The Detroit Pistons met with President George Bush at the White Houst on Monday.

"Nobody expected you to win," Bush said to the team. "I know how you feel."

He congratulated the Pistons for winning a championship "the right way" - with teamwork.

Prior to the ceremony Rasheed Wallace was asked what he would say to the president, he said, "I don't have (expletive) to say to him. I didn't vote for him. It's just something we have to do."

Newly acquired Detroit Pistons guard Carlos Arroyo had surgery on his broken nose Monday and is doubtful for the next two games.

Arroyo broke his nose during a victory over New York on Saturday night, when he was accidentally hit in the face by the Knicks' Trevor Ariza.

He will be re-evaluated for Saturday's game at New Jersey. The former Jazz guard will have to wear a protective mask when he returns.

Newsday is reporting that there are reports in the Detroit Free Press that Larry Brown hopes to remain with the Detroit Pistons through the end of his coaching career, meaning if this was to happen he will never take the helm for the New York Knicks, his apparent dream job.

"I told him what I'm telling you," Brown told the Free Press. "Did I say it was my dream job? Yes, I told him it once was. But they passed me over twice. I grew up in New York. I talked to the guy about that. I talked to him about Red Holzman. ... I've never been smart enough to say 'no comment.'"

The Hall of Fame coach, who has three-plus years left on his $25 million, five-year contract, declined comment at Sunday's practice, but told the Free Press that coaching the Knicks is not in his future.

"Even if they offer me the job at the end of this season, I am not going to go coach the Knicks," Brown said.

The New York Post is reporting that after talking with family and advisors, veteran center Elden Campbell will report and will be playing for the New Jersey Nets.  Campbell, who the Nets claimed off waivers after the ex-Piston was waived by the Utah Jazz following a trade for Carlos Arroyo from the Motor City, spoke with Nets president Rod Thorn yesterday and is expected tomorrow.

"That's good news," said Thorn, who described Campbell's attitude as "good" about reporting. "He said he still wanted to play and he was looking forward to coming in and helping anyway he could."

Campbell had hinted about retiring ? in which case he would have lost $2.2 million. Thorn did not present a selling job, but just laid out the situation.

"The only thing I said was obviously our team was starting to play better and we have a need. With his size and low post presence and his physicalness, he's a player if he's ready to go could certainly help us," Thorn said, stressing "we're three games out of first . . . and we're trying to do everything we can to win as many games as we can and we think he can help us."

Campbell had hoped to return to the Pistons, and the Pistons reportedly wanted the big man back.

"Elden is a very professional guy. As to how good he'll play and how we use him is up to Lawrence [Frank], but I'm sure he'll try as hard as he can and do everything he can to help us," Thorn said. "It's hard to find quality big guys. Elden has been doing it throughout his career. He's a very good low post player, has good size and has always been good in the locker room."

Jason Kidd and Vince Carter have expressed their support about acquiring Campbell.

While Herb Williams currently mans the fort for the Knicks in the Big Apple, the vacant head coaching position certainly is attracting some big names.

Phil Jackson said last week that should Isiah Thomas call him in regards to him possibly being the next coach of the New York Knicks he'd certainly listen (which, as Jackson made clear, doesn't mean he'd actually accept the position), and now the NBA's reigning champion head coach appears to be at least showing an interest in the job.

Larry Brown, the veteran head coach of the Detroit Pistons who won his first ever NBA championship as coach of the team last season, told the New York Post before Saturday's game with the Knicks that the New York position has always represented his "dream job" and that he "loves" New York president Isiah Thomas.

But Brown was careful not to lobby for the job in The Post interview.

"I've dreamed about it a number of times," said Brown before his Pistons crushed the Knicks on Saturday in Madison Square Garden. "Growing up there, being a Knick fan, of course it was my dream. And I've been passed over a few times. I'm an East Coast person. Red Holzman was my hero growing up. But I'm here. These people [in Detroit] have been wonderful to me."

"I want to do my job here and move on. I don't look at myself at coaching much longer."

Brown passed on chances to shoot down rumors about him possibly leaving the Pistons after the season to coach the Knicks both before and after the game.

The Hall of Fame coach, who has three-plus years left on his contract, didn't meet with the media before the game for the first time in his 1? seasons with the Pistons.

Then Brown, who was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., passed on the postgame news conference, sending assistant coach Gar Heard.

"I've got the flu," Brown said in a brief interview with The Associated Press on his cell phone from his office. "Sorry, that's all I have to say."

Brown, according to ESPN, has been one of the more well-traveled coaches in history, with head coaching stints at Detroit, Philadelphia, Indiana, the Los Angeles Clippers, San Antonio, New Jersey, Denver (NBA and ABA) and Carolina of the ABA, UCLA and Kansas. He also coached the 2004 U.S. Olympic men's team.

As Larry Brown dodged reporters before and after the game, as rumors fly about him being earmarked to take over the reigns in New York, his Pistons held the Knicks to just 61 points.

The Knicks, whose previous low this season was 73 points in a loss to Boston on Nov. 6, made just 36.1 percent of their shots.

Trevor Ariza unintentionally broke Carlos Arroyo's nose. Arroyo will have surgery Monday and is expected to wear a protective mask when he returns. He is doubtful for Detroit's game Tuesday at Washington.

A minute later, Ariza sprained his left ankle stepping on the foot of Ronald Dupree.

Detroit Pistons head coach Larry Brown received the fine for comments critical of the referees after a 86-83 loss to Minnesota earlier this week.

Brown complained after Monday?s game about a block by Minnesota's Eddie Griffin that he thought should have been called goaltending. Brown also said the officials missed several over-the-back fouls by the Timberwolves.

Brown called the officiating "a joke."

The New Jersey Nets stymied the rival Detroit Pistons' hopes of re-signing the recently traded Elden Campbell by claiming the 7'0" center off waivers from the Utah Jazz late Friday.

"Campbell's the best big [man] available, so I feel he can come in, play minutes for us and help us. We're not going to punt the season and give up," Nets chief executive Rod Thorn said. "We still have a very good opportunity in our division. We've got a couple of top-flight players here and we feel he can be an asset to us."

Campbell was hoping to clear waivers so that he could return to the Pistons, much the same way Lindsey Hunter did last season after being traded to the Boston Celtics in the deal that netted Detroit Rasheed Wallace. Thorn, who had to use a $5 million exception for the right to claim Campbell off waivers, will speak with him on the phone Saturday morning and try to convince him to prolong his career. If he doesn't, the Nets would lose the $5 million regardless.

"I don't have any indication one way or the other right now, but I assume that he will join the team," Thorn said. "As far as I'm concerned, he's property of the Nets. Obviously, he has the prerogative of retiring, but we're going to have a conversation with him and see what transpires. I don't think he wants to retire."

David Wallace, the brother of Pistons star Ben Wallace, appeared in court on Thursday and released on a $500 personal bond on charges stemming from the Nov. 19 brawl at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

Wallace stood silent to the charge of misdemeanor assault and battery, and a not guilty plea was entered on his behalf, said Paul Walton, an assistant Oakland County prosecutor.

The Pacers were defeated by the Pistons on Thursday night, dropping them under .500.  With the loss, the Pacers lost their third straight and their fifth out of their last seven games.

``I've got to stay positive with this group,'' coach Rick Carlisle said. ``There are a lot of games to play and this team will get better.''

Jermaine O'Neal finished with 27 points for the Pacers.  

Also, Reggie Miller rebuked reports that he has privately revealed that he had plans of retiring at season's end.

``If and when, I'll have the first conversation with Charles (Barkley) and Cheryl Miller,'' he said, referring to his sister. ``Right now, I'm considering getting us off a three-game losing streak. I'll be there all year. That's the only thing I'm focused on.''