Opinions vary on the revised playoff format that is expected to accompany the announcement of the NBA's new six-year, $4.6 billion television deal with ABC, ESPN and TNT.

The television deal, which does not include NBC for the first time in 12 years, was announced yesterday. The current playoff format looks like this: a best-of-five series in the first round, followed by best-of-seven series through the NBA Finals.

In the new format, which has not yet been announced, best-of-seven series will be played throughout the postseason.

Cavaliers coach John Lucas does not like the new format; Miami Heat coach Pat Riley does.

"The best team is going to win no matter how many games are played," Lucas said. "We don't need another best-of-seven series."

Riley, who coached Miami to a 95-93 overtime victory at Gund Arena on Monday night, disagreed. He said that too much pressure is put on the team with the homecourt advantage in a best-of-five series.

"If you don't win one of those first two games at home," Riley said, "the pressure is on. I do believe that the best team in a seven-game series, regardless of a fluke game here and there, should probaby win the series.

"I'm all for the change [in format]."

No sweat:

Center Zydrunas Ilgauskas' minutes are monitored closely since his early December return from foot surgery.

Doctors have kept a 28-minute limit on Ilgauskas playing time. He went a season-high 31 in the loss to Miami. "It is no big deal to play a few extra minutes," he said. "The team needed me.

"Besides, there was not a lot of running in that game."

Lucas said he does not want to exceed the allotted minutes. "I did not feel bad about it the other night," he said, "but I am not going to make a habit out of it, either.

"It would be awful if something were to happen in those few extra minutes he played."

Hot shot:

The Cavs should be doing everything they can to get the ball into the hands of Wesley Person. Over the last seven games, Person is shooting 62 percent (15-of-24) from beyond the arc. The hot streak has pushed him to a career-high 48 percent (72-of-150) from long distance - second in the league to San Antonio's Steve Smith's 54 percent (71-of-131).