Editing Indiana Pacers (section)

===2005–2012: The Danny Granger era===
[[File:Danny Granger.jpg|right|thumb|alt=Granger shooting a free throw|Danny Granger led the team in scoring for five consecutive seasons]]
The team went on to draft [[Danny Granger]] 17th overall in the [[2005 NBA draft]]. During the [[2005–06 Indiana Pacers season|2005–06 season]], the Pacers traded [[Metta Sandiford-Artest|Ron Artest]] to the [[Sacramento Kings]] in exchange for [[Peja Stojaković]]. Despite the loss of Reggie Miller, the Artest saga, and many key injuries, the Pacers [[2006 NBA playoffs|made the playoffs]] in 2006 for the 14th time in 15 years. They also were the only road team to win Game&nbsp;1 of a first-round playoff series. However, New Jersey won Game&nbsp;2 to tie the series at 1–1, heading back to Indiana. In Game&nbsp;3, [[Jermaine O'Neal]] scored 37&nbsp;points, as the Pacers regained a 2–1 series lead. The Nets, however, won games four and five to take a 3–2 series lead. In Game&nbsp;6, [[Anthony Johnson (basketball)|Anthony Johnson]] scored 40&nbsp;points, but the Pacers' season came to an end as the Nets won 96–90.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.espn.co.uk/nba/recap/_/gameId/260504011|title=Nets withstand Johnson's 40, eliminate Pacers|work=ESPN|agency=The Associated Press|date=May 5, 2006|access-date=November 30, 2022}}</ref>

The Pacers finished the [[2006–07 NBA season|2006–07 season]] as one of the worst seasons in team history. The turning point of the season would be an 11-game losing streak that started around the all-star break. Injuries to Jermaine O'Neal and Marquis Daniels, a lack of a solid backup point guard, the blockbuster trade midway through the season that interrupted the team chemistry, poor defensive efforts, and being the NBA's worst offensive team were the main reasons leading to the team's struggles. The April&nbsp;15 loss to [[New Jersey Nets]] knocked the Pacers out of the [[2007 NBA playoffs|playoffs]] for the first time since the 1996–97 season.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap/_/gameId/270415011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221130120616/https://www.espn.com/nba/recap/_/gameId/270415011|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 30, 2022|title=Pacers winding down to last straw in pursuit of playoffs|work=ESPN|agency=The Associated Press|date=April 15, 2007|access-date=November 30, 2022|location=Indianapolis}}</ref>

====2007–2010: O'Neal's final season and rebuilding years====
On April 10, 2007, the Pacers announced that coach [[Rick Carlisle]] had been fired, with the Pacers' first losing record in ten seasons being the main reason for the coach's dismissal.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=2848972|title=Carlisle won't return as Pacers head coach|date=April 26, 2007|access-date=November 30, 2022|agency=The Associated Press|location=Indianapolis}}</ref> Pacers President Larry Bird noted that Carlisle had the opportunity to return to the Pacers franchise in another role. Later, Carlisle opted to leave and took a broadcasting job with [[ESPN]] before returning to coach the [[Dallas Mavericks]] in 2008 (where he would win a championship in 2011).<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=3384674|title=Carlisle says talks are 'moving along,' could be hired by Mavs Friday|last=Stein|first=Marc|work=ESPN|date=May 7, 2008|access-date=November 30, 2022}}</ref> On May&nbsp;31, 2007, [[Jim O'Brien (basketball, born 1952)|Jim O'Brien]] was named Carlisle's successor.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nba.com/pacers/news/obrien_release_070531.html|title=PACERS NAME O'BRIEN HEAD COACH|publisher=NBA|date=May 31, 2007|access-date=November 30, 2022}}</ref> O'Brien made it clear that he intended to take the Pacers back to the playoffs in the 2007–08 season, but he did not in his tenure. He also made it known that he favored a more up-tempo, fast-paced style as opposed to Carlisle's slower, more meticulous style of coaching. Many people have taken note that this style, while exciting at times, failed to produce a winning record, and O'Brien's inability to change his style to better suit his talent available has hurt the team.

Despite missing the playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time since the 1980s, the [[2007–08 NBA season|2007–08 season]] displayed many signs of growth in the team, especially towards the end of the season. Off-court legal distraction from [[Jamaal Tinsley]], [[Marquis Daniels]], and [[Shawne Williams]] in the middle of the season did not help the Pacers struggles, and injuries to Tinsley and Jermaine O'Neal damaged the Pacers' already weak defense and left almost all point guard duties to recently acquired Travis Diener, who saw minimal minutes on his previous NBA teams. Despite this, and a 36–46 record, the Pacers had a very strong finish to the season, which included a desperate attempt to steal the 8th&nbsp;seed from the [[2007–08 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta Hawks]], and dramatic improvement in forwards [[Danny Granger]] and [[Mike Dunleavy Jr.|Mike Dunleavy]]. Both Granger and Dunleavy were involved in the voting for [[NBA Most Improved Player Award|Most Improved Player]], with Dunleavy finishing in the top&nbsp;10.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/awards_2008.html|title=2007-08 NBA Awards Voting|publisher=Basketball Reference|access-date=December 1, 2022}}</ref> The two were also the first Pacers players to score 1500 points each in a single season since Reggie Miller and Detlef Schrempf did it in the early 1990s.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://vault.si.com/vault/2008/10/27/9-indiana-pacers|title=9 INDIANA PACERS|last=Torre|first=Pablo S.|magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]|publisher=Sports Illustrated|date=October 27, 2008|access-date=December 1, 2022}}</ref>

In April of the 2007–08 season, [[Donnie Walsh]], Pacers Sports & Entertainment CEO & President, left the Indiana Pacers to join the [[New York Knicks]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://nypost.com/2008/04/02/walsh-hired-to-run-knicks/|title=WALSH HIRED TO RUN KNICKS|work=New York Post|last=Berman|first=Marc|date=April 2, 2008|access-date=November 30, 2022}}</ref> All of Walsh's basketball-related duties were given to Pacers' President of Basketball Operations [[Larry Bird]]. Walsh's business-related roles were given to co-owner [[Herb Simon (businessman)|Herb Simon]] and Jim Morris, who was promoted to President of Pacers Sports & Entertainment.

During the 2009 off–season, the Pacers traded declining [[Jermaine O'Neal]] along with [[Nathan Jawai]] to the [[Toronto Raptors]] in exchange for [[Roy Hibbert]], [[T.&nbsp;J. Ford]], [[Rasho Nesterović]] and [[Maceo Baston]]. Hibbert would go on to be a two-time [[NBA All-Star Game|all–star]] for the Pacers and was known as a defensive force with his [[Block (basketball)|shot-blocking]] abilities.

During the [[2009–10 NBA season|2009–10 season]], Pacers forward [[Tyler Hansbrough]] ([[2009 NBA draft|drafted in 2009]]) suffered a season-ending ear injury, and without center [[Jeff Foster (basketball)|Jeff Foster]], the Pacers again fell into another season under .500 and missed the playoffs for four years in a row. Despite another disappointing season, the Pacers managed to sweep the waning [[Detroit Pistons]] for the first time in five years,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.espn.com.au/nba/recap/_/gameId/300323008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220527174806/https://www.espn.com.au/nba/recap/_/gameId/300323008|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 27, 2022|title=Pacers sweep season series vs. Pistons|location=Auburn Hills|work=ESPN|agency=The Associated Press|date=March 24, 2010|access-date=November 30, 2022}}</ref> and the abysmal [[New Jersey Nets]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nba.com/pacers/rewind-pacers-nets-100410|title=Murphy scores 25, Granger 22 as Pacers heat up to beat Nets, 115-102 100410|publisher=NBA|date=April 10, 2010|access-date=November 30, 2022}}</ref> The team showed signs of life near the end of the season, winning nearly all of their last 14&nbsp;games.

In May 2010, after completing his rookie season, guard [[A.&nbsp;J. Price]] suffered a knee injury during a charity pick-up game that would require surgery. His expected rehabilitation was to last between four and six months, to be back just in time for training camp.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=5216360|title=Price expected to miss 4-6 months|work=ESPN|agency=The Associated Press|date=May 25, 2010|access-date=November 30, 2022|location=Indianapolis}}</ref>

====2010–2012: The arrival of Paul George and Danny Granger's final years====
In the [[2010 NBA draft]], the Pacers selected forward/guard [[Paul George]] with the 10th overall pick.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.espn.com/nbadraft/results/rounds/_/year/2010/round/1|title=2010 NBA Draft Results Round 1|work=ESPN|access-date=November 30, 2022}}</ref> In the second round, they drafted guard [[Lance Stephenson]], as well as forward [[Ryan Reid (basketball)|Ryan Reid]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.espn.com/nba/draft2010/index|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170405191638/http://www.espn.com/nba/draft2010/index|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 5, 2017|title=NBA Draft 2010|work=ESPN|access-date=November 30, 2022}}</ref> The draft rights to Reid were traded on draft night to the [[Oklahoma City Thunder]] in exchange for the rights to forward/center [[Magnum Rolle]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/sports/nba/thunder/2010/07/30/oklahoma-city-thunders-ryan-reid-is-the-nbas-non-lebron/61223639007/|title=Oklahoma City Thunder's Ryan Reid is 'The NBA's non-LeBron'|last=Rohde|first=John|work=The Oklahoman|date=July 30, 2010|access-date=November 30, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://latechsports.com/news/2010/9/30/Rolle_Signs_Two_Year_Deal_with_Pacers|title=Rolle Signs Two-Year Deal with Pacers|work=Louisiana Tech University|date=September 30, 2010|access-date=November 30, 2022|location=Ruston}}</ref> The Pacers signed George to his rookie contract on July&nbsp;1, 2010. Stephenson signed a multi-year contract with the team on July&nbsp;22. Just before training camp, Rolle was signed, along with big man [[Lance Allred]]. Both were cut before the regular season began.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wthr.com/article/sports/pacers-waive-rookie-forward-magnum-rolle/531-4e5e2491-10b0-4864-ac51-d09d2fe1874f|title=Pacers waive rookie forward Magnum Rolle|work=WTHR|date=October 25, 2010|access-date=November 30, 2022|location=Indianapolis}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nbcsportsedge.com/basketball/nba/player/29371/lance-allred|title=Lance Allred|last=Wells|first=Mike|date=October 22, 2010|work=NBC Sports|access-date=November 30, 2022}}</ref>

On August 11, 2010, the Pacers acquired guard [[Darren Collison]] and swingman [[James Posey]] from the [[New Orleans Hornets]] in a four-team, five-player deal. [[Troy Murphy]] was dealt to the [[New Jersey Nets]] in that trade.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/434758-nba-trade-what-acquiring-darren-collison-means-for-the-pacers |title=NBA Trade: What Acquiring Darren Collison Means for The Pacers|last=Massey|first=Evan|date=August 13, 2010|work=Bleacher Report}}</ref>

In the [[2010–11 NBA season|2010–11 season]], the team went 2–3 in the first five games. On November&nbsp;9, in a home game against Denver, the team scored 54&nbsp;points in the third quarter alone, shooting 20–21 in the process, on the way to a 144–113 rout of the Nuggets. Led by Mike Dunleavy's 24&nbsp;points in the period, the team set a franchise record for most points in a quarter and was only four points short of the all-time NBA record for points in a quarter (58) set in the 1970s.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/21370/pacers-record-3rd-quarter-sparks-win|title=Pacers record 3rd quarter sparks win|work=ESPN|date=November 10, 2010|access-date=November 30, 2022}}</ref>

[[File:Frank Vogel at NBA Cares charity event February 14 2014 cropped.jpg|alt=Vogel smiling|right|thumb|[[Frank Vogel]] was the Pacers' head coach from 2011 to 2016]]
On January 30, 2011, the Pacers relieved [[Jim O'Brien (basketball, born 1952)|Jim O'Brien]] of his coaching duties and named assistant coach [[Frank Vogel]] interim head coach.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=6074127|title=Pacers dismiss coach Jim O'Brien|work=ESPN|agency=The Associated Press|date=January 31, 2011|access-date=November 30, 2022}}</ref>

With a victory over the [[Washington Wizards]] on April&nbsp;6, 2011, the Pacers [[2011 NBA playoffs|clinched their first playoff berth]] since 2006.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/wizards-get-demolished-by-pacers/2011/04/06/AFcJuHsC_story.html|title=Wizards get demolished by Pacers|last=Lee|first=Michael|newspaper=The Washington Post|location=Indianapolis|date=April 6, 2011|access-date=November 30, 2022}}</ref> In the first round, they were defeated by the No.&nbsp;1 seed Chicago Bulls in five games. Despite a lopsided comparison in terms of the two teams' win–loss records, three of the four Pacers' losses were close, losing games 1–3 by an average of five points.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/2011-nba-eastern-conference-first-round-pacers-vs-bulls.html|title=2011 NBA Eastern Conference First Round Pacers vs. Bulls|publisher=Basketball Reference|access-date=December 1, 2022}}</ref>

The Pacers named Vogel their permanent head coach on July&nbsp;7, 2011.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.slamonline.com/archives/frank-vogel-officially-named-indianas-head-coach/|title=Frank Vogel Officially Named Indiana's Head Coach|last=Riches|first=Tim|date=July 6, 2011|work=Slam|access-date=November 30, 2022 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230308131922/https://www.slamonline.com/archives/frank-vogel-officially-named-indianas-head-coach/ |archive-date= March 8, 2023 }}</ref> They acquired [[George Hill (basketball)|George Hill]] from the [[San Antonio Spurs]] on [[2011 NBA draft|draft night]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nba.com/pacers/news/pacers_acquire_george_hill_fro_2011_06_24.html|title=Pacers Acquire George Hill From Spurs |date=June 24, 2011|access-date=November 30, 2022|publisher=NBA|location=Indianapolis}}</ref> After the lockout, and losing [[Mike Dunleavy Jr.]] to [[NBA free agency|free–agency]], the Pacers signed former two-time All-Star power forward [[David West (basketball)|David West]] to a two-year deal.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/7341777/free-agent-david-west-signs-indiana-pacers|title=David West, Pacers have 2-year deal|work=ESPN|date=December 12, 2011|access-date=December 1, 2022}}</ref> These new players contributed to the Pacers' record of 21–12 at the All-Star break. The Pacers acquired another key piece in [[Leandro Barbosa]] from the [[Toronto Raptors]] at the trade deadline, mid-season.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/7690948/toronto-raptors-deal-leandro-barbosa-indiana-pacers|title=Pacers get Leandro Barbosa|date=March 16, 2012|access-date=November 30, 2022|work=ESPN|agency=The Associated Press|location=Indianapolis}}</ref>

At the end of the [[2011–12 NBA season|2011–12 season]], the team, led in scoring by [[Danny Granger]], clinched the playoffs as the third seed in the Eastern Conference. They finished with a 42–24 record, their best record since their 2003–04 season. On May&nbsp;8, 2012, the Pacers defeated the [[Orlando Magic]] 105–87 to win their first playoff series since 2005 and would go on to play the [[Miami Heat]] in the [[2012 NBA playoffs|Eastern Conference Semifinals]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/2012-nba-eastern-conference-first-round-magic-vs-pacers.html|title=2012 NBA Eastern Conference First Round Magic vs. Pacers|publisher=Basketball Reference|access-date=December 1, 2022}}</ref> On May&nbsp;15, 2012, they defeated Miami to tie the second-round series at 1–1. On May&nbsp;17, they again beat Miami 94–75 to take the series lead 2–1. However, despite a hard-fought series between the two, the Heat won Game&nbsp;6 to close the series at 4–2.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap/_/gameId/320524011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221130133509/https://www.espn.com/nba/recap/_/gameId/320524011|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 30, 2022|title=Dwyane Wade, Heat close out Pacers in six games|work=ESPN|agency=The Associated Press|date=May 25, 2012|access-date=November 30, 2022}}</ref>

The following season, Granger was sidelined by a knee injury and managed only to play five games. Granger made his return during the [[2013–14 Indiana Pacers season|2013–14 season]]; however, he failed to regain his form of the previous seasons. Granger was then traded to the Philadelphia 76ers for wing [[Evan Turner]] and forward [[Lavoy Allen]] in a swap that took place approximately 30&nbsp;minutes before the trade deadline.<ref>{{cite news|title=Pacers Acquire Evan Turner and Lavoy Allen|url=http://www.nba.com/pacers/news/pacers-acquire-evan-turner-and-lavoy-allen|publisher=NBA Media Ventures, LLC|website=Pacers.com|access-date=June 30, 2015}}</ref>