Since becoming an NBA team at the start of the 1976-77 season after playing in the ABA from 1967-76, the Indiana Pacers have zero NBA championships.
However, that doesn't mean the Pacers haven't been home to some elite teams. In fact, there was one Indiana club which almost won the whole thing.
That was the 1999-00 Pacers squad, coached by Hall of Famer Larry Bird and led by Jalen Rose, Reggie Miller, Dale Davis and Mark Jackson.
This Pacers team began the season 13-7. Their longest winning streak of the season was seven. It came in December and was ended by the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center.
Rose led the Pacers in scoring. The lefty averaged 18.2 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 80 regular-season games. Miller was right behind Rose at 18.1 points. The sharpshooter hit 165 shots from deep for the Pacers this season.
Indiana had the fourth-best offense in the NBA. Led by Rose and Miller, the Pacers averaged 101.3 points. The team was also pretty good on defense. The Pacers gave up only 96.7 points a night. That was good for 12th in the league.
The Pacers finished the season with 56 wins. They were the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference for the 2000 playoffs. Indiana's first-round matchup was against the Milwaukee Bucks, who were led by Ray Allen, Glenn Robinson and Sam Cassell.
It was evident from the start this was going to be a tough series for the Pacers despite Milwaukee being the 8th seed. Whenever central division rivals meet in the playoffs, you can throw the records away because both teams know each other so well.
The Pacers were able to survive Game 1, 88-85. Rose had 26 points to lead Indiana while Miller chipped in 21.
Game 2 was a different story for the Pacers, though. The Bucks came out like gangbusters in the first quarter and outscored Indiana 35-19. So even though the Pacers won the fourth quarter 27-16, Milwaukee had built a big enough lead to where they were able to coast to victory by a final count of 104-91.
The series would now shift to Milwaukee, where the Pacers would have to win at least once to reclaim home-court advantage.
Game 3 saw Miller score 34 points on 27 shots to give the Pacers the huge road win. Rose shot 11-of-17 from the floor to add 27 points. The two stars knew they would have to show-out in this game for Indiana to win.
The Bucks responded by winning Game 4, setting up the decisive Game 5 in Indy. The first round of the playoffs was still a best of five series.
During Game 5 with 16 seconds left in regulation and the Pacers down one, Indiana guard Travis Best hit a 3-pointer to give the Pacers a two-point lead. That turned out to be the game-winner, as Indiana survived its first-round scare to defeat the Bucks in Game 5, 96-95.
Best was the hero and the Pacers were now headed to the second round of the playoffs in thrilling fashion.
Next up for the Pacers was Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers. With all the media outlets talking about Iverson's scoring ability, Rose and Miller decided it was time for them to show off their scoring prowess as well.
During Game 1 of the second round, Miller and Rose scored 40 points. What's even more impressive is that Rose and Miller both shot over 60.0 percent overall. Their level of efficiency was off the charts.
The Pacers took Game 2 behind 30 points from Rose. They now had a 2-0 lead in the series but the team knew it was going to be difficult to win in Philadelphia, where the Sixers played like a different squad in front of their loud fans.
However, calm, cool and collected, the Pacers went into Philly for Game 3 and shut the crowd up immediately, winning 97-89 to take a commanding 3-0 series lead. The series was pretty much over at this point since no team has ever blown a 3-0 lead.
Indiana, though, took its foot off the gas pedal and lost Games 4 and 5, setting up a huge Game 6 back in Philadelphia. If the Sixers won, there would be a Game 7 in Indiana but all the pressure would be on the Pacers.
Fortunately, the Pacers won Game 6, 106-90, and were headed to the Eastern Conference Finals. Miller and Co. would face the New York Knicks. To recall, Miller loved playing in The Garden against Spike Lee, so he was very excited.
The Pacers defeated the Knicks in six games to advance to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. Indiana would now have to defeat Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers if it wanted to finish off its magical season with the ring.
The Pacers fought as hard as they could but the Lakers just had too much talent with Shaq and Kobe leading the charge. Indiana had no answers for The Diesel. O'Neal averaged 38.0 points and 16.7 rebounds en route to winning Finals MVP. The Pacers lost in six games and their dream campaign was done.
However, that 1999-00 Pacers team will surely never be forgotten in Indiana.
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