Editing Indiana Pacers (section)

====2003–2007: Rick Carlisle era====
In the 2003 off-season, the Pacers managed to re-sign O'Neal for the NBA maximum and inked Reggie Miller to a modest two-year deal, but they could not afford to keep their talented center, Brad Miller. He was dealt to the [[Sacramento Kings]] in exchange for [[Scot Pollard]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=stein_marc&id=1584734|title=Pacers set to sign Brad Miller, trade him to Kings|work=ESPN|date=July 24, 2003|last=Stein|first=Marc|access-date=November 30, 2022}}</ref> who spent much of the following year watching from the bench and backing up [[Jeff Foster (basketball)|Jeff Foster]]. The Pacers also signed Larry Bird as team president, and Bird wasted little time in dismissing coach Isiah Thomas and replacing him with [[Rick Carlisle]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.basketballnetwork.net/old-school/isiah-thomas-recalls-the-brutal-response-he-got-from-larry-bird-when-he-fired-him-as-the-head-coach-of-the-indiana-pacers|title=Isiah Thomas recalls the brutal response he got from Larry Bird when he fired him as the head coach of the Indiana Pacers|publisher=Basketball Network|date=November 11, 2022|access-date=November 30, 2022|last=Starjacki|first=Will}}</ref>

=====Ron Artest's rise to stardom=====
The Pacers responded to Carlisle extremely well and had a breakthrough [[2003–04 NBA season|2003–04 season]] in which they finished 61–21, earning the best record in the NBA as well as a franchise record. O'Neal and Artest made the [[2004 NBA All-Star Game|All-Star team]], and Artest was named the [[NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award|NBA's Defensive Player of the Year]]; the Pacers swept the [[2003–04 Boston Celtics season|Boston Celtics]] in the [[2004 NBA playoffs|first round]] and squeezed by the [[2003–04 Miami Heat season|Miami Heat]] in the conference semifinals. But the [[2003–04 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit Pistons]] proved an impediment to Indiana's championship aspirations, as they defeated the Pacers in six games on their way to the [[2004 NBA Finals|NBA Championship]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.retroseasons.com/teams/indiana-pacers/2004/overview/|title=Indiana Pacers 2003-04 Season recap|website=Retroseasons.com|publisher=RetroSeasons|access-date=November 30, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap/_/gameId/240601008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221130113916/https://www.espn.com/nba/recap/_/gameId/240601008|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 30, 2022|title=Rip, Ben big again for Detroit|date=June 7, 2004|access-date=November 30, 2022|work=ESPN|location=Auburn Hills|agency=The Associated Press}}</ref>

=====Miller's final season and Malice at the Palace=====
{{Main|Malice at the Palace}}
[[Al Harrington]], a small forward who had established himself as one of the best sixth-men in the NBA, was dealt in the off-season to the [[Atlanta Hawks]] in return for [[Stephen Jackson]] after Harrington allegedly demanded that the Pacers start him or trade him.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/espn/wire?section=nba&id=1840632|title=Pacers deal Harrington to Hawks for Jackson|agency=The Associated Press|work=ESPN|date=July 15, 2004|access-date=November 30, 2022|location=Indianapolis, IN}}</ref> Nevertheless, the Pacers started off the [[2004–05 NBA season|2004–05 season]] in extremely strong fashion–until November&nbsp;19, 2004. Toward the end of a Pacers victory over the [[2004–05 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit Pistons]] at [[The Palace of Auburn Hills]], the Pacers' [[Metta World Peace|Ron Artest]] committed a hard foul against [[Ben Wallace (basketball)|Ben Wallace]]. Wallace retaliated with a hard push, threw a towel at Artest, and the situation escalated to a [[Pacers-Pistons brawl|full-scale brawl]], with fans and several Pacers taking part. While Artest laid atop the scorer's table trying to calm down and do an interview, Pistons fan John Green (who was sitting next to Wallace's brother) threw a cup of [[Diet Coke]] at Artest, causing him to charge into the stands. [[Stephen Jackson]] followed him into the stands while [[Jermaine O'Neal]] struck a fan who came onto the court. The game was called off with 45.9&nbsp;seconds left on the clock, and the Pacers left the floor amid a shower of beer and other beverages that rained down from the stands.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/sports-brawls-nba-infamous|title=NBA players and fans brawl at infamous "Malice at the Palace" game|work=History|access-date=November 30, 2022}}</ref>

Several of the involved players were suspended by NBA Commissioner [[David Stern]]. Artest was suspended for the rest of the regular season and playoffs, a total of 73 games—the longest suspension for an on-court incident in NBA history. Other suspensions included Jackson (suspended for 30&nbsp;games), O'Neal (25&nbsp;games), Wallace (6 &nbsp;games), and the Pacers' [[Anthony Johnson (basketball)|Anthony Johnson]] (5&nbsp;games) (O'Neal's suspension was later reduced to 15 games by arbitrator Roger Kaplan, a decision that was upheld by U.&nbsp;S. District Judge George B. Daniels). O'Neal was charged with two counts of assault and battery, while Artest, Jackson, Johnson, and [[David Harrison (basketball)|David Harrison]] were charged with one count each.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nba/pacers/2021/08/09/malice-palace-what-know-pacers-pistons-brawl-untold-netflix/5401800001/|title=Pacers-Pistons brawl: What you need to know about the Malice at the Palace in 2004|work=IndyStar|date=August 9, 2021|access-date=November 30, 2022|first1=Nat|last1=Newell|first2=Candance|last2=Buckner|first3=J.|last3=Michael|first4=Clifton|last4=Brown|first5=Dana Hunsinger|last5=Benbow}}</ref>

After the brawl and suspensions that followed, the Pacers fell downward into the Central Division. They went from a legitimate title contender to a team that hovered around .500 in winning percentage. The Pistons eventually became the Central Division champions. Despite the difficulties with the suspensions and injuries, the Pacers earned a sixth seed in the playoffs with a record of 44–38. An important reason for their strong finish was the re-acquisition of [[Dale Davis (basketball)|Dale Davis]], who had been released by the [[New&nbsp;Orleans Hornets]] after being traded there by the [[Golden State Warriors]]. He played the final 25&nbsp;games of the regular season and every playoff game, contributing a strong presence at center. And Davis' signing coincided with an injury to [[Jermaine O'Neal]] that would knock him out for virtually the remainder of the regular season—indeed, O'Neal's first missed game due to his injury was Davis' first game back with the Pacers.

Despite the adversity they had gone through, the Pacers made the [[2005 NBA playoffs|playoffs]] for the 13th time in 14&nbsp;years. In the first round, Indiana defeated the Atlantic Division champion [[2004–05 Boston Celtics season|Boston Celtics]], winning Game&nbsp;7 in Boston with a score of 97–70, just the third time the Celtics had dropped a Game&nbsp;7 at home.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap/_/gameId/250507002|title=Slower pace works to Indy's advantage|work=ESPN|agency=The Associated Press|location=Boston|date=May 8, 2005|access-date=November 30, 2022}}</ref> The Pacers then advanced to the second round against the [[2004–05 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit Pistons]], in a rematch of the previous year's Eastern Conference Finals. The series featured games back at [[The Palace of Auburn Hills]], the scene of the brawl that many assumed at the time had effectively ended the Pacers' season. After losing Game&nbsp;1, the Pacers won the next two games to take a 2–1 lead. However, the Pacers could not repeat their victories against the Pistons and lost the next three games, losing the series 4–2. The final game (Game&nbsp;6) was on May&nbsp;19, 2005; [[Reggie Miller]], in his final NBA game, scored 27&nbsp;points and received a standing ovation from the crowd. Despite Miller's effort, the Pacers lost, sending Miller into retirement without an [[NBA Finals|NBA Championship]] in his 18-year career, all with the Pacers.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2005/05/20/pistons-eliminate-pacers/|title=Pistons eliminate Pacers|location=Indianapolis|work=East Bay Times|agency=The Associated Press|date=May 20, 2005|access-date=November 30, 2022}}</ref> Miller had his No.&nbsp;31 jersey retired by the Pacers on March&nbsp;30, 2006, when the Pacers played the [[Phoenix Suns]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Pacers raise Reggie Miller's No.&nbsp;31 to rafters|date = March 31, 2006|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=2391064|access-date=March 31, 2006}}</ref>