Pacers fire O’Brien, make Vogel interim coach
Head coach Jim O'Brien of the Indiana Pacers. (Dec. 3, 2010) Credit: Getty Images
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Pacers have fired coach Jim O’Brien after failing to make the playoffs each of the past three years and squandering a promising start this season.
Team president Larry Bird announced the firing Sunday, saying: “This isn’t all on Jim. All of us share in the responsibility for where we’re at and where we need to go.”
Assistant coach Frank Vogel will take over the team on an interim basis.
The Pacers went 121-169 under O’Brien and are 17-27 this season, having lost seven of their past eight games. O’Brien was ejected in his final game, a 110-89 loss to Chicago on Saturday.
Vogel has been a scout for the Los Angeles Lakers and Washington Wizards, and also served as an assistant coach for O’Brien in Philadelphia and Boston.
