2001–02 Indiana Pacers season

2001–02 Indiana Pacers season
Head coach	Isiah Thomas
General manager	Donnie Walsh
Arena	Conseco Fieldhouse
Results
Record	42–40 (.512)
Place	Division: 4th (Central) Conference: 8th (Eastern)
Playoff finish	East First Round (eliminated 2–3)
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television	Fox Sports Net Midwest, WTTV

The 2001-02 NBA season was the Pacers' 26th season in the NBA and 35th season as a franchise.^[1] Midway through the season, the Pacers traded Jalen Rose to the Chicago Bulls for Metta World Peace (known as Ron Artest at the time). The Pacers finished fourth in the Central Division with a 42-40. Jermaine O'Neal was named Most Improved Player of the Player, and was selected for the 2002 NBA All-Star Game. The Pacers would lose in five games to the New Jersey Nets in the first round of the playoffs.

Offseason

Draft picks

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	College
2	40	Jamison Brewer	PG	United States	Auburn

Roster

Indiana Pacers roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB (YYYY–MM–DD) From F 15 Artest, Ron 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 244 lb (111 kg) St. John's F 24 Bender, Jonathan 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 202 lb (92 kg) Picayune Memorial HS (MS) G 2 Brewer, Jamison 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 184 lb (83 kg) Auburn C 27 Brezec, Primož 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) 252 lb (114 kg) Slovenia F 44 Croshere, Austin 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Providence F/C 10 Foster, Jeff 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 236 lb (107 kg) Texas State F 3 Harrington, Al  6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 230 lb (104 kg) St. Patrick HS (NJ) G/F 5 Mercer, Ron 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Kentucky C 52 Miller, Brad 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 244 lb (111 kg) Purdue G/F 31 Miller, Reggie 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 185 lb (84 kg) UCLA F/C 7 O'Neal, Jermaine 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 226 lb (103 kg) Eau Claire HS (SC) G 12 Ollie, Kevin 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Connecticut F/C 6 Rogers, Carlos 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Tennessee State C 40 Sundov, Bruno 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Croatia G 11 Tinsley, Jamaal 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 195 lb (88 kg) Iowa State	Head coach Isiah Thomas Legend (C) Team captain (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured Roster • Transactions Last transaction: 2002-2-19

Regular season

Season standings

Central Division	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Div
y-Detroit Pistons	50	32	.610	–	26–15	24–17	20–8
x-Charlotte Hornets	44	38	.537	6	21–20	23–18	17–11
x-Toronto Raptors	42	40	.512	8	24–17	18–23	17–11
x-Indiana Pacers	42	40	.512	8	25–16	17–24	13–15
Milwaukee Bucks	41	41	.500	9	25–16	16–25	17–11
Atlanta Hawks	33	49	.402	17	23–18	10–31	11–17
Cleveland Cavaliers	29	53	.354	21	20–21	9–32	12–16
Chicago Bulls	21	61	.256	29	14–27	7–34	5–23

#	Eastern Conference
	Team	W	L	PCT	GB
1	c-New Jersey Nets	52	30	.634	–
2	y- Detroit Pistons	50	32	.610	2
3	x-Boston Celtics	49	33	.598	3
4	x-Charlotte Hornets	44	38	.537	8
5	x-Orlando Magic	44	38	.537	8
6	x- Philadelphia 76ers	43	39	.524	9
7	x-Toronto Raptors	42	40	.512	10
8	x-Indiana Pacers	42	40	.512	10
9	Milwaukee Bucks	41	41	.500	11
10	Washington Wizards	37	45	.451	15
11	Miami Heat	36	46	.439	16
12	Atlanta Hawks	33	49	.402	19
13	New York Knicks	30	52	.366	22
14	Cleveland Cavaliers	29	53	.354	23
15	Chicago Bulls	21	61	.256	31

z - clinched division title

y - clinched division title

x - clinched playoff spot

Playoffs

East First Round

(1) New Jersey Nets vs. (8) Indiana Pacers Last Playoff Meeting: Not available (first playoff series); met in the 1972 ABA Finals where the Pacers won 4-2.

Although the Nets won the series in five games, it would be most remarkable for more playoff heroics by Reggie Miller. Miller banked in a 40-footer at the buzzer to force overtime, and then flew in for a dunk over three Net defenders with 3.1 seconds left in the extra session to force the second overtime.^[2]

Game	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	Score	Record (NJN-IND)	Venue	TV	Time (EST)
1	April 20	Indiana	89	New Jersey	83	0-1	Continental Airlines Arena, New Jersey	NBC	12:30
2	April 22	Indiana	79	New Jersey	95	1-1	Continental Airlines Arena, New Jersey	TNT	7:00
3	April 26	New Jersey	85	Indiana	84	2-1	Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis	TNT	8:30
4	May 1	New Jersey	74	Indiana	98	2-2	Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis	TNT	7:00
5**	May 2	Indiana	109	New Jersey	120	3-2	Continental Airlines Arena, New Jersey	TNT	7:00
New Jersey wins series 3–2

Player stats

Legend
GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field-goal percentage	3P%	3-point field-goal percentage	FT%	Free-throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game

Season

Player	GP	REB	AST	STL	BLK	PTS	AVG
Reggie Miller
Jeff Foster
Austin Croshere
Jermaine O'Neal
Travis Best
Jamaal Tinsley
Ron Artest
Jalen Rose
Travis Best
Norm Richardson
Kevin Ollie
Al Harrington
Jonathan Bender
Carlos Rogers
Bruno Sundov
Brad Miller
Jamison Brewer
Primož Brezec
Ron Mercer

Playoffs

Player	GP	REB	AST	STL	BLK	PTS	AVG

Awards and records

• Jermaine O'Neal, NBA Most Improved Player Award
• Jermaine O'Neal, NBA All-Star Game
• Jermaine O'Neal, All-NBA Third Team
• Jamaal Tinsley, NBA All-Rookie Team 2nd Team

Transactions

Trades

February 19, 2002	To Indiana Pacers Kevin Ollie	To Chicago Bulls Travis Best
February 19, 2002	To Indiana Pacers Ron Artest, Brad Miller and Ron Mercer	To Chicago Bulls Jalen Rose, Norm Richardson, and a second round draft pick

References

1. 2001-02 Indiana Pacers
2. New Jersey 120, Indiana 109

See also

• 2001-02 NBA season