Larry Bird, in Indianapolis for an all-star...

Larry Bird, in Indianapolis for an all-star charity basketball game, said former Boston Celtic coach Jimmy Rodgers never got a fair shake before he was fired.

“It’s sort of a shock they let Jimmy go,” Bird said. “When K.C. (Jones) was coaching things ran pretty smooth. When Jimmy took over he never really had a chance.”

Rodgers was fired after the Celtics lost to the New York Knicks in the first-round of the NBA playoffs and eventually replaced by assistant Chris Ford.

Bird said he believes injuries to key players, including himself, and lackluster draft picks combined to spell doom for Rodgers.

“We’re getting older, but it’s not me, Kevin (McHale) or Robert’s (Parish) fault. You have to get the people to fill in,” Bird said. “We just haven’t got the guys who can come in and get the job done.”

Bird, who traditionally spends the summer in French Lick, his hometown in southern Indiana, also dispelled rumors that he would approve of a trade to the Indiana Pacers. “It’s not in my plans to leave Boston,” he said. “I want to finish my career there.”