In the first round of the playoffs, the Pacers swept the eighth-seeded Boston Celtics 4-0. They proceeded to defeat the fourth-seeded Miami Heat 4-2 in the second round, earning the Pacers their fifth 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 third-seeded Detroit Pistons, who were coached by former Pacers coach Larry Brown.

Standings

Playoff seeds in parentheses

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)

Transactions

Additions

Subtractions

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