http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/news/local/17338144.htm New Pacers coach O'Brien reaching out to players CLIFF BRUNT Associated Press INDIANAPOLIS - New Indiana Pacers coach Jim O'Brien has met with most of his players to discuss their roles in reversing the team's fortunes after missing the playoffs for the first time in a decade. O'Brien, known more as a disciplinarian rather than a players' coach, plans to fly next week to Atlanta to meet with point guard Jamaal Tinsley and to New York to spend a day with forwards Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy. Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh said O'Brien, hired last week to replace the fired Rick Carlisle, understands the importance of building those relationships. "I think a coach who recognizes that is a very smart coach," Walsh said. "This coach wants to get off the ground running." O'Brien had been out of coaching for two years since being fired after a single season in Philadelphia. He had a 43-39 record, a 10-win improvement from the year before that put the team back to the playoffs. O'Brien, though, wasn't popular with his players, who often complained about their roles. O'Brien believes his dealings with players have been typical for an NBA coach and said reports that he didn't get along with his stars in Philadelphia were exaggerated. "There's always going to be people on the team that aren't happy with their playing time, and I can't really worry about that," he said. His main concern is that players understand what's going on. "Every player on every job that I've ever had has been communicated to why they're playing or why they're not playing," he said. "If they're not playing, our staff is always willing and ready to improve their ability to play." The Pacers went 35-47 last season, their worst record since 1988-89. They've also dealt with several off-court problems that started with 2004 brawl with Detroit Pistons fans and continues with the felony charge pending against Tinsley from a nightclub fight. Indiana turned to O'Brien, who has a 182-158 record in five seasons at Philadelphia and Boston. Though Pacers management has promised significant changes this summer, O'Brien has approached his first week as though he's looking at a final roster. He has met with three of his youngest players - Danny Granger, David Harrison and Shawne Williams - who are among the least likely to be traded because of their age and potential. O'Brien expects Granger to be a top option this season. O'Brien said Granger acknowledged he wasn't ready when a midseason trade sent Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington to Golden State and left him with a more prominent role. "His job, and he's been very diligent so far this summer, is to get his body ,strengthened and play at a high level every time out," O'Brien said. Williams didn't play much last season, but All-Star forward Jermaine O'Neal saw enough to call last season's first-round pick a key to the team's future. O'Brien met with Williams on Tuesday and told him to be ready to run in a new up-tempo offense. Harrison, a 7-foot, 280-pound center, is a former first-round draft pick with enormous potential. But he has played in just 134 of a possible 246 regular-season games because of injuries and has committed a foul every five minutes during his three-year career. O'Brien said he wants Harrison to train and prepare himself for next season so he can avoid injuries. Harrison, bothered by shoulder problems much of last season, underwent a procedure on his collarbone in April. Though O'Brien is trying to make everyone feel at home, he doesn't have a home in the Indianapolis area yet. He has moved into his office at Conseco Fieldhouse. He also attended the Indiana Fever's WNBA game in the fieldhouse Wednesday night. "I think it's pretty clear that the fans want a team on the court that they can be proud of," O'Brien said. "Every fan in Indiana is passionate about basketball in a way that they appreciate work ethic, appreciate teamwork, and they want to see winning basketball." O'Brien新官上任後，採取的手段讓人欣賞， 畢竟卡帥與球員之間的溝通問題是導致失望球季的原因之一， O'Brien積極的拉近關係做法是必要的。 在新節奏戰術下，小葛跟小威發揮的空間更大了， 2人的身體素質與投射都有一定的水平， Pacers之未來當家SF爭奪戰即將展開。 至於大哈，冏rz. -- 只需要認識我的文字 http://www.wretch.cc/blog/indypacers --

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