AS THE INDIANA PACERS sat at their lockers in Chicago moments before Game 7 of the 1998 Eastern Conference finals, Larry Bird, in his first year as coach, strode to the center of the room to address them.
Bird was not big on speeches. The Pacers had done their work in practices and film sessions. All that was left was to execute.
Bird scanned the room. "Forget the X's and O's," he said. "Let's go out there and kick some ass."
"We looked at each other like, 'Wow!