Fans remember their former heroes here in this hoops-happy town and those ex-Pacers remember them. The state's official name might be Indiana, but for a basketball player this is Hardwood Heaven. Hoosier country. It's the land of the free throw and the home of the Bird.

And it's why Davis, even while standing in the 2-year-old Conseco Fieldhouse, will always have vivid memories of the old Market Square Arena and special feelings for the city that first welcomed him to the NBA back in the fall of 1993.

"I'll always have special feelings here," Davis said yesterday morning after he and his Raptors teammates sank a few baskets and broke a sweat in preparation for last night's game against the Pacers.

"This is where it all began and I'm very, very happy for the opportunity they gave me to not just play here, but play with some of the best players and coaches around."

Davis was an integral part of some exceptionally good Indiana teams over the course of his early career, squads coached by Larry Brown that featured names such as the aforementioned Smits and Mullin, as well as his namesake, Dale Davis, and, of course, Reggie Miller.