Tag Archives: Indiana Pacers

ProHoopsHistory HOF: George McGinnis

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George McGinnis (philly.com)

George McGinnis (philly.com)

If this were the NBA Hall of Fame, then George McGinnis likely wouldn’t be a member of the club. He definitely had a fine NBA career. Over his first four NBA seasons McGinnis averaged 22 points, 11.5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals a game. He was a member of the All-NBA 1st Team, made the All-Star game, and along with Julius Erving helped lead the Philadelphia 76ers to the 1977 NBA Finals.

After those first four seasons, McGinnis quickly faded. He lasted only three more seasons averaging 10.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.4 steals. Not bad numbers by any means, but it’s not blowing anyone away.

But that’s just McGinnis’ NBA career. If you take in his days in the ABA, you don’t just have a pretty good career. You achieve Hall of Fame status. As a rookie on the Indiana Pacers in 1972, McGinnis helped push the Pacers to the ABA title. The next season (1973), McGinnis was named the Finals MVP as the Pacers once again won the ABA title. By 1974 he was a member of the All-ABA 1st Team. In 1975 he was awarded the league’s regular season MVP award after averaging an absurd 30 points, 14 rebounds, 6 assists and 2.5 steals a game.

After that mammoth season, McGinnis jumped ship to the NBA where the Philadelphia 76ers were ecstatic to receive an MVP caliber player:

As his averages attest, McGinnis was one of the finest all-around players basketball has ever seen. As a power forward, he certainly lived up to the typical job description. He tussled aggressively on the boards and was one of the strongest men in basketball. McGinnis’ chiseled physique didn’t mean a lumbering giant, though. He was able to grab a board and dribble the length of the court to flush home a dunk or perform duty as point forward.

His combination of power and speed grew from the seeds planted by Maurice Stokes in the 1950s and McGinnis helped pass it on to the likes of Karl Malone and LeBron James. Taking in McGinnis’ entire pro basketball career easily propels him to the status of Hall of Famer.

And if you need to see more reasons why, just click here

Seasons Played: 1972 – 1982

Accolades

ABA -
MVP (1975)
2x Champion (1972-’73), Finals MVP (1973)
2x All-ABA 1st Team (1974-’75), All ABA 2nd Team (1973)
3x All-Star (1973-’75)
All-Rookie 1st Team (1972)

NBA -
All-NBA 1st Team (1976)
All-NBA 2nd Team (1977)
3x All-Star (1976-’77, 1979)

Statistics

ABA – 314 Games
25.2 PPG, 12.9 RPG, 3.5 APG, 2.2 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 47.0% FG, 68.2% FT
PPG Leader (1975)
6th All-Time in Steals, 21st All-Time in Points
22nd in Rebounds, 23rd in FTs Made, 24th in FGs Made

NBA - 528 Games
17.2 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 44.8% FG, 65.1% FT

ProHoopsHistory HOF: Reggie Miller

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Reggie Miller (Indianapolis Star)

Reggie Miller (Indianapolis Star)

Reggie Miller possessed one of those Hall of Fame careers predicated more on longevity than overwhelming dominance. He made a respectable five All-Star Games in his 18-year career. He also garnered a decent three selections to the All-NBA 3rd Team.

His career-high in PPG came in his third season (24.6) and on only one other occasion did Miller surpass the 22-point per game plateau. He averaged a mere 3 rebounds and 3 assists per game. He only grabbed one steal per game.

However, Miller was remarkably consistent. Sure, he never had breathtaking scoring averages, but from 1990 to 2001, he never fell below 18 PPG. That consistent scoring did come on breathtaking percentages. He routinely led the NBA in FT%, or came very close. That tends to happen when you shoot 88.8% from the line for your career.

Most famously, his three-point shooting was absolutely prodigious. Bounding off of screens and picks galore, Miller could curl, catch and shoot faster than just about any player in NBA history. To make matters worse for defenders, Miller had a habit of extending his leg while shooting to catch the opponent and draw a foul. So even if he didn’t knock down the shot, he was going to receive two free throws that he was assuredly going to make.

Miller also chose the best times to unleash torrential scoring when it comes to remembering outstanding performances. 25-point quarters in Madison Square Garden tend to sear memories. As do 8 points in 9 seconds. Or whirling three-point shots that miraculously bank in. And shoving Michael Jordan to break free for a three.

Reggie lived for the stage of the postseason and thanks to his dramatic performances, he’ll be long remembered as one of the premier players of his, or any, era.

Seasons Played: 1988 – 2005

Indiana Pacers

Indiana Pacers

Accolades

NBA -
3x All-NBA 3rd Team (1995-’96, 1998)
5x All-Star (1990, 1995-’96, 1998, 2000)

Statistics

NBA - 1389 Games
18.2 PPG, 3.0 APG, 3.0 RPG, 1.1 SPG, 47.1% FG, 39.5% 3PT, 88.8% FT
5x FT% Leader (1991, 1999, 2001-’02, 2005)
2nd All-Time 3PT FGs Made, 13th All-Time in FTs Made
9th All-Time in FT%, 14th All-Time in Points
7th All-Time in Games Played, 8th All-Time in Minutes Played

ProHoopsHistory HOF: Detlef Schrempf

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Detlef Schrempf

Detlef Schrempf

Detlef Schrempf is one of the more fascinating and interesting players in NBA history. For starters, he’s clearly one of the more versatile players to ever suit up. For non-starters, he regularly came off the bench until he was 30 years old. Finally, Detlef was one of the first European players to have a major impact on the NBA.

Drafted by the Dallas Mavericks, Detlef didn’t see too much playing time as a reserve player. In 1987, however, he gave a glimpse to his long-range shooting acumen with a blistering 48% shooting from downtown. Traded to the Indiana Pacers midway through the 1988-89 season, Schrempf continued to come off the bench, but saw a significant bump in his minutes and production. By 1993 he was finally promoted to the starting lineup and produced a staggering line of 19 points, 9.5 rebounds and 6 assists per game. Not bad for a 6’9″, 210 lbs. power forward.

And don’t let the slender frame fool you, Detlef was at home camping out at the three-point line, attacking off the dribble, or posting up on the low block. His vast array of skills made him a 3x All-Star and also he’s one of only three players to win the Sixth Man of the Year Award twice along with Ricky Pierce and Kevin McHale. Schrempf and McHale are the only two men to win the award in back-to-back seasons.

Schrempf was dealt from the Pacers to the Seattle SuperSonics prior to the 1993-94 season. Detlef, of course, continued his fine all-around play. In 1995, he averaged a career-high 19.2 points per game while shooting a ridiculous 52.3% FG, 51.4% 3PT, and 83.9% FT. The next season, the SuperSonics reached the NBA Finals but lost to the Chicago Bulls.

That series was notable for both squads prominently featuring foreign players: the Sonics with Detlef and the Bulls with Toni Kukoc. Clearly, the NBA was becoming more familiar and amenable to the European player. And why not? If guys like Detlef were a sign of things to come, then NBA teams would have been fools to ignore the benefits.

However, even if Detlef weren’t a pioneering European player, he’d still have the credentials to strut into this Hall of Fame.

Seasons Played: 1986 – 2001

Accolades

NBA –
2x Sixth Man of the Year (1991-’92)
All-NBA 3rd Team (1995), 3x All-Star (1993, ’95, ’97)

Statistics

NBA - 1136 Games
13.9 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 3.4 APG, 0.8 SPG, 49.1% FG, 38.4% 3PT, 80.3% FT

ProHoopsHistory HOF: Freddie Lewis

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Freddie Lewis (indystar.com)

Freddie Lewis (indystar.com)

The career of Freddie Lewis is marked by two second chances.

Drafted by the NBA’s Cincinnati Royals, Freddie couldn’t see the light of day with the regal squad of the Queen City. From Cincy’s point of view, it made sense. Oscar Robertson was at the peak of his powers while Flynn Robinson and John McGlocklin were capable backups. Not much room for a 4th round pick like Freddie Lewis to make headway.

After the wasted 1966-67 season in the NBA (Oscar Robertson’s mentorship aside), Freddie Lewis received a rebirth in the ABA. Joining the Indiana Pacers, Lewis eventually formed the ABA’s most powerful franchise with Roger Brown, Bob Netolicky, Mel Daniels, Bill Keller, and George McGinnis.

Freddie Lewis’ ball-handling skills, sharp-shooting, and hustle made him indispensable to the Pacers juggernaut.

Throughout Indiana’s playoff and title runs, Lewis was the man with the ball when things got critical. During the 1972 postseason, he led the Pacers past the Utah Stars in the climactic seventh game with 23 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists. In the next round, Indiana squared off with the New York Nets for the ABA title. Lewis spearheaded a dramatic 20-point comeback in Game 5. His clutch steal and free throws with 20 seconds left in the game sealed the Pacers’ 2nd ABA title in that decisive game.

However, by 1974, the Pacers assumed Lewis was washed up and traded him to the Memphis Sounds. The Sounds quickly flipped Lewis to the Spirits of St. Louis where he’d get his second second chance.

With the Spirits for the 1974-75 season, Lewis had perhaps the greatest year of his career at age 30. He averaged career-highs in PPG, APG, SPG and FG%. What was old age to Indiana was veteran presence and a steadying hand for St. Louis’ stable of youngsters including Marvin Barnes and Maurice Lucas.

In typical Lewis fashion, he helped St. Louis upset the 58-win Nets in the postseason. In the deciding Game 5, Freddie scored the Spirits’ final 10 points including a buzzer-beating jumper to win the game, 108-107. A severely sprained ankle suffered by Lewis in the next playoff round prevented the Spirits from making a deeper run. His lost leadership left St. Louis adrift and they were thrashed by the Kentucky Colonels.

Thereafter, Freddie had one more productive season with St. Louis in 1976, but the franchise was in absolute chaos as the ABA crumbled in its final year. Lewis spent his last season (1977) as a reserve back on the Pacers and in the NBA.

Despite his exploits, Freddie Lewis remains an under-appreciated legend outside of Indiana. But he has found himself in these waters before. Maybe yet another second chance lurks around the corner for Lewis to finally find widespread recognition.

Seasons Played: 1967 – 1977

Accolades

ABA -
3x Champion (1970, 1972-’73), Finals MVP (1972)
4x All-Star (1968, ’70, ’72, ’75), All-Star Game MVP (1975)

Statistics

ABA - 686 Games
17.0 PPG, 4.2 APG, 3.9 RPG, 1.5 SPG, 43.3% FG, 81.9% FT
2nd All-Time in Minutes Played, 3rd All-Time in Games Played, 4th All-Time in Assists
6th All-Time in Points, 9th All-Time in Three-Pointers Made

NBA - 64 Games
5.8 PPG, 1.5 APG, 1.4 RPG, 0.6 SPG, 40.1% FG, 77.1% FT

Hall of Fame Snubs: George McGinnis

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Years Active: 1972-1982
Regular Season Stats: 845 games, 33.5 mpg
20.2 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 3.7 apg, 1.88 spg, 0.48 bpg, 45.8% FG, 66.4% FT
Postseason Stats: 104 games, 35.7 mpg
20.7 ppg, 11.8 rpg, 3.9 apg, 1.41 spg, 0.41 bpg, 43.5% FG, 68.2% FT

ABA Accolades: MVP (1975), 2x All-ABA 1st Team (1974-75), All-ABA 2nd Team (1973), 3x All-Star (1973-75), All-ABA Rookie 1st Team (1972), 2x ABA Champion (1972-73
NBA Accolades: All-NBA 1st Team (1976), All-NBA 2nd Team (1977), 3x NBA All-Star (1976-77, ’79)

Indianapolis Star

New York coach Lou Carnesecca was quoted as saying that Indiana’s muscular 6-foot-8, 235 pound rookie George McGinnis looked like a heavy weight contender. Carnesecca amended his evaluation following the third game [of the ABA Finals] Friday night.

“Now, you can say he’s the champion,” said the diminutive Nets’ coach, who barely would reach McGinnis’ elbow.

Carnesecca made his reevaluation after the burly McGinnis wrecked the Nets, scoring 30 points and grabbing a game high 20 rebounds…

- Via The Evening Independent, May 13, 1972

Burly is indeed the most accurate description for the body and physique of George McGinnis. Just an absolute mammoth of a power forward who, aside from Artis Gilmore, was probably the strongest man in the ABA. Unsurprisingly, he was an absolute beast on the boards trampling and demolishing opponents, particularly on the offensive glass. His career average of 3.7 is 10th all-time amongst players who have appeared in at least 240 games (equivalent to about 3 seasons).

This steady stream of offensive boards and subsequent putbacks partially fed his healthy point production. Also of aid were his sweet mid-range jumpers and his cunning-but-not-quite-graceful drives to the hoop. For 7 straight seasons he averaged above 20 points a game culminating in 1975 when he topped off at 29.8 per game.

And as if this wasn’t enough of an offensive threat, he could pass the ball extremely well. 6 straight seasons he held an assist per game average above 3.5., including 3 seasons above 4.5 in that stretch. Big George also had quick, strong hands which led to a career steals per game average of 1.9. That’s an incredibly high total for anyone let alone a power forward. In fact, that 1.9 is 4th all time amongst forwards and 26th overall.

McGinnis, however, surly had pitfalls to his game. For starters, he turned the ball over with a galling frequency: 4 a game over the course of his career. Also his free throw shooting was always poor. It showed signs of improvement until 1975 (74%) and thereafter it plummeted to embarrassing levels by his retirement (45.3%).

The Indiana Pacers, though, weren’t complaining of these deficiencies in 1971 when they acquired the homegrown talent. McGinnis was from Indianapolis and was attending Indiana University when the allure of big time professional dollars led him to leave college after his freshman season. A very unusual move at the time, but given his 30 ppg and 15 rpg averages that one season, he was ready for tougher competition.

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The Lowdown: Don Buse

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Years Active: 1973 – 1985
Regular Season Stats: 966 games, 27.1 mpg
7.1 ppg, 4.6 apg, 2.7 rpg, 2.0 spg, 44% FG, 33% 3PT, 77.7% FT
Playoff Stats: 84 games, 25.6 mpg
5.7 ppg, 3.4 apg, 1.7 spg, 40% FG, 28.7% 3PT, 65.8% FT
ABA Accolades: All-Star (1976), 2x All-Defensive 1st Team (1975-’76), All-ABA 2nd Team (1976), ABA Champion (1973); APG leader (1976), SPG leader (1976)
NBA Accolades: All-Star (1977) 4x All-Defensive 1st Team (1977-’80); APG leader (1977), SPG leader (1977)

Photo via Indiana Pacers

“Me being named to the team was something unusual. Most of the guys in here are averaging at least 15 points a game. And here’s me, averaging 8 or 9. It’s a switch for people to recognize my style.”

- Don Buse, via the Milwaukee Journal, 1977

Don Buse making the 1977 all-star team was a bit of a fluke. If it weren’t for Bill Walton going down injured, he wouldn’t have had a spot. But there was Buse suiting up in one of the more classic all-star games. His stat line wasn’t impressive: 4 points and 5 assists in 19 minutes.

Nonetheless, Boo worked his magic and sparked the West squad to victory along with Paul Westphal. Entering the game with 5:31 left in the 3rd quarter and the West down 83 – 75, Don instantly opened up ball movement on offense and terrorized the East on defense, ultimately ending the game with 4 steals. At the end of the 3rd, the West had swung the game around to a 97-89 lead and would go on to win 125 – 124.

That would be Buse’s 2nd and final all-star game, but the Hoosier State legend had already accomplished much and would continue to do so.

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