The 1974-75 Indiana Pacers season marked their eighth campaign in the American Basketball Association (ABA). Under head coach Bob Leonard, the Pacers finished the regular season with a record of 45-39, securing third place in the Western Division. Key players included George McGinnis, who delivered an MVP-caliber performance, and Billy Knight, contributing significantly to the team’s offensive efforts.
In the playoffs, the Pacers demonstrated resilience and skill. They first faced the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Division Semifinals, emerging victorious in a hard-fought series. However, their postseason run ended in the Western Division Finals where they were outmatched by the Kentucky Colonels, losing the series 4-1. This season was significant as it was part of the Pacers’ final years in the ABA before the league merged with the NBA in 1976.
- Regular Season Record: 46-43
- Playoff Result: Eastern Conference Semifinals: 4-2, Eastern Conference Finals: 4-3
Indiana Pacers Roster and Stats for 1974-75 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| George McGinnis | 84 | 29.6 | 14.2 | 6.3 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 34.5 | 13 | 34.2 | 16.6 | 8.9 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 33.3 |
| Billy Knight | 85 | 17.5 | 7.9 | 2.2 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 23.6 | 13 | 24.6 | 9.2 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Kevin Joyce | 86 | 14.9 | 2.0 | 3.9 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 22.2 | 13 | 10.7 | 1.8 | 2.7 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 30.0 |
| Darnell Hillman | 86 | 13.6 | 9.4 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 12 | 11.1 | 6.5 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 1.3 | 0.0 |
| Bill Keller | 84 | 12.2 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 32.2 | 12 | 12.2 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 57.7 |
| Johnny Neumann | 48 | 8.3 | 1.6 | 2.6 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 28.8 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Bob Netolicky | 60 | 7.3 | 3.8 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 16.7 | 7 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| Len Elmore | 82 | 6.7 | 5.2 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 100.0 | 13 | 11.5 | 8.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 0.0 |
| Don Buse | 85 | 6.3 | 3.4 | 4.1 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 30.5 | 13 | 6.3 | 2.8 | 4.8 | 2.2 | 0.0 | 23.8 |
| Charles Edge | 78 | 5.8 | 4.4 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 5 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Roger Brown | 13 | 4.8 | 2.2 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 25.0 | 11 | 4.2 | 1.9 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 25.0 |
| Wayne Pack | 21 | 2.9 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 29.4 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Indiana Pacers in the 1975 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs Second Round vs. San Antonio Spurs
In the 1975 NBA Playoffs, the Indiana Pacers faced off against the Kentucky Colonels in the ABA Eastern Division Finals. Despite a valiant effort, the Pacers were outmatched by the Colonels, led by the formidable duo of Artis Gilmore and Dan Issel, ultimately losing the series in a decisive manner. This marked the end of the Pacers' hopes for a title that season as the Colonels went on to win the ABA Championship.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 05, 1975 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 122-119 | |
| Apr 07, 1975 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 98-93 | |
| Apr 10, 1975 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 113-103 | |
| Apr 12, 1975 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 110-109 | |
| Apr 14, 1975 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 123-117 | |
| Apr 16, 1975 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 115-100 |
1975 Conference Championship vs. Denver Nuggets
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 20, 1975 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 131-128 | |
| Apr 22, 1975 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 131-124 | |
| Apr 24, 1975 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 118-112 | |
| Apr 25, 1975 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 126-109 | |
| Apr 27, 1975 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 109-90 | |
| Apr 30, 1975 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 104-99 | |
| May 03, 1975 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 104-96 |
Indiana Pacers 1974-75 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1974-75 season for the Indiana Pacers.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 18, 1974 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 129-121 | |
| Oct 20, 1974 | @ Kentucky Colonels | L 101-92 | |
| Oct 23, 1974 | vs. Spirits of St. Louis | W 122-107 | |
| Oct 26, 1974 | vs. Kentucky Colonels | L 107-95 | |
| Oct 30, 1974 | @ Virginia Squires | L 114-111 | |
| Nov 01, 1974 | @ New York Nets | W 99-97 | |
| Nov 02, 1974 | vs. Memphis Sounds | L 105-104 | |
| Nov 06, 1974 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 136-116 | |
| Nov 09, 1974 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 131-118 | |
| Nov 10, 1974 | @ Spirits of St. Louis | W 117-109 | |
| Nov 13, 1974 | @ Utah Stars | L 114-103 | |
| Nov 15, 1974 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 120-114 | |
| Nov 16, 1974 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 112-109 | |
| Nov 17, 1974 | @ Kentucky Colonels | L 116-103 | |
| Nov 20, 1974 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 117-106 | |
| Nov 22, 1974 | @ Memphis Sounds | W 132-116 | |
| Nov 23, 1974 | vs. New York Nets | W 104-95 | |
| Nov 27, 1974 | vs. Memphis Sounds | W 125-104 | |
| Nov 29, 1974 | vs. San Diego Conquistadors | W 139-114 | |
| Nov 30, 1974 | @ Virginia Squires | L 121-120 | |
| Dec 04, 1974 | vs. Utah Stars | W 104-100 | |
| Dec 07, 1974 | vs. San Diego Conquistadors | W 126-113 | |
| Dec 11, 1974 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 117-114 | |
| Dec 13, 1974 | vs. Kentucky Colonels | W 114-108 | |
| Dec 14, 1974 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 110-105 | |
| Dec 18, 1974 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 128-122 | |
| Dec 21, 1974 | vs. New York Nets | L 134-122 | |
| Dec 22, 1974 | @ Kentucky Colonels | L 118-110 | |
| Dec 23, 1974 | vs. Utah Stars | L 103-99 | |
| Dec 26, 1974 | vs. Kentucky Colonels | W 122-111 | |
| Dec 27, 1974 | @ Virginia Squires | L 118-116 | |
| Dec 31, 1974 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 140-105 | |
| Jan 01, 1975 | @ San Diego Conquistadors | L 118-100 | |
| Jan 03, 1975 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 120-111 | |
| Jan 04, 1975 | @ Utah Stars | L 115-108 | |
| Jan 05, 1975 | @ Memphis Sounds | W 108-99 | |
| Jan 08, 1975 | @ New York Nets | W 127-119 | |
| Jan 09, 1975 | @ Memphis Sounds | W 122-112 | |
| Jan 11, 1975 | vs. San Diego Conquistadors | L 121-119 | |
| Jan 13, 1975 | @ Virginia Squires | W 105-88 | |
| Jan 15, 1975 | vs. New York Nets | W 111-106 | |
| Jan 17, 1975 | vs. San Diego Conquistadors | W 108-107 | |
| Jan 18, 1975 | @ Utah Stars | L 122-118 | |
| Jan 19, 1975 | @ San Diego Conquistadors | W 108-91 | |
| Jan 21, 1975 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 110-91 | |
| Jan 22, 1975 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 120-110 | |
| Jan 24, 1975 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 114-105 | |
| Jan 26, 1975 | @ New York Nets | L 115-111 | |
| Jan 31, 1975 | vs. Utah Stars | W 107-93 | |
| Feb 02, 1975 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 119-100 | |
| Feb 05, 1975 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 123-113 | |
| Feb 07, 1975 | vs. Virginia Squires | W 111-106 | |
| Feb 08, 1975 | vs. Spirits of St. Louis | W 103-92 | |
| Feb 09, 1975 | @ Spirits of St. Louis | L 120-108 | |
| Feb 13, 1975 | vs. Virginia Squires | W 107-105 | |
| Feb 15, 1975 | vs. Memphis Sounds | W 115-113 | |
| Feb 17, 1975 | @ Spirits of St. Louis | W 100-99 | |
| Feb 19, 1975 | vs. Virginia Squires | W 120-107 | |
| Feb 22, 1975 | vs. Spirits of St. Louis | W 125-115 | |
| Feb 24, 1975 | vs. San Diego Conquistadors | W 120-108 | |
| Feb 26, 1975 | @ Kentucky Colonels | L 101-99 | |
| Feb 28, 1975 | @ San Diego Conquistadors | L 115-102 | |
| Mar 01, 1975 | @ Denver Nuggets | W 124-109 | |
| Mar 02, 1975 | vs. Spirits of St. Louis | W 104-99 | |
| Mar 05, 1975 | vs. Kentucky Colonels | W 103-90 | |
| Mar 06, 1975 | @ Utah Stars | W 115-101 | |
| Mar 07, 1975 | @ San Diego Conquistadors | L 118-116 | |
| Mar 09, 1975 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 141-107 | |
| Mar 14, 1975 | vs. Utah Stars | W 121-111 | |
| Mar 15, 1975 | @ Memphis Sounds | W 107-100 | |
| Mar 16, 1975 | vs. Virginia Squires | W 121-103 | |
| Mar 17, 1975 | @ New York Nets | L 124-116 | |
| Mar 19, 1975 | vs. New York Nets | L 119-110 | |
| Mar 21, 1975 | vs. San Diego Conquistadors | W 115-103 | |
| Mar 22, 1975 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 122-105 | |
| Mar 23, 1975 | vs. Utah Stars | W 117-112 | |
| Mar 25, 1975 | @ Utah Stars | L 112-97 | |
| Mar 26, 1975 | @ San Diego Conquistadors | W 121-111 | |
| Mar 28, 1975 | @ Spirits of St. Louis | L 125-96 | |
| Mar 29, 1975 | vs. Memphis Sounds | W 114-104 | |
| Mar 30, 1975 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 128-121 | |
| Apr 01, 1975 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 126-115 | |
| Apr 02, 1975 | vs. Utah Stars | L 119-112 | |
| Apr 03, 1975 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 137-122 | |
| May 13, 1975 | @ Kentucky Colonels | L 120-94 | |
| May 15, 1975 | @ Kentucky Colonels | L 95-93 | |
| May 17, 1975 | vs. Kentucky Colonels | L 109-101 | |
| May 19, 1975 | vs. Kentucky Colonels | W 94-86 | |
| May 22, 1975 | @ Kentucky Colonels | L 110-105 |