NEW YORK -- Considering the pervasive Pacers conflict (players vs. coaches, players vs. players and assistant vs. assistant) that has been going on since early last season, it's bewildering Indiana's president of basketball operations, Larry Bird, didn't declare coach Rick Carlisle safe for next season until there were five games left on the schedule, until NBA columnists throughout the country had Carlisle in severe job jeopardy.
I'm not saying Bird's vocal support of his longtime friend/former assistant is justified.
Still, had Bird thrown his authority behind Carlisle noticeably sooner, even the most perplexed players would have understood the won-lost record is on them, which may or may not have made them more coachable.