[For_Never_EverParticipant]

Larry Bird: Pacers ‘went soft’

Found 6 hours ago on Rant Sports:

PLAYERS: Larry Bird,  Sam Amick
TEAMS: Indiana Pacers,  Miami Heat

Via Rant Sports:

Larry Bird has done an excellent job with the Indiana Pacers, but even he was appalled by how his team played Tuesday night against the Miami Heat. The team seemed to wilt in the third quarter and Bird was not happy about it. In fact, Bird called the team he built “soft.”

See, I am not 100 percent certain they played soft, but they did play scared. The Heat were almost gleeful in getting some cheap shots in on the Pacers. The team did not fight back. There needs to be a time when you take a stand and deliver a shot that shows you will not be intimidated.

Larry Bird played back in the 1980s when the competition was much stronger. By stronger, I mean the games were a lot rougher. You had to be able to take a hit and then throw one back on defense. Flagrants were not called and you had to hope your team had your back. I think Bird saw what a lot of people saw in Game 5. The Pacers went down meekly.

I expect this to light a fire under the Pacers for Game 6. You can not let down Larry Bird. He is a legend and he is almost never wrong when it comes to basketball. The Pacers have to play tough. Don’t let the Heat bully you. Otherwise, you are going home.

 

[TyroberParticipant]

 I really hate it that he said this. He is encouraging the Pacers to "fight back" against the HEAT. I can see Stern coming down hard all the players with flagrants to set a big example now that it won’t be tolerated.

[SupParticipant]

^ You hate that he told his team to fight back? You sound kinda S-O-F-T right now

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

Obviously, Larry Bird doesn’t want the Pacers to go "fight" during a basketball game. He wants them to play the physical and aggressive way they’ve played all series. They didn’t do that last night. They played like a passive team, especially in the third quarter.

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He is encouraging the Pacers to "fight back" against the HEAT.

Comments like this make me sick. Like the Pacers aren’t supposed to go at the HEAT.

[TyroberParticipant]

 The Pacers obviously need to play aggressive, but I don’t want to see any more of these flagrant fouls or any revenge fouls against the HEAT. The HEAT were out of line and I would not be a bit surprised to see Pittman and Haslem suspended. 

[fliptonnParticipant]

Larry was one tough S.O.B. when he played and in his opinion it helped him win. People hated playing the Celtics because of that. The same reason people hated playing the Bulls because no one could have consider Jordan soft. He’s not neccessarily saying physically fight back, but he’s dissapointed that they backed down. He just wants to instill his winning attitude philosophy (a proven philosophy) in his team.

[TyroberParticipant]

  The Pacers obviously need to play aggressive, but I don’t want to see any more of these flagrant fouls or any revenge fouls against the HEAT. The HEAT were out of line and I would not be a bit surprised to see Pittman and Haslem suspended. It doesn’t look like it will take much more for the series to get out of hand and thats not good for anyone.

[Malik-UniversalParticipant]

 im not sure if they played "soft" but they played terrible and kinda scared…… maybe its a good thing he said this to light a fire under the teams ass….. im not saying beat up the other team… 

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

I don’t think you have to worry about the Pacers trying to hurt anyone. They don’t play dirty basketball. They play hard and physical, but clean.

Even the play with Hansbrough on Wade… It was clear he wasn’t intentionally trying to hit Wade in the head. He went for the ball and when Wade tucked it, Hansbrough hit the back of his head. It was definitely a hard foul and the flagrant one was deserved. But it wasn’t a dirty play where he wanted to hurt Wade.

Haslem and Pittman tried to hurt people. Pittman could’ve really hurt Stephenson. I think the league should come down hard on Haslem and really hard on Pittman. Pittman’s was worse than Bynum’s on Barea and Artest’s on Harden combined.

[Tongue-Out-Like-23Participant]

Crazy how the Pacers began to play this series extremely physical, but once the Heat upped their physicalness, the Pacers disappeared.  

Hell, Granger injured himself by trying to be overphysical with LeBron.  He’s earned his "soft" label.

And honestly, one very tough foul on Hansbrough isn’t the reason the Pacers lost by 30+ points and this last day people have been trying to use that excuse.  That the Heat played "dirty" and that’s why the Pacers lost.  No, the Pacers simply did not show up and were overmatched, out-coached, and over-executed.

[TallmanNYCParticipant]

 Well Indian should lose this series because on paper they aren’t close to as good as the Heat. But they shouldn’t lose by 30. Haslems foul was payback, but there was blood on their star player. That is the right time for payback. It was delivered to the right guy, who happens to be a big tough power forward. It wasn’t a dangerous play and it didn’t hurt Hansbrough in any meaningful way. The two Ts cancelled each other out and the hits cancelled each other out. I think the case is closed on that one. Hansbrough might deliver a shoulder on a post move in the next game, but Haslem won’t get worked up about it. 

The Pittman shot was out of hand though. He is definitely being suspended if the league can do that (I don’t know if flagrant ones can be increased after the fact). If Pittman isn’t suspended and if the score gets out of hand, a Pacer might give Pittman a shot. That is a hit that still needs to be delivered.

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