The 1975-76 Indiana Pacers season was their final campaign in the American Basketball Association (ABA) before the league merged with the NBA. The Pacers finished the regular season with a 39-45 record, placing them fifth in the ABA’s Western Division. Despite the sub-.500 record, they qualified for the playoffs.
In the postseason, Indiana faced the San Antonio Spurs in the first round, where they were eliminated after a close series, losing 2-1. The season was notable for featuring standout performances from players like George McGinnis, who was one of the league’s premier forwards, and Billy Knight, who contributed significantly to the team’s scoring efforts. This season marked the end of an era for the Pacers in the ABA, as they prepared to transition into the NBA for the 1976-77 season, carrying with them a legacy of three ABA Championships.
- Regular Season Record: 39-45
- Playoff Result: Eastern Conference First Round: 1-2
Indiana Pacers Roster and Stats for 1975-76 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Billy Knight | 70 | 28.1 | 10.1 | 3.6 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 42.9 | 3 | 33.7 | 10.7 | 4.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Bo Lamar | 35 | 15.6 | 2.8 | 3.8 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 26.9 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Len Elmore | 76 | 14.6 | 10.8 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 3 | 6.3 | 5.0 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Bill Keller | 78 | 14.2 | 2.9 | 3.9 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 36.3 | 3 | 6.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 28.6 |
| Darnell Hillman | 74 | 13.4 | 9.1 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 50.0 | 3 | 14.3 | 10.3 | 3.3 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 0.0 |
| Dave Robisch | 76 | 13.4 | 8.8 | 1.9 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 3 | 11.3 | 6.7 | 2.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Don Buse | 84 | 12.5 | 3.8 | 8.2 | 3.2 | 0.2 | 35.5 | 3 | 12.3 | 4.7 | 8.7 | 2.3 | 0.0 | 33.3 |
| Travis Grant | 34 | 9.6 | 3.0 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Tom Owens | 16 | 6.5 | 4.3 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Mike Flynn | 67 | 6.3 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 26.6 | 3 | 13.7 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 37.5 |
| Ed Manning | 11 | 5.3 | 3.0 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Charles Jordan | 72 | 5.2 | 3.1 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 22.2 | 2 | 1.0 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Dan Roundfield | 67 | 5.1 | 3.9 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 2 | 11.0 | 5.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 |
| Bob Netolicky | 4 | 4.8 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Nate Barnett | 12 | 2.3 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Indiana Pacers in the 1976 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs First Round vs. Kentucky Colonels
In the 1976 NBA Playoffs, the Indiana Pacers faced the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round. The Pacers, who were relatively new to the NBA after the ABA-NBA merger, struggled against Portland's dynamic duo of Bill Walton and Maurice Lucas. Indiana was swept in the best-of-three series, marking a challenging start to their NBA postseason journey.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 08, 1976 | @ Kentucky Colonels | L 120-109 | |
| Apr 10, 1976 | vs. Kentucky Colonels | W 109-95 | |
| Apr 12, 1976 | @ Kentucky Colonels | L 100-99 |
Indiana Pacers 1975-76 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1975-76 season for the Indiana Pacers.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 24, 1975 | @ Virginia Squires | W 112-101 | |
| Oct 25, 1975 | vs. Kentucky Colonels | W 103-100 | |
| Oct 26, 1975 | @ New York Nets | L 118-111 | |
| Oct 29, 1975 | vs. San Diego Sails | W 105-100 | |
| Oct 31, 1975 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 111-99 | |
| Nov 05, 1975 | vs. New York Nets | L 119-102 | |
| Nov 07, 1975 | @ Virginia Squires | W 104-100 | |
| Nov 11, 1975 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 126-117 | |
| Nov 14, 1975 | @ Utah Stars | W 127-119 | |
| Nov 16, 1975 | @ Spirits of St. Louis | W 136-114 | |
| Nov 18, 1975 | vs. Kentucky Colonels | W 106-92 | |
| Nov 19, 1975 | @ Utah Stars | W 130-110 | |
| Nov 20, 1975 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 117-112 | |
| Nov 22, 1975 | @ Kentucky Colonels | L 108-91 | |
| Nov 26, 1975 | vs. Spirits of St. Louis | L 98-94 | |
| Nov 28, 1975 | @ Spirits of St. Louis | L 113-112 | |
| Nov 29, 1975 | @ Virginia Squires | W 111-106 | |
| Dec 03, 1975 | vs. Kentucky Colonels | W 113-100 | |
| Dec 05, 1975 | vs. Spirits of St. Louis | W 123-105 | |
| Dec 06, 1975 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 126-118 | |
| Dec 10, 1975 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 122-104 | |
| Dec 11, 1975 | vs. New York Nets | L 124-123 | |
| Dec 13, 1975 | @ Spirits of St. Louis | W 119-111 | |
| Dec 14, 1975 | @ New York Nets | L 99-93 | |
| Dec 17, 1975 | vs. Spirits of St. Louis | W 113-102 | |
| Dec 19, 1975 | @ Kentucky Colonels | L 131-116 | |
| Dec 20, 1975 | vs. Kentucky Colonels | W 112-109 | |
| Dec 21, 1975 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 122-117 | |
| Dec 23, 1975 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 111-106 | |
| Dec 27, 1975 | @ Virginia Squires | W 97-94 | |
| Dec 28, 1975 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 110-105 | |
| Dec 30, 1975 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 105-99 | |
| Jan 02, 1976 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 137-125 | |
| Jan 03, 1976 | vs. New York Nets | L 105-90 | |
| Jan 04, 1976 | @ New York Nets | L 119-98 | |
| Jan 07, 1976 | vs. Spirits of St. Louis | L 114-112 | |
| Jan 09, 1976 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 121-117 | |
| Jan 10, 1976 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 125-122 | |
| Jan 11, 1976 | @ New York Nets | L 112-102 | |
| Jan 14, 1976 | vs. Virginia Squires | W 115-99 | |
| Jan 16, 1976 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 124-118 | |
| Jan 17, 1976 | @ Virginia Squires | W 126-115 | |
| Jan 21, 1976 | vs. Virginia Squires | W 119-106 | |
| Jan 23, 1976 | @ Spirits of St. Louis | W 132-128 | |
| Jan 24, 1976 | vs. Spirits of St. Louis | W 116-113 | |
| Jan 25, 1976 | @ Kentucky Colonels | L 117-114 | |
| Jan 29, 1976 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 136-112 | |
| Jan 30, 1976 | @ New York Nets | W 127-107 | |
| Feb 01, 1976 | @ New York Nets | L 116-106 | |
| Feb 03, 1976 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 118-112 | |
| Feb 04, 1976 | vs. Kentucky Colonels | W 135-116 | |
| Feb 06, 1976 | vs. Virginia Squires | W 118-113 | |
| Feb 08, 1976 | vs. New York Nets | L 110-104 | |
| Feb 10, 1976 | vs. Spirits of St. Louis | L 127-126 | |
| Feb 13, 1976 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 128-107 | |
| Feb 14, 1976 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 105-101 | |
| Feb 15, 1976 | @ Kentucky Colonels | W 127-122 | |
| Feb 18, 1976 | vs. New York Nets | L 112-111 | |
| Feb 19, 1976 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 128-123 | |
| Feb 20, 1976 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 106-101 | |
| Feb 21, 1976 | vs. Virginia Squires | W 108-101 | |
| Feb 25, 1976 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 122-110 | |
| Feb 27, 1976 | @ Spirits of St. Louis | L 116-105 | |
| Feb 28, 1976 | @ Virginia Squires | L 99-92 | |
| Feb 29, 1976 | @ New York Nets | L 130-118 | |
| Mar 02, 1976 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 107-97 | |
| Mar 03, 1976 | vs. Virginia Squires | W 104-95 | |
| Mar 05, 1976 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 124-114 | |
| Mar 06, 1976 | vs. Kentucky Colonels | L 113-109 | |
| Mar 07, 1976 | @ Kentucky Colonels | L 125-112 | |
| Mar 10, 1976 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 129-119 | |
| Mar 12, 1976 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 132-115 | |
| Mar 14, 1976 | vs. Kentucky Colonels | L 130-119 | |
| Mar 16, 1976 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 115-95 | |
| Mar 17, 1976 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 111-108 | |
| Mar 21, 1976 | @ San Antonio Spurs | W 114-109 | |
| Mar 23, 1976 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | W 107-104 | |
| Mar 26, 1976 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 138-120 | |
| Mar 28, 1976 | vs. Denver Nuggets | L 110-98 | |
| Mar 31, 1976 | vs. New York Nets | W 116-106 | |
| Apr 02, 1976 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 118-108 | |
| Apr 03, 1976 | @ Virginia Squires | L 113-112 | |
| Apr 04, 1976 | @ Denver Nuggets | L 140-134 | |
| Apr 07, 1976 | @ San Antonio Spurs | L 96-75 |