After an impressive showing in the first round against the Chicago Bulls, you would think it would be a no brainer to hire Frank Vogel as the Indiana Pacers new head coach.

But Sportsbook pundits note how President Larry Bird is looking at a wider group of candidates for the spot. Vogel, the interim coach is one of them, with Mike Brown and Rick Adelman also on the list to become the next coach in Indy.

Bird has said Vogel is the front-runner and he should be. Sports betting pundits note how he took over at mid season when the Pacers fired Jim O’Brien, finished the regular season with a 20-18 record and led the team to the playoffs.

Brown, a former Pacers assistant, led the Cleveland Cavaliers to the 2007 NBA Finals and was NBA coach of the year in 2009. Personally, you have to consider the LeBron James factor whether you think it is fair or not. Brown had the best player in the league on his team and sometimes that can make a coach look really good.

Adelman was interviewed the last time the Pacers had an opening. He went 193-135 in four seasons with the Houston Rockets before leaving the team last month. He ranks eighth in NBA history in wins with a career record of 945-616.

Adelman has done a great job for many teams including runs with Portland and Seattle. He is even being mentioned for the Lakers job.

Vogel has proven he can lead a team but with so many worthy candidates out of a job, it is worth Bird’s time to see what is out there. Odds are good Vogel will get it but it is not a slam dunk.

No matter who takes over, expectations will be high for Indiana. They have a good young nucleus and a lot of money available for free agency. Bird wants more than a first-round playoff exit and wants to turn the Pacers into a powerhouse like in the Reggie Miller days.

The Pacers are led by Danny Granger and a young supporting cast. They showed a great deal of toughness and fight against the top-seeded Bulls and were only a few baskets away from winning the series.

Who will the Pacers go with in the end? Do they give it to Vogel who has earned the spot, or to someone with more experience leading a team to the NBA Finals? We shall see very soon.

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