1980–81 Indiana Pacers season

1980–81 Indiana Pacers season
Head coach	Jack McKinney
Arena	Market Square Arena
Results
Record	44–38 (.537)
Place	Division: 3rd (Central) Conference: 6th (Eastern)
Playoff finish	East First Round (Eliminated 0-2)
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com

The 1980-81 NBA season was the Pacers fifth season in the NBA and their 19th season as a franchise.

Offseason

NBA Draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	School/Club Team

Roster

1980-81 Indiana Pacers roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. # Nat. Name Ht. Wt. From F 5 Abernethy, Tom 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1954–05–6 Indiana F 42 Bantom, Mike 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1951–12–3 Saint Joseph's G/F 7 Bradley, Dudley 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1957–3–19 North Carolina G 10 Buse, Don 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1950–8–10 Evansville G 16 Davis, Johnny 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1955–10–21 Dayton C 40 Edwards, James 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1955–11–22 Washington F/C 45 Johnson, Clemon 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1956–09–12 Florida A&M F 24 Johnson, George 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1956–12–8 St. John's G/F 25 Knight, Billy 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1952–06–9 Pittsburgh F 30 McGinnis, George 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 235 lb (107 kg) 1950-08-12 Indiana F 44 Miller, Dick 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1958–04–26 Toledo G 3 Natt, Kenny 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1958–10–5 Northeast Louisiana F 55 Orr, Louis 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1958–05–7 Syracuse G 14 Sichting, Jerry 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 168 lb (76 kg) 1956–11–29 Purdue	Head coach Jack McKinney Legend (C) Team captain (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured Roster • Transactions Last transaction: 2012–10–10

Season standings

Central Division	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Div
y-Milwaukee Bucks	60	22	.732	–	34–7	26–15	23–7
x-Chicago Bulls	45	37	.549	15.0	26–15	19–22	20–9
x-Indiana Pacers	44	38	.537	16.0	27–14	17–24	17–12
Atlanta Hawks	31	51	.378	29.0	20–21	11–30	9–21
Cleveland Cavaliers	28	54	.341	32.0	20–21	8–33	9–21
Detroit Pistons	21	61	.256	39.0	14–27	7–34	9–21

#	Eastern Conference
	Team	W	L	PCT	GB
1	z-Boston Celtics	62	20	.756	–
2	y-Milwaukee Bucks	60	22	.732	2
3	x-Philadelphia 76ers	62	20	.756	–
4	x-New York Knicks	50	32	.610	12
5	x-Chicago Bulls	45	37	.549	17
6	x-Indiana Pacers	44	38	.537	18
7	Washington Bullets	39	43	.476	23
8	Atlanta Hawks	31	51	.378	31
9	Cleveland Cavaliers	28	54	.341	34
10	New Jersey Nets	24	58	.293	38
11	Detroit Pistons	21	61	.256	41

Notes

• z, y – division champions
• x – clinched playoff spot

Playoffs

East First Round

(3) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (6) Indiana Pacers: 76ers win series 2-0

• Game 1 @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia 124, Indiana 108
• Game 2 @ Indiana: Philadelphia 96, Indiana 85

Awards and records

• Jack McKinney, NBA Coach of the Year Award
• Dudley Bradley, NBA All-Defensive Second Team

Transactions