Examining The Frank Vogel Question
The Case For Letting Vogel Go
The case against bringing Frank Vogel back is a little harder to make, but it would make sense if the organization and coach just aren’t on the same page.
It’s appeared over the last year that Vogel and Bird haven’t been on the same page in regards to playing style.
Bird made it clear before the season that he wanted the Pacers to embrace the small-ball movement that has become more prominent in today’s NBA. The Pacers started the season using the approach and had mixed results.
After an 0-3 start, the Pacers went on an 11-2 run in November where Paul George (49 percent on three-pointers) and C.J. Miles (43.7 percent) wreaked havoc on defenses and benefitted from increased spacing.
The glimpse at the success that the small-ball Pacers had was just that — a glimpse.
The lineup quickly hit a cold spell and Vogel returned to the more traditional lineup in late-January, inserting rookie Myles Turner in the starting lineup in place of Miles, while still playing bigs Jordan Hill and Lavoy Allen with the second unit.
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The small-ball lineup of George Hill, Monta Ellis, George, Miles, and
Ian Mahinmiended the season with a net rating of minus-6 for the season per
.
In it’s place, the more traditional lineup finished the season by outscoring opponents by 3.5 points per 100 possessions, a 9.5 points per 100 possessions upgrade over the small-ball unit.
The numbers proved Vogel right, but a clash of idealology might spell the end for Vogel’s tenure.
If Bird believes that small ball is the way of the future and thinks Vogel isn’t committed or well-equipped to play that style, then it would make sense to go after a coach who is on the same page as Bird and the front office.
There is reason to believe that Vogel might not be the best coach for the way the NBA is going offensively. Over his time with the Pacers, Vogel’s offenses have been nearly as bad as his defenses have been good.
After finishing ninth in the league in offensive efficiency in his first full season as head coach, the Pacers haven’t finished higher than nineteenth in offensive efficiency since. Even in the two seasons that the Pacers reached the Eastern Conference Finals, they were in the bottom half of the league’s offenses.
It’s been shown year after year that the way to contention is to be in the top 10 in offensive and defensive efficiency and Vogel’s offense has appeared broken at times over the years despite having one of the league’s best scorers in George.
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If the Pacers front office decides to move in a new direction, it doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t think Vogel is a good coach, but just that he isn’t the coach best fit for the organization to play how they want to play.