# 1981–82 Indiana Pacers season

The 1981–82 NBA season was Indiana's sixth season in the NBA and 15th season as a franchise.

## Offseason
### Draft picks

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
| 1 | 14 | Herb Williams | C | United States | Ohio State |
| 2 | 36 | Ray Blume | C | United States | Oregon State |
| 2 | 37 | Al Leslie | SG | United States | Bucknell |
| 3 | 60 | Purvis Miller | SF | United States | USC |

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Central Divisionvte | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
| y-Milwaukee Bucks | 55 | 27 | .671 | – | 31–10 | 24–17 | 24–6 |
| x-Atlanta Hawks | 42 | 40 | .512 | 13.0 | 24–17 | 18–23 | 15–14 |
| Detroit Pistons | 39 | 43 | .476 | 16.0 | 23–18 | 16–25 | 19–11 |
| Indiana Pacers | 35 | 47 | .427 | 20.0 | 25–16 | 10–31 | 14–16 |
| Chicago Bulls | 34 | 48 | .415 | 21.0 | 22–19 | 12–29 | 12–17 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 15 | 67 | .183 | 40.0 | 9–32 | 6–35 | 5–25 |
| # | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte | Eastern Conferencevte |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
| 1 | z-Boston Celtics | 63 | 19 | .768 | – |
| 2 | y-Milwaukee Bucks | 55 | 27 | .671 | 8 |
| 3 | x-Philadelphia 76ers | 58 | 24 | .707 | 5 |
| 4 | x-New Jersey Nets | 44 | 38 | .537 | 19 |
| 5 | x-Washington Bullets | 43 | 39 | .524 | 20 |
| 6 | x-Atlanta Hawks | 42 | 40 | .512 | 21 |
| 7 | Detroit Pistons | 39 | 43 | .476 | 24 |
| 8 | Indiana Pacers | 35 | 47 | .427 | 28 |
| 9 | Chicago Bulls | 34 | 48 | .415 | 29 |
| 10 | New York Knicks | 33 | 49 | .402 | 30 |
| 11 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 15 | 67 | .183 | 48 |
    z - clinched division title
    y - clinched division title
    x - clinched playoff spot

### Record vs. opponents

1981-82 NBA Records :
| Team | ATL | BOS | CHI | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | KCK | LAL | MIL | NJN | NYK | PHI | PHO | POR | SAS | SDC | SEA | UTA | WAS |
| Atlanta | — | 1–5 | 2–3 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–4 |
| Boston | 5–1 | — | 4–2 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 6–0 |
| Chicago | 3–2 | 2–4 | — | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–6 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 |
| Cleveland | 2–4 | 0–5 | 1–5 | — | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–6 | 0–6 | 0–6 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–5 |
| Dallas | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | — | 1–5 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 1–1 |
| Denver | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | — | 1–1 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 5–0 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 2–0 |
| Detroit | 4–2 | 0–6 | 6–0 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 |
| Golden State | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 2–3 | 0–2 | — | 1–4 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 3–2 | 5–1 | 1–5 | 3–2 | 1–1 |
| Houston | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 4–1 | — | 2–0 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 6–0 | 2–0 |
| Indiana | 2–4 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | — | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–6 | 4–2 | 3–2 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–5 |
| Kansas City | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 1–1 | — | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 0–5 | 1–5 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 0–2 |
| Los Angeles | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | — | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 5–0 | 2–0 |
| Milwaukee | 3–3 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | — | 4–1 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–2 |
| New Jersey | 2–3 | 1–5 | 4–2 | 6–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–4 | — | 4–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 4–2 |
| New York | 1–5 | 1–5 | 2–3 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 2–4 | — | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–5 |
| Philadelphia | 3–3 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 6–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 5–1 | — | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 6–0 |
| Phoenix | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | — | 3–3 | 4–1 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 3–2 | 1–1 |
| Portland | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 5–0 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | — | 3–2 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 0–2 |
| San Antonio | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 2–3 | — | 3–2 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 |
| San Diego | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 1–5 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 2–3 | — | 1–5 | 1–4 | 0–2 |
| Seattle | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 5–1 | — | 5–0 | 1–1 |
| Utah | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 1–4 | 3–3 | 4–1 | 0–5 | — | 1–1 |
| Washington | 4–2 | 0–6 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 5–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — |

## Game log
### Regular season

1981–82 game log Total: 35–47 (Home: 25–16; Road: 10–31) :
October: 2–0 (home: 1–0; road: 1–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord :
November: 6–8 (home: 3–2; road: 3–6)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
3
November 4
@ Philadelphia
L 99–107
Knight (21)
Bantom (10)
Buse (13)
The Spectrum 11,257
2–1
4
November 6
@ Boston
L 94–111
Owens (16)
Owens (7)
Davis (5)
Boston Garden 15,320
2–2
9
November 15
@ Los Angeles
L 123–124 (2OT)
Owens (26)
Knight (8)
Buse, Davis (7)
The Forum 14,140
4–5
15
November 27
Philadelphia
L 112–124 (OT)
Orr (24)
C Johnson (14)
McGinnis (5)
Market Square Arena 15,613
7–8 :
December: 8–6 (home: 6–3; road: 2–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
17
December 1
Boston
W 90–87
Davis (21)
Williams (10)
Davis, Williams (4)
Market Square Arena 12,634
9–8
21
December 11
@ Milwaukee
23
December 15
Milwaukee
30
December 29
Milwaukee :
January: 3–10 (home: 2–3; road: 1–7)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
37
January 15
Los Angeles
L 92–97
Davis (18)
Williams (16)
Davis (6)
Market Square Arena 11,029
17–20
40
January 20
@ Boston
L 103–112
Knight (20)
Williams (9)
Buse, Davis, C Johnson, Orr (3)
Boston Garden 15,320
18–22
41
January 22
Philadelphia
L 105–112
Williams (22)
C Johnson (12)
Davis (7)
Market Square Arena 11,411
18–23
42
January 23
@ San Antonio
W 107–98
Davis (24)
Orr (11)
Buse (7)
HemisFair Arena 10,236
19–23
All-Star Break :
February: 8–7 (home: 7–3; road: 1–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
44
February 2
Boston
L 105–109
Buse, Orr (18)
Williams (12)
Buse (7)
Market Square Arena 13,435
19–25
48
February 9
@ Milwaukee
49
February 10
@ Philadelphia
L 96–102
Knight (19)
Knight (8)
Buse (5)
The Spectrum 9,292
20–29
52
February 17
Milwaukee
57
February 26
San Antonio
W 108–100
Buse (23)
Owens (9)
Buse (10)
Market Square Arena 8,372
26–31 :
March: 6–9 (home: 4–3; road: 2–6)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
63
March 10
@ Boston
L 100–121
C Johnson (20)
C Johnson (11)
Buse (6)
Boston Garden 15,320
29–34
67
March 19
@ Philadelphia
L 95–112
Knight (22)
C Johnson (18)
Buse (6)
The Spectrum 12,522
30–37 :
April: 2–7 (home: 2–2; road: 0–5)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
75
April 4
@ Milwaukee
79
April 13
Philadelphia
L 89–93
Davis (23)
Knight (10)
McGinnis (7)
Market Square Arena 6,643
34–45 :
1981–82 schedule :

## Player statistics
### Ragular season

| Player | POS | GP | GS | MP | REB | AST | STL | BLK | PTS | MPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Don Buse | PG | 82 | 78 | 2,529 | 223 | 407 | 164 | 27 | 797 | 30.8 | 2.7 | 5.0 | 2.0 | .3 | 9.7 |
| Herb Williams | C | 82 | 75 | 2,277 | 605 | 139 | 53 | 178 | 942 | 27.8 | 7.4 | 1.7 | .6 | 2.2 | 11.5 |
| Johnny Davis | SG | 82 | 70 | 2,664 | 178 | 346 | 76 | 11 | 1,396 | 32.5 | 2.2 | 4.2 | .9 | .1 | 17.0 |
| Billy Knight | SF | 81 | 19 | 1,803 | 257 | 118 | 63 | 14 | 998 | 22.3 | 3.2 | 1.5 | .8 | .2 | 12.3 |
| Louis Orr | SF | 80 | 41 | 1,951 | 331 | 134 | 56 | 26 | 918 | 24.4 | 4.1 | 1.7 | .7 | .3 | 11.5 |
| Clemon Johnson | C | 79 | 42 | 1,979 | 571 | 127 | 60 | 112 | 747 | 25.1 | 7.2 | 1.6 | .8 | 1.4 | 9.5 |
| George McGinnis | PF | 76 | 4 | 1,341 | 398 | 204 | 96 | 28 | 354 | 17.6 | 5.2 | 2.7 | 1.3 | .4 | 4.7 |
| Butch Carter | SG | 75 | 0 | 1,035 | 79 | 60 | 34 | 11 | 442 | 13.8 | 1.1 | .8 | .5 | .1 | 5.9 |
| Tom Owens | PF | 74 | 40 | 1,599 | 372 | 127 | 41 | 37 | 780 | 21.6 | 5.0 | 1.7 | .6 | .5 | 10.5 |
| George L. Johnson | PF | 59 | 4 | 720 | 217 | 40 | 36 | 25 | 300 | 12.2 | 3.7 | .7 | .6 | .4 | 5.1 |
| Jerry Sichting | PG | 51 | 0 | 800 | 55 | 117 | 33 | 1 | 212 | 15.7 | 1.1 | 2.3 | .6 | .0 | 4.2 |
| Mike Bantom$^†$ | SF | 39 | 37 | 1,037 | 214 | 68 | 38 | 24 | 458 | 26.6 | 5.5 | 1.7 | 1.0 | .6 | 11.7 |
| Raymond Townsend | SG | 14 | 0 | 95 | 13 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 35 | 6.8 | .9 | .7 | .2 | .0 | 2.5 |
* $^†$ Denotes player spent time with another team in the season. Stats reflect time with the Pacers only.