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Cavaliers notes: Pistons coach: Cleveland is for Z

According to Pistons coach John Kuester, there's only one place Zydrunas Ilgauskas should play.

"This is home for Z," he said before Friday's game. "I think this is the place he needs to end his career."

Kuester was an assistant coach with the Cavaliers for two years before becoming the Pistons' head coach.

He was reacting to the news Ilgauskas wants to re-sign with the Cavs after March 22, assuming his agent and the team can come to a financial agreement.

"When it comes to Z, I know there are a lot of teams that would love to have him, and we're one of them," Cavs coach Mike Brown said. "He's been great for us. Hopefully, we'll be able to get it worked out to where it can happen."

Brown remains a bit guarded in his approach to the Ilgauskas situation.

"I'm not one guy who thinks it going to happen until it does," Brown said. "I have my hands full coaching the guys I have. For me to think, worry or speculate about him coming back, I can't do that. I'd love to have him."

TNT analyst Charles Barkley said the Cavs need injured center Shaquille O'Neal more than they need Ilgauskas.

"The Cleveland Cavaliers are the best team in the East, but forget about Ilgauskas," he said. "They've got no chance of beating the Lakers without Shaquille O'Neal.

"He's a big body. He's active. He's a tough matchup. That's the only way they can beat the Lakers in the championship."

'Boobie' out

Guard Daniel Gibson missed his third consecutive game after the birth of his son on Tuesday.

"He's with his wife," Brown said. "When it comes to family situations, I'm not a guy to put an urgent time table on anybody. I told him to take as long as he needs."

Be like Mike

LeBron James cracked up the entire team on Thursday when he impersonated Brown, who turned 40 on Friday.

"LeBron is a sharp guy," Brown said. "He impersonated me pretty good. He had all my little quirks down. It was pretty funny.

"As a head coach, I thought I'd be immune to getting jabbed at."

That was anything but the case.

"You're not conscious of doing the things you're doing until someone points them out to you," Brown said. "He had me so flustered, I let everyone go home from practice."

Quick shots

- James became the franchise's all-time leader in minutes played in the first quarter. With his fifth minute, he surpassed Ilgauskas' 21,572.

- J.J. Hickson is averaging 18.5 points and 11.0 rebounds and shooting 71 percent from the field (15 of 21) in his two starts at center. He's playing his best basketball of the season. One can see why GM Danny Ferry insisted on keeping him at the trade deadline. "I'm so proud of him," Kuester said. "I'm very happy to watch him grow as a basketball player. To watch him from last year until this year is like night and day. He's such a wonderful athlete. That was never a doubt. When you have that athleticism, and you add the other aspects to the game, he's very dangerous."

- James averaged 32.6 points and 10.5 assists in February. He's the first player since Nate "Tiny" Archibald in March 1973 to average more than 32 points and 10 assists in a month.

- The Cavs hold a 16-game lead in the Central Division, the largest in the NBA, entering into Friday's game. They are 6-1 in the Central this season.

http://www.news-herald.com/articles/.../nh2191926.txt

[louienajjar23]

jon even though your a piston i still have respect for you