Who may just ever put out of your mind the 1999-00 Indiana Pacers staff that made it to the 2000 NBA Finals?
That used to be the one Pacers squad that made it to the NBA Finals since they entered the league in 1976.
It used to be a unique team that fell wanting successful Indy’s first Larry O’Brien Trophy.
Because it’s NBA Finals Week, it’s a good time to relive the reminiscences of the 1999-00 Pacers.
The 1999-00 Pacers Had been A Savvy Veteran Squad
The 1999-00 Pacers had been loaded with veterans sprinkled with a splash of youngster.
First off, taking pictures guard Reggie Miller used to be the undisputed center and soul of the staff.
On June 2, 2000, we beat the Knicks at Madison Sq. Lawn in Sport 6 of the ECF to advance to the NBA Finals for the primary time in franchise historical past.👏#PacersMoments percent.twitter.com/LJanfGoZVe
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) June 2, 2022
His friend Mark Jackson ran the purpose guard place with fifth-year guy Travis Easiest backing him up.
Lefty small ahead Jalen Rose helped take the scoring load off the 34-year-old Miller’s shoulders.
Ten-year veteran energy ahead Dale “Double D” Davis feared no one down low – he may just intimidate, block pictures, and snag rebounds with the most productive of them.
Rik Smits, the 7-foot-4 Dunking Dutchman, used to be a competent shooter from 15 ft and in.
Even though Smits wasn’t recognized for his protection, his low-post scoring prowess used to be beneficial to the Pacers’ reason.
Derrick McKey used to be a long-limbed and poker-faced defensive risk who may just rating the occasional three-pointer.
Austin Croshere used to be the unsung hero off the Pacers’ bench right through their unbelievable NBA Finals run.
Some other lefty veteran, Sam Perkins, proved he nonetheless had a candy stroke regardless of being nearly 40 years outdated.
Jonathan Bender, Al Harrington, Jeff Foster, Chris Mullin, and Zan Tabak languished most commonly at the bench however stepped up when trainer Larry Chicken requested them to.
Reminiscing The Pacers’ Adventure To The 2000 NBA Finals
The 1999-00 Pacers earned the East’s best seed through distinctive feature in their conference-best 56-26 win-loss report.
They received an outstanding 36 video games at their brand-new Conseco Fieldhouse.
Because of Travis Easiest’s nook trifecta in Sport 5 of the hole around, they narrowly beat a tender Milwaukee Dollars squad that featured guys like Sam Cassell, Glenn Robinson, and Ray Allen.
Miller and co. then defeated Allen Iverson‘s Philadelphia 76ers in six video games of their second-round collection.
Arguably the spotlight of that collection used to be Miller and Rose scoring 40 issues apiece of their lopsided 108-91 victory in Sport 1.
Beating the hated New York Knicks in six video games within the Jap Convention Finals used to be candy in different regards.
The Pacers avenged the painful playoff loss to New York a yr previous – a stinging defeat that highlighted Larry Johnson‘s four-point play off an Antonio Davis foul.
Additionally they made their first NBA Finals look of their twenty fourth yr of life within the league.
The Pacers took on Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, and the Los Angeles Lakers within the 2000 NBA Finals.
in 2000, we notched our first-ever victory in an @NBA Finals sport, beating the Lakers 100-91 in Sport 3 🙌#TBT percent.twitter.com/rD1CVirvbu
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) June 11, 2020
Shaq picked up the slack for a hobbling Bryant who had a sore ankle right through the Finals.
O’Neal averaged 38 issues and 16.7 rebounds in line with sport on his solution to incomes 2000 NBA Finals MVP honors.
Even though Smits used to be 3 inches taller, Shaq’s heft and energy within the low submit had been merely an excessive amount of for him to deal with.
For his or her phase, Miller and Rose averaged a mixed 47 issues in line with sport within the Finals.
Croshere stepped up giant time and averaged 15.2 issues off the bench for Indy.
Alas, their efforts weren’t sufficient to stop L.A. from successful its twelfth NBA name and primary of 3 consecutive championships.
The Aftermath
After their 2000 NBA Finals defeat, the Pacers blew up their core nucleus.
First, head trainer Larry Chicken stepped down after the Finals collection loss to Los Angeles.
Smits retired after 12 NBA seasons because of nagging foot accidents.
Alternatively, Jackson bolted for the Toronto Raptors in loose company and joined his former Pacers teammate Antonio Davis north of the border.
The Pacers then traded Dale Davis to the Portland Path Blazers for teenager Jermaine O’Neal within the offseason.
Mullin returned to Golden State in 2000-01 to complete off his mythical 17-year NBA occupation.
The Pacers haven’t returned to the NBA Finals since that memorable 1999-00 marketing campaign.
They nearly made it once they received an improbable 61 video games in 2003-04.
Sadly, they misplaced to the Detroit Pistons within the Jap Convention Finals in six video games.
However, that 1999-00 Indiana Pacers staff will endlessly survive within the hearts of Blue and Gold fanatics far and wide.
