Pacers coach Jim O'Brien is happy to have the support of team president Larry Bird.

Bird said Monday that O'Brien "is going to be here; that's one thing the players have to know."

Indiana is 9-21 and has lost seven straight contests.

"I know Larry feels that way," O'Brien said. "We're going through a tough time. He doesn't like to lose. I don't like to lose. We're struggling right now and it's my job to get us out of that pattern and get us in the position to win basketball games."

The Pacers are currently 3 1/2 games out of he playoff picture.

"We're not out of the playoff race and we need to develop young guys, and sometimes during the course of 82 games, you run into a rough patch," the coach added. "We're in a rough patch."