Larry Bird Blames Players For Pacers' Woes, His Players

by Tom Lewis on Mar 11, 2011 9:25 AM EST in Indiana Pacers News

Kobe Bryant wasn't satisfied with his performance in the Lakers' loss to the Heat last night, so after the game he went back to work, putting up shots and putting in the time to work through his struggles.

That's what champions do.

Larry Bird knows all about a champion's work ethic. Unfortunately, the players he's put in a Pacers uniform don't.

The report from Mike Wells today on the internal issues plaguing the Pacers is especially disheartening when juxtaposed with Kobe's post-loss response last night. I've heard grumblings for a couple of weeks about the team starting to take advantage of interim coach Frank Vogel loosening the reins on his players. Practice effort had started to wane and Wells confirms those grumblings today.

Player professionalism is being questioned. Some players have begun arriving for practice just before the scheduled start time. Others constantly joke around during workouts.
The lack of commitment in practice is showing up in games. The Pacers have lost by at least 10 points in five of their past seven defeats.

"You have to have the players behind you and they have to be willing to work hard," Bird said. "I know what's going on; the players know what's going on. We're just not getting the effort."

Bird blames the players and is obviously fed up with several problem children mucking things up inside the locker room, and no I'm not just referencing Lance Stephenson. But no one, from the front office to the coaches to the players escapes scrutiny in this mess. Bird has taken a more active role with the players of late, travelling with the team, and according to a Paul George tweet, offering on-court counsel.

But the mess remains of what once seemed like a move in a positive direction. With the season's goals of improving and making the playoffs right in the palm of their hand, this collection of players can't be bothered to step up and save the sinking ship?

That tells me it's time for a new ship with a new skipper charting a new course.

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Comments

Sigh.

It’s like students pushing a substitute teacher to see how they can get away with. Coaching staff should exercise the benefits of their position and bring some order to the team with an a fist not made of iron but something along the lines of aluminum. Bend a little but don’t break down completely. Letting them have some freedom is reasonable, they’re grown men after all, but you cant’ let them mess around all the time. Otherwise, nothing positive will occur.

by infinityzero.systemerror on Mar 11, 2011 9:39 AM EST reply actions

It's cracking me up how the Kobe extra shooting thing is being reported

One of the Heat bloggers tweeted last night that the American Airlines Arena has a private practice court that’s open to players but not to the media. If it was just about getting some extra work in he could have been in there an no one would have known. I get the sense that whole display was as much about putting on a show for the media and cultivating his image as a relentless worker as it was about actually getting some extra shooting in. It’s exactly the kind of thing I find so distasteful about Kobe.

There are really only two plays: Romeo and Juliet, and put the darn ball in the basket. ~Abe Lemons
Find me at IndyCornrows
and Hickory-High

by Ian Levy on Mar 11, 2011 10:28 AM EST reply actions

I wouldn't care

It’s infinitely better than a bunch of juvenile “wanna-be’s” who don’t give a @#$%. We could actually use an arrogant player who puts in the extra effort because they know they won’t succeed in this league without, and then turns around and demands the same intensity from the rest of the team. that’s what’s wrong with this team; no accountability, no fundamentals (which comes from serious practice), no deep desire to actually play the game to win. I don’t like Kobe much either, but you can’t ignore the player/leader he is and his desire to be great.

by Agent J on Mar 11, 2011 10:52 AM EST up reply actions

These guys get paid a lot of money and all the laziness, bickering, whining is like a slap in the face to all the fans who want to see this team succeed. How are you going to win fans back with that?

And the joking and laughing during actual workouts is like pissing on the fans. Look, I’m all for having fun, but when you are getting beat constantly by more than 10 points a game, how the f*ck you going to make jokes like it’s nothing?

Wow. I just don’t get it. This team has no heart right now and most important, no leader. Just sad that old man Bird has to babysit these players now. A damn legend has to babysit!

by Sparhawk on Mar 11, 2011 11:58 AM EST reply actions

LB isn't cutting it either!

Bird is on the way out – this is obvious now.

At best he was borderline smart and savvy enough to do his job… But now even his supposed strong suit – player evaluation – is now proving inadequate too!

by FortWayneKarl on Mar 11, 2011 12:13 PM EST via mobile up reply actions 1 recs

Dumb

There’s nothing wrong with his player evalution. These guys can play. It is irresponsible to blame anyone but the players for the players lack of desire/hustle/enthusiasm. I understand that a coach will sometimes have to pick his guys up, but for crying out loud, they’re professional basketball players. It all comes down to this for the players: Do you care whether you win or lose? Right now, it doesn’t seem that anyone does.

by TheHawk5 on Mar 11, 2011 1:35 PM EST up reply actions

Dumberer

No heart except for a handful of the players – that’s a key part of player evaluation!

If these guys can’t be self motivated grown-ups, they don’t belong on the roster. Putting losers on the roster is Larry Bird’s fault! The majority of these players are losers, simply in it to cash a check and party while their money lasts or they just don’t have the talent to play well in the NBA… Larry’s job is to evaluate talent and character – and now with whipping boy JOB gone, the players (and by extension LB) have no excuses. 100% chance Larry is gone at the end of this season! Half or more of the roster will be gone too!

I had thought the end of last season was a historic low point for this NBA franchise, but honestly this season is looking worse – the best good news is we have some promising youngsters (whose spirit I hope hasn’t been crushed by Rush and Granger’s cancerous attitudes), we might be in position to draft another Hansbrough, Larry Bird and JOB will be an unpleasant memory, and we’ll finally be rid of several crap contracts, with the option (or not) to buy one or two good players to help turn this sh!t wagon around!!!

by FortWayneKarl on Mar 11, 2011 2:00 PM EST up reply actions

FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!

Tom has officially seen the light. Anyone not named Larry Bird would have been run outta here 3 years ago. Better late than never I guess?

" Tell me something Steve, How does a guy from Puerto Rico loose a ball in the Sun? "

by aaronb on Mar 11, 2011 12:13 PM EST reply actions

Just don't replace Bird with Isiah Thomas..

Please and thankyou :)

by Walter the Wobot on Mar 11, 2011 12:36 PM EST reply actions

Agreed

It would be a lateral move, to only a slight upgrade.

WE NEED TO STRIVE FOR A HUGE IMPROVEMENT!!!!

" Tell me something Steve, How does a guy from Puerto Rico loose a ball in the Sun? "

by aaronb on Mar 11, 2011 12:54 PM EST up reply actions

OK

I have not been happy with Larry but to call Isaiah a slight upgrade is insulting. Jerome James. Jared Jefferies (although I always love an IU guy), Stephan Marbury, Eddy Curry, washed up Steve Francis. etc. etc……

Larry = below average

Isaiah = horrible disaster

Kevin Pritchard = yes??

by Jamison1 on Mar 11, 2011 6:23 PM EST up reply actions

Maybe if he had another couple years at IU under Knight, Isaiah would have been a better person???

by FortWayneKarl on Mar 11, 2011 7:10 PM EST up reply actions

Did LB do something to you in the past?

by infinityzero.systemerror on Mar 12, 2011 10:14 AM EST up reply actions

Besides ruining the Franchise?

" Tell me something Steve, How does a guy from Puerto Rico loose a ball in the Sun? "

by aaronb on Mar 12, 2011 12:34 PM EST up reply actions

Pretty open

I’m pretty open to just about anything right now to get this team on the right track; however, I don’t think everyone should be expendable. PG’s a keeper, Collison has shown enough flashes during his short time in the league that I’d like to see him playing under more favorable circumstances, Hibbert has shown enough development that I think you keep him around, Hansbrough’s the perfect bruising PF off the bench who can spot start. Besides those guys, it’s hard to back up anyone else on the roster. I’ve loved DG and I’ve tried to overlook his seemingly steady regression the last few seasons, but his recent performances along with his absolutely deplorable body language on the court makes you wonder if we’ve seen the best from him in an Indiana uniform. Forget the fans’ perceptions of Granger at this point, what are his perceptions of spending more time with the franchise? He’s not playing like this is where he wants to be any longer.

by Glenn A. on Mar 11, 2011 1:11 PM EST reply actions

Bird should just be damn coach

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xr9ldg2jL3Q&feature=player_detailpage#t=99s

by BenD on Mar 11, 2011 1:26 PM EST reply actions

man

You just cannot teach that. For every larry-basher out there, just remember what badass he is. If someone this composed cannot succeed at being a GM, that should go a long way in telling you how much luck is involved with being a successful NBA GM…

I do think his best spot is on the bench coaching. His killer mentality would set the ultimate example to these wussy, diva players.

by BenD on Mar 11, 2011 1:34 PM EST up reply actions

Larry is a broken down, smoking drunk shell of his former self!

by FortWayneKarl on Mar 11, 2011 2:03 PM EST up reply actions

Managment is a totally different skillset than coaching or playing

It’s akin to expecting a Carpenter to perform Brain Surgery.

Larry’s biggest problem from day one IMHO has been his ego. When he was asked back in 2005 about rebuilding the Pacers his quote was

“I didn’t come here to rebuild anything”

Being a franchise builder is about taking an honest look at the hand you are holding and making the best decision with it over the long haul. Unfortunately Larry had to shoot for .500 each and every year. Future be damned. Be it Earl Watson, Travis Diener, Flip Murray, Danthay Jones, Jarrett Jack or DunMurphy. It was forward at every direction.

I only wonder what has been offered for guys like Foster, TJ Ford, Murphy, Granger, Tinsley, Artest, JO, SJAX, etc. over the years? I bet there has been some offers on the table that would make you sick that we passed on?

" Tell me something Steve, How does a guy from Puerto Rico loose a ball in the Sun? "

by aaronb on Mar 11, 2011 2:24 PM EST up reply actions

A mystery

I’ve closely watched the past few games… and I can’t imagine what the heck the problem is. How do you go from such an enthusiastic winning spree… being able to compete with the best…. to getting manhandled by the worst?

- Is it Lance disrupting things? How could a 20 yr old rookie disrupt 10 other guys?
- Was it the potential trade? I could see maybe one game, but it’s not like Rush and McRoberts contribute any emotion anyway.
- Maybe the offense is so predictable that opposing coaches have completely figured it out. Vogel and his staff can’t have a very complicated game plan.

Personally I think Darren Collison is a major reason for this funk. When you have a guy who is playing as bad as he is… allowed to still run the team… that will take it’s toll, but is that enough to cause them to play like they are now collectively?

This is tough slump to figure out, but there is some time left. Either way, expect major changes this offseason. I don’t think anybody is safe at this point other than Hansbrough, George, Hibbert and Price. I think at this point Granger is gone while he has some value. So will be Rush. The Lance experiment probably has ended (too bad he’s so arrogant), and the bit players will get shuffled. DC will probably get another year, but if he continues playing like this, it can’t last long… right? A DG/DC package will look real nice to some teams.

I wouldn’t mind keeping Granger, but you need other pieces. I Also hope we re-sign Dunleavy. For the right price he’s very valuable. I wish McRoberts realized he has talent and would lift weights and get a jump shot, but he’ll probably want more money than we would be willing to give. Foster will likely be back. He’s also very valuable for the money.

I know the 2011 free agent class is weak, so maybe we have to depend on a trade or two… I’m not smart enough to figure that out. Maybe we resign some of these guys as cheap as possible and then trade them off?

Who can say how to fix this mystery of a team? Maybe Larry does need to coach again!

by Funkerdown on Mar 11, 2011 2:14 PM EST reply actions