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Pacers Links: Frank Vogel, Pacers become quick change artists to generate some offense

The Pacers used their shootaround time wisely by altering their offensive game plan which worked according to plan on Friday against the Mavericks.

By Tom Lewis

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Pat Lovell-US PRESSWIRE

Prior to the Indiana Pacers 103-83 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night, Frank Vogel met the media before the game in his usual spot against a wall in the hallway at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Vogel is normally calm and cool, answering all questions without trying to say anything he'll regret later. But on Friday he was rocking back and forth, and was a bit more demonstrative and assertive with his answers.

He was fired up. Prize fighter ready to go out in the ring fired up.

Vogel had changed paths with his offensive game plan to generate more cutting and passing in the half court and apparently he knew it was going to work. Once on the court, Vogel's team delivered an effort worthy of his pre-game excitement.

Point guard George Hill said it took one shootaround to turn things around which included putting in an offense more suited to Hill's tastes. Pretty impressive results for an hour of work.

"He put a system in that involves more movement, more cutting, more passing and it actually opens up the door for a lot of our players to be creative and just play basketball," Hills said.

"With that last offense, we were thinking too much, the ball wasn't moving and staying on one side of the floor," Hill continued. "This offense demands the ball move from side to side and different ways we can post up people and different ways we can cut and be creative so you have to tip your hat to the coaching staff.

"I like it because I'm used to running this type of offense. Coming from San Antonio we had a lot of offense predicated on a lot of movement, a lot of passing and cutting and sharing the ball, so I'm happy to be a part of it."

Hill gave his input on the situation and appreciated the coaching staff taking input from the players and not letting pride get in the way, but instead making progress with the change.

Just how much progress they make will be seen in the effort the Pacers give in Madison Square Garden on Sunday against a vastly improved New York Knicks team. But for one night, the Pacers played like the team they expected to be when the season started.

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