Frank Vogel is staying as head coach of the Indiana Pacers.
Pacers president of basketball operations Larry Bird made it official during a Monday press conference, saying there was never any doubt that Vogel would remain.
"His (Vogel's) job was never in jeopardy," Bird said. "He did a great job for us."
Indiana stumbled down the stretch of the season, going 10-13 in the final 23 games, but still held on to the top seed in the Eastern Conference with a 56-26 record. The Pacers then had problems in the postseason, needing seven games to get past the Atlanta Hawks in the first round and six games to eliminate the Washington Wizards in the conference semis.
"There were turbulent times," said Vogel on Monday. "To their credit, they stayed together and worked through the turbulent times."
The club then lost to the Miami Heat in the conference finals for a second straight season. The Heat needed only six games to defeat the Pacers, who were hoping that home court advantage would help end Miami's stranglehold on conference dominance.
"We've got a good thing going here," said Bird. "I think everyone is disappointed -- like I am -- with how it ended."
The Pacers are 167-100 in three-plus seasons under Vogel, going 28-25 in the postseason over that span.
[SportsNetwork.com]
