[1] During the off-season, the Pacers signed free agents Ricky Pierce and Eddie Johnson.
[2][3][4] The team struggled with a 6–8 start to the season, as Rik Smits missed 19 games with an ankle injury.
[5][6][7] The Pacers were also involved in a brawl in a 119–95 home loss to the Sacramento Kings on November 10, 1995, with a total of 16 players, eight from each team suspended.
[23][24][25] However, during the final month of the regular season, Miller suffered an eye socket injury.
[26][27][28][29] Without Miller, the Pacers struggled in the Eastern Conference First Round of the playoffs against the 6th-seeded Atlanta Hawks; Pierce, who usually played a sixth man role off the bench, became the team's starting shooting guard in Miller's absence.