2008-09 Indiana Pacers season

The 2008–09 Indiana Pacers season was Indiana's 42nd season as a franchise and 33rd season in the NBA.

Key dates

• June 26: The 2008 NBA draft took place in Madison Square Garden, New York.
• July 1: The free agency period started.

Offseason

On July 9 the Pacers officially announced they had made two trades, the most notable being the trade of former All Star forward Jermaine O'Neal in exchange for Toronto Raptors players T. J. Ford, Rasho Nesterovic, Maceo Baston and Roy Hibbert who was the 17th pick on the 2008 NBA draft. The Raptors also received Nathan Jawai who was the 41st pick in the draft. Also in a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers, the Pacers acquired Jarrett Jack, Josh McRoberts and Brandon Rush who was the 13th pick in the draft. The Pacers traded away Ike Diogu and Jerryd Bayless who was the 11th pick in the draft. With the Pacers missing the playoffs for the last two seasons and reaching just the first round before that, a change was needed in Indianapolis. Having been with the Pacers for the past eight years, O'Neal's tenure was marred by numerous injuries which saw him miss 40 games last season and 31 during the 2005–06 season.

Draft picks

• The 6-foot-10 Nathan Jawai is the first indigenous player from Australia to be drafted by an NBA team.

Roster

Regular season

Standings

Game log

|- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 1 | October 29 | @ Detroit | | Danny Granger (33) | Troy Murphy (15) | T. J. Ford (5) | The Palace of Auburn Hills<br />22,076 | 0–1

|- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 2 | November 1 | Boston | | Danny Granger (20) | Marquis Daniels (10) | Troy Murphy (5) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />18,165 | 1–1 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 3 | November 5 | Phoenix | | T. J. Ford, Danny Granger (23) | Troy Murphy (10) | Troy Murphy (4) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />11,660 | 1–2 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 4 | November 7 | @ Cleveland | | Danny Granger (33) | Marquis Daniels (11) | Marquis Daniels (7) | Quicken Loans Arena<br />20,562 | 1–3 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 5 | November 8 | New Jersey | | Danny Granger (23) | Jeff Foster (13) | T. J. Ford (9) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />14,355 | 2–3 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 6 | November 10 | Oklahoma City | | T. J. Ford (24) | T. J. Ford, Danny Granger (7) | T. J. Ford (10) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />10,165 | 3–3 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 7 | November 12 | @ New Jersey | | T. J. Ford (18) | T. J. Ford (8) | T. J. Ford (9) | Izod Center<br />13,551 | 4–3 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 8 | November 14 | Philadelphia | | Danny Granger (18) | Jeff Foster (11) | T. J. Ford (7) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />12,742 | 4–4 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 9 | November 15 | @ Chicago | | T. J. Ford (16) | Troy Murphy (13) | Troy Murphy (5) | United Center<br />21,759 | 4–5 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 10 | November 18 | Atlanta | | Danny Granger (34) | Troy Murphy (19) | Radoslav Nesterović, Jarrett Jack (5) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />13,379 | 5–5 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 11 | November 21 | Orlando | | Marquis Daniels (25) | Troy Murphy (10) | Radoslav Nesterović (8) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />14,699 | 5–6 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 12 | November 22 | @ Miami | | Marquis Daniels (25) | Troy Murphy (11) | Danny Granger, Troy Murphy (6) | American Airlines Arena<br />18,685 | 5–7 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 13 | November 25 | @ Dallas | | Danny Granger (22) | Troy Murphy (14) | T. J. Ford (7) | American Airlines Center<br />19,996 | 5–8 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 14 | November 26 | @ Houston | | Troy Murphy (21) | Troy Murphy (14) | Danny Granger (5) | Toyota Center<br />18,194 | 6–8 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 15 | November 28 | Charlotte | | Danny Granger (35) | Troy Murphy (12) | T. J. Ford (6) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />17,160 | 6–9 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 16 | November 29 | @ Orlando | | Danny Granger (27) | Troy Murphy (11) | T. J. Ford, Jarrett Jack (5) | Amway Arena<br />17,172 | 6–10

|- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 17 | December 2 | L.A. Lakers | | Danny Granger (32) | Troy Murphy (17) | T. J. Ford (8) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />16,412 | 7–10 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 18 | December 3 | @ Boston | | Danny Granger (20) | Troy Murphy (10) | T. J. Ford (8) | TD Banknorth Garden<br />18,624 | 7–11 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 19 | December 5 | @ Cleveland | | Troy Murphy (15) | Jeff Foster (7) | Danny Granger (5) | Quicken Loans Arena<br />20,562 | 7–12 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 20 | December 7 | Boston | | Marquis Daniels (26) | Marquis Daniels, Jeff Foster (7) | Danny Granger (6) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />16,102 | 7–13 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 21 | December 10 | @ Toronto | | Danny Granger (22) | Troy Murphy (20) | Troy Murphy (6) | Air Canada Centre<br />17,877 | 7–14 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 22 | December 12 | @ Detroit | | Danny Granger (42) | Troy Murphy (11) | T. J. Ford (10) | The Palace of Auburn Hills<br />22,076 | 7–15 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 23 | December 13 | @ Milwaukee | | T. J. Ford (27) | Troy Murphy (11) | T. J. Ford (6) | Bradley Center<br />14,921 | 7–16 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 24 | December 15 | @ Washington | | Danny Granger (27) | Troy Murphy (12) | Marquis Daniels (7) | Verizon Center<br />14,502 | 8–16 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 25 | December 17 | Golden State | | Danny Granger (41) | Danny Granger, Brandon Rush, Jeff Foster (11) | Danny Granger (6) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />11,151 | 9–16 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 26 | December 19 | L.A. Clippers | | Jarrett Jack (27) | Jeff Foster (11) | Jarrett Jack (7) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />12,653 | 9–17 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 27 | December 20 | @ Philadelphia | | T. J. Ford (25) | Jeff Foster (10) | Jarrett Jack (8) | Wachovia Center<br />14,599 | 10–17 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 28 | December 23 | New Jersey | | Danny Granger (26) | Jeff Foster (14) | Jarrett Jack (8) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />11,272 | 10–18 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 29 | December 26 | @ Memphis | | Marquis Daniels (28) | Troy Murphy (12) | Jarrett Jack, Danny Granger (5) | FedExForum<br />12,346 | 10–19 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 30 | December 28 | New Orleans | | Danny Granger (34) | Troy Murphy (16) | Jarrett Jack, Marquis Daniels (6) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />14,374 | 10–20 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 31 | December 30 | Atlanta | | Danny Granger (25) | Troy Murphy (14) | Danny Granger (5) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />13,762 | 10–21

|- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 32 | January 2 | @ New York | | Jarrett Jack (29) | Troy Murphy (18) | Danny Granger (6) | Madison Square Garden<br />19,763 | 11–21 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 33 | January 3 | Sacramento | | Danny Granger (35) | Troy Murphy (13) | T. J. Ford (7) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />12,765 | 12–21 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 34 | January 5 | @ Denver | | Danny Granger (36) | Troy Murphy (12) | Jarrett Jack (7) | Pepsi Center<br />14,255 | 12–22 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 35 | January 7 | @ Phoenix | | Danny Granger (37) | Jeff Foster (9) | Danny Granger (6) | US Airways Center<br />18,422 | 13–22 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 36 | January 9 | @ L.A. Lakers | | Danny Granger (28) | Troy Murphy (6) | Jarrett Jack (8) | Staples Center<br />18,997 | 13–23 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 37 | January 11 | @ Golden State | | Danny Granger (42) | Jeff Foster (12) | Jarrett Jack, T. J. Ford (6) | Oracle Arena<br />18,262 | 13–24 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 38 | January 12 | @ Utah | | Danny Granger (30) | Troy Murphy (10) | Travis Diener (8) | EnergySolutions Arena<br />19,911 | 13–25 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 39 | January 14 | Detroit | | Danny Granger (24) | Troy Murphy (13) | Jarrett Jack (6) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />11,964 | 14–25 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 40 | January 16 | Toronto | | Danny Granger (23) | Troy Murphy (15) | Jarrett Jack (7) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />13,234 | 15–25 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 41 | January 19 | @ New Orleans | | Danny Granger (30) | Troy Murphy (11) | Troy Murphy (5) | New Orleans Arena<br />17,237 | 15–26 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 42 | January 20 | @ San Antonio | | Danny Granger (17) | Troy Murphy (10) | Radoslav Nesterović (4) | AT&T Center<br />18,181 | 15–27 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 43 | January 23 | Houston | | Danny Granger (25) | Troy Murphy (16) | T. J. Ford (6) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />14,486 | 16–27 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 44 | January 25 | Charlotte | | Danny Granger (27) | Troy Murphy (14) | T. J. Ford (7) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />10,936 | 17–27 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 45 | January 27 | @ Orlando | | T. J. Ford (23) | Troy Murphy (7) | Travis Diener, Jarrett Jack, Mike Dunleavy Jr. (4) | Amway Arena<br />17,461 | 17–28 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 46 | January 28 | Milwaukee | | T. J. Ford (34) | Troy Murphy (13) | Jarrett Jack (6) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />12,143 | 18–28 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 47 | January 30 | Miami | | Mike Dunleavy Jr. (30) | Troy Murphy (12) | Mike Dunleavy Jr. (5) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />14,031 | 19–28 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 48 | January 31 | New York | | T. J. Ford (36) | Troy Murphy (11) | T. J. Ford (5) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />15,067 | 19–29

|- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 49 | February 3 | Minnesota | | Danny Granger (28) | Troy Murphy (12) | T. J. Ford (7) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />11,015 | 19–30 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 50 | February 5 | @ Philadelphia | | Mike Dunleavy Jr. (21) | Troy Murphy (14) | T. J. Ford (7) | Wachovia Center<br />10,699 | 19–31 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 51 | February 6 | Orlando | | Danny Granger (33) | Jarrett Jack, Troy Murphy (8) | T. J. Ford (5) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />13,559 | 20–31 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 52 | February 8 | @ Washington | | Danny Granger (29) | Troy Murphy (10) | T. J. Ford (7) | Verizon Center<br />13,708 | 20–32 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 53 | February 10 | Cleveland | | Troy Murphy (18) | Troy Murphy (15) | T. J. Ford (4) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />18,165 | 21–32 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 54 | February 11 | @ Milwaukee | | Danny Granger (26) | Troy Murphy (10) | T. J. Ford (13) | Bradley Center<br />13,486 | 21–33 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 55 | February 17 | Philadelphia | | Danny Granger (20) | Danny Granger (10) | T. J. Ford (7) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />13,259 | 22–33 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 56 | February 18 | @ Charlotte | | Jarrett Jack, Troy Murphy (18) | Troy Murphy (16) | Travis Diener (6) | Time Warner Cable Arena<br />12,374 | 22–34 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 57 | February 20 | @ Minnesota | | Marquis Daniels (24) | Troy Murphy (14) | Travis Diener (6) | Target Center<br />13,777 | 23–34 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 58 | February 22 | Chicago | | Troy Murphy (27) | Troy Murphy (14) | T. J. Ford, Jarrett Jack (5) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />17,083 | 24–34 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 59 | February 23 | @ New York | | Jarrett Jack (33) | Troy Murphy (21) | Troy Murphy (4) | Madison Square Garden<br />17,283 | 24–35 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 60 | February 25 | Memphis | | T. J. Ford, Jarrett Jack (20) | Troy Murphy (12) | Jarrett Jack (6) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />13,211 | 25–35 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 61 | February 27 | @ Boston | | T. J. Ford (23) | Troy Murphy (13) | T. J. Ford, Marquis Daniels (4) | TD Banknorth Garden<br />18,624 | 25–36

|- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 62 | March 1 | Denver | | Jarrett Jack (28) | Troy Murphy (18) | Jarrett Jack (8) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />12,458 | 26–36 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 63 | March 3 | @ Sacramento | | Jarrett Jack (26) | Troy Murphy (10) | T. J. Ford (9) | ARCO Arena<br />10,748 | 27–36 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 64 | March 4 | @ Portland | | Marquis Daniels (28) | Troy Murphy (13) | T. J. Ford (5) | Rose Garden<br />20,020 | 27–37 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 65 | March 7 | @ L.A. Clippers | | Jarrett Jack (25) | Troy Murphy (15) | T. J. Ford (8) | Staples Center<br />16,518 | 28–37 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 66 | March 10 | Utah | | Troy Murphy (23) | Troy Murphy (13) | T. J. Ford (9) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />13,705 | 28–38 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 67 | March 13 | @ Atlanta | | T. J. Ford (29) | Troy Murphy (14) | T. J. Ford (5) | Philips Arena<br />14,079 | 28–39 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 68 | March 15 | @ Toronto | | Troy Murphy (16) | Troy Murphy (10) | T. J. Ford (6) | Air Canada Centre<br />18,169 | 28–40 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 69 | March 18 | Portland | | Danny Granger (35) | Jeff Foster (11) | T. J. Ford (6) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />13,072 | 28–41 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 70 | March 20 | Dallas | | Danny Granger (18) | Danny Granger, Troy Murphy (11) | Danny Granger, Travis Diener (4) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />17,232 | 28–42 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 71 | March 21 | @ Charlotte | | Jarrett Jack (31) | Jarrett Jack (6) | T. J. Ford (6) | Time Warner Cable Arena<br />15,721 | 29–42 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 72 | March 25 | Miami | | Danny Granger (28) | Jeff Foster (16) | Jarrett Jack (4) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />17,117 | 30–42 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 73 | March 28 | @ Chicago | | Danny Granger (32) | Jeff Foster (18) | Jarrett Jack (9) | United Center<br />20,756 | 30–43 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 74 | March 29 | Washington | | Danny Granger (31) | Brandon Rush (10) | T. J. Ford (10) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />13,729 | 31–43 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 75 | March 31 | Chicago | | Danny Granger (31) | Troy Murphy (12) | T. J. Ford (9) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />15,687 | 32–43

|- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 76 | April 3 | San Antonio | | Danny Granger (35) | Troy Murphy (13) | Jarrett Jack, T. J. Ford (6) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />16,414 | 32–44 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 77 | April 5 | @ Oklahoma City | | Danny Granger (24) | Troy Murphy (9) | T. J. Ford (5) | Ford Center<br />19,136 | 33–44 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 78 | April 8 | Toronto | | Danny Granger (29) | Troy Murphy (14) | T. J. Ford (11) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />13,647 | 34–44 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 79 | April 10 | @ Atlanta | | Danny Granger (35) | Troy Murphy (10) | Jarrett Jack (7) | Philips Arena<br />17,222 | 34–45 |- bgcolor="#bbffbb" | 80 | April 11 | Detroit | | Danny Granger (24) | Troy Murphy (13) | Jarrett Jack (6) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />17,116 | 35–45 |- bgcolor="#ffcccc" | 81 | April 13 | Cleveland | | Danny Granger (38) | Troy Murphy (13) | Jarrett Jack (5) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />18,165 | 35–46 |-bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 82 | April 15 | Milwaukee | | Danny Granger (35) | Troy Murphy (12) | Jarrett Jack (10) | Conseco Fieldhouse<br />18,165 | 36–46

Player statistics

Regular season

Season Transactions

Trades

Free agents

Additions

Subtractions

References