Pacers fire coach O'Brien

Jim O'Brien was fired as coach of the Indiana Pacers after the club struggled to a 17-27 start, Pacers president Larry Bird announced on Sunday.

One night after being routed 110-89 by Central Division leader Chicago to fall 14 1/2 games off the Bulls' pace, Indiana dumped O'Brien and appointed assistant coach Frank Vogel to coach the team for the remainder of the season.

O'Brien, 303-327 as an NBA coach with Boston and Philadelphia, was 121-169 in more than three seasons guiding the Pacers, who went winless on a four-game road trip last week and have lost seven of their past eight games.