NBA Notes: 4 Wizards banned for leaving bench in scuffle

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NEW YORK -- Washington Wizards players DeJuan Blair, Nene, Daniel Orton and Xavier Silas were each suspended for one regular-season game by the NBA on Wednesday for leaving the bench area during an altercation between Paul Pierce and Chicago's Joakim Noah.

Noah was fined $15,000 for initiating the altercation in an exhibition game Monday night in Chicago by pushing Pierce in the chest, and Pierce was fined $15,000 for hitting Noah in the forehead with his left index finger.

Pacers: Vogel signs multiyear extension
INDIANAPOLIS -- Larry Bird ended the speculation about Frank Vogel's job security before it could even begin. He's safe.

On Wednesday, the Pacers' president of basketball operations announced Vogel had signed a multiyear contract extension. Terms were not disclosed and players and coaches were unavailable because they had a scheduled day off. The 41-year-old Vogel is expected to take questions Thursday.

The move comes exactly three weeks before Indiana's regular-season opener against Philadelphia and eliminates a potential distraction since Vogel was entering the final year of his deal with the Pacers.

"We're very happy to extend Frank's contract," Bird said in a statement issued by the team. "I believe he has done a great job and I look forward to continuing our relationship and working together to achieve all of our goals."

A year ago, winning the city's first NBA title seemed like an achievable feat. Bird acknowledged before training camp that the Pacers were going "all in" to make a championship run. Vogel's players responded with a 33-8 start that gave Vogel his first chance to coach the Eastern Conference All-Stars.

Little has gone right since then for the Pacers and Vogel, who has a 147-82 career record (see full story).

Hawks: Horford joins 5-on-5 drills
ATLANTA -- Atlanta Hawks management had to spend too much of the offseason saying "We're sorry."

Hawks players have a different message in training camp: "We're better."

Optimism is based on improved depth and a better understanding of second-year coach Mike Budenholzer's ball-movement system.

Twelve players return from last season's team that lost a tough first-round playoff series to Indiana.

All-Star center Al Horford, recovering from a torn right pectoral muscle, worked in his first five-on-five drills of training camp on Wednesday.

Horford said depth should be a strong point for the team.

"I think this is probably the deepest team I've been a part of since I've been here," Horford said. "I'm real confident in our guys, the way they work and how they've played. I'm so excited about our team" (see full story).

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