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INDIANAPOLIS -- In each of his first four professional seasons, Jay Huff started the year on two-way contracts that prevented him from playing more than 50 NBA games in a season. The center didn't come close to hitting those limits as he played in a combined 31 NBA games in his first three years.
Last season his two-way deal with Memphis was converted to a standard contract in October just a few games into the season but even then he played in just 64 games.
So it was particularly meaningful to Huff that in the first season he spent entirely on an NBA standard contract he played in all 82. When the regular season's final day passed Sunday, Huff was one of just 18 players in the league who appeared in every game. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle presented him with a trophy in the locker room for the achievement.
"It is something I'm proud of," Huff said after the Pacers' 133-121 loss to the Pistons in the season finale. "It's difficult to do and it makes you appreciate guys who have done it before. Looking at guys who do this consistently, it's tough to do. It's a long season. I'm proud of it. Happy that we made it through and we got a lot out of it."
It particularly stood out in a season that for the Pacers was so defined by injuries. The Pacers used 27 players in regular season games and had 48 starting lineups in 82 games because there was so much tumult. Their franchise player, All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, missed the whole season with an Achilles tendon tear. Forward Johnny Furphy saw his season end with an ACL tear in February, forward Obi Toppin missed four months with a stress fracture in his right foot and center Ivica Zubac fractured a rib after just six games following a trade from the Clippers.
Huff, meanwhile, was never listed as worse than questionable on an injury report with a late December ankle sprain and even that didn't last long. The only other Pacers player who played in more than 70 games was forward Jarace Walker with 76. Guard Ben Sheppard was third with 65. Neither one was available for Sunday's season finale. Just six Pacers players -- the other three being Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell -- played more than 50 games.
"It was one of those years where it was tough," Huff said. "It was just one of those years you can't control. A lot of guys getting hurt. It was obviously nice to avoid that. It was a very interesting year. ... It felt good to try to be as consistent as I can."
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Last season his two-way deal with Memphis was converted to a standard contract in October just a few games into the season but even then he played in just 64 games.
So it was particularly meaningful to Huff that in the first season he spent entirely on an NBA standard contract he played in all 82. When the regular season's final day passed Sunday, Huff was one of just 18 players in the league who appeared in every game. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle presented him with a trophy in the locker room for the achievement.
"It is something I'm proud of," Huff said after the Pacers' 133-121 loss to the Pistons in the season finale. "It's difficult to do and it makes you appreciate guys who have done it before. Looking at guys who do this consistently, it's tough to do. It's a long season. I'm proud of it. Happy that we made it through and we got a lot out of it."
It particularly stood out in a season that for the Pacers was so defined by injuries. The Pacers used 27 players in regular season games and had 48 starting lineups in 82 games because there was so much tumult. Their franchise player, All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, missed the whole season with an Achilles tendon tear. Forward Johnny Furphy saw his season end with an ACL tear in February, forward Obi Toppin missed four months with a stress fracture in his right foot and center Ivica Zubac fractured a rib after just six games following a trade from the Clippers.
Huff, meanwhile, was never listed as worse than questionable on an injury report with a late December ankle sprain and even that didn't last long. The only other Pacers player who played in more than 70 games was forward Jarace Walker with 76. Guard Ben Sheppard was third with 65. Neither one was available for Sunday's season finale. Just six Pacers players -- the other three being Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell -- played more than 50 games.
"It was one of those years where it was tough," Huff said. "It was just one of those years you can't control. A lot of guys getting hurt. It was obviously nice to avoid that. It was a very interesting year. ... It felt good to try to be as consistent as I can."
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