When was the last time the Indiana Pacers played in a conference final and what happened?

The Indiana Pacers have finally made a triumphant return to the Eastern Conference finals after an agonizing ten-year absence. Their last appearance was in 2014, and since then, they struggled to win any playoff series. This year, however, they’ve broken the dry spell and are poised for a shot at the title of Kings of the East.

2014 NBA Eastern Conference finals

In the preseason, one year after stepping down, Larry Bird returned as president of basketball operations. Donnie Walsh, who was brought back to hold the position for Bird, was named a consultant for the Pacers. In the 2013 NBA draft, the Pacers selected Solomon Hill with the 23rd overall pick. During the 2013 off-season, the Pacers prioritized strengthening their bench, resulting in the acquisitions of point guard C. J. Watson and forwards Chris Copeland and Luis Scola, the latter being acquired via trade with the Phoenix Suns.

The 2013–14 season saw the Pacers jump to an explosive first half of the season, as they started the season 33–7 thanks to the rise of Paul George and Lance Stephenson. On January 14, 2014, Vogel was named the Eastern Conference head coach for the 2014 NBA All-Star Game. Paul George and Roy Hibbert were selected for the All-Star Game. The Pacers signed two-time NBA champion and 2012 All-Star Andrew Bynum for the remainder of the season. However, after the All-Star Break, the Pacers collapsed. After starting the season 40–11, the Pacers crashed and stumbled to a 16–15 finish, with rumors of fighting in the locker room being a potential cause for the meltdown. Regardless, they managed to hold onto their first seed in the East, finishing the season with a 56–26 record.

The Pacers started the playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks, defeating them in seven games. The Pacers defeated Washington in 6 games in the semifinals, then had a rematch with the second-seeded and defending champion Miami in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Pacers surprised many critics, taking Game 1 in the Eastern Conference Finals with a score of 107–95. Unfortunately, the Pacers lost the next three to the Heat before avoiding elimination in Game 5 with a close win over the Heat. The game was notable for the infamous incident where Lance Stephenson blew into LeBron James’ ear. Despite the win, the Pacers were eliminated in Game 6 by the Miami Heat for the third straight year.