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Indiana Pacers’ All-Time Starting Five

By Colby Giacubeno

Mar 21, 2014; Raleigh, NC, USA; TV announcer Reggie Miller during the game between the Duke Blue Devils and the Mercer Bears of a men
Mar 21, 2014; Raleigh, NC, USA; TV announcer Reggie Miller during the game between the Duke Blue Devils and the Mercer Bears of a men /
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Point Guard – Mark Jackson

Once Mark Jackson was traded to Indiana in 1994, he made the Pacers immediate contenders in the East. He was the missing piece alongside Reggie Miller, Rik Smits, Antonio Davis, and Dale Davis. He knew his role as the facilitator of the offense was to always look for Miller to free himself up around the perimeter for open threes. His first year at Indiana, he helped them reach the Eastern Conference Finals where they would end up losing to the Orlando Magic.

During his six seasons as Indiana’s floor general, Jackson averaged 8.4 points, 8.3 assists, and 3.8 rebounds per game. His stats don’t necessarily jump out at you, but his impact and basketball IQ helped him have a huge impact on that team as a whole. It was evident when he was traded during the 1996-97 season for Jalen Rose because the Pacers had a dramatic drop-off and ended the season ranked 10th in the conference. Once Jackson returned the following year, they were back to competing in the Eastern Conference Finals for the next three seasons.

Next: Knick Killer