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The 10 Greatest Coaches in Indiana Pacers History

By Jon Washburn

Mar 21, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers head coach Frank Vogel calls out a play from the bench in the second half of the game against the Brooklyn Nets at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Brooklyn Nets beat the Indiana Pacers by the score of 123-111. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 21, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers head coach Frank Vogel calls out a play from the bench in the second half of the game against the Brooklyn Nets at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Brooklyn Nets beat the Indiana Pacers by the score of 123-111. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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#4. Larry Bird

Larry Bird
Larry Bird /

Overall: 147-67  

Playoff Record: 32-20

  • 1997-98: 58-24  2nd in the East, reached Conference Finals; 10-6 in Playoffs
  • 1998-99: 33-17*  2nd in the East, reached Conference Finals; 9-4 in Playoffs
  • 1999-2000: 56-26  1st in the East, reached NBA Finals; 13-10 in Playoffs

No coach has taken the Pacers further than Larry Bird, and it’s possible that no human, outside of Reggie Miller, means more to the franchise.

The Legend took over where Larry Brown had left off and launched the Pacers to heights that they literally had never seen and would never see again. The 1998 Conference Finals represents the closest any team ever came to dethroning Michael Jordan in the 90s, and Larry Bird got more out of his players than any previous coach.

So why is he only fourth on this list?

First of all, he would be the first to acknowledge that he wasn’t alone. He famously said that his assistants (Rick Carlisle and Dick Harter among others) did most of the coaching.

Secondly, his team was simply out-coached and out-played by a far inferior team in the 1999 Conference Finals. Of course, Jess Kersey deserves his fair share of blame for the catastrophe against the 8th seeded and Ewing-less New York Knicks, but the Pacers failed to break 100 in any game and missed out on what was probably their best chance at winning a title.

Indiana came back in 2000 and gave young Shaq and Kobe all that they could handle in the Finals, but I’m sure that Larry Legend himself would admit that one definitely got away in 1999.

*Lockout-shortened season

Next: Up Next: #3. Jersey Frank

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