1998–99 Indiana Pacers season

The 1998–99 Indiana Pacers season was the 23rd season for the Indiana Pacers in the National Basketball Association, and their 32nd season as a franchise.^[1] Due to a lockout, the regular season began on February 5, 1999, and was cut from 82 games to 50.^[2] During the off-season, the Pacers signed free agent Sam Perkins, who played in the 1991 NBA Finals with the Los Angeles Lakers, and the 1996 NBA Finals with the Seattle SuperSonics.^[3][4][5]

The Pacers entered the regular season as a heavy favorite to win the NBA championship, because the defending NBA champions Chicago Bulls were broken up by their management after Michael Jordan retired.^[6][7][8] With the addition of Perkins, the Pacers won 9 of their first 13 games of the season in February, which included a five-game winning streak. The team won 11 of their 17 games in March, and won their final four games of the season. The Pacers finished in first place in the Central Division with a 33–17 record, and earned the second seed in the Eastern Conference.^[9][10]

Reggie Miller averaged 18.4 points per game and led the Pacers with 106 three-point field goals, while Rik Smits averaged 14.9 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, and Chris Mullin provided the team with 10.3 points per game and 73 three-point field goals. In addition, sixth man Jalen Rose contributed 11.1 points per game off the bench, while other sixth man Antonio Davis provided with 9.4 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, Dale Davis averaged 8.0 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, Mark Jackson provided with 7.6 points and 7.9 assists per game, Travis Best contributed 7.1 points and 3.4 assists per game, Perkins averaged 5.0 points and 2.9 rebounds per game, and Derrick McKey provided with 4.6 points and 3.2 rebounds per game, but only played just 13 games due to injury.^[11] Jackson finished tied in 16th place in Most Valuable Player voting,^[12] while Rose and Antonio Davis both finished tied in third place in Sixth Man of the Year voting.^[13][12]

In the Eastern Conference First Round of the 1999 NBA playoffs, the Pacers faced off against the 7th–seeded Milwaukee Bucks, who were led by Glenn Robinson, Ray Allen and Sam Cassell. The Pacers won the first two games over the Bucks at home at the Market Square Arena, before winning Game 3 on the road, 99–91 at the Bradley Center to win the series in a three-game sweep.^[14][15][16]

In the Eastern Conference Semi-finals, the team faced off against the 6th–seeded Philadelphia 76ers, a team that featured the league's top scorer Allen Iverson, Matt Geiger, and defensive shot-blocker Theo Ratliff. The Pacers won the first two games over the 76ers at the Market Square Arena, and then won the next two games on the road, including a Game 4 win over the 76ers at the First Union Center, 89–86 to win the series in a four-game sweep, and advance to the Conference Finals for the fourth time in six seasons.^[17][18][19]

In the Eastern Conference Finals, and for the second consecutive year, the Pacers faced off against the 8th–seeded New York Knicks, a team that featured All-Star center Patrick Ewing, Allan Houston, and sixth man Latrell Sprewell. The Pacers lost Game 1 to the Knicks at the Market Square Arena, 93–90, but managed to win Game 2 at home, 88–86 to even the series. One notable highlight of the series occurred in Game 3 at Madison Square Garden, in which Knicks forward Larry Johnson hit a three-pointer while being fouled by Antonio Davis, then completing a 4-point play after hitting a free throw; the Knicks won the game at home, 92–91 to take a 2–1 series lead.^[20][21][22] The Pacers won Game 4 over the Knicks on the road, 90–78 to tie the series at 2–2, but then lost Game 5 at the Market Square Arena, 101–94. The Pacers lost Game 6 to the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, 90–82, thus losing the series in six games, as the Knicks advanced to the NBA Finals for the second time in six seasons, becoming the first #8 seed to reach the Finals.^[23][24][25] In the 1999 NBA Finals, the Knicks would lose to the San Antonio Spurs in five games.^[26][27][28]

The Pacers finished 19th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 404,536 at the Market Square Arena during the regular season;^[11][29] it was also the team's final season in which they played their home games at the Market Square Arena, moving to the Conseco Fieldhouse the following season.^[30] Meanwhile, Antonio Davis was traded to the Toronto Raptors after six seasons with the Pacers.^[31][32][33] For the season, the Pacers added new golden yellow pinstripe alternate road uniforms with navy blue side panels, which would remain in use until 2005.^[34]