2020–21 Indiana Pacers season explained

Team:	Indiana Pacers
End Year:	2021
Wins:	34
Losses:	38
Division:	Central
Division Place:	2
Conf Place:	9
Coach:	Nate Bjorkgren
Gm:	Chad Buchanan
President:	Kevin Pritchard
Owners:	Herbert Simon
Arena:	Bankers Life Fieldhouse
Playoffs:	Did not qualify
Bbr Team:	IND
Television:	Bally Sports Indiana
Radio:	1070 The Fan

The 2020–21 Indiana Pacers season was Indiana's 54th season as a franchise and 45th season in the NBA. The Pacers replaced Nate McMillan,^[1] with former Toronto Raptors assistant coach Nate Bjorkgren.^[2] During the season, the team acquired Caris LeVert in exchange for Victor Oladipo.

The Pacers missed the playoffs for the first time since 2015 following a loss to the Washington Wizards in the play-in tournament, ending a six-year playoff streak. Due to this, with multiple other factors, Bjorkgren was fired.

NBA draft

See main article: article and 2020 NBA draft.

Entering the 2020 NBA draft, the Pacers only held one second-round pick. Their own first-round selection was traded as an incentive to acquire Malcolm Brogdon from the Milwaukee Bucks via sign and trade.^[3]

Standings

Conference

Notes

• z – Clinched home-court advantage for the entire playoffs
• c – Clinched home-court advantage for the conference playoffs
• y – Clinched division title
• x – Clinched playoff spot
• * – Division leader

Game log

Regular season

|-style="background:#cfc;"| 1| December 23| New York| | Domantas Sabonis (32)| Domantas Sabonis (13)| Malcolm Brogdon (8)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 1–0|-style="background:#cfc;"| 2| December 26| @ Chicago| | T. J. Warren (23)| Domantas Sabonis (10)| Domantas Sabonis (11)| United Center
0| 2–0|-style="background:#cfc;"| 3| December 27| Boston| | Malcolm Brogdon (25)| Domantas Sabonis (10)| T. J. McConnell (7)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 3–0|-style="background:#fcc;"| 4| December 29| Boston| | Victor Oladipo (24)| Domantas Sabonis (11)| Domantas Sabonis (8)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 3–1|-style="background:#cfc;"| 5| December 31| Cleveland| | Domantas Sabonis (25)| Domantas Sabonis (11)| Victor Oladipo (8)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 4–1|-style="background:#fcc;"| 6| January 2| New York| | Malcolm Brogdon (33)| Domantas Sabonis (13)| Malcolm Brogdon (7)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 4–2|-style="background:#cfc;"| 7| January 4| @ New Orleans| | Victor Oladipo (25)| Domantas Sabonis (11)| Malcolm Brogdon (11)| Smoothie King Center
0| 5–2|-style="background:#cfc;"| 8| January 6| Houston| | Malcolm Brogdon (35)| Domantas Sabonis (12)| Malcolm Brogdon (7)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 6–2|-style="background:#fcc;"| 9| January 9| Phoenix| | Domantas Sabonis (25)| Domantas Sabonis (22)| Malcolm Brogdon (9)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 6–3|-style="background:#fcc;"| 10| January 11| @ Sacramento| | Domantas Sabonis (28)| Domantas Sabonis (11)| Malcolm Brogdon (9)| Golden 1 Center
0| 6–4|-style="background:#cfc;"| 11| January 12| @ Golden State| | Myles Turner (22)| Domantas Sabonis (14)| Aaron Holiday (12)| Chase Center
0| 7–4|-style="background:#cfc;"| 12| January 14| @ Portland| | Malcolm Brogdon (25)| Domantas Sabonis (15)| T. J. McConnell (8)| Moda Center
0| 8–4|-style="background:#ccc;"| –| January 16| @ Phoenix| colspan="6" | Postponed (COVID-19) (Makeup date: March 13)|-style="background:#fcc;"| 13| January 17| @ L.A. Clippers| | Doug McDermott (23)| Domantas Sabonis (14)| Malcolm Brogdon (8)| Staples Center
0| 8–5|-style="background:#fcc;"| 14| January 20| Dallas| | Malcolm Brogdon (26)| Domantas Sabonis (10)| T. J. McConnell (6)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 8–6|-style="background:#cfc;"| 15| January 22| Orlando| | Malcolm Brogdon (23)| Domantas Sabonis (11)| Domantas Sabonis (9)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 9–6|-style="background:#fcc;"| 16| January 24| Toronto| | Myles Turner (25)| Domantas Sabonis (19)| T. J. McConnell (7)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 9–7|-style="background:#cfc;"| 17| January 25| Toronto| | Malcolm Brogdon (36)| Myles Turner (9)| Brogdon, McConnell (9)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 10–7|-style="background:#cfc;"| 18| January 27| @ Charlotte| | Doug McDermott (28)| Domantas Sabonis (11)| Domantas Sabonis (10)| Spectrum Center
0| 11–7|-style="background:#fcc;"| 19| January 29| @ Charlotte| | Domantas Sabonis (22)| Domantas Sabonis (11)| Malcolm Brogdon (8)| Spectrum Center
0| 11–8|-style="background:#fcc;"| 20| January 31| Philadelphia| | Malcolm Brogdon (25)| Domantas Sabonis (8)| T. J. McConnell (8)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 11–9|-style="background:#cfc;"| 21| February 2| Memphis| | Domantas Sabonis (32)| Domantas Sabonis (13)| Brogdon, McConnell (8)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 12–9|-style="background:#fcc;"| 22| February 3| @ Milwaukee| | Domantas Sabonis (33)| Domantas Sabonis (12)| T. J. McConnell (12)| Fiserv Forum
0| 12–10|-style="background:#fcc;"| 23| February 5| New Orleans| | Justin Holiday (22) | J. Holiday, Lamb, McDermott, Sabonis, Turner (6)| T. J. McConnell (15)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 12–11|-style="background:#fcc;"| 24| February 7| Utah| | Domantas Sabonis (20)| Domantas Sabonis (9)| Malcolm Brogdon (7)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 12–12|-style="background:#fcc;"| 25| February 10| @ Brooklyn| | Domantas Sabonis (18)| Domantas Sabonis (9)| Malcolm Brogdon (6)| Barclays Center
0| 12–13|-style="background:#cfc;"| 26| February 11| @ Detroit | | Domantas Sabonis (26)| Malcolm Brogdon (9)| Domantas Sabonis (8)| Little Caesars Arena
0| 13–13|-style="background:#cfc;"| 27| February 13| @ Atlanta| | Doug McDermott (26)| Domantas Sabonis (13)| T. J. McConnell (12)| State Farm Arena
1,393| 14–13|-style="background:#fcc;"| 28| February 15| Chicago| | Domantas Sabonis (25)| Malcolm Brogdon (15)| Domantas Sabonis (5)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 14–14|-style="background:#cfc;"| 29| February 17| @ Minnesota| | Domantas Sabonis (36)| Domantas Sabonis (17)| Domantas Sabonis (10)| Target Center
0| 15–14|-style="background:#ccc;"| –| February 20| @ Houston| colspan="6" | Postponed (winter storm) (Makeup date: April 14)|-style="background:#ccc;"| –| February 22| San Antonio| colspan="6" | Postponed (COVID-19) (Makeup date: April 19)|-style="background:#fcc;"| 30| February 24| Golden State| | Malcolm Brogdon (24)| Domantas Sabonis (16)| T. J. McConnell (6)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 15–15|-style="background:#fcc;"| 31| February 26| @ Boston| | Domantas Sabonis (24)| Myles Turner (10)| Domantas Sabonis (9)| TD Garden
0| 15–16|-style="background:#fcc;"| 32| February 27| @ New York| | Doug McDermott (20)| Domantas Sabonis (7)| T. J. McConnell (12)| Madison Square Garden
1,981| 15–17|-style="background:#fcc;"| 33| March 1| @ Philadelphia| | Malcolm Brogdon (20)| Domantas Sabonis (9)| Domantas Sabonis (7)| Wells Fargo Center
0| 15–18|-style="background:#cfc;"| 34| March 3| @ Cleveland| | Malcolm Brogdon (29)| Domantas Sabonis (5)| T. J. McConnell (13)| Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
2,720| 16–18|-style="background:#fcc;"| 35| March 4| Denver| | Myles Turner (22)| Myles Turner (12)| Domantas Sabonis (10)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 16–19|-style="background:#fcc;"| 36| March 12| @ L.A. Lakers| | Malcolm Brogdon (29)| Domantas Sabonis (14)| Domantas Sabonis (8)| Staples Center
0| 16–20|-style="background:#cfc;"| 37| March 13| @ Phoenix| | Malcolm Brogdon (25)| Domantas Sabonis (13)| Domantas Sabonis (10)| Phoenix Suns Arena
3,166| 17–20|-style="background:#fcc;"| 38| March 15| @ Denver| | Malcolm Brogdon (24)| Sabonis, Turner (9)| Domantas Sabonis (10)| Ball Arena
0| 17–21|-style="background:#fcc;"| 39| March 17| Brooklyn| | Malcolm Brogdon (24)| Domantas Sabonis (11)| Domantas Sabonis (11)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 17–22|-style="background:#cfc;"| 40| March 19| @ Miami| | Malcolm Brogdon (27)| Domantas Sabonis (15)| T. J. McConnell (15)| American Airlines Arena
0| 18–22|-style="background:#cfc;"| 41| March 21| @ Miami| | Domantas Sabonis (17)| Domantas Sabonis (11)| Malcolm Brogdon (10)| American Airlines Arena
0| 19–22|-style="background:#fcc;"| 42| March 22| @ Milwaukee| | Domantas Sabonis (22)| Domantas Sabonis (9)| T. J. McConnell (7)| Fiserv Forum
3,280| 19–23|-style="background:#cfc;"| 43| March 24| Detroit| | Caris LeVert (28)| Domantas Sabonis (11)| T. J. McConnell (5)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 20–23|-style="background:#cfc;"| 44| March 26| @ Dallas| | Brogdon, Sabonis (22)| Domantas Sabonis (15)| Domantas Sabonis (5)| American Airlines Center
4,132| 21–23|-style="background:#fcc;"| 45| March 29| @ Washington| | Domantas Sabonis (35)| Domantas Sabonis (11)| T. J. McConnell (9)| Capital One Arena
0| 21–24|-style="background:#fcc;"| 46| March 31| Miami| | Myles Turner (15)| Domantas Sabonis (14)| Caris LeVert (6)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 21–25|-style="background:#fcc;"| 47| April 2| Charlotte| | Caris LeVert (16)| Domantas Sabonis (10)| T. J. McConnell (7)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 21–26|-style="background:#cfc;"| 48| April 3| @ San Antonio| | Caris LeVert (26)| Bitadze, Turner (7)| Caris LeVert (9)| AT&T Center
3,276| 22–26|-style="background:#fcc;"| 49| April 6| Chicago| | Caris LeVert (10)| Lamb, LeVert (6)| Goga Bitadze (6)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 22–27|-style="background:#cfc;"| 50| April 7| Minnesota| | Aaron Holiday (22)| Kelan Martin (6)| T. J. McConnell (15)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 23–27|-style="background:#cfc;"| 51| April 9| @ Orlando| | Aaron Holiday (20)| Domantas Sabonis (15)| T. J. McConnell (9)| Amway Center
3,777| 24–27|-style="background:#cfc;"| 52| April 11| @ Memphis| | Caris LeVert (34)| Malcolm Brogdon (29)| Domantas Sabonis (18)| FedEx Forum
0| 25–27|-style="background:#fcc;"| 53| April 13| L.A. Clippers| | Malcolm Brogdon (29)| Caris LeVert (26)| Domantas Sabonis (20)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 25–28|-style="background:#cfc;"| 54| April 14| @ Houston| | Caris LeVert (27)| Malcolm Brogdon (14)| Malcolm Brogdon (9)| Toyota Center
3,293| 26–28|-style="background:#fcc;"| 55| April 16| @ Utah| | Caris LeVert (24)| Domantas Sabonis (15)| T. J. McConnell (8)| Vivint Arena
5,546| 26–29|-style="background:#fcc;"| 56| April 18| @ Atlanta| | Malcolm Brogdon (29)| Domantas Sabonis (14)| Malcolm Brogdon (8)| State Farm Arena
0| 26–30|-style="background:#fcc;"| 57| April 19| San Antonio| | Brogdon, LeVert (18)| Goga Bitadze (9)| Edmond Sumner (6)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 26–31|-style="background:#cfc;"| 58| April 21| Oklahoma City| | Malcolm Brogdon (29)| Malcolm Brogdon (15)| T. J. McConnell (8)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 27–31|-style="background:#cfc;"| 59| April 24| Detroit| | Malcolm Brogdon (26)| Oshae Brissett (11)| T. J. McConnell (13)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 28–31|-style="background:#cfc;"| 60| April 25| @ Orlando| | Malcolm Brogdon (24)| Brissett, Brogdon (8)| Malcolm Brogdon (9)| Amway Center
3,519| 29–31|-style="background:#fcc;"| 61| April 27| Portland| | Brissett, Brogdon (18)| Oshae Brissett (10)| T. J. McConnell (6)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 29–32|-style="background:#fcc;"| 62| April 29| Brooklyn| | Caris LeVert (36)| Oshae Brissett (9)| LeVert, McConnell (5)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 29–33|-style="background:#cfc;"| 63| May 1| @ Oklahoma City| | Doug McDermott (31)| Domantas Sabonis (19)| Domantas Sabonis (14)| Chesapeake Energy Arena
0| 30–33|-style="background:#fcc;"| 64| May 3| @ Washington| | Caris LeVert (33)| Domantas Sabonis (32)| Justin Holiday (15)| Capital One Arena
0| 30–34|-style="background:#fcc;"| 65| May 5| Sacramento| | Caris LeVert (14)| Domantas Sabonis (10)| Domantas Sabonis (13)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 30–35|-style="background:#cfc;"| 66| May 6| Atlanta| | Domantas Sabonis (30)| Brissett, Sabonis (8)| Caris LeVert (12)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 31–35|-style="background:#fcc;"| 67| May 8| Washington| | Caris LeVert (35)| Caris LeVert (14)| Domantas Sabonis (13)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 31–36|-style="background:#cfc;"| 68| May 11| @ Cleveland| | Kelan Martin (25)| Domantas Sabonis (20)| Caris LeVert (10)| Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
4,148| 32–36|-style="background:#cfc;"| 69| May 12| Philadelphia| | Caris LeVert (24)| Domantas Sabonis (13)| Domantas Sabonis (15)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 33–36|-style="background:#fcc;"| 70| May 14| Milwaukee| | Justin Holiday (26)| Kelan Martin (9)| Domantas Sabonis (14)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 33–37|-style="background:#fcc;"| 71| May 15| L.A. Lakers| | Caris LeVert (28)| Goga Bitadze (7)| Caris LeVert (12)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 33–38|-style="background:#cfc;"| 72| May 16| @ Toronto| | Oshae Brissett (31)| Domantas Sabonis (16)| T. J. McConnell (17)| Amalie Arena
0| 34–38

Play-in

|-style="background:#cfc;"| 1| May 19| Charlotte| | Oshae Brissett (23)| Domantas Sabonis (21)| Domantas Sabonis (9)| Bankers Life Fieldhouse
0| 1–0|-style="background:#fcc;"| 2| May 21| @ Washington| | Malcolm Brogdon (24)| Domantas Sabonis (11)| Domantas Sabonis (10)| Capital One Arena
0| 1–1

Player statistics

Ragular season

Player
	SG	72	52	2,183	256	119	74	41	756	30.3	3.6	1.7	1.0	.6	10.5
	PG	69	3	1,796	256	456	128	23	596	26.0	3.7	6.6	1.9	.3	8.6
	PF	66	29	1,619	221	85	20	6	899	24.5	3.3	1.3	.3	.1	13.6
	PG	66	8	1,176	89	123	46	13	475	17.8	1.3	1.9	.7	.2	7.2
	PF	62	62	2,231	742	415	76	33	1,260	36.0	12.0	6.7	1.2	.5	20.3
	PG	56	56	1,930	294	329	49	15	1,186	34.5	5.3	5.9	.9	.3	21.2
	SG	53	24	861	94	49	33	10	399	16.2	1.8	.9	.6	.2	7.5
	C	47	47	1,455	306	48	40	159	592	31.0	6.5	1.0	.9	3.4	12.6
	C	45	3	561	150	37	9	60	231	12.5	3.3	.8	.2	1.3	5.1
	SG	36	8	765	131	53	34	23	363	21.3	3.6	1.5	.9	.6	10.1
^†	SG	35	35	1,152	162	173	53	24	726	32.9	4.6	4.9	1.5	.7	20.7
	SF	35	0	322	78	17	10	10	157	9.2	2.2	.5	.3	.3	4.5
	PF	29	4	316	77	4	2	14	134	10.9	2.7	.1	.1	.5	4.6
	SG	24	0	93	20	1	1	2	36	3.9	.8	.0	.0	.1	1.5
	SF	21	16	519	115	18	19	20	229	24.7	5.5	.9	.9	1.0	10.9
^†	SG	9	9	300	51	38	15	2	180	33.3	5.7	4.2	1.7	.2	20.0
	SF	6	0	15	3	0	0	0	3	2.5	.5	.0	.0	.0	.5
	C	5	0	29	8	1	0	5	13	5.8	1.6	.2	.0	1.0	2.6
	SF	4	4	117	14	5	2	0	62	29.3	3.5	1.3	.5	.0	15.5
	PG	4	0	12	5	2	0	0	5	3.0	1.3	.5	.0	.0	1.3

Transactions

See main article: article and List of 2020–21 NBA season transactions.

Trades

November 25, 2020^[4]	To Indiana Pacers Jalen Lecque	To Oklahoma City Thunder T. J. Leaf 2027 second-round pick
January 13, 2021^[5] (Four-team trade)	To Indiana Pacers Caris LeVert (from Brooklyn) 2023 second-round pick (from Houston) (Jalen Pickett) 2024 second-round pick (from Cleveland) (Tristen Newton)	To Brooklyn Nets James Harden (from Houston)
	To Houston Rockets Victor Oladipo (from Indiana) Dante Exum (from Cleveland) Rodions Kurucs (from Brooklyn) 2022 first-round pick (from Brooklyn via Milwaukee) (MarJon Beauchamp) 2022 first-round pick (from Brooklyn) (Tari Eason) 2024 first-round pick (from Brooklyn) (Reed Sheppard) 2026 first-round pick (from Brooklyn)	To Cleveland Cavaliers Jarrett Allen (from Brooklyn) Taurean Prince (from Brooklyn) Draft rights to Sasha Vezenkov (from Brooklyn) (2017, Pick 57)

Free Agents

Additions

Player	Date Signed	Contract	Former Team	Ref.
Rayshaun Hammonds	November 19, 2020^[6]	Exhibit 10 contract	Georgia	^[7]
Amida Brimah	November 29, 2020^[8]	Exhibit 10 contract	Austin Spurs	^[9]
Kelan Martin	November 29, 2020	2 year, $3.1 million contract	Minnesota Timberwolves
Devin Robinson	December 18, 2020	Exhibit 10 contract	Raptors 905	^[10]
Josh Gray	December 18, 2020	Exhibit 10 contract	Oklahoma City Thunder^[11]
Oshae Brissett	April 1, 2021^[12]	10-day contract	Fort Wayne Mad Ants	^[13]

Subtractions

Player	Reason Left	Date Left	New Team	Ref.
Rayshaun Hammonds	Waived	December 18, 2020	Fort Wayne Mad Ants
Devin Robinson	Waived	December 19, 2020	Fort Wayne Mad Ants	^[14]
Josh Gray	Waived	December 19, 2020	Fort Wayne Mad Ants
Naz Mitrou-Long	Waived	December 19, 2020	Fort Wayne Mad Ants
Jalen Lecque	Waived	March 25, 2021	Wisconsin Herd	^[15]
Brian Bowen	Waived	April 23, 2021	Minnesota Timberwolves	^[16]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Pacers Relieve Nate McMillan of Coaching Duties. NBA.com. August 26, 2020. August 26, 2020.
2. Web site: Pacers Hire Nate Bjorkgren As Head Coach. NBA.com. October 20, 2020. October 20, 2020.
3. Web site: Pacers Acquire Malcolm Brogdon. July 6, 2019. National Basketball Association. October 27, 2020.
4. Web site: Pacers Acquire Jalen Lecque from Oklahoma City. NBA.com. September 24, 2021. November 25, 2020.
5. Web site: Pacers Acquire Caris LeVert. NBA.com. September 24, 2021. January 13, 2021.
6. Hammonds signed a second Exhibit 10 contract on November 29.
7. Web site: Georgia's Rayshaun Hammonds signs with Indiana Pacers. 247Sports.com. September 24, 2021. November 19, 2020.
8. Brimah was officially waived by the team on December 18. However, he re-signed with the Pacers to a two-way contract on April 23.
9. Web site: Pacers Sign Seven Players. NBA.com. September 24, 2021. November 27, 2020.
10. Web site: Pacers Roster Moves - Dec. 18, 2020. NBA.com. September 24, 2021. December 18, 2020.
11. Gray played with the New Orleans Pelicans through the 2019–20 season, and was officially traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder on November 24, 2020, but waived later in December 1.
12. Brissett signed a second 10-day contract on April 11, and eventually signed a 2 year, $2.4 million contract with the Pacers on April 21.
13. Web site: Pacers Sign Brissett to 10-Day Contract. NBA.com. September 24, 2021. April 1, 2021.
14. Web site: Pacers Waive Three. NBA.com. September 24, 2021. December 19, 2020.
15. Web site: Pacers Waive Lecque. NBA.com. September 24, 2021. March 25, 2021.
16. Web site: Pacers Sign Brimah, Waive Bowen. NBA.com. September 24, 2021. April 23, 2021.