Q. There has been a lot of speculation regarding Coach Rick Carlisle. How do you assess his growth this season?

A: What we all tend to forget, it's Rick's second year as a coach. It's not like he's a 15-year veteran who has seen it all. So a lot of it is new for him. I commend him on stepping in and making the adjustments and doing whatever it takes. I felt Rick got into the playoffs and was willing to do whatever it took to get the win. That's all you want from a coach -- do whatever it takes to get the win, and we'll worry about feelings that are hurt tomorrow. I think Rick did a great job with that.

Q: You expect to have him back, right?

A: I would hope so. The guy's won 50 games two years in a row and we've advanced a little farther. I don't see any problems with that.