Pacers' Vogel gets James' attention

MIAMI - If this whole coaching thing doesn't work out, Frank Vogel probably has future in fight promotion.

His hair will never rival that of Don King's, but the Pacers' coach certainly has a natural gift for monstrous chatter.

Vogel isn't going into his team's playoff series against the Heat $15,000 in hole this time, but his mouth still appears to be running up a deficit when it comes to talking about the defending NBA champions. In other words, it's never a smart idea to give LeBron James motivation.

After defeating the Knicks on Saturday, Vogel, a South Jersey native and a 1991 Wildwood High graduate, dismissed the Heat as a just another team when asked about the Pacers' series against Miami in the Eastern Conference finals.

"They're the next team that's in our way, and that's how we're approaching it," said Vogel, a former 76ers assistant.

For James, the comment was a head-scratcher. After all, the Heat defeated the Pacers in the 2012 playoffs, and this season the Heat has had a 27-game winning streak, finished the regular season with 66 victories and has only lost one game during the playoffs.

"We're not just another team," James said. "I don't understand what he's saying. But we're not just another team. It's not true."

"He said we're just another team in their way," James said. "We're not just another team. We're a great team. We're very confident. We'll be ready for them."