Pacers coach Larry Bird said he isn’t worried about being perceived as a whiner after his postgame comments about the officiating in Game 2 Tuesday night in Chicago.
Bird has gained respect around the NBA for his refusal to indulge in the sort of gamesmanship employed so effectively by Bulls coach Phil Jackson and others. He has been steadfast in his belief that “players decide the game,” but after Game 2 he said the referees should have called more fouls on Scottie Pippen as he harassed Pacers point guard Mark Jackson.
“I don’t care how it comes off,” Bird said after practice Thursday at Market Square Arena. “It’s a true fact that Scottie has been up on Jackson.”
Jackson, the most vocal and specific of the Pacers to complain about the officiating, would not discuss the issue when asked after practice Thursday. “Statements were made, but that’s that,” Jackson said. “You have to throw those out the window now.”
Jackson’s ability to post up smaller guards became an important tool in Indiana’s first- and second-round success. Jackson had nine or more assists in six of the Pacers’ nine playoff games before the series with the Bulls. He had six assists in Game 1 against the Bulls and eight in Game 2, but pretty much negated them with seven turnovers in each of those games, the most for Jackson in the playoffs.
Pippen’s 4-inch height advantage, compounded by his reach, eliminated Jackson’s postup options.
“We did it once,” Reggie Miller said, “and that’s when Pippen got the steal. That’s played a big part in the series, but we have other factors. We have other scorers. We have other options. You know Chicago is going to take your first two options away. You’ve got to come up with options No. 3 and 4.”