Larry Bird Named Executive Of The Year

L.A. Times

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-0517-newswire-20120517, 0, 520636.story

Indiana Pacers President Larry Bird was voted the NBA‘s executive of the year on Wednesday, becoming the first person to win that award, plus the most valuable player and coach of the year honors.

The Pacers went 42-24 and are tied 1-1 with Miami in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Bird’s moves to strengthen the team during the off-season included promoting Frank Vogel from interim to head coach and signing starting forward David West.

He acquired point guard George Hill in a draft-night deal with San Antonio, and traded for Lou Amundson and Leandro Barbosa to fortify the bench for the Pacers, who earned the No. 3 seeding in the East and had the fifth-best record in the league.

Bird was a three-time MVP as a Boston Celtics player, then guided his home-state Pacers to a 147-67 record in three seasons and their only NBA Finals appearance in 2000. He was the coach of the year in 1998 following his first season.

Bird received 88 points and 12 first-place votes from a panel of his fellow team executives Wednesday. San Antonio’s R.C. Buford was second with 56 points and eight first-place votes, while the Clippers‘ Neil Olshey finished third with 55 points (six first-place votes).

Larry Bird Named Executive Of The Year

L.A. Times

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-0517-newswire-20120517, 0, 520636.story

In diana Pacers President Larry Bird was voted the NBA ‘s executive of the year on Wednesday, becoming the first person to win that award, plus the most valuable player and coach of the year honors. The Pacers went 42-24 and are tied 1-1 with Miami in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Bird’s moves to strengthen the team during the off-season included promoting Frank Vogel from interim to head coach and signing starting forward David West . He acquired point guard George Hill in a draft-night deal with San Antonio, and traded for Lou Amundson and Leandro Barbosa to fortify the bench for the Pacers, who earned the No. 3 seeding in the East and had the fifth-best record in the league. Bird was a three-time MVP as a Boston Celtics player, then guided his home-state Pacers to a 147-67 record in three seasons and their only NBA Finals appearance in 2000. He was the coach of the year in 1998 following his first season. Bird received 88 points and 12 first-place votes from a panel of his fellow team executives Wednesday. San Antonio’s R.C. Buford was second with 56 points and eight first-place votes, while the Clippers ‘ Neil Olshey finished third with 55 points (six first-place votes).