Dikembe Mutombo says he is playing in these Finals. He hasn't been told that yet by Byron Scott, but Mutombo just knows there is no way he can sit in the championship round.

"Now we are in the championship; I think my chance will come," Mutombo said yesterday. "I think there is an indication that I will play. Definitely I will play. For sure. We are in the Finals and playing against a team that loves to crash the (boards). Definitely, they will need me. I cannot see myself there sitting."

Scott has said he plans to stick to his rotation of starting Jason Collins and playing Aaron Williams off the bench. He'll use Mutombo if there is a need. The 7-2 center, who is the Nets' highest paid player at $16.1 million for this season, has not played in 10 of the 14playoff games before Game 1 of the Finals.

"I can tell that he has kind of adjusted to me, an indication that we are fine now and that I will be playing," Mutombo said of Scott, who wasn't pleased when Mutombo complained about his playing time in the first round. "As they say, good things come to people who wait. I have been waiting for a while and maybe it is time for me to get a ring.