INDIANAPOLIS – Knicks boss Isiah Thomas, underscoring the notion he and Larry Bird could never work together, made a startling remark last night, saying he would’ve been fired as Pacers coach even had he won the NBA title.
Thomas, in his first visit to Conseco Field House since the summer axing, was asked if things would’ve been different had he led the Pacers past the first round. “Had we gone all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals, I think Larry would’ve wanted to make a change,” Isiah said. “If you go by the record, I wouldn’t have been fired.”
When asked if he was joking, Isiah went further, adding, “I think if we won the NBA championship, I still think Larry would’ve fired me. The reasons given weren’t valid reasons. I think it had more to do with the history and his personal relationship between Rick [Carlisle] and Larry.”