The Indiana Pacers face off in a series-deciding Game 7 tonight against the Toronto Raptors. In their NBA history, the Pacers are 3-4 in Game 7s, including 2-4 on the road. Here’s a brief overview of each one:
1994 Eastern Conference Finals
Indiana Pacers 90, New York Knicks 94
The first of the team’s Game 7s in their NBA History, the Pacers and Knicks faced off in the playoffs for the second-straight season. One of the epic series battles chronicled in one of ESPN’s 30 for 30 documentaries: Winning Time. The Pacers came up short in this one, losing 94-90. Reggie Miller led both teams in scoring with 25 points.
1995 Eastern Conference Semifinals
Indiana Pacers 97, New York Knicks 95
The Pacers beat their arch-nemesis of the 90s for the first time in the playoffs in a road win in Game 7. Patrick Ewing missed a game-tying layup at the buzzer. Reggie Miller led the way for the Pacers with 29 points.
1995 Eastern Conference Finals
Indiana Pacers 81, Orlando Magic 105
The Pacers blew out the Magic in Game 6 but received the same treatment in Game 7. Dale Davis had 15 points and 14 rebounds, but the Pacers were no match in this game for the dynamic duo of Shaq and Penny who combined for 42 points.
1998 Eastern Conference Finals
Indiana Pacers 83, Chicago Bulls 88
The Pacers took the 2-time defending champions all the way to Game 7 but came up short. Reggie Miller scored an efficient 22 points, but Michael Jordan nearly had a triple double with 28/9/8 to finish the only time Jordan and Miller ever met in the playoffs.
2005 Eastern Conference First Round
Indiana Pacers 97, Boston Celtics 70
The lower-seeded Pacers pulled off the upset in the year of the Brawl and Reggie Miller’s final season. Stephen Jackson led the Pacers in scoring with 24 points. The Pacers won three times on the road in the series, and this is the second win on the road for the Pacers in a Game 7.
2013 Eastern Conference Finals
Miami Heat 99, Indiana Pacers 76
The Pacers kept it close for a quarter, but the LeBron James-led Heat ran away in the second quarter outscoring the Pacers 33-16 and it was never a game after that. Leading scorer for the Pacers was Roy Hibbert with 18.
2014 Eastern Conference First Round
Indiana Pacers 92, Atlanta Hawks 80
In their most recent Game 7, the Pacers avoided a historic collapse by finally beating the 8-seeded Hawks. Paul George led the Pacers with 30 points.