Phil Jackson spoke with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday in his virtual tour of cities and teams that want him to be their coach for the 2005-06 season and beyond.

"We had contact with Phil Jackson and are exploring all highly successful head coaches who are in a position to speak with us," Cavaliers vice president of communications Tad Carper said.

Jackson's agent, Chicago-based Todd Musburger, also confirmed the call.

"It was a lengthy and thorough conversation," he said. "It was very detailed.

"Phil will be taking the time he needs to make a decision. He will go through this entire process. It is a very important decision. He'll take the time he needs."

Musburger said Jackson isn't necessarily leaning toward returning to the Los Angeles Lakers. Jackson led the Lakers to three NBA championships in his five seasons in Los Angeles. He left after the 2003-04 season and took a year off from coaching.

Cleveland may be a good fit for Jackson.  The team holds one of the best young talents the league has seen in a long time in LeBron James and perhaps Mr. James could be Jackson?s next Jordon.

New York Knicks president Isiah Thomas flew through San Antonio on his way home from talking to Phil Jackson on Monday in Los Angeles.

He stopped to interview San Antonio Spurs assistant P.J. Carlesimo.

Hall of Fame coach Chuck Daly told the New York Daily News a Knicks-Carlesimo fit would make sense.

"He'd be great," Daly told the Daily News. "I don't know what the Knicks are going to do, but if they're talking to P.J. that's a good move."

Thomas also met with Phil Jackson on Monday. Jackson's agent, Todd Musburger, told The New York Times this week that "Phil and Isiah will undoubtedly talk again."

The Knicks also want to talk to Flip Saunders, who was fired by the Minnesota Timberwolves this season, Smith reported.

The team also has interest in Detroit Pistons coach Larry Brown.

Isiah Thomas plans to speak to Flip Saunders about the Knicks vacant head coaching position. Stephon Marbury, who was coached by Saunders in Minnesota, appears interested in reuniting. He called Saunders a "great coach" in February.

Other candidates for the head coaching position include Phil Jackson, Larry Brown, and Paul Silas.

The Knicks are beginning to pursue their 'Plan B' coaches, such as Saunders, as published reports indicate that Kobe Bryant would like Phil Jackson to return to Los Angeles.

Former Timberwolves head coach Flip Saunders is still waiting for a call from Isiah Thomas and the Knicks regarding their head coaching vacancy.

Thomas has turned the majority of his attention to Phil Jackson, thus ignoring Saunders, who is at the top of many team's wish list.

The Blazers and Cavaliers are two teams that will likely speak to Saunders.

New York Knicks general manager Isiah Thomas will soon meet with former Knick player Phil Jackson to discuss his interest in becoming head coach.

Jackson boasts a .725 winning percentage along with  175 playoff wins is being courted by several NBA teams including Minnesota and Los Angeles to name a few.

Jackson recently attended a Lakers game with Dr. Jerry Buss and Kato Kaelin.

Isiah Thomas appears to be changing his stance on Stephon Marbury, opening up the possibilty of trading the point guard.  Jamal Crawford was a point guard playing shooting guard during the 2004-2005 season and trading Marbury would not only open things up financially for the Knicks, but for Crawford as well.

Thomas might be sharing these thoughts in the media to help lure Phil Jackson to New York.

On Oct. 28, Jackson told The Post, "[Marbury] has to grow and still has to improve. His experience in the Olympics taught him where he can improve a lot in his game."

Charley Rosen, a longtime friend of the former Bulls and Lakers coach, says Jackson likes taller, long guards, such as Crawford. "Marbury physically doesn't fit into what Phil's optimum picture of what a guard is supposed to look like."

Zydrunas Ilgauskas, center for the Cavaliers, is without a contract in Cleveland and is currently purchasing a home in Manhattan.

"I've been visiting that city for a lot of years," Ilgauskas said. "I just happened to like that city. Wherever I may be, I may own a place there."

The Knicks are one of the teams who will try to sign Ilgauskas, who is unhappy with the uncertainty in Cleveland.

"There's a lot of uncertainty on who the coach is going to be and obviously, whoever the coach might be will assemble his own team," Ilgauskas said. "Who knows, there could be a lockout, and there's a lot of things in the air."

The New York Knicks have just completed their fourth straight losing season and now Isiah Thomas is reaching out to Phil Jackson in the media.

"I can work with anybody that wants to win," Thomas said when asked about Jackson.

"He is someone we'll definitely reach out and talk to," Thomas said. "We need to find someone who shares our values and our vision of where we want to go."

Reports on Thursday indicated that Jackson is leaning towards returning to Los Angeles, but New York is where Jackson played during the prime of his career.

Jamal Crawford made seven 3-pointers and scored 36 points, and the Knicks came from behind to beat the playoff-bound Washington Wizards 113-105 Wednesday night.

``You're only as good as your last game so you definitely want to leave a good impression,'' Crawford said. ``Did you see those fans, how they were cheering? It was like a playoff atmosphere.''

Stephon Marbury scored 20 points and 7 assists.

``The only thing we can do is get ready for next season,'' Marbury said. ``Once we get the mixture of players that can come in here and do the things that are needed to win ball games, I think my game will totally change. I think it will go up as a matter of fact.''

The Chicago Bulls clinched homecourt advantage in the 1st round of the playoffs by defeating the New York Knicks with a game-winning shot by Ben Gordon.

"I knew I had to get to my spot," said Gordon. "I knew it was going to go in. I knew I was going to get the last bucket and make the shot."

Gordon scored 16 points, while Kirk Hinrich had 34 points in the 92-91 victory.

While the Bulls celebrated hosting the Wizards, they also spoiled Jamal Crawford's return to Chicago.  Crawford scored 24 points, but missed a shot at the buzzer, which would have won the game for the Knicks.