Conflicts and brawls are nothing new in the NBA. However, they're not always as spontaneous and disorganized as they look when they happen. When you think of blue-collar physicality, which franchise comes to mind? For many old-school NBA fans, the Indiana Pacers are at the top of the list. In the 1990s, Pacers games often featured spirited defense, tough shot-making, and a few swings.
Pacers legend Reggie Miller recently revealed the ethical guidelines his team adhered to regarding on-court altercations. In a candid podcast discussion with his former teammate Mark Jackson, the Hall of Famer recounted the team's unwritten rules about fights.
"We had a motto," Miller explained on The Mark Jackson Show. "If you got into a scrap or a fight… You couldn't fight anyone that was smaller than you. So, I'm 6 '7 so I couldn't take a swing on someone who was like 6' 2 or 6' 3. You could only fight someone your same level or up."
Have your man's back
Miller's revelation offers a glimpse into the old Indiana locker room culture and highlights how ethical considerations can shape even the most heated moments in sports. He shared an incident from a game against Sacramento, illustrating the team's unique code — that infamous brawl between the Kings and the Pacers in 1995. With 2:43 left in the third quarter, Indiana's Dale Davis committed a hard foul on Sacramento's Bobby Hurley, sparking an intense confrontation. Hurley's teammate, Michael Smith, quickly intervened, and the situation escalated into a physical showdown.
Recounting the game against the Kings, the former Pacer shared how he and Jackson were on the bench when their teammate Davis got caught up in the brawl, which led to both benches clearing out.
"We also had a thing like, you better not be holding one of us back," continued Miller. You got to hold them back. Don't hold your own teammate. You get in there and hold them or take a swing because if you don't take a swing then we're going to handle it in our locker room later on too. So it's a full-on fight and you've got to leave the bench and if you leave the bench you get fined but team camaraderie."
Miller recalls that he and Jackson, uncertain about whom to fight against, joined the fray purely out of loyalty to their teammates, as it turned into a real dogfight.
Ignoring the consequences
That game saw Sarunas Marciulionis score 13 points as he led the Kings to a 119-95 victory over the Pacers, marking Sacramento's fifth consecutive win of the season. It was Indiana's second consecutive loss to their Western Conference rival.
In the aftermath, the NBA suspended 16 players involved in the melee—the largest number ever suspended for a single incident. Davis and Sacramento's Michael Smith received the most severe penalties, each facing a two-game suspension without pay and $20,000 fines. Thirteen other players, including "The Knicks Killer," were penalized with one-game suspensions and $2,500 fines for leaving the bench areas during the fight.
Their action that night showed that the Pacers had a strong culture during brawls — reminiscent of the infamous "Malice at the Palace" brawl that occurred nine years later during a game between the Pacers and the Detroit Pistons at the Palace of Auburn Hills on November 19, 2004. That altercation involving players and fans led to significant fines and suspensions and was labeled as one the ugliest brawls in NBA history — it was the largest, too, as it left players with over $11 million in fines and numerous game suspensions.
Related: Reggie Miller shares why he truly hates the Knicks: "They think they are God’s gift to basketball"
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