Even if the Indiana Pacers get out of a too-close-for-comfort playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks, coach Frank Vogel's job could be in jeopardy. Team president Larry Bird will have the final say in Vogel's future, which is not necessarily a future that includes continuing as the Pacers' head coach, according to sources of ESPN's Marc Stein
Frank Vogel ‘coaching for his job’ in 2014 playoffs, according to report
Multiple reports indicate Indiana Pacers coach Frank Vogel could be coaching for his job despite leading his team to the top seed in the Eastern Conference.
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Vogel is “coaching for his job,” per Stein, and Bird will still have a tough decision to make on the coach’s future..
The Pacers finished the regular season with a 56-26 record but stumbled in the final two months, going 12-13 since the beginning of March. It didn’t help Vogel’s job security that top-seeded Indiana dropped the opening game of its first-round playoff series against Atlanta.
Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski also hinted that Vogel's job might be "on the line" in his column about Indiana's Game 2 victory over the Hawks and how it came after an in-house fight between Lance Stephenson and Evan Turner.
On top of the record and late-season struggles, Vogel might be taking the blame for Indiana's locker room issues, which Stein reports go further than the recent practice dust-up. Stephenson was reportedly involved in an on-bench altercation with point guard George Hill during a March 31 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. Stein's sources also believe center Roy Hibbert's now infamous comments about the Pacers having "selfish dudes" were referring to Stephenson.
According to Stein's colleague at ESPN, Chris Broussard, Vogel's positivity is missing the more critical dynamic that came from former assistant Brian Shaw, now the Denver Nuggets' head coach.
Whatever the case may be, Vogel’s job security is less likely to be an issue if the Pacers accomplish what they’re supposed to: make a run to the Eastern Conference Finals .
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