National Basketball Association

Pacers coach Vogel excited to get started

Published Dec. 1, 2011 12:46 a.m. ET

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Finally, Frank Vogel's real rookie year is set to begin.

Vogel took over as the Indiana Pacers' interim coach at the middle of last season, and he helped the team close the regular season with a 20-18 record after a 17-27 start. The Pacers lost their first-round playoff series 4-1 to Chicago, despite having a chance to win four of the games.

Vogel was given the full-time head coaching job during the summer, though it was uncertain when games would be played again because of the lockout. Now that the season is expected to start on Christmas Day, Vogel can't wait to dive in.

''I'm chomping at the bit,'' he said. ''Very, very thrilled and excited.''

Vogel took advantage of the lockout and got to know his new assistant coaches, Brian Shaw and Jim Boylen.

''Me being a first-year head coach and having a couple of new assistant coaches, in some ways, the extra time was welcome and helped us get more experienced with each other,'' he said after reading books to kids at Eastern Hancock Elementary School.

Vogel held his tongue all summer as he wanted to rave about George Hill, the team's newest acquisition. The Pacers picked up Hill in a draft-day deal that sent their first-round pick to San Antonio. Lockout rules prevented coaches from talking about trades or players, but now that the lockout is nearing an end, that restriction has been lifted. Hill averaged 11.6 points for the Spurs last season and was often on the floor during close games in the final minutes despite coming off the bench.

''I'm thrilled that that trade went through,'' Vogel said. ''To have a guy like that that can be a starter-level guy at the point-guard position, the shooting guard position, and his character falls in line with the new Pacers.''

Hill adds to a young nucleus that featured Danny Granger, Roy Hibbert, Tyler Hansbrough and Darren Collison last season. Those players led the Pacers to the postseason for the first time in five years. The team also boasts significant salary-cap space.

''There's a lot of things that we can do,'' Vogel said. ''Just always getting better is the goal. Larry (Bird) and David (Morway) have worked very hard to put us in position to have a great salary-cap situation with great flexibility. They're exploring trade opportunities and all free agent opportunities right now.''

Vogel doesn't believe drastic moves are necessary.

''We are at least very good at every position,'' he said. ''There's not one glaring need with this team. We're good at every position right now.''

Because he couldn't communicate with players during the lockout, he doesn't know what to expect on the first day of practice.

''It's going to be a challenge because you don't know what kind of condition your players are going to be in.''

He's confident that the buzz about the team that grew throughout the city late last season will continue.

''I really think however long it (the lockout) went, I felt we were going to pick up where it left off,'' he said. ''That's my expectation.''

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Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/cliffbruntap

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