MIAMI â€" Indiana Pacers president Larry Bird doesn't do a lot of interviews. He prefers to stay in the background and let his players get the attention.
Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE, Steve Mitchell, US Presswire
Indiana Pacers president Larry Bird, standing in the grey jacket, did not appreciate the way his team folded to the Miami Heat in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference semifinals series Tuesday.
Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE, Steve Mitchell, US Presswire
Indiana Pacers president Larry Bird, standing in the grey jacket, did not appreciate the way his team folded to the Miami Heat in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference semifinals series Tuesday.
But when Bird talks, you listen.
That was the case about two hours after the Pacers suffered the worst playoff loss in franchise history â€" 115-83 â€" in Game 5 against the Miami Heat on Tuesday night.
"I can't believe my team went soft," Bird said on the phone. "S-O-F-T. I'm disappointed. I never thought it would happen."
When asked to elaborate on those comments, an obviously frustrated Bird said, "That's all I have to say."
Those are the strongest words I've ever heard Bird say about his team â€" good or bad â€" in my seven-plus years of covering the Pacers.
Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted, "you knew Larry Bird wasn't going to sit this one out."
Bird, who played in 164 playoff games during his Hall of Fame career with the Boston Celtics, sat in his seat at American Airlines Arena fuming as he watched what was once a confident Pacers team early in series get softer as each second went off the clock against the Heat on Tuesday.
As center Roy Hibbert put it, LeBron and Wade were having an "And-1 mix tape out there. They were just dunking, having fun and doing whatever the hell they wanted."
I was watching SportsCenter in my hotel room and lost count how many highlight reel plays from James and Wade that they showed.
Wade and James have run circles around the Pacers in their three victories in the series. It's like somebody's controlling the two All-Stars on the video game NBA Jam. That's how easy it's been for those two.
Danny Granger's sprained left ankle can't be used as the reason behind the Pacers' brutal performance.
They likely weren't going to win with him in the lineup.
His loss just made things even worse for the Pacers.
Granger's injury was the perfect opportunity for Paul George to show he's ready to take the next step.
National television. Against two of the best wing players in the world. And in the playoffs.
Nope, he scored nine points on 2-of-9 shooting in the second half.
I know Heat big men Udonis Haslem and Dexter Pittman like to deliver flagrant fouls (both of those should have been flagrant 2's), but remember when the Pacers used to throw the ball into the post to Hibbert and West?
The two have combined for 36 points in the past two games.
"They knew we were going to pound the ball inside," Frank Vogel said. "That has been a challenge for us all series. They stepped up their defense and put more focus on our inside game. We certainly didn't play well in the second half."
Bird has spoken. Now we'll see if his players respond to being publicly embarrassed â€" on the court and by their president â€" or if they'll curl up in the fetal position in Game 6 on Thursday.
If they do, the Pacers can go ahead and start their summer vacation now to avoid another embarrassing loss.
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