Isiah Thomas Issues Bold Statement Against Larry Bird for Firing Him from Indiana Pacers

The Indiana Pacers were expected to make a deep playoff run last season. With a completely healthy team and stars like Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis, they could see a light at the end of the tunnel. However, once the season resumed, their injury-ridden stars prevented them from a chance at the title. The team has never won an NBA championship, and former coach Isiah Thomas believes he could have changed that.

From 2000 to 2003, the Detroit Pistons’ star point guard served as the Pacers’ head coach. However, his success as a player didn’t reflect during his coaching job, and he failed to bring home a title for the Pacers, as he did for the Pistons. Thomas had stepped in as the Pacers’ coach during their prime, but his inexperience as head coach might have become a barrier in the talented team achieving true success.

Many have claimed that Thomas was the worst fit for the Pacers. But that did not stop the Hall of Famer from making bold claims that he was fired at a time when they were at the cusp of winning a championship.

Should Larry Bird have let Isiah Thomas go?

While speaking with Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson, Thomas opened up about the satisfaction one gets from being a coach. He elaborated on how fulfilling it is to impart all the knowledge you have of the game to others. Following this, he talked about his time as a coach with the Pacers. “Those three years were great coaching moments for me,” said Thomas.

Thomas also thinks he could have changed the Pacers legacy. He said, “I’ll be as bold as to say this: I think if [Larry] Bird hadn’t fired me, I think we would have won the championship with that Pacers team that following year. I think we would’ve beat the Pistons… That was my team and my time to go.” However, the statistics show a different side altogether.

Before Isiah showed up, the Indiana Pacers were one of the best teams in the league. When Thomas became coach, the Pacers dropped down to 41-41 in his first season. And as soon as veteran coach, Rick Carlisle, replaced him, the Pacers ended the regular season with an astronomical 61-21 record. They eventually ascending to the Eastern Conference Finals and losing to the Detroit Pistons.

Thomas may be a legend as a player, but the numbers don’t back him up in his coaching position. Rick Carlisle was, without a doubt, a much better fit as the Pacers coach.