1999–2000 Indiana Pacers season | |
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Conference Champions
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Division Champions
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First NBA Finals Appearance Rik Smits's final season Dale Davis's final season with the Pacers until 2004–05 Mark Jackson's final season with the Pacers Chris Mullin's final season with the Pacers First season playing in the Conseco Fieldhouse |
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Head coach | Larry Bird |
General manager | Donnie Walsh |
Arena | Conseco Fieldhouse |
Results | |
Record | 56–26 (.683) |
Place |
Division: 1st Conference: 1st |
Playoff finish |
NBA Finals (Lost to Lakers 2-4) |
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com |
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Local media | |
Television | Fox Sports Net Midwest, WTTV |
Radio | WIBC |
The 1999–2000 NBA season was the Pacers' 24th season in the National Basketball Association, and 33rd season as a franchise. It was their first season playing at the Conseco Fieldhouse. The Pacers finished first place in the Central Division with a 56–26 record, highlighted by a franchise-best 25-game winning streak at home, which was worthy of the Eastern Conference first seed in the playoffs, guaranteed home-court advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs for the first time in franchise history, and an all-time franchise best win-loss record. Jalen Rose led the team with 18.2 points per game, and was named Most Improved Player of the Year. Reggie Miller and Dale Davis were both selected for the 2000 NBA All-Star Game in Oakland.
In the playoffs, the Pacers defeated the Milwaukee Bucks in five games in the first round, and the Philadelphia 76ers in six games in the semifinals before preceding to defeat their arch-rivals, the New York Knicks in a tough, hard fought six game series in the Eastern Conference Finals en route to advancing to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. However, the Pacers would lose in the Finals to the Los Angeles Lakers in six games.
Following the season, Larry Bird resigned as head coach, Davis was traded to the Porland Trail Blazers, Chris Mullin was released and later re-signed as a free agent with the Golden State Warriors, Mark Jackson signed with the Toronto Raptors, and Rik Smits retired after playing 12 years in the NBA with the Pacers.