Last Updated on September 17, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

League Search Page > NBA > Indiana Pacers > Roster & Statistics

The 1977–78 Indiana Pacers leaned heavily on Billy Knight as their primary offensive weapon, with Tom Owens providing dependable interior scoring and rebounding. Don Buse orchestrated the offence while also making a major defensive impact through his ball pressure, and Alex English added versatile scoring support. Indiana’s statistical profile reflected a balanced attack built on playmaking and rebounding, though inconsistent overall efficiency limited the team’s ability to translate production into sustained success.

Roster

NO. PLAYER NAME POS HT WT BIRTH DATE COLLEGE
1 Ron Behagen PF 6-9 185 January 14, 1951 Minnesota
4 Adrian Dantley SF 6-5 208 February 28, 1955 Notre Dame
7 Bobby Wilson SG 6-3 175 January 15, 1951 Wichita State
8 Willie Smith PG 6-2 170 October 26, 1953 Missouri
9 Mel Bennett PF 6-7 200 January 4, 1955 Pitt
14 Ricky Sobers PG 6-3 198 January 15, 1953 UNLV
21 Johnny Neumann SG 6-6 200 September 11, 1951 Ole Miss
23 John Williamson SG 6-2 185 November 10, 1951 New Mexico State
24 Steve Green SF 6-7 220 October 4, 1953 Indiana
30 Bob Carrington SG 6-6 195 July 3, 1953 Boston College
32 Dan Roundfield PF 6-8 205 May 26, 1953 Central Michigan University
40 James Edwards C 7-1 252 November 22, 1955 Washington
40 Dave Robisch C 6-10 235 December 22, 1949 Kansas
41 Len Elmore C 6-9 220 March 28, 1952 Maryland
42 Mike Bantom SF 6-9 200 December 3, 1951 Saint Joseph’s
43 Earl Tatum SG 6-5 185 July 26, 1953 Marquette
44 Mike Flynn PG 6-2 180 July 31, 1953 Kentucky

Regular Season Per Game

PLR POS AGE GP GS MIN PTS REB AST STL BLK TOV FGA FGM FG% 3PA 3PM 3P% FTA FTM FT%
Adrian Dantley SF 22 23 23 41.2 26.5 9.4 2.8 2.1 0.7 2.9 17.5 8.7 .499 – – – 11.4 9.0 .787
John Williamson SG 26 42 38 34.5 19.1 2.9 3.1 1.1 0.0 3.0 18.9 8.0 .421 – – – 3.8 3.2 .832
Ricky Sobers PG 25 79 79 38.2 18.2 4.1 7.4 2.2 0.3 4.5 15.5 7.0 .453 – – – 5.1 4.2 .825
James Edwards C 22 58 52 29.0 15.4 7.5 1.0 0.6 0.9 1.9 13.4 6.0 .450 – – – 5.1 3.3 .649
Mike Bantom SF 26 82 78 33.8 15.3 7.4 2.9 1.2 0.6 2.7 12.8 6.1 .479 – – – 4.2 3.1 .743
Earl Tatum SG 24 57 40 32.6 14.4 3.6 4.0 1.8 0.5 2.3 13.6 6.3 .462 – – – 2.4 1.9 .788
Dan Roundfield PF 24 79 60 30.7 13.4 10.2 2.5 1.0 1.9 2.5 10.9 5.3 .489 – – – 3.8 2.8 .727
Ron Behagen PF 27 51 10 22.2 11.2 6.5 1.3 0.6 0.4 2.2 10.7 4.4 .408 – – – 3.5 2.5 .727
Dave Robisch C 28 23 18 26.0 8.5 7.5 2.1 0.9 0.7 1.5 7.9 3.2 .403 – – – 2.8 2.2 .781
Len Elmore C 25 69 6 19.2 5.4 6.1 1.2 1.1 1.0 1.1 5.6 2.1 .368 – – – 1.9 1.3 .667
Bob Carrington SG 24 35 1 17.7 7.1 1.8 1.8 0.6 0.3 1.5 5.6 2.7 .487 – – – 2.1 1.7 .784
Mike Flynn PG 24 71 4 13.5 4.2 1.6 2.0 0.6 0.1 1.1 3.8 1.7 .449 – – – 1.4 0.8 .567
Johnny Neumann SG 26 20 1 10.8 4.2 0.7 1.4 0.3 0.1 1.1 4.3 1.8 .407 – – – 0.9 0.7 .722
Steve Green SF 24 44 0 10.2 3.4 1.6 0.7 0.3 0.0 0.5 2.9 1.3 .438 – – – 1.3 0.9 .696
Bobby Wilson SG 27 12 0 7.2 2.5 1.0 0.7 0.2 0.1 0.5 3.0 1.2 .389 – – – 0.3 0.2 .667
Mel Bennett PF 23 31 0 9.2 2.4 3.0 0.7 0.4 0.2 1.0 2.6 0.7 .284 – – – 1.5 0.9 .622
Willie Smith PG 24 1 0 7.0 0.0 1.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 – – – – 0.0 0.0 –
Team Totals     82 82 241.8 108.6 48.9 24.2 9.9 5.6 20.0 94.9 42.7 .450 – – – 31.3 23.2 .743

Regular Season Totals

PLR POS AGE GP GS MIN PTS REB AST STL BLK TOV FGA FGM FG% 3PA 3PM 3P% FTA FTM FT%
Ricky Sobers PG 25 79 79 3019 1436 327 584 170 23 352 1221 553 .453 – – – 400 330 .825
Mike Bantom SF 26 82 78 2775 1258 610 238 100 50 218 1047 502 .479 – – – 342 254 .743
Dan Roundfield PF 24 79 60 2423 1060 802 196 81 149 194 861 421 .489 – – – 300 218 .727
James Edwards C 22 58 52 1682 892 435 56 37 50 112 777 350 .450 – – – 296 192 .649
Earl Tatum SG 24 57 40 1859 822 205 226 103 30 131 773 357 .462 – – – 137 108 .788
John Williamson SG 26 42 38 1449 804 120 132 47 0 127 795 335 .421 – – – 161 134 .832
Len Elmore C 25 69 6 1327 372 420 80 74 71 73 386 142 .368 – – – 132 88 .667
Ron Behagen PF 27 51 10 1131 572 333 65 32 19 113 544 222 .408 – – – 176 128 .727
Mike Flynn PG 24 71 4 955 295 117 142 41 10 75 267 120 .449 – – – 97 55 .567
Adrian Dantley SF 22 23 23 948 609 216 65 48 17 67 403 201 .499 – – – 263 207 .787
Bob Carrington SG 24 35 1 621 250 62 62 22 11 52 197 96 .487 – – – 74 58 .784
Dave Robisch C 28 23 18 598 196 173 48 20 15 34 181 73 .403 – – – 64 50 .781
Steve Green SF 24 44 0 449 151 71 30 14 2 23 128 56 .438 – – – 56 39 .696
Johnny Neumann SG 26 20 1 216 83 14 27 6 1 22 86 35 .407 – – – 18 13 .722
Mel Bennett PF 23 31 0 285 74 93 22 11 7 30 81 23 .284 – – – 45 28 .622
Bobby Wilson SG 27 12 0 86 30 12 8 2 1 6 36 14 .389 – – – 3 2 .667
Willie Smith PG 24 1 0 7 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 – – – – 0 0 –
Team Totals     82 82 19830 8904 4010 1982 808 456 1629 7783 3500 .450 – – – 2564 1904 .743

HeatingUp Impact Index: Team Impact Spotlight

Player Name Role Tier MPG Usage Tier PPG RPG APG STK (SPG+BPG) Impact Index* Notes Awards
Adrian Dantley Primary Scorer / Stretch Forward 41.2 High Usage 26.5 9.4 2.8 2.8 20.75 Led the team in scoring despite limited games; efficient offense and strong rebounding for a forward.  Rookie of the Year (prior season) 
Ricky Sobers Primary Ball‑Handler / Lead Guard 38.2 High Usage 18.2 4.1 7.4 2.5 16.1 Team’s main playmaker; led in assists and contributed strong defensive activity.  —
Dan Roundfield Defensive Anchor / Versatile Forward 30.7 Medium Usage 13.4 10.2 2.5 2.9 14.5 Led the team in rebounding; versatile defender with steals and blocks.  —
Mike Bantom Two‑Way Wing / Secondary Scorer 33.8 Medium Usage 15.3 7.4 2.9 1.8 13.7 Durable all‑season contributor; balanced scoring and rebounding.  —
John Williamson Secondary Scorer / Combo Guard 34.5 Medium Usage 19.1 2.9 3.1 1.1 13.05 Provided scoring punch off the guard spot; reliable secondary option.  —
James Edwards Starting Center / Interior Scorer 29.0 Medium Usage 15.4 7.5 1.0 1.5 12.7 Key inside presence; combined scoring with rebounding and rim protection.  —
Earl Tatum Rotation Wing / 3‑Level Threat 32.6 Medium Usage 14.4 3.6 4.0 2.3 12.15 Provided perimeter scoring and steals; versatile wing option.  —
Dave Robisch Bench Big / Depth Center 26.0 Low Usage 8.5 7.5 2.1 1.6 9.85 Provided rebounding and occasional offense in limited minutes.  —
Ron Behagen Role Player / Backup Big 22.2 Low-Medium Usage 11.2 6.5 1.3 1.0 9.55 Contributed modest scoring and rebounding in limited minutes. —
Len Elmore Backup Big / Defensive Substitute 19.2 Low Usage 5.4 6.1 1.2 2.1 7.4 Defensive energy and rebounding off the bench.  —
Bob Carrington Bench Wing / Spot Minutes 17.7 Low Usage 7.1 1.8 1.8 0.9 5.3 Limited minutes; occasional scoring and perimeter defense.  —
Mike Flynn Backup Guard / Change‑of‑Pace 13.5 Low Usage 4.2 1.6 2.0 0.7 4.25 Provided occasional minutes to relieve starters; modest playmaking.  —
Johnny Neumann Deep Bench Wing / Garbage Time 10.8 Low Usage 4.2 0.7 1.4 0.4 3.35 Sparse minutes; minimal impact beyond mop-up situations.  —
Mel Bennett Deep Bench Forward / Reserve Big 9.2 Very Low Usage 2.4 3.0 0.7 0.6 3.35 Rarely used; bottom-of-rotation big. —
Bobby Wilson Deep Bench Guard / Rare Minutes 7.2 Very Low Usage 2.5 1.0 0.7 0.3 2.75 Very limited role; mostly garbage-time appearances.  —
Steve Green Deep Bench Wing / Spot Minutes 10.2 Low Usage 3.4 1.6 0.7 0.3 2.55 Minimal usage; limited impact.  —
Willie Smith Minimal Contributor / Brief Appearance 7.0 Very Low Usage 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 1.0 Played in only one game; no substantive contributions.  —