If you’re standing in the middle of Gainbridge Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis, you’ll see banners. Lots of them. Blue and gold ones that commemorate division titles, conference championships, and retired jerseys of guys who are basically deities in the state of Indiana. But there is a very specific, glaring hole in that collection.
To answer the big question: No. The Indiana Pacers have never won an NBA championship.
It feels weird to say it out loud, doesn’t it? This is a franchise that basically defines "Indiana basketball." They’ve been consistently good for decades. They’ve had Reggie Miller, Paul George, and now Tyrese Haliburton. They even had Larry Bird as a coach and an executive. Yet, the Larry O'Brien Trophy has never made its way to a victory parade on Pennsylvania Street.
But here’s where it gets complicated—and where some fans might correct you. While they have zero NBA titles, the Pacers were actually a massive dynasty in a different league.
The ABA Glory Days: When Indiana Ruled the World
Before the merger in 1976, the Pacers weren't just good; they were the gold standard of the American Basketball Association (ABA). If you ask an older fan in Muncie or Terre Haute have the pacers ever won the nba finals, they might scoff and remind you that the team won three championships in four years (1970, 1972, and 1973).
The ABA was a wild, high-flying league with a red, white, and blue ball and a three-point line long before the NBA thought it was cool. Led by legends like Mel Daniels, Roger Brown, and George McGinnis, the Pacers were the kings. They made five ABA Finals appearances in total. Honestly, they were the most successful team in that league’s history.
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But when they joined the NBA, things changed. The league forced them to pay a massive entry fee, and they weren't allowed to share in TV revenue for years. It nearly killed the franchise. They even had to hold a telethon just to stay afloat.
That Wild Run in 2000
The closest the Pacers ever got to the mountain top in the modern era was the year 2000.
Think about that roster: Reggie Miller in his prime, Jalen Rose (who won Most Improved Player that year), Rik Smits, and Mark Jackson. They were coached by Larry Bird. It felt like destiny. They finally got past their nemesis, the New York Knicks, in the Eastern Conference Finals to secure their first-ever trip to the NBA Finals.
The problem? They ran into a buzzsaw. Specifically, a Shaq and Kobe-shaped buzzsaw.
Shaquille O’Neal was at the absolute peak of his powers. In Game 1, he put up 43 points and 19 rebounds. It was terrifying. The Pacers fought back, though. They took the Lakers to six games. Reggie Miller was hitting circus shots, and Jalen Rose was scoring 30-pieces, but it wasn't enough. Shaq averaged 38 points and nearly 17 rebounds for the series. You can’t really game-plan for a human being that large and that agile.
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The Recent Heartbreak (2025)
Fast forward to the more recent past. If you've been following the league lately, you know the Pacers just had another massive breakthrough.
In 2025, the "Blue Collar, Gold Swagger" mentality returned in a big way. Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam led a high-octane offense that caught the entire league off guard. They made it all the way back to the NBA Finals for the first time in 25 years.
It was a grueling series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Indiana actually led that series 2-1 at one point. The energy in Indy was electric. For a moment, it really felt like the curse was finally going to break. But the Thunder, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, proved to be too much in the end. The series went the full seven games—heartbreak in its purest form. The Pacers lost Game 7 in a 103-91 defensive struggle.
Why Haven't They Won Yet?
It’s a question that keeps Pacers fans up at night. Is it a small-market thing? Is it just bad luck?
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- The Powerhouse Eras: Whenever the Pacers have a great team, there is usually an all-time great team standing in their way. In the 90s, it was Michael Jordan’s Bulls. In the 2000s, it was the Shaq-Kobe Lakers. In the 2010s, it was LeBron James and the Miami Heat.
- The Malice at the Palace: We have to talk about 2004. That Pacers team was arguably the best in the league. They had the #1 seed and were favorites to win it all. Then, the brawl in Detroit happened. Suspensions ruined their season. It’s one of the biggest "what-ifs" in sports history.
- Small Market Realities: Indiana usually builds through the draft or smart trades. They rarely land the "whale" free agents that the Heat or Lakers get. This means their margin for error is razor-thin.
What's Next for the Blue and Gold?
Even though the record books say zero NBA titles, the future doesn't look as bleak as the past.
The 2025 run proved that the Pacers can compete with the young giants of the West. Haliburton is a legitimate superstar, and the front office has shown they aren't afraid to make big moves.
If you’re a fan looking for a championship, the blueprint is there. The team is young, they play a style that is hard to guard, and they have a city that treats basketball like a religion.
What you should do next:
If you want to dive deeper into why the Pacers are built the way they are, go back and watch highlights of the 2000 Finals. Pay attention to how the Lakers utilized the "Hack-a-Shaq" strategy and how the Pacers tried to counter it with Rik Smits. It’s a masterclass in playoff adjustments. Also, keep an eye on the upcoming trade deadline; this roster is one "glue guy" away from being right back in the hunt.
The wait for an NBA title continues, but in Indiana, the game never stops.