2002–03 Indiana Pacers season

The 2002–03 NBA season was the Pacers' 27th season in the National Basketball Association, and 36th season as a franchise.[1] The Pacers got off to a fast start winning 14 of their first 16 games. However, the team struggled losing 12 of 13 games between February 16 and March 12. Late in the season, the Pacers signed free agent All-Star point guard Tim Hardaway, as the Pacers finished second in the Central Division with a 48–34 record. Head coach Isiah Thomas, Jermaine O'Neal and Brad Miller represented the Eastern Conference during the 2003 NBA All-Star Game. That game was perhaps known as a storybook ending for Michael Jordan, but O'Neal ruined the moment, fouling Western Conference All-Star Kobe Bryant, who attempted a 3-pointer. Bryant hit 2 of 3 free throws to send the game into overtime. The West won 155–145. In the first round of the playoffs, the Pacers lost in six games to the 6th-seeded Boston Celtics.[2]

2002–03 Indiana Pacers season
Head coachIsiah Thomas
General managerDonnie Walsh
ArenaConseco Fieldhouse
Results
Record48–34 (.585)
PlaceDivision: 2nd (Central)
Conference: 3rd (Eastern)
Playoff finishFirst Round
(Lost to Celtics 2–4)
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionFox Sports Net Midwest, WTTV

After the season, it was announced that Thomas would not be returning as head coach, replacing him with Rick Carlisle for the next season. Thomas would later return to coach the New York Knicks in 2006. Also following the season, Miller was traded to the Sacramento Kings, Ron Mercer was dealt to the San Antonio Spurs and Hardaway retired.

Offseason

Draft picks
Main article: 2002 NBA Draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
114Fred JonesSG United StatesOregon

Roster
Roster listing
Indiana Pacers roster
Players Coaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOB (YYYY-MM-DD)From
F 23 Artest, Ron 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 244 lb (111 kg) St. John's
F 24 Bender, Jonathan 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 202 lb (92 kg) Picayune Memorial HS (MS)
G 2 Brewer, Jamison 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 184 lb (83 kg) Auburn
C 27 Brezec, Primož  7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) 252 lb (114 kg) Slovenia
F 44 Croshere, Austin 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Providence
F/C 10 Foster, Jeff 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 236 lb (107 kg) Texas State
G 14 Hardaway, Tim 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 175 lb (79 kg) UTEP
F 3 Harrington, Al 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 230 lb (104 kg) St. Patrick HS (NJ)
G/F 20 Jones, Fred  6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Oregon
G/F 5 Mercer, Ron 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Kentucky
F/C 52 Miller, Brad 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 244 lb (111 kg) Purdue
G/F 31 Miller, Reggie 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 185 lb (84 kg) UCLA
F/C 7 O'Neal, Jermaine 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 226 lb (103 kg) Eau Claire HS (SC)
G 21 Strickland, Erick 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Nebraska
G 11 Tinsley, Jamaal 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Iowa State
Head coach
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured

Roster
Last transaction: 2012–10–10

Note

Bold = All-Star selection

Regular season

Season standings
Central Division W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Detroit Pistons 5032.610–30–1120–2119–9
x-Indiana Pacers 4834.585232–916–2519–9
x-New Orleans Hornets 4735.573329–1218–2317–11
x-Milwaukee Bucks 4240.512825–1617–2416–12
Atlanta Hawks 3547.4271526–159–3214–14
Chicago Bulls 3052.3662027–143–3812–16
Toronto Raptors 2458.2932615–269–3210–18
Cleveland Cavaliers 1765.2073314–273–385–23
# Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 c-Detroit Pistons5032.610–
2 y-New Jersey Nets4933.5981
3 x-Indiana Pacers4834.5852
4 x-Philadelphia 76ers4834.5852
5 x-New Orleans Hornets4735.5733
6 x-Boston Celtics4438.5376
7 x-Milwaukee Bucks4240.5128
8 x-Orlando Magic4240.5128
9 New York Knicks3745.45113
10 Washington Wizards3745.45113
11 Atlanta Hawks3547.42715
12 Chicago Bulls3052.36620
13 Miami Heat2557.30525
14 Toronto Raptors2458.29326
15 Cleveland Cavaliers1765.20733
z – clinched division title
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents
2002-03 NBA Records
Team ATL BOS CHI CLE DAL DEN DET GSW HOU IND LAC LAL MEM MIA MIL MIN NJN NOH NYK ORL PHI PHO POR SAC SAS SEA TOR UTA WAS
Atlanta —0–32–24–00–22–01–30–21–12–22–01–11–11–32–20–21–32–21–32–13–10–20–21–11–11–11–31–12–2
Boston 3–0—2–24–00–21–12–21–10–22–22–01–12–02–21–22–01–33–14–03–22–20–21–10–20–22–01–21–11–3
Chicago 2–22–2—3–10–21–10–41–11–12–20–21–11–11–22–20–22–21–32–11–31–31–11–10–20–20–22–21–11–3
Cleveland 0–40–41–3—0–21–10–41–11–10–42–01–10–21–20–40–22–21–31–20–40–40–20–20–20–21–13–11–10–4
Dallas 2–02–02–02–0—4–02–04–04–01–14–01–34–02–00–22–22–02–02–01–12–02–22–21–32–22–22–02–22–0
Denver 0–21–11–11–10–4—0–20–40–41–11–30–42–22–01–10–40–20–20–20–20–21–32–20–41–31–31–10–41–1
Detroit 3–12–24–04–00–22–0—1–12–02–21–11–12–03–11–31–12–12–22–22–12–21–10–21–10–21–13–12–03–1
Golden State 2–01–11–11–10–44–01–1—1–31–12–22–22–21–10–21–31–11–12–01–12–02–20–40–41–32–22–02–22–0
Houston 1–12–01–11–10–44–00–23–1—1–12–22–23–11–11–12–21–11–10–22–02–03–11–32–21–32–22–01–31–1
Indiana 2–22–22–24–01–11–12–21–11–1—2–00–21–14–03–12–01–23–13–12–12–21–10–20–20–22–03–11–12–2
L.A. Clippers 0–20–22–00–20–43–11–12–22–20–2—0–42–22–01–11–31–11–11–11–10–21–31–31–31–31–31–11–30–2
L.A. Lakers 1–11–11–11–13–14–01–12–22–22–04–0—4–01–12–02–20–21–11–11–11–13–12–22–20–42–22–03–11–1
Memphis 1–10–21–12–00–42–20–22–21–31–12–20–4—2–02–00–41–11–11–12–00–21–31–30–41–31–31–11–31–1
Miami 3–12–22–12–10–20–21–31–11–10–40–21–10–2—1–31–10–40–42–20–40–42–00–21–10–20–24–00–21–3
Milwaukee 2–22–12–24–02–01–13–12–01–11–31–10–20–23–1—0–22–22–23–12–22–20–22–00–20–21–12–20–22–1
Minnesota 2–00–22–02–02–24–01–13–12–20–23–12–24–01–12–0—0–21–12–01–11–13–13–12–22–22–21–11–32–0
New Jersey 3–13–12–22–20–22–01–21–11–12–11–12–01–14–02–22–0—2–23–12–21–31–12–00–21–11–14–00–23–1
New Orleans 2–21–33–13–10–22–02–21–11–11–31–11–11–14–02–21–12–2—3–11–32–12–00–21–10–22–04–02–02–1
New York 3–10–41–22–10–22–02–20–22–01–31–11–11–12–21–30–21–31–3—2–22–22–00–21–12–01–13–11–12–2
Orlando 1–22–33–14–01–12–01–21–10–21–21–11–10–24–02–21–12–23–12–2—2–20–20–21–10–22–02–21–12–2
Philadelphia 1–32–23–14–00–22–02–20–20–22–22–01–12–04–02–21–13–11–22–22–2—0–22–00–21–11–13–01–14–0
Phoenix 2–02–01–12–02–23–11–12–21–31–13–11–33–10–22–01–31–10–20–22–02–0—3–12–23–11–31–11–31–1
Portland 2–01–11–12–02–22–22–04–03–12–03–12–23–12–00–21–30–22–02–02–00–21–3—1–32–24–02–01–31–1
Sacramento 1–12–02–02–03–14–01–14–02–22–03–12–24–01–12–02–22–01–11–11–12–02–23–1—1–33–11–13–12–0
San Antonio 1–12–02–02–02–23–12–03–13–12–03–14–03–12–02–02–21–12–00–22–01–11–32–23–1—3–12–04–01–1
Seattle 1–10–22–01–12–23–11–12–22–20–23–12–23–12–01–12–21–10–21–10–21–13–10–41–31–3—2–02–21–1
Toronto 3–12–12–21–30–21–11–30–20–21–31–10–21–10–42–21–10–40–41–32–20–31–10–21–10–20–2—0–23–1
Utah 1–11–11–11–12–24–00–22–23–11–13–11–33–12–02–03–12–00–21–11–11–13–13–11–30–42–22–0—1–1
Washington 2–23–13–14–00–21–11–30–21–12–22–01–11–13–11–20–21–31–22–22–20–41–11–10–21–11–11–31–1—

Playoffs

East First Round

(3) Indiana Pacers vs. (6) Boston Celtics Last Playoff Meeting: 1992 Eastern Conference First Round (Boston won 3-0)

Game Date Visitor Score Home Score Record

(BOS-IND)

 Venue TV Time Recap
1 April 19 Boston 103 Indiana 100 1-0 Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis ESPN 3:00et/2:00ct Recap
2 April 21 Boston 77 Indiana 89 1–1 Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis NBATV 8:30et/7:30ct Recap
3 April 24 Indiana 83 Boston 101 2-1 FleetCenter, Boston TNT 6:00et Recap
4 April 27 Indiana 92 Boston 102 3-1 FleetCenter, Boston ESPN2 12:00et Recap
5* April 29 Boston 88 Indiana 93 3-2 Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis NBATV 8:00et/7:00ct Recap
6 May 1 Indiana 90 Boston 110 4-2 FleetCenter, Boston TBS 8:00et Recap
Boston wins series 4–2

*Required overtime.

Player stats
Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game

Season
Player GP REB AST STL BLK PTS AVG

Playoffs
Player GP REB AST STL BLK PTS AVG

Awards and records

References
  1. 2002–03 Indiana Pacers
  2. "PRO BASKETBALL; Celtics Put On a Show To Defeat The Pacers". New York Times. May 2, 2003. Retrieved August 24, 2017.

See also
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