The 1976–77 NBA season was Indiana's first season in the NBA and tenth season as a franchise.[ 1]
Players
Coaches
Pos.
No.
Name
Height
Weight
DOB
From
SG
21
Anderson, Jerome
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
195 lb (88 kg)
West Virginia
PF
9
Bennett, Mel
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
200 lb (91 kg)
Pittsburgh
PG
10
Buse, Don
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
Evansville
C
41
Elmore, Len
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
Maryland
SG
44
Flynn, Mike
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
180 lb (82 kg)
Kentucky
SF
24
Green, Steve
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
Indiana
F
20
Hillman, Darnell
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
215 lb (98 kg)
San José State
PF
22
Jones, Wil
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
205 lb (93 kg)
Albany State
SF
25
Knight, Billy
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
195 lb (88 kg)
Pittsburgh
C
40
Robisch, Dave
6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
235 lb (107 kg)
Kansas
PF
32
Roundfield, Dan
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
205 lb (93 kg)
Central Michigan
SG
23
Williamson, John
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
New Mexico State
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
(DP) Unsigned draft pick(FA) Free agent(S) Suspended Injured
Buoyed by the sensational playmaking of Don Buse and scoring of Billy Knight, The Pacers hovered around the .500 mark for much of the first half of their inaugural NBA season but a lack of depth and a few injuries blunted the Pacers progress. The Pacers were significantly hampered by injuries to center, Len Elmore, who missed all but six games.
z – clinched division title
y – clinched division title
x – clinched playoff spot
Record vs. opponents
edit
1976–77 NBA Records
Team
ATL
BOS
BUF
CHI
CLE
DEN
DET
GSW
HOU
IND
KCK
LAL
MIL
NOJ
NYK
NYN
PHI
PHO
POR
SAS
SEA
WAS
Atlanta
—
0–4
4–0
2–2
2–2
2–2
0–4
0–4
1–3
0–4
1–2
2–2
2–2
1–3
1–3
3–1
1–3
0–4
3–1
4–0
1–2
1–3
Boston
4–0
—
3–1
2–2
1–3
3–1
2–2
1–3
2–2
1–2
3–1
2–1
3–1
2–2
2–2
3–1
1–3
2–2
1–3
4–0
2–2
0–4
Buffalo
0–4
1–3
—
1–3
2–2
2–2
3–1
0–3
1–3
1–3
0–3
1–3
3–1
3–1
1–3
2–2
2–2
3–1
1–3
0–4
3–1
0–4
Chicago
2–2
2–2
3–1
—
3–1
1–3
2–2
2–2
1–3
2–2
2–2
3–1
3–1
4–0
2–2
2–1
2–2
2–2
0–4
3–1
2–2
1–2
Cleveland
2–2
3–1
2–2
1–3
—
2–2
1–3
2–2
1–3
2–1
3–1
2–2
4–0
2–2
2–2
3–1
1–3
2–1
2–2
2–2
3–1
1–3
Denver
2–2
1–3
2–2
3–1
2–2
—
3–1
2–2
3–0
3–1
3–1
2–2
3–1
3–1
2–2
3–1
1–3
3–1
2–2
1–2
4–0
2–2
Detroit
4–0
2–2
1–3
2–2
3–1
1–3
—
3–1
2–2
2–2
4–0
1–3
3–1
3–1
1–2
3–1
2–2
2–2
2–2
1–2
1–3
1–3
Golden State
4–0
3–1
3–0
2–2
2–2
2–2
1–3
—
2–1
4–0
1–3
2–2
1–3
1–3
1–3
3–1
3–1
4–0
1–3
2–2
1–3
3–1
Houston
3–1
2–2
3–1
3–1
3–1
0–3
2–2
1–2
—
4–0
2–2
2–2
3–1
2–2
2–2
2–2
1–3
3–1
3–1
2–2
3–1
3–1
Indiana
4–0
2–1
3–1
2–2
1–2
1–3
2–2
0–4
0–4
—
2–2
1–3
2–2
2–2
2–2
4–0
2–2
2–2
0–4
2–2
2–2
0–4
Kansas City
2–1
1–3
3–0
2–2
1–3
1–3
0–4
3–1
2–2
2–2
—
1–3
2–2
2–2
4–0
4–0
1–3
3–1
2–2
1–3
1–3
2–2
Los Angeles
2–2
1–2
3–1
1–3
2–2
2–2
3–1
2–2
2–2
3–1
3–1
—
3–1
3–0
1–3
4–0
2–2
3–1
3–1
3–1
3–1
4–0
Milwaukee
2–2
1–3
1–3
1–3
0–4
1–3
1–3
3–1
1–3
2–2
2–2
1–3
—
1–2
1–3
3–1
1–2
1–3
2–2
3–1
1–3
1–3
New Orleans
3–1
2–2
1–3
0–4
2–2
1–3
1–3
3–1
2–2
2–2
2–2
0–3
2–1
—
3–1
2–2
0–4
3–1
2–2
1–3
1–3
2–2
N.Y. Knicks
3–1
2–2
3–1
2–2
2–2
2–2
2–1
3–1
2–2
2–2
0–4
3–1
3–1
1–3
—
2–2
1–3
2–2
1–3
1–3
1–2
2–2
N.Y. Nets
1–3
1–3
2–2
1–2
1–3
1–3
1–3
1–3
2–2
0–4
0–4
0–4
1–3
2–2
2–2
—
1–3
2–2
0–3
1–3
1–3
1–3
Philadelphia
3–1
3–1
2–2
2–2
3–1
3–1
2–2
1–3
3–1
2–2
3–1
2–2
2–1
4–0
3–1
3–1
—
1–2
2–2
1–3
2–2
3–1
Phoenix
4–0
2–2
1–3
2–2
1–2
1–3
2–2
0–4
1–3
2–2
1–3
1–3
3–1
1–3
2–2
2–2
2–1
—
1–3
1–3
3–1
1–3
Portland
1–3
3–1
3–1
4–0
2–2
2–2
2–2
3–1
1–3
4–0
2–2
1–3
2–2
2–2
3–1
3–0
2–2
3–1
—
2–2
3–1
1–2
San Antonio
0–4
0–4
4–0
1–3
2–2
2–1
2–1
2–2
2–2
2–2
3–1
1–3
1–3
3–1
3–1
3–1
3–1
3–1
2–2
—
3–1
2–2
Seattle
2–1
2–2
1–3
2–2
1–3
0–4
3–1
3–1
1–3
2–2
3–1
1–3
3–1
3–1
2–1
3–1
2–2
1–3
1–3
1–3
—
3–1
Washington
3–1
4–0
4–0
2–1
3–1
2–2
3–1
1–3
1–3
4–0
2–2
0–4
3–1
2–2
2–2
3–1
1–3
3–1
2–1
2–2
1–3
—
Player
POS
GP
GS
MP
REB
AST
STL
BLK
PTS
MPG
RPG
APG
SPG
BPG
PPG
Darnell Hillman
C
82
2,302
693
166
95
106
879
28.1
8.5
2.0
1.2
1.3
10.7
Don Buse
PG
81
2,947
270
685
281
16
646
36.4
3.3
8.5
3.5
.2
8.0
Wil Jones
PF
80
2,709
604
189
102
80
1,042
33.9
7.6
2.4
1.3
1.0
13.0
Dave Robisch
C
80
1,966
554
158
55
37
951
24.6
6.9
2.0
.7
.5
11.9
Billy Knight
SF
78
3,117
582
260
117
19
2,075
40.0
7.5
3.3
1.5
.2
26.6
Mike Flynn
SG
73
1,324
187
179
57
6
601
18.1
2.6
2.5
.8
.1
8.2
Steve Green
SF
70
918
177
46
46
12
450
13.1
2.5
.7
.7
.2
6.4
Mel Bennett
PF
67
911
237
70
37
33
314
13.6
3.5
1.0
.6
.5
4.7
Dan Roundfield
PF
61
1,645
518
69
61
131
848
27.0
8.5
1.1
1.0
2.1
13.9
Freddie Lewis
PG
32
552
47
56
18
2
224
17.3
1.5
1.8
.6
.1
7.0
John Williamson †
SG
30
1,055
74
111
48
7
620
35.2
2.5
3.7
1.6
.2
20.7
Jerome Anderson
SG
27
164
12
10
6
2
66
6.1
.4
.4
.2
.1
2.4
Len Elmore
C
6
46
15
2
0
4
18
7.7
2.5
.3
.0
.7
3.0
Darrell Elston
SG
5
40
6
2
1
0
5
8.0
1.2
.4
.2
.0
1.0
Rudy Hackett †
PF
5
38
10
3
0
1
12
7.6
2.0
.6
.0
.2
2.4
Clyde Mayes †
PF
2
21
7
3
0
2
7
10.5
3.5
1.5
.0
1.0
3.5
† Denotes player spent time with another team in the season. Stats reflect time with the Pacers only.