2001–02 Indiana Pacers season explained

The 2001–02 NBA season was the Pacers' 26th season in the National Basketball Association, and 35th season as a franchise.^[1] During the off-season, the Pacers acquired first round draft pick Jamaal Tinsley from the Atlanta Hawks, who had acquired him from the Memphis Grizzlies,^{[2] [3]} and signed free agent Carlos Rogers.^[4] The Pacers won six of their first eight games, but then lost seven of their next nine games and played around .500 for most of the first half of the season, holding a 25–25 record at the All-Star break.^[5] At midseason, the team traded Jalen Rose and Travis Best to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Ron Artest, Brad Miller and Ron Mercer.^{[6] [7] [8]} With a 37–40 record in mid April, the Pacers would win their final five games of the regular season, and sneak into the playoffs as the #8 seed in the Eastern Conference,^[9] finishing fourth in the Central Division with a 42–40 record.^[10]

Jermaine O'Neal was named Most Improved Player of the Year, averaging 19.0 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game.^{[11] [12] [13]} He was also named to the All-NBA Third Team, and selected for the 2002 NBA All-Star Game.^{[14] [15] [16]} In addition, Reggie Miller finished second on the team in scoring with 16.5 points per game, while Al Harrington played a sixth man role averaging 13.1 points and 6.3 rebounds per game off the bench, but was out for the remainder of the season with a torn ACL after 44 games.^{[17] [18] [19]} Tinsley averaged 9.4 points, 8.1 assists and 1.7 steals per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.^[20]

However, in the Eastern Conference First Round of the playoffs, the Pacers would lose in five games to the top-seeded New Jersey Nets, including a double overtime road loss in Game 5, which the Nets won 120–109.^{[21] [22] [23] [24]} The Nets would go on to reach the NBA Finals for the first time, but would lose to the Los Angeles Lakers in four straight games.^{[25] [26] [27] [28] [29]} Following the season, Rogers was released to free agency.

Offseason

Draft picks

See main article: 2001 NBA draft.

Regular season

Record vs. opponents

2001-02 NBA Records
width=100	Team	ATL	BOS	CHA	CHI	CLE	DAL	DEN	DET	GSW	HOU	IND	LAC	LAL	MEM	MIA	MIL	MIN	NJN	NYK	ORL	PHI	PHO	POR	SAC	SAS	SEA	TOR	UTA	WAS
Atlanta	–	2–2	2–2	3–1	3–1	0–2	2–0	1–3	2–0	1–1	1–3	1–1	1–1	2–0	3–1	1–3	0–2	2–1	1–3	1–3	1–3	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	0–4	1–1	0–3
Boston	2–2	–	2–1	2–2	4–0	0–2	2–0	2–2	1–1	0–2	3–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	3–1	1–3	1–1	3–1	4–0	3–1	1–3	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	2–2	1–1	3–1
Charlotte	2–2	1–2	–	4–0	3–1	0–2	2–0	1–3	2–0	1–1	3–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	3–0	2–2	0–2	1–3	2–2	3–1	1–3	2–0	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	2–2	1–1	3–1
Chicago	1–3	2–2	0–4	–	1–3	0–2	0–2	1–3	1–1	2–0	0–4	0–2	2–0	1–1	1–3	2–2	0–2	0–4	3–1	0–3	1–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–1	0–4	0–2	1–3
Cleveland	1–3	0–4	1–3	3–1	–	0–2	1–1	1–3	1–1	2–0	2–2	0–2	0–2	1–1	3–1	3–1	2–0	1–3	2–2	1–3	0–3	1–1	0–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–3	0–2	1–2
Dallas	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	–	4–0	1–1	4–0	2–2	2–0	2–2	1–3	4–0	1–1	2–0	2–2	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–1	2–2	3–1	1–3	3–1	1–1	3–1	1–1
Denver	0–2	0–2	0–2	2–0	1–1	0–4	–	0–2	1–3	2–2	0–2	1–3	1–3	3–1	0–2	0–2	2–2	1–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	3–1	2–2	0–4	0–4	3–1	1–1	1–3	0–2
Detroit	3–1	2–2	3–1	3–1	3–1	1–1	2–0	–	1–1	1–1	3–1	1–1	0–2	2–0	2–1	2–2	1–1	3–1	3–1	2–2	2–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	0–2	1–1	3–1	1–1	4–0
Golden State	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	0–4	3–1	1–1	–	1–3	0–2	2–2	1–3	3–1	0–2	0–2	1–3	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–4	2–2	0–4	0–4	0–4	0–2	0–4	1–1
Houston	1–1	2–0	1–1	0–2	0–2	2–2	2–2	1–1	3–1	–	0–2	1–3	0–4	1–3	0–2	1–1	2–2	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–2	1–3	0–4	0–4	2–2	1–1	2–2	1–1
Indiana	3–1	0–3	1–3	4–0	2–2	0–2	2–0	1–3	2–0	2–0	–	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–2	1–3	1–1	1–3	2–1	3–1	3–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	0–2	1–3	1–1	3–1
L.A. Clippers	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–2	3–1	1–1	2–2	3–1	1–1	–	1–3	3–1	2–0	1–1	2–2	0–2	2–0	1–1	0–2	3–1	1–3	1–3	1–3	1–3	1–1	0–4	1–1
L.A. Lakers	1–1	0–2	2–0	0–2	2–0	3–1	3–1	2–0	3–1	4–0	2–0	3–1	–	3–1	1–1	2–0	2–2	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–1	2–2	2–2	3–1	3–1	3–1	1–1	3–1	2–0
Memphis	0–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–4	1–3	0–2	1–3	3–1	1–1	1–3	1–3	–	1–1	0–2	0–4	0–2	1–1	0–2	2–0	1–3	2–2	1–3	0–4	0–4	1–1	3–1	0–2
Miami	1–3	1–3	0–3	3–1	1–3	1–1	2–0	1–2	2–0	2–0	2–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	–	3–1	0–2	1–3	2–2	3–1	1–3	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–0	1–3	0–2	2–2
Milwaukee	3–1	3–1	2–2	2–2	1–3	0–2	2–0	2–2	2–0	1–1	3–1	1–1	0–2	2–0	1–3	–	0–2	1–2	1–3	2–1	1–3	0–2	0–2	0–2	2–0	0–2	4–0	2–0	3–1
Minnesota	2–0	1–1	2–0	2–0	0–2	2–2	2–2	1–1	3–1	2–2	1–1	2–2	2–2	4–0	2–0	2–0	–	1–1	2–0	1–1	1–1	2–2	2–2	1–3	2–2	2–2	1–1	3–1	2–0
New Jersey	1–2	1–3	3–1	4–0	3–1	0–2	1–1	1–3	1–1	2–0	3–1	2–0	1–1	2–0	3–1	2–1	1–1	–	4–0	3–1	2–2	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–1	2–2	1–1	3–1
New York	3–1	0–4	2–2	1–3	2–2	1–1	0–2	1–3	1–1	1–1	1–2	0–2	0–2	1–1	2–2	3–1	0–2	0–4	–	0–4	1–3	1–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	2–0	3–0	1–1	1–3
Orlando	3–1	1–3	1–3	3–0	3–1	1–1	2–0	2–2	2–0	2–0	1–3	1–1	0–2	2–0	1–3	1–2	1–1	1–3	4–0	–	3–1	2–0	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–2	3–1	1–1	2–2
Philadelphia	3–1	3–1	3–1	2–1	3–0	1–1	1–1	1–2	1–1	1–1	1–3	2–0	1–1	0–2	3–1	3–1	1–1	2–2	3–1	1–3	–	2–0	0–2	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–3	0–2	2–3
Phoenix	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	1–1	1–3	1–3	1–1	4–0	2–2	1–1	1–3	2–2	3–1	1–1	2–0	2–2	1–1	1–1	0–2	0–2	–	2–2	1–3	1–3	2–2	1–1	2–2	0–2
Portland	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–2	2–2	2–0	2–2	3–1	1–1	3–1	2–2	2–2	1–1	2–0	2–2	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–0	2–2	–	2–2	1–3	3–1	1–1	1–3	2–0
Sacramento	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	2–0	1–3	4–0	2–0	4–0	4–0	0–2	3–1	1–3	3–1	2–0	2–0	3–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	3–1	2–2	–	3–1	2–2	2–0	4–0	1–1
San Antonio	2–0	2–0	1–1	2–0	1–1	3–1	4–0	2–0	4–0	4–0	1–1	3–1	1–3	4–0	1–1	0–2	2–2	0–2	2–0	2–0	1–1	3–1	3–1	1–3	–	2–2	1–1	4–0	2–0
Seattle	2–0	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	1–3	1–3	1–1	4–0	2–2	2–0	3–1	1–3	4–0	0–2	2–0	2–2	1–1	0–2	2–0	1–1	2–2	1–3	2–2	2–2	–	2–0	1–3	1–1
Toronto	4–0	2–2	2–2	4–0	3–1	1–1	1–1	1–3	2–0	1–1	3–1	1–1	1–1	1–1	3–1	0–4	1–1	2–2	0–3	1–3	3–1	1–1	1–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	–	1–1	1–2
Utah	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–0	1–3	3–1	1–1	4–0	2–2	1–1	4–0	1–3	1–3	2–0	0–2	1–3	1–1	1–1	1–1	2–0	2–2	3–1	0–4	0–4	3–1	1–1	–	2–0
Washington	3–0	1–3	1–3	3–1	2–1	1–1	2–0	0–4	1–1	1–1	1–3	1–1	0–2	2–0	2–2	1–3	0–2	1–3	3–1	2–2	3–2	2–0	0–2	1–1	0–2	1–1	2–1	0–2	—

Game log

Playoffs

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 1| April 20| @ New Jersey| W 89–83| Jermaine O'Neal (30)| Brad Miller (12)| Jamaal Tinsley (7)| Continental Airlines Arena
18,555| 1–0|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 2| April 22| @ New Jersey| L 79–95| Reggie Miller (26)| Artest, O'Neal (6)| Jamaal Tinsley (5)| Continental Airlines Arena
20,049| 1–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 3| April 26| New Jersey| L 84–85| Reggie Miller (30)| Jeff Foster (12)| Jamaal Tinsley (9)| Conseco Fieldhouse
18,345| 1–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 4| April 30| New Jersey| W 97–74| Artest, Croshere (18)| Artest, B. Miller (8)| Kevin Ollie (9)| Conseco Fieldhouse
18,345| 2–2|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 5| May 2| @ New Jersey| L 109–120 (2OT)| Reggie Miller (31)| Brad Miller (17)| Kevin Ollie (8)| Continental Airlines Arena
20,049| 2–3|-

Player statistics

Ragular season

Player
	C	82	48	1,786	556	70	71	38	467	21.8	6.8	.9	.9	.5	5.7
	PG	80	78	2,442	298	647	138	40	751	30.5	3.7	8.1	1.7	.5	9.4
	SG	79	79	2,889	219	253	88	10	1,304	36.6	2.8	3.2	1.1	.1	16.5
	SF	78	17	1,647	244	62	19	49	581	21.1	3.1	.8	.2	.6	7.4
	PF	76	1	1,286	294	77	26	29	516	16.9	3.9	1.0	.3	.4	6.8
	PF	72	72	2,707	757	118	45	166	1,371	37.6	10.5	1.6	.6	2.3	19.0
^†	SF	53	53	1,937	249	197	45	29	982	36.5	4.7	3.7	.8	.5	18.5
^†	PG	44	3	954	70	175	57	6	302	21.7	1.6	4.0	1.3	.1	6.9
	PF	44	1	1,313	276	54	41	21	576	29.8	6.3	1.2	.9	.5	13.1
^†	PG	29	0	577	56	98	26	1	158	19.9	1.9	3.4	.9	.0	5.4
^†	C	28	28	872	220	51	24	12	424	31.1	7.9	1.8	.9	.4	15.1
^†	SF	28	24	819	140	50	66	16	306	29.3	5.0	1.8	2.4	.6	10.9
	C	22	4	160	28	6	0	7	43	7.3	1.3	.3	.0	.3	2.0
	C	22	1	168	38	3	5	6	59	7.6	1.7	.1	.2	.3	2.7
	C	22	0	88	21	3	3	3	32	4.0	1.0	.1	.1	.1	1.5
^†	SG	13	1	213	23	10	2	3	62	16.4	1.8	.8	.2	.2	4.8
	SG	13	0	43	8	9	2	0	4	3.3	.6	.7	.2	.0	.3
^†	SG	3	0	4	1	1	0	0	0	1.3	.3	.3	.0	.0	.0

Playoffs

Player
	SG	5	5	198	16	14	8	1	118	39.6	3.2	2.8	1.6	.2	23.6
	PF	5	5	192	38	5	4	8	86	38.4	7.6	1.0	.8	1.6	17.2
	C	5	5	180	49	7	4	2	56	36.0	9.8	1.4	.8	.4	11.2
	SF	5	5	167	30	16	13	3	59	33.4	6.0	3.2	2.6	.6	11.8
	PG	5	5	88	10	25	2	0	18	17.6	2.0	5.0	.4	.0	3.6
	PG	5	0	118	12	23	3	0	29	23.6	2.4	4.6	.6	.0	5.8
	SG	5	0	117	10	4	1	1	39	23.4	2.0	.8	.2	.2	7.8
	C	5	0	78	24	7	3	1	20	15.6	4.8	1.4	.6	.2	4.0
	SF	5	0	45	4	2	2	3	6	9.0	.8	.4	.4	.6	1.2
	PF	4	0	59	14	2	1	1	24	14.8	3.5	.5	.3	.3	6.0
	SG	2	0	6	4	1	0	0	1	3.0	2.0	.5	.0	.0	.5
	C	1	0	2	0	0	0	0	2	2.0	.0	.0	.0	.0	2.0

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

Player Transactions Citation:^[30]

Notes and References

1. https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/IND/2002.html 2001–02 Indiana Pacers
2. News: Tinsley Drafted by Hawks, Traded to Pacers . United Press International . June 27, 2001 . January 11, 2022.
3. News: Pacers Sign Jamaal Tinsley . United Press International . July 19, 2001 . October 20, 2022.
4. News: Wise . Mike . PRO BASKETBALL; Jordan Against the New Generation, Lakers Against the World . The New York Times . October 30, 2001 . July 16, 2022.
5. News: NBA Games Played on February 7, 2002 . Basketball-Reference . September 12, 2022.
6. News: Smith . Sam . NBA Trade Winds . Chicago Tribune . February 19, 2002 . August 22, 2017.
7. News: Pacers Send Rose to Bulls in Seven-Player Trade . The Washington Post . February 20, 2002 . November 26, 2022.
8. News: Jones . Grahame L. . Bulls' Trade Ensures Reign of Terrible . Los Angeles Times . February 21, 2002 . July 13, 2022.
9. News: Associated Press . Bucks Out; Raptors, Pacers In . Los Angeles Times . April 18, 2002 . October 20, 2022.
10. Web site: 2001–02 Indiana Pacers Schedule and Results. Basketball-Reference. June 26, 2021.
11. News: Associated Press . Pacers' O'Neal Most Improved . Deseret News . April 26, 2002 . May 5, 2023.
12. News: Pacer NBA's Most Improved . The Age . April 27, 2002 . July 27, 2021.
13. News: NBA & ABA Most Improved Player Award Winners . Basketball-Reference . November 29, 2022.
14. News: NBA.com Staff . 2002 NBA All-Star Recap . NBA.com . September 13, 2021 . May 4, 2023.
15. Web site: 2002 All-Star Weekend - at Philadelphia: February 8-10 . Eskimo North . May 4, 2023.
16. Web site: 2002 NBA All-Star Game: West 135, East 120 . Basketball-Reference . November 28, 2021.
17. News: Pacers' Harrington Out for Season . United Press International . January 24, 2002 . July 26, 2021.
18. News: Harrington Has Knee Surgery . United Press International . January 25, 2002 . November 30, 2022.
19. News: Pacers' Harrington Has ACL Surgery . CBC . January 25, 2002 . October 20, 2022.
20. Web site: 2001–02 Indiana Pacers Roster and Stats. Basketball-Reference. June 26, 2021.
21. News: Robbins . Liz . Nets Win Game 5 in Double Overtime to Advance . The New York Times . May 2, 2002 . July 24, 2021.
22. News: Alexander Nichols . Rachel . Kidd Outduels Miller . The Washington Post . May 3, 2002 . November 26, 2022.
23. News: New Jersey 120, Indiana 109 (2OT) . United Press International . May 2, 2002 . June 2, 2022.
24. Web site: 2002 NBA Eastern Conference First Round: Pacers vs. Nets . Basketball-Reference . May 4, 2023.
25. News: Associated Press . Lakers Sweep Nets for Another Title . The New York Times . June 13, 2002 . June 3, 2022.
26. News: Brown . Tim . O'Neal Is a Three-Peat MVP as Lakers Finally Cut Down the Nets . Los Angeles Times . June 13, 2002 . June 3, 2022.
27. News: Wyche . Steve . O'Neal, Lakers Cut Down Nets . The Washington Post . June 13, 2002 . September 12, 2022.
28. News: L.A. Lakers 113, New Jersey 107 . United Press International . June 13, 2002 . May 4, 2023.
29. Web site: 2002 NBA Finals: Nets vs. Lakers . Basketball-Reference . May 4, 2023.
30. Web site: 2001–02 Indiana Pacers Transactions. Basketball-Reference. July 24, 2021.