[T-ro]

The problem this team has been experiencing is not an on court deliemma. The pg spot has a good rook, and a solid backup. The 2 spot has reggie, and artest/mercer. SF, well, its sorta obvious that we have around 500 SF, but they are all good, and jb/harrington are potential all stars. We have j.o. at p.f. and an above average center in b.miller. Our backups are all solid and good. However, the coaching staff seems to hurt this team. This team should not be a .500 team! Instead we have a coach making decisions such as putting foster at the s.gaurd spot! If we got a new coach capable of making good decisions this team would improve in my opinion. Any thoughts?

 

[Sir I Gotta Go]

Look, I know Zeke has problems with rotation but look at it this way. When he was given this team he had a bunch of unproven players such as Harrington, O'Neal, and Bender. They were rebuilding. When teams are rebuilding they are supposed to be in the lottery. Instead the Pacers have been in the playoffs the last few years giving these guys valuable experience. He has developed the players he has been given. look at O'Neal for example. He was a bust in Portland and he comes here and the only coach he has ever played for was Zeke. Yet, he is still getting better. so Zeke is not all that bad. He is still developing Bender. I will admit that he is not consistent with rotation, but when you are trying to get into the playoffs and it is crunch time, Yoiu do not have time to jack around teaching bender how to do something. You sit his *** on the bench and you let Reggie shoot it. Zeke is following in the footsteps of Larry Bird and that team that was in the Finals. the media sees it as "With Larry Bird they went to the Finals, With Zeke they stumble into the playoffs"
It's not like that. Zeke has to develop players while still make the playoffs. Which is not an easy job for anyone, left aloone some who has never coached before like Zeke. Bird had never coached before but he was handed veteran players that were ready to make a championship run. rick Carlisle this year was handed vets. Byron Scott didn't win anything until he was handed Jason Kiddd.


My point is that no Zeke is not the best coach, but he is far from being the worst

 

[T-ro]

Detroit had vets your right, but as far as play off experience, reggie has more than the whole team combined. Carlise brought a sub .500 team to a eastern power. Zeke was given better, yes younger and less experienced, but better players. In the same way that Carlise helped Detroit he could have helped Indy. My argument is not that Zeke is the worst coach (Karl wins that award) merely that Carlise would have been a better coach for the pacers. As well as this I would say that this third season must be an examination of Zeke, if he does well, I eat my words, if not, Walsh needs to begin to examine the situation better.

 

[robyg1974]

When the team didn't pick Rick Carlisle to replace Larry Bird as the Pacers' head coach, I honestly couldn't believe it. When Donnie Walsh inexplicably picked Isiah Thomas to be the team's head coach--not Isiah Thomas the PLAYER, Isiah Thomas the guy who routinely made himself look like an IDIOT saying dumb $hit on the NBC halftime show, the guy who made some INCREDIBLY POOR DECISIONS while working in the Raptors' front office--well, to say the least, I was disappointed.

If there is a worse head coach in the NBA, I don't know who it is. Rick Carlisle did way more with way less up in Detroit last season, and is obviously vastly superior as a head coach than Isiah! I mean, DUH!

As for this team making the playoffs despite rebuilding--well, this team may be young, but they SHOULD have made the playoffs each of the past two seasons. That they made the playoffs at ALL despite Isiah's presence is remarkable!

And keep in mind that, if the Milwaukee Bucks had not completely collapsed down the stretch last season, the Pacers would NOT have made the playoffs. The TERRIBLE start of the Miami Heat (5-23 or something like that to open the season) didn't hurt, either!

BOTTOM LINE: Isiah Thomas is the WORST coach in the NBA, while Rick Carlisle is one of the BEST.

 

[reggiemiller43]

I dont like most of the decisions isiah makes but look at it like this. Zeke was a incredible nba player and knows the game. I think we were spoiled because larry bird came in and in 3 seasons did more than most coaches do in a 20 year career. Larry had a verteran team though that had been through it all basically. This upcoming season will be the year either zeke proves he can coach or hes a bust. Essentially im saying that rookie coaches improve just like players do, hopefully zeke does!

 

[Sir I Gotta Go]

Most rebuilding teams wish they could play .500 basketball. the fact is zeke was a rookie coach with a rookie team. I agree if this year they still play . 500 I will be the first to call for Zeke's head but for right now you don't know because all of the players he was given were inexperienced except for Reggie. And he has done his job in developing talent. what about Jermaine? he has become a star under Zeke. Zeke has done his job in developing talent while still making the playoffs to get players the experience they need. The teams in the lottery that are rebuilding envy what the Pacers have done these last years. They wish their team would play .500 ball like the Pacers. Pacer fans were spoiled with Bird and they want to see results. But it takes time. so just be patient and see what happens this year. If there are no improvements then yes get rid of Zeke. but I doubt that will happen. I could see them going to the Finals and meeting the Kings. they have beet the Kings like 22 of the last 25 times. they swept the season series last year. so you never know. This could be the year.