With the Pacers going through a bit of a rough patch, team president Larry Bird expressed his frustration with the team’s players and coach Frank Vogel to Bob Kravitz of the Indianapolis Star. “I’m sort of going to Frank’s side because he’s had so much success by staying positive,” Bird said. “We do have to stay the course. But I also think he’s got to start going after guys when they’re not doing what they’re supposed to do. And stay on them, whether you’ve got to take them out of the game when they’re not doing what they’re supposed to do or limit their minutes. I will say, he hasn’t done that enough.”
More from around the east:
- Bulls management doesn’t regret its deal with Carlos Boozer, as K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune reveals as he answers reader questions in his mailbag column.
- Joakim Noah believes that the Bulls season was saved when D.J. Augustin was acquired in December, but Augustin believes that deal saved his career, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. He cited coach Tom Thibodeau and a locker-room culture that he had never experienced in his five previous NBA seasons as the reason for his turnaround.
- The Hawks were looking like a playoff lock in the weak Eastern Conference until Al Horford‘s season-ending injury. Now, even if the team maintains its hold on the eighth seed they aren’t realistic title contenders, which leaves GM Danny Ferry in a player evaluation mode to see who is in their long-term plans. Nate Duncan of Basketball Insiders analyzes the roster and gives his thoughts on each player’s future with the team.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.