1970: 1st Championship

After posting a 1969-70 regular season record of 59-25, easily the best in the league, the Pacers glided through the first two rounds of the playoffs losing only one game.

In the Finals they faced the Los Angeles Stars. The Pacers won Game 1 at the State Fairgrounds Coliseum 109-93, and Game 2 -- which was the ABA's first nationally televised playoff game -- 114-111. But in Game 3 the Stars pulled out a 109-106 win, ending Indiana's six-game playoff win streak.

In Game 4, Brown scored 53 points in a 142-120 Pacer victory. He hit 18-of-29 field-goal attempts and 14-of-16 foul shots, while adding 13 rebounds and six assists.

The Pacers came home to Indianapolis for what most assumed would be the final game. About 200 fans greeted the flight, a first. The setup was perfect for the Pacers to win the title at home. Champagne was on ice in the Coliseum locker room, and the CBS cameras were positioned to record the postgame festivities. A crowd of 10,548 was on hand, with the overflow fans paying $1 to stand. But the Pacers lost in overtime 117-113 and had to return to Los Angeles to try again. Game 6 was another shining moment for Brown, who scored 45 points, and hit two free throws with 2 seconds left to clinch a 111-107 victory. He averaged 45.6 points over the final three games of the series.