Becky Hammon - Credit: Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports
Following a month of speculation and guesswork, the Indiana Pacers finally dropped the hammer yesterday, firing rookie head coach Nate Bjorkgren after the team missed the playoffs for the first time in six years while getting entangled in an uncharacteristic bout with locker room issues and turmoil in the coaching staff.
The news came as no surprise to many, especially with the Pacers sharply underachieving in the previous season. Overall, the Blue and Gold finished with a mediocre 34-38 record, good for 9th in the East, which then led to an eventful ouster in the play-in tournament.