Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers is still going on about the subject of restraint and mental toughness.  This topic has been in the spotlight ever since his Celtics lost to the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.  One particular incident involved Paul Pierce getting ejected after throwing an elbow to a Pacer player in crunch time after being fouled on the perimeter.

''Danny Fortson knocked down [Manu] Ginobili. And Ginobili got right back up, made the two free throws, and the Spurs won the game.

''To me, that's toughness," said the Celtics coach. ''I keep telling our guys that there's a big difference between being physical and playing aggressive and responding. If someone fouls you hard, you don't respond. You do what Ginobili did. You turn the other cheek, make the free throws and win the game. To me, turning the other cheek is much more of a sign of toughness than pushing back."

The Cleveland Cavaliers have finally settled on a head coach.

Two sources on Friday night said the Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers assistant coach Mike Brown were negotiating a contract.

Being a head coach someday has been a major goal for Brown.

"It has always been a dream of mine," Brown said. "I love the game of basketball and I think the ultimate thing is winning a championship and the next thing is running your own team."

Jermaine O'Neal will have a high standard to uphold next season in Indiana, otherwise he might be moved as indicated by Larry Bird on Tuesday.

"We have to get better," Bird said Tuesday in his season-in-review news conference. "Even if Ron played all year, I don't know if we would have been a championship team. We would have been a heck of a lot better.

"Will we make a lot of changes? I don't know. I think it all depends on Jermaine O'Neal. I'll put the pressure right on him. If he comes back in great shape, and he has Ronnie on his side and he's got Stephen Jackson, and Jamaal Tinsley does the things he needs to do in the summer, we'll be all right. We do have to get better in certain areas.

"We'll find out right away whether he can handle it or not," Bird said. "If he can't handle it, we'll have to find somebody else. But I'm very confident that Jermaine, every year, matures more and more. Some players like that pressure. Some can't handle it. I really feel Jermaine can handle it. If he can, we'll be better from it."

Indiana Pacers associate head coach Mike Brown is scheduled to interview for the vacant Cleveland Cavaliers head coaching position on Tuesday.

"He's been great for this organization," Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh said. "He's one of the bright coaches out there. When you talk to him, you think he's in his 40s. He's a young coach that has the whole package."

The Pacers' Donnie Walsh has said that the franchise has settled on a new uniform design for next season, although no date has been set to reveal it.

Walsh described the new look as similar to the current pin-striped model, but as being "a little more modern."

The Pacers have worn the same uniform style since Bird's first season as coach (1997-98).

Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh is keeping the door open for Reggie Miller to return to Conseco Fieldhouse next season -- and he'll pay Miller $6.1 million for the final season of his contract even if he doesn't.

"I'm not convinced he's not going to play again," Walsh said Friday. "I'm going to check back with him. I'm waiting for him to miss it. I'll give him two weeks or a month and see how he feels."

Miller, who scored 27 points Thursday as the Pacers were eliminated from the playoffs by Detroit at Conseco Fieldhouse, said after the game that his retirement is "absolutely, positively, 100 percent" final.

In his final game in a Pacers uniform, Reggie Miller completed his 18th season in Indiana with 27 points, hitting clutch shot after clutch shot to keep the cold-shooting Pacers in game.  It was not enough, however, to defeat the Detroit Pistons who continued to grind the Pacers down, answering every Pacer run with a run of their own.

With the game lost, Indiana coach Rick Carlisle called a timeout with 26 seconds left and pulled Miller.  As he walked to the bench the Indiana legend received a heartfelt applause from the fans, referees, the Pistons and anybody else in the arena.  The applause went on for several minutes with many fans caught on camera shedding tears for the retiring sharpshooter who has been a staple in Indiana for so many years.  The majority of the crowd remained after the game expired to cheer on Miller chanting ?one more year? repeatedly in hopes that Reggie might return for season #19.

On the Pistons side, Richard Hamilton led Detroit with 28 points and Ben Wallace made a key block on a Miller 3-pointer in the last minute to secure the win.  A block not to be mistaken with the Tayshaun Prince block on a Reggie Miller lay-up in the Eastern Conference Final last year.  Miller had to force the deep-3 up as time on the shot clock was set to expire.  

Detroit will now travel to Miami to face the Heat who are sure to be well rested after a 4-game sweep of the Washington Wizards.  Shaquille O?Neal?s status remains uncertain for the series as he is still not practicing with Heat as he tries to heal his thigh injury.

Orlando Magic forward Grant Hill is the recipient of the Joe Dumars Trophy presented to the 2004-05 NBA Sportsmanship Award winner, the NBA announced today.  

Originally presented following the 1995-96 season, the Sportsmanship Award honors a player who exemplifies the ideals of sportsmanship on the court -- ethical behavior, fair play and integrity.  The trophy is named for former Detroit Pistons All-Star guard Joe Dumars, the award?s first recipient.  

Hill received 2,778 points, including 134 first place votes, the highest received among the Sportsmanship Award finalists.  For the second consecutive year, NBA players voted on this award, with eleven points given for each first-place vote, nine points for each second-place vote, seven points for third, five points for fourth, three points for fifth and one point for each sixth place vote received.  Each team nominated one of its own players for this award, then former NBA players Tom Heinsohn, Eddie Johnson, Steve Mix, Kelly Tripucka and Stu Lantz selected the six divisional winners.  

An 11-year NBA veteran, Hill was one of six divisional winners which included Indiana?s Austin Croshere, Memphis? Shane Battier, New Jersey?s Jacque Vaughn, Phoenix?s Steve Nash and Utah?s Andrei Kirilenko.

Miami Heat center Shaquille O?Neal is still uncertain as to whether his right thigh will be ready from the Conference Finals next week.

''Hopefully,'' O'Neal said when asked about being ready for the start of the series, while making it clear he doesn't know for certain.  

O?Neal has made it public that there hasn?t been much improvement on his right thigh contusion since the injury occurred.

''It was the same thing,'' O'Neal told The Herald. ``I was getting information, talking to people. They were showing me what to do to strengthen that area. This is a common football injury.''

Ben Wallace had 19 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks to lead Detroit to an 86-67 victory Tuesday night over the Pacers, and a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal series.

The Pistons held Indiana without a field goal for a stretch 10:39 -- including the first 6:26 of the second half -- turning a tie game into a 22-point advantage.

The Pistons, who are one game away from Miami, turned the game into a rout with a 30-4 run over the second and third quarters.

Indiana's Jermaine O'Neal had 14 points and Stephen Jackson scored 12. Reggie Miller was held to eight points