Indiana Pacers 50th Anniversary: All-Decade Team, 1977-87

Johnny Davis

Statistics: 16.4 PPG, 5.4 APG, 2.4 RPG

Point guard Johnny Davis began his career in the NBA as a solid rookie contributor for the 1977 NBA champion Portland Trail Blazers. However, Davis’ role changed when he was dealt to the Pacers in 1978.

At that point, Johnny Davis became a much more productive player as an individual, but he went from a title team in Portland to a cellar-dweller in Indiana.

Davis spent four years with the Pacers, and helped lead them to their best season of this decade (a 44-38 record in 1980-81).

Johnny Davis was a very good player, but perhaps didn’t get the credit he deserved since he played mostly for bottom-tier teams in Indiana.

Davis was a point guard who had great speed and quickness, as well as the ability to score in the lane or from the outside. In an era when the Indiana Pacers were in turmoil, Davis was an anchor for an otherwise rudderless ship.