Last May, when Frank Vogel and Larry Bird first sat down to discuss the Pacers' future, Bird made it clear he wanted to adjust the roster and coaching strategy to accommodate a smaller, faster and more versatile lineup.
Vogel couldn't have been blamed for objecting. The most recent injury-shattered season aside, he had a fresh memory of two teams that reached the Eastern Conference Finals by playing "smash mouth" basketball, big, physical team that leaned heavily on a bruising defensive style and a structured halfcourt game. Put all the pieces back together, a strong argument could have been made for making another deep playoff run.