1968–69 Indiana Pacers season

The 1968–69 Indiana Pacers season was Indiana's second season in the ABA and second as a team.

1968–69 Indiana Pacers season
Division champions
Head coach	Larry Staverman Bobby Leonard
Arena	Indiana State Fair Coliseum
Results
Record	44–34 (.564)
Place	Division: 1st (Eastern)
Playoff finish	ABA Finals (lost to Oaks 1–4)
Stats at Basketball Reference
< 1967–68 1969–70 >

1968 ABA Draft

Player	School/Club Team
Don Dee	St. Mary of the Plains
Mike Lewis	Duke
Don May	Dayton
Bob Quick	Xavier
Phil Wagner	Georgia Tech
Dave Benedict	Central Washington
Rudy Bogad	St. John's
Jerry Newsom	Indiana State
Rich Niemann	St. Louis
Jack Thompson	South Carolina
Greg Cisson	Rider
Bob Hooper	Dayton
Butch Joyner	Indiana
Tom Niemier	Evansville[1]

Roster

1968–69 Indiana Pacers roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From SF 35 Brown, Roger 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 205 lb (93 kg) May 22, 1942 Dayton SG 20 Chubin, Steve 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 200 lb (91 kg) February 8, 1944 Rhode Island C 34 Daniels, Mel 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 220 lb (100 kg) July 20, 1944 New Mexico PF 40 Dee, Donald 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) August 9, 1943 St. Mary of the Plains College SF 30 Fairchild, John 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 205 lb (93 kg) April 28, 1943 BYU PG 15 Harkness, Jerry 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) May 7, 1940 Loyola University Chicago PG 12, 20 Hooper, Bobby 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 180 lb (82 kg) December 22, 1946 Dayton F 15 Joyner, Butch 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 200 lb (91 kg) April 26, 1945 Indiana PG 14 Lewis, Freddie 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 175 lb (79 kg) July 1, 1943 Arizona State C 42 Lewis, Mike 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 225 lb (102 kg) March 18, 1946 Duke SF 32 Miller, Jay 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 205 lb (93 kg) July 19, 1943 Notre Dame PF 24 Netolicky, Bob 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 220 lb (100 kg) August 2, 1942 Drake C 43 Peeples, George 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 190 lb (86 kg) October 30, 1943 Iowa SG 44 Perry, Ron 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) December 29, 1943 Virginia Tech PG 23 Rayl, Jimmy 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) June 21, 1941 Indiana PG 44 Thacker, Tom 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 170 lb (77 kg) November 2, 1939 Cincinnati G 12 Thompson, Jack 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 185 lb (84 kg) March 26, 1946 South Carolina G 11 Wagner, Phil 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 190 lb (86 kg) December 18, 1945 Georgia Tech

Head coach Larry Staverman / Bobby Leonard Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured Roster

Season standings

Eastern Division

Team	W	L	Pct.
Indiana Pacers	44	34	.564
Miami Floridians	43	35	.551
Kentucky Colonels	42	36	.538
Minnesota Pipers	36	42	.462
New York Nets	17	61	.218

Western Division

Team	W	L	Pct.
Oakland Oaks	60	18	.769
New Orleans Buccaneers	46	32	.590
Denver Rockets	44	34	.564
Dallas Chaparrals	41	37	.526
Los Angeles Stars	33	45	.423
Houston Mavericks	23	55	.295

Awards, records, and honors

• Mel Daniels won the 1969 ABA All-Star Game MVP along with the 1968-69 ABA MVP award.

ABA All-Stars

• Mel Daniels
• Bob Netolicky

Team leaders

Stat	Player	Number
Points	Mel Daniels	24.0 per game
Rebounds	Mel Daniels	16.5 (11.5 defensive and 5.0 offensive rebounds)
Assists	Stephen Chubin	5.2 per game
Minutes	Freddie Lewis	39.2 per game
FG%	Bob Netolicky	.509

Playoffs

Eastern Division semifinals vs. Kentucky Colonels^[2]

Game	Date	Location	Score	Record	Attendance
1	April 8	Indiana	118–128	0–1	6,319
2	April 9	Indiana	120–115	1–1	6,789
3	April 10	Kentucky	111–130	1–2	4,235
4	April 13	Kentucky	104–105 (OT)	1–3	3,079
5	April 14	Indiana	116–97	2–3	5,612
6	April 15	Kentucky	107–89	3–3	4,633
7	April 17	Indiana	120–111	4–3	11,005

Pacers win series, 4–3

Eastern Division finals vs Miami Floridians

Game	Date	Location	Result	Record	Attendance
1	April 20	Indiana	126–110	1–0	8,721
2	April 22	Indiana	131–116	2–0	7,243
3	April 23	Miami	119–105	3–0	2,112
4	April 25	Miami	110–114	3–1	2,846
5	April 26	Indiana	127–105	4–1	3,528

Pacers win series, 4–1

ABA Finals vs. Oakland Oaks^[2]

Game	Date	Location	Score	Record	Attendance
1	April 30	Oakland	114–123	0–1	3,290
2	May 2	Oakland	150–122	1–1	4,171
3	May 3	Indiana	126–134 (OT)	1–2	8,467
4	May 5	Indiana	117–144	1–3	7,133
5	May 7	Oakland	131–135 (OT)	1–4	6,340

Pacers lose series 4–1