Jim O'Brien and Larry Bird agree the Indiana Pacers have to drastically improve their defense to make the playoffs next year, but they differ on how to accomplish the task.
O'Brien has said he would like to coach more athletic players. Bird, as team president, would like to see assistant coach Dick Harter have more input on the defensive plan, and has said so.
Despite the back-and-forth on the subject since the season ended, one thing is certain: O'Brien also has great respect for the 78-year-old Harter, who has built a reputation as a defensive specialist since coming to the NBA in 1983.
"Dick has the same impact that he had when he joined me with the (Boston) Celtics and we went from 27th to third (in field goal defense),"
O'Brien said. "His impact is substantial."
"Dick has tremendous input, as does (assistants) Dan Burke and Lester (Conner) and Frank (Vogel)."
Harter was an assistant to Bird during his coaching days with the Pacers, including in 2000 when the team reached the NBA Finals. Bird said Harter "is the best I've ever seen (with defense), and that's why he's here. If he doesn't have the input, he'll start to get the input because it's crucial for our team."
The Pacers have struggled defensively under O'Brien. They allowed 115 or more points 21 times this season. Opponents scored 106 points per game, fifth-worst in the league. Opponents shot 45.8 percent, tied for 15th, in the middle of the pack. The difference in the rankings says something about the Pacers' pace of play, an up-tempo style that leads to higher scoring games.
O'Brien could have more than improving his team's defense to worry about this summer.
He is entering the final season of his three-year contract and there haven't been any signs he'll get an extension before the season starts. He is 72-92 in two seasons.
"It's not something that I've really thought about a lot,"
he said. "(It) doesn't necessarily mean it's not a factor, but it's not something within my control."
"I think I was brought here to help grow a team in the direction of a champion. I think that we're doing a good job of that."
The next step would be making the playoffs for the first time since 2006. O'Brien, a strong believer in his defensive system, has to find a way to make them a better defensive team.
O'Brien is optimistic that All-Star Danny Granger will take ownership on defense, and two players who just finished their rookie season -- Brandon Rush and Roy Hibbert -- will be vastly better.
"I think you'll see significant improvement in both of those guys at both ends of the court,"
O'Brien said. "I think the fact our team, the majority of our team we'll have back, will be guys that played with us last year. I think all those are significant improvements and I think Danny continuing to improve on both ends of the court will be a significant factor."
