Domantas Sabonis played 5 seasons with the Pacers, finding himself on this list in 3 of those, back-to-back-to-back.
The Pacers have spent 50 seasons as an NBA franchise, and although some of their most well-known current and former players are guards, that doesn’t mean they haven’t been home to some of the league’s most effective rebounders, either. Below, we’ll take a look at five of the best single-season per-game rebounding performances in the team’s history.
Domantas Sabonis, 2019-20, 12.4 RPG
Sabonis has been one of the premier rebounders in the NBA for the last several years, including leading the league in rebounds per game in each of the last three seasons. So, it’s no surprise the big man is featured early and often on this list. Sabonis’ top mark in Indiana happened in his third season with the squad, as part of his first of three All-Star campaigns. His 12.4 per game mark was good for fifth in the league that season, while he also averaged 18.5 points and 5.0 assists per game.
Domantas Sabonis, 2021-22, 12.1 RPG
This was Sabonis’ final season in Indiana; in fact, he was moved to Sacramento at the trade deadline in a deal that brought Tyrese Haliburton to the Pacers. Despite being dealt, he was still the team’s leading rebounder, while his 12.1 per game average earned him the third-highest mark in the league. He rounded out his stat sheet, averaging 18.9 points and 5.0 assists per game across 47 appearances, before going to Sacramento, where he appeared in 15 contests, averaging 18.9 points, 5.2 assists and 12.3 rebounds.
Domantas Sabonis, 2020-21, 12.0 RPG
Sabonis’ 2020-21 season may have been the all-around best of his five years in Indiana. Not only did he finish fourth, by averaging 12.0 rebounds per game, he scored what remains a career high 20.3 points, while averaging 6.7 assists. His performance also earned him his second career appearance in the All-Star Game that year. This wound up being his final full season in Indiana.
Troy Murphy, 2008-09, 11.8 RPG
Murphy’s career started in Golden State after he was taken with the 14th selection in the 2001 NBA Draft. In 2007, a midseason trade brought him to the Pacers, where he arguably had the three most individually successful seasons of his 12-year career. Murphy’s 11.8 rebounds per game were second to Dwight Howard in 2009, while his 9.8 defensive rebounds per contest led the Association. He also flourished offensively this season, averaging 14.3 points, a career-best 2.4 assists and shot 45% from three on 4.9 attempts per game.
Dale Davis, 1993-94, 10.9 RPG
Davis only averaged double-digit rebounds once in his career and did so in his third NBA season. He also averaged a career high of 11.7 points per game in this campaign. The Clemson product was the Pacers’ No. 13 pick in the 1991 NBA Draft and spent the first nine seasons of his career in Indiana. During that time, Davis was a formidable member of the frontcourt, sharing time with Pacers greats like Rik Smits and Antonio Davis (no relation), and made the All-Star team in 2000. His son, Trayce Jackson-Davis, is currently on the Golden State Warriors.
