INDIANAPOLIS – Roy Hibbert scored 26 points as the Indiana Pacers beat the Boston Celtics 107-100 on Monday night and remained in sole possession of eighth place in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Danny Granger scored 18 points and Darren Collison added 17 for the Pacers.

Boston point guard Rajon Rondo started after missing Sunday’s game against Minnesota with a jammed finger on his right hand. Coach Doc Rivers said before the game that Rondo would not play, but Rondo scored 10 points in the first 5:10 and finished with 22 points and eight assists.

Paul Pierce led Boston with 23 points, and Glen Davis added 20 for the Celtics, who are fading in their quest to catch Chicago for the best record in the East.

The Celtics shot 4 for 14 in the fourth quarter, and have lost seven of their last 12.

The Pacers entered a game ahead of Charlotte and two games ahead of Milwaukee for the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Charlotte beat Milwaukee on Monday, so the Pacers remained a game ahead of Charlotte and extended their lead over Milwaukee to three games.

Monday’s game was tied in the fourth quarter before the Pacers made a run. Collison scored on a short jumper in the lane, then Hibbert found a cutting Brandon Rush to give Indiana a 98-94 lead. Collison then stole the ball from Rondo near halfcourt, and the 6-foot point guard went up for an emphatic two-handed dunk to put the Pacers ahead 100-94. A putback by Hibbert pushed Indiana’s lead to eight with 3:52 to play.

Boston hung close, but Collison made a fadeaway jumper with 1:16 left, then made a driving layup with 34.4 seconds remaining to give Indiana a 106-100 lead.

Boston led 31-23 when Rivers sat Rondo for a rest. Indiana then went on a 14-4 run to take a 37-35 lead early in the second quarter.

Kevin Garnett was called for his third foul with 5:51 left in the second quarter, and starting center Nenad Krstic was already out with three fouls. Indiana took advantage and took a 57-49 lead at halftime. Hibbert had 19 points before the break. Indiana shot 60 percent, while Boston was at 59 percent in the first half.

A 3-point play by Hibbert early in the second half pushed Indiana’s lead to 67-57, but Boston responded with an 8-2 run. A jumper by Ray Allen cut Indiana’s lead to 69-65 and caused the Pacers to call timeout. The Celtics made six of their first seven shots in the second half.

Allen hit a 3-pointer to put Boston up 72-71 with 5:04 left in the third quarter, and the Celtics extended their lead to 85-81 at the end of the period.

Notes: Hibbert scored 13 points in the first quarter on 6-for-7 shooting. … Former Pacers Jermaine O’Neal and Troy Murphy were inactive for the Celtics. O’Neal was out with a sore left knee, while Murphy missed the game with a sprained right ankle.

INDIANAPOLIS — Dwyane Wade dominated the first half, LeBron James and Chris Bosh took over in the fourth quarter and the Miami Heat’s star power overcame Indiana’s youth and determination.

Wade tied a franchise record for most points in a first half with 31, and he finished with 41 to help the Heat defeat the Pacers 110-103 on Tuesday night.

James scored 27 points and Bosh added 22 points and eight rebounds for Miami. They combined for 19 of Miami’s 28 points in the final 12 minutes to help the Heat recover after squandering a 24-point lead.

“We’re one of the best fourth-quarter teams in the league,” Wade said. “With the caliber players that we have, especially myself and Chris and LeBron, we’re able to run the full-court offense, get good shots, high percentage shots.”

Wade also finished with 12 rebounds for the Heat.

“It was amazing,” James said. “That’s part of the reason why he’s D-Wade. We saw him get going early and we just kept giving him the ball. It was an unbelievable first quarter and an unbelievable first half in itself.”

Miami held Indiana to 6-for-23 shooting in the fourth quarter.

“Our fourth-quarter defense is tremendous,” James said. “When it’s winning time, we know how to get stops.”

Roy Hibbert scored 18 points and Tyler Hansbrough added 16 for the Pacers. Indiana has won seven of nine under interim coach Frank Vogel, with both losses coming against the Heat.

Miami led 41-17 late in the first quarter, but Indiana rallied and led early in the fourth quarter.

“I’m proud of our guys,” Vogel said. “This is what I’m talking about when I talk about smashmouth basketball, blood and guts, never quitting. All heart, all hustle.”

None of those things were enough.

James threw the ball off the backboard, caught it with one hand and dunked to give Miami a 93-91 lead with six minutes to play. James converted a basket in close over the 7-foot-2 Hibbert, then scored on a tip-in to push Miami’s lead to 99-94, and the Heat led the rest of the way.

Wade dominated Mike Dunleavy for 16 points in the first 5:05 of the game. When Vogel finally switched the matchup and brought in rookie Paul George, Wade splashed a jumper in George’s face seconds after he entered. Wade finished the period with 22 points, the most he has scored in a quarter this season. One of his baskets was a jumper from behind the backboard.

Miami led 41-19 at the end of the quarter. It was the most points the Heat have scored in a quarter and their highest point differential in a quarter this season.

The Pacers went to their bench and flipped the script. Led by Hansbrough, the Pacers shot 64 percent in the second quarter. Indiana outscored the Heat 35-17 in the period and trailed 58-54 at halftime.

“We got smacked in the mouth pretty hard, repeatedly,” Hibbert said. “First quarter was pretty tough. I didn’t think we were all tuned in together, ready to play, but the second unit came out — they really got us back in the game.”

Miami wasn’t pleased with the second quarter.

“For us, it’s about that one quarter that we have, in the first, second, or the third, which we have mental lapses,” he said. “We have to figure that out.”

Miami led 64-58 when George made a 3-pointer. Collison stole the inbounds pass, and Danny Granger made a 3-pointer to tie it with 8:33 left in the third quarter. The Pacers took a 73-68 lead when George made three free throws after getting fouled on a 3-pointer with 5:33 left in the third quarter.

Miami regained the lead with a 6-0 run, and the advantage seesawed through the rest of the quarter. Hansbrough hit a mid-range jumper as time expired in the third quarter to give the Pacers an 83-82 lead.

Indiana gained confidence during the close call.

“The rest of the season, we’re coming,” Hibbert said. “We’re not backing down. We’re not having any lackadaisical games. We’re on the prowl. We’re hungry.”

Notes

• Miami shot 71 percent in the first quarter and outrebounded the Pacers 15-6.
• Pacers G Brandon Rush returned after missing 10 straight games with a sprained right ankle.
• Miami C Erick Dampier was called for a technical foul with 1:05 left in the 2nd quarter.
• Indiana had its fifth sellout of the season.
• Indiana has scored at least 100 points in every game since Vogel took over.

14 days ago: Indiana Pacers assistant coach Frank Vogel talks to the media after being named interim coach, after it was announced that head coach Jim O’Brien was fired, during a news conference at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Sunday, Jan. 30, 2011. (AP Photo/Tom Strattman)

By Brad Wells – Editor

Read More: Mike Dunleavy (G – IND), Danny Granger (F – IND), Dahntay Jones (G – IND), Josh McRoberts (F – IND), Roy Hibbert (C – IND), Tyler Hansbrough (F – IND), Darren Collison (G – IND), A.J. Price (G – IND), Frank Vogel (A – IND), Antonio Davis (C – NYK), Indiana Pacers, Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Lakers

Follow , and Like SB Nation Indiana on Facebook.

Feb 13, 2011 - The Indiana Pacers were ten games under .500 three weeks ago. Their season was spiraling completely out of control, and the prospect of missing the playoffs for the fifth straight year in a very weak Eastern Conference looked very likely. They’d lost four games on the road, and were embarrassed at home against the Magic. Players like Roy Hibbert had lost their confidence while point guard Darren Collison was questioning his role with the team in coach Jim O’Brien’s often confusing offense.

Thus, supposedly against the wishes of team president Larry Bird, owner Herb Simon demanded O’Brien be fired, which he was.

Enter, Frank Vogel, interim head coach.

Since Vogel took over, the Pacers have gone on two winning streaks (4-0 to start, 3-0 recently). Players who seemed to be permanently in O’Brien’s doghouse, like Roy Hibbert, Darren Collison, and Dahntay Jones, have been huge contributors in Indiana’s impressive record since the firing. It’s safe to say that if one wants to point a finger at the Pacers problem (singular) for 2010-2011, it was O’Brien. The team had tuned him out, and for good reason. O’Brien’s coaching record since his ‘glory’ days with the Celtics back in the early-2000s is pretty dismal.

There are many reasons why O’Brien failed to win in Indy. Chief among them was the soul-sucking vortex of negativity that seemed to ooze out of his every pore. It’s one thing for a columnist or a fan to have negative feelings about a team. A coach must always keep things positive, especially if the team is young (like the Pacers).

The youthful, positive vibe that interim-coach Frank Vogel has brought to the Pacers has helped them save their season. Knowing this, we at SB Nation Indiana are presenting our Top Five things we like about Frank Vogel as Indiana Pacers coach:

No. 5: Consistent Rotations

Nothing infuriates Indiana basketball fans more than coaches who like to ‘tinker’ with rotations. Basketball is not a complicated game. The five best players at their position start the game and, in all likelihood, play the most minutes. A bench of three or four key contributors helps spell the starters and, hopefully, provides a spark when the team needs it most. Identifying the roles of each player, and sticking to those roles, is critical for any team to win consistently.

Simple concept, right?

Jim O’Brien never did this, which was a major reason why the Pacers didn’t win much under his guidance.

Frank Vogel seems different. Early on, he locked down his rotations, providing players with a set structure they can expect night in and night out. Dahntay Jones, a player O’Brien never liked and, thus, rotted on the bench in many games, spoke about Vogel’s new approach to player rotations and minutes:

That’s a comforting feeling to know where your minutes are going to come and if you are going to get minutes. Frank’s instilled confidence in everybody to know what type of part they are going to play on this team. It’s been helping us.

Jones’ 19 points in the fourth quarter against the Timberwolves on Feb. 12th were the difference in that game. Since Vogel assumed the coaching seat, we’ve seen a solid starting five of Danny Granger, Roy Hibbert, Darren Collison, Josh McRoberts, and Mike Dunleavy playing most of the minutes. Off the bench are high energy types like Tyler Hansbrough, A.J. Price, Dahntay Jones, and Paul George. Gone are ‘small ball’ starting lineups designed to match-up with a particular opponent.

The Pacers are pretty well locked into their rotations, allowing players (and fans) to know what to expect every night.

No. 4: Positive Energy

As we said earlier, Jim O’Brien was a nexus of negativity. He called out players in the media. He sat quality contributors on the bench for seemingly no reason. Even his sideline demeanor gave one the impression that O’Brien would rather be somewhere other than Conseco Fieldhouse coaching the Pacers.

Vogel is a different kettle of fish, and that was evident from his very first press conference as head coach.

We’ve got a good basketball team. I’m taking over a GOOD basketball team. I’ve got a great deal of confidence that this thing is going to turn around right away. This is the same team that, not so long ago, beat Miami at Miami; beat the Lakers at LA. We’ve proven we can beat sub-.500 teams regularly. We’ve had a tough stretch. There’s no doubt about that. But, we’re ready to turn this around. We’re ready to go on a run. I’ve got a great deal of confidence that’s going to happen.

The Pacers players responded to Vogel’s confidence in them in a way they never did under O’Brien. Indiana is 7-1 since Vogel said the team will turn things around ‘right away.’

No. 3: Delegating and Listening To His Players

Jim O’Brien was famous for doing everything himself. From writing game keys on the marker board to the setting up of pregame videos in the locker room, O’Brien never seemed to trust anyone enough to delegate responsibility to them.

With Vogel, there this less consolidation of authority and a more ‘let’s help each other out’ style of coaching.

Vogel is also listening to his assistants and to his players, gaining advice and suggestions from them and, thus, making them feel part of the team. Novel concept, right? O’Brien rarely did this, which is why O’Brien will shoulder much of the blame for Indiana’s dreadful records in his three-and-a-half years coaching the club.

Vogel also understands that this is the NBA, not college basketball. These are professional athletes with years of playing experience. Their advice, and their opinions, on how to attack an opponent on the court are just as valuable as anything the head coach can come up with. Vogel himself even realizes that:

“I think that’s the difference in pro coaching versus college or high school, where you’re the dictator. In the NBA, you have to sell to these guys that you’re in their corner to help them, to organize and tie their whole team together. They all know that winning helps their career, and I want them to know I’m on their side and in their corner.”

No. 2: Creating An Team Identity

When Vogel took over for O’Brien, one of the first things he did was begin preaching to the team about creating an identity. This was critical because, pretty much since Reggie Miller retired in 2004, the Pacers have lacked any semblance of an identity. Vogel was intent on changing that:

“We’re changing the identity of our basketball team dramatically,” Vogel said. “We’re a power-post team, blood and guts, old-school-smash-mouth team.”

Somewhere, Dale and Antonio Davis are smiling.

Establishing Roy Hibbert in the paint and utilizing the diverse talents of Josh McRoberts and Tyler Hansbrough has been priority for Frank Vogel.

“We have to get [Roy Hibbert] the ball and put him in position to where he’s not only going to be a low-post scorer,” Vogel said. “We’ve got to get him some easy looks. We’ve got to get his jump shot going again and take advantage of his versatility.”

In the seven games prior to O’Brien being fired, Hibbert averaged 21 minutes a game. The Pacers went 1-6. With Vogel at the helm, Hibbert is now averaging 29 minutes a game and getting back to producing the kinds of impressive numbers fans should expect from the seven-footer (16 ppg, 8 boards, 1.5 blocks).

With Hibbert producing in the paint, this has also allowed point guard Darren Collison to run more pick-and-roll, something Collison excels in but, for whatever reason, O’Brien didn’t seem to enjoy running during his tenure. This has increased the team’s scoring which, not surprisingly, has increased the amount of ‘Ws’ in the wins column. The Pacers are averaging 107 points a game under Vogel. They’ve eclipsed the 110 point threshold three times, and have yet to play in a game where they did not score under 100.

No. 1: ‘Rocky’ Clips

Locking down rotations, delegating authority, and creating a positive atmosphere for the players are all wonderful and good, but the thing we at SB Nation Indiana like most about interim-coach Frank Vogel isn’t his drive to create a team identity or his desire to fully maximize the talent on the roster.

No, we like Frank Vogel because the man plays clips from the Rocky movies to inspire and incite his team. Any coach who does that, and gets a 7-1 record as a result, is kick-ass cool in our book.

Rumor is he used this clip to let his team know how the rest of the league should view them.

Here’s to more 7-1 runs under coach Frank Vogel, a man who has instilled confidence and interest back into a Pacers franchise that, for all intents and purposes, had become irrelevant in the minds of many Indiana sports fans under Vogel’s mentor and friend, Jim O’Brien.

Follow , and Like SB Nation Indiana on Facebook.

Do you like this story?

Top Performers

Charlotte		Indiana
	G. Wallace Points: 22 Reb: 9 Ast: 6 Stl: 2 Blk: 1		R. Hibbert Points: 29 Reb: 10 Ast: 2 Stl: 0 Blk: 2

Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS — Frank Vogel has been talking about a new attitude and a playoff push since taking over as Indiana coach.

The Pacers looked again Wednesday night like a team that could make a run to the postseason.

With Roy Hibbert scoring 29 points, the Pacers held off a late rally for a 104-103 victory over the Bobcats, moving Indiana past Charlotte into the final Eastern Conference playoff spot.

“We stuck through and won it down the stretch,” Hibbert said. “It was a tough win. A couple weeks ago, we probably wouldn’t have won that game.”

The Pacers have won five of six games since Vogel took over as iterim coach for Jim O’Brien 10 days ago. They had lost seven of eight games before the coaching change.

The victory moved Indiana (22-28) into eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings, just ahead of Charlotte (22-30). With the victory, Indiana also clinched the season series against the Bobcats, and would hold a postseason tiebreaker over them.

“It’s big right now, but we have higher aspirations than the eighth spot,” Vogel said. “We think we’re a very good basketball team. We’re hoping to make a run down the stretch that’s going to be special.

Controversy came on the game’s final play.

The Bobcats, who rallied from an 15-point third quarter deficit, tied the game 102-102 with a 15-foot jump shot by Stephen Jackson with 1:37 remaining.

Forward Josh McRoberts’ tip-in put Indiana ahead again, 104-102, with 1:21 remaining.

The Bobcats, who had trailed by 11 points at the end of the third quarter and 102-95 with 3:13 remaining, pulled to within one, when Gerald Wallace made 1 of 2 free throws with 29.0 seconds remaining.

Pacers point guard Darren Collison missed a 9-foot jump shot with 7.9 seconds remaining, after which Wallace rebounded. Jackson brought the ball up the court, and he and Collison made contact as Jackson attempted a 32-foot 3-point field goal.

The shot missed, and no foul was called. Bobcats coach Paul Silas, Jackson and Bobcats coaches and players protested.

Silas and Jackson each declined to criticize the call afterward.

“I just went up for the shot and didn’t get the call — got to live with it,” Jackson said.

Silas called the play “a judgment call.”

“The referee had the right to make a call,” Silas said. “He said it wasn’t a foul, so you have to go with it.”

Collison was asked afterward if there had been a foul on the play.

“I didn’t feel like I fouled him,” Collison said. “I made a play and whatever happened, happened. I’m not answering that type of question because I hate lying.”

Said Vogel, “I’m not really concerned about that. We got a ‘W.”

Before the Bobcats’ late-game run, the Pacers did what they have done much of the last two weeks: play dramatically better than they had most of the rest of the season.

Danny Granger had 25 points and Collison added 15 points for Indiana, and Hibbert continued to play as solidly as he had since Vogel took over. For Hibbert, who also added 10 rebounds and two blocked shots, the 29 points tied a career-high.

Jackson had 27 points for the Bobcats, who led by eight points early before Indiana took control.

Granger has also had something of a resurgence under Vogel.

He shot nine of 17 from the field and 3 of 3 from 3-point range, with each of his 3-pointers coming when he had an open look after quick ball movement by the Pacers.

Granger made 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions in the final two minutes of the third quarter, after which Indiana led, 81-66.

That was Indiana’s biggest lead, but with Jackson hitting 3 of 6 fourth-quarter 3-pointers, the Bobcats erased an 11-point lead.

“We did fight,” Silas said. “I was very proud of them.”

Game notes
The Pacers’ lone loss under Vogel came Tuesday at Miami, with Indiana leading much of the game before losing by four points. … Vogel afterward called Wednesday’s victory a “double points” game because of its potential playoff impact. … Wallace had 22 points, nine rebounds and six assists.

Copyright by STATS LLC and The Associated Press

Frank Vogel has been talking about a new attitude and a playoff push since taking over as Indiana coach.

The Pacers looked again Wednesday night like a team that could make a run to the postseason.

With Roy Hibbert scoring 29 points, the Pacers held off a late rally for a 104-103 victory over the Bobcats, moving Indiana past Charlotte into the final Eastern Conference playoff spot.

“We stuck through and won it down the stretch,” Hibbert said. “It was a tough win. A couple weeks ago, we probably wouldn’t have won that game.”

The Pacers have won five of six games since Vogel took over as iterim coach for Jim O’Brien 10 days ago. They had lost seven of eight games before the coaching change.

The victory moved Indiana (22-28) into eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings, just ahead of Charlotte (22-30). With the victory, Indiana also clinched the season series against the Bobcats, and would hold a postseason tiebreaker over them.

“It’s big right now, but we have higher aspirations than the eighth spot,” Vogel said. “We think we’re a very good basketball team. We’re hoping to make a run down the stretch that’s going to be special.

Controversy came on the game’s final play.

The Bobcats, who rallied from an 15-point third quarter deficit, tied the game 102-102 with a 15-foot jump shot by Stephen Jackson with 1:37 remaining.

Forward Josh McRoberts’ tip-in put Indiana ahead again, 104-102, with 1:21 remaining.

The Bobcats, who had trailed by 11 points at the end of the third quarter and 102-95 with 3:13 remaining, pulled to within one, when Gerald Wallace made 1 of 2 free throws with 29.0 seconds remaining.

Pacers point guard Darren Collison missed a 9-foot jump shot with 7.9 seconds remaining, after which Wallace rebounded. Jackson brought the ball up the court, and he and Collison made contact as Jackson attempted a 32-foot 3-point field goal.

The shot missed, and no foul was called. Bobcats coach Paul Silas, Jackson and Bobcats coaches and players protested.

Silas and Jackson each declined to criticize the call afterward.

“I just went up for the shot and didn’t get the ball — got to live with it,” Jackson said.

Silas called the play “a judgment call.”

“The referee had the right to make a call,” Silas said. “He said it wasn’t a foul, so you have to go with it.”

Collison was asked afterward if there had been a foul on the play.

“I didn’t feel like I fouled him,” Collison said. “I made a play and whatever happened, happened. I’m not answering that type of question because I hate lying.”

Said Vogel, “I’m not really concerned about that. We got a ‘W.’”

Before the Bobcats’ late-game run, the Pacers did what they have done much of the last two weeks: play dramatically better than they had most of the rest of the season.

Danny Granger had 25 points and Collison added 15 points for Indiana, and Hibbert continued to play as solidly as he had since Vogel took over. For Hibbert, who also added 10 rebounds and two blocked shots, the 29 points tied a career-high.

Jackson had 27 points for the Bobcats, who led by eight points early before Indiana took control.

Granger has also had something of a resurgence under Vogel.

He shot nine of 17 from the field and 3 of 3 from 3-point range, with each of his 3-pointers coming when he had an open look after quick ball movement by the Pacers.

Granger made 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions in the final two minutes of the third quarter, after which Indiana led, 81-66.

That was Indiana’s biggest lead, but with Jackson hitting 3 of 6 fourth-quarter 3-pointers, the Bobcats erased an 11-point lead.

“We did fight,” Silas said. “I was very proud of them.”

NOTES: The Pacers’ lone loss under Vogel came Tuesday at Miami, with Indiana leading much of the game before losing by four points. … Vogel afterward called Wednesday’s victory a “double points” game because of its potential playoff impact. … Wallace had 22 points, nine rebounds and six assists.

2 days ago: Indiana Pacers’ Roy Hibbert (55) celebrates with his teammates late in the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Cleveland on Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2011, in Cleveland. The Pacers won 117-112 to hand the Cavaliers their 22nd straight loss. At left is Cavaliers’ J.J. Hickson, (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)

By Evan Dunlap – Contributor

Follow , and Like SBNation.com on Facebook.

Feb 4, 2011 - The Indiana Pacers, as they’ve been since 2003, are in a state of transition, but that period is on the verge of ending. Firing coach Jim O’Brien midway through his fourth season with Indiana was a solid way to speed up the process, and the contract of team president Larry Bird is due to end this summer. With fresh faces leading the team on the sideline and in the front office, Indiana is poised to take its next step forward.

Few young, mediocre teams have a future as bright as that of Indiana. In addition to franchise centerpiece Danny Granger, the Pacers boast young talents at point guard (Darren Collison), center (Roy Hibbert), small forward (Paul George) and power forward (Tyler Hansbrough and Josh McRoberts). That’s an enviable group of budding stars, despite Hibbert’s season, which has trended downward after a strong start.

But where the Pacers can really make their mark is via trade. Bird has said he wants to parlay his sizable expiring contracts — Mike Dunleavy, T.J. Ford, Jeff Foster and Solomon Jones combine to create a whopping $27.2 million in ending salary this summer, according to ShamSports, the web’s most authoritative salary database — into another impact player before the trading deadline, and given the uncertainty about what the next collective bargaining agreement will bring, it’s likely that more than one team will be interested in shedding salary by dealing a talented player to Indiana for at least one of those deals.

Bird’s problem is that he can’t really afford to let those contracts come off the books, hoping to land a free agent. The CBA comes into play here as well, but mostly the issue is that there are few stars to be had in the forthcoming free-agent class. Perhaps he could sign Greg Oden, an Indianapolis native, to an offer sheet and hope the Portland Trail Blazers don’t match it, but he’d seem to be redundant with the young Hibbert healthy and contributing from the center spot. No, it’s imperative for Bird to act before the trading deadline to make sure his assets don’t go to waste.

But making a trade at the deadline simply for trading’s sake also has its own risks, as Bird can’t content himself with acquiring a middling player, as doing so would only repeat his sad pattern of aiming for a win total in the low-40s each season. That means veteran retreads like Richard Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince should be off the table, as they’d do little to improve the Pacers’ fortunes now or going forward.

What sort of player should Indiana pursue? Given where they stand, it’s clear an offensively-minded performer should top the list, as the Pacers ranked just 24th in offensive efficiency before Wednesday’s games, scoring only 103.4 points per 100 possession; on defense, they rank eighth, giving up 104.6 points per 100 possessions.

Having established their need for offense, we can look closer. What need emerges? Someone who can shoot the three-pointer and get to the line. The Pacers have connected on 36 percent of their three-point tries this season, exactly the league average, and have four players taking at least three per game. Foul-drawing is a higher-priority concern, as only Granger attempts more than five foul shots per game. Hibbert, for all his size and skill around the basket, only earns 3.1 free throws. And Collison, despite his speed and quickness, lags behind at 2.8 per game.

The Houston Rockets’ Kevin Martin is the gold standard as far as combining those two skills, but it seems unlikely the Rockets would be willing to part with their hyper-efficient two-guard for mere financial savings, especially not when they have solid trade assets of their own and could be sellers at the deadline in order to strengthen themselves for a playoff push. Digging deeper, J.J. Redick of the Orlando Magic might be an option, though he doesn’t draw fouls at a great rate.

Regardless of how Bird reshapes the team, it’s clear that doing so is only one step in a much larger process. With the right move, or moves, Bird can take the Pacers from “okay” to “good.” But that next step, from “good” to “great,” requires more time, patience, and some internal development, which makes it a more difficult proposition. Nevertheless, the Pacers have slowly maneuvered themselves into this position. Bird has them in great shape to take another step forward, but it’s up to him to make the most of this great opportunity.

Follow , and Like SBNation.com on Facebook.

Do you like this story?

Read More: Frank Vogel (A – IND), Roy Hibbert (C – IND), Indiana Pacers, Portland Trail Blazers

Winners of their first two games under interim head coach Frank Vogel, the Indiana Pacers will attempt to match its season-best winning streak on Friday night when the Portland Trail Blazers visit Conseco Fieldhouse.

Indiana (19-27) lost a fourth-quarter lead to Portland (26-23) two weeks ago in a 97-92 loss. That defeat, part of a stretch in which the Pacers lost seven of eight games, led to Vogel taking over following the departure of Jim O’Brien.

The Blazers enter the game banged up, with Wesley Matthews the latest player to go down with an injury after turning an ankle in Denver on Wednesday evening. Portland has lost 164 games due to injuries this season.

Meanwhile, the Pacers are feeling good after picking up two wins this week, jumping out to big leads in both and hanging on late for victories over Toronto and Cleveland. Paul George, Roy Hibbert and Tyler Hansbrough have all played starring roles this week under Vogel after struggling at times under O’Brien.

Hibbert and Hansbrough will both spend time guarding LaMarcus Aldridge, who has turned into Portland’s go-to player, averaging 21. points per game. Hibbert has scored 18.5 ppg in his last two contests.