Brown Expected to Replace Carlisle

Rick Carlisle sat elbow-to-elbow with the general manager who had just fired him, Joe Dumars. In a bizarre scene, talk turned to Larry Brown, who is expected to become the Detroit Pistons’ next coach.

“If you think he’s going to bring in a stiff behind me, you’re nuts,” Carlisle said Saturday. “He’s going to bring in a big-time guy, and if he can do that he will have done his job.”

Carlisle was fired as coach with one year and $2 million left on his contract despite winning two consecutive division titles, 100 regular-season games, a coach of the year award and leading the Pistons to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 1991.

He will likely be replaced by Brown, who has already reached an agreement with the Pistons on a long-term deal, according to a source within the league with knowledge of the discussions between the Pistons and Brown. The source spoke to Associated Press on condition of anonymity, saying the hiring will become official on Monday.

Saturday’s news conference was strange. Carlisle poked fun at himself during an opening statement, then initiated jokes and defended the decision when Dumars was pressed to explain the dismissal.

“The guy at the gate almost wouldn’t let me in to my own firing,” Carlisle said.

When Dumars said, “This is not a fun day at all,” Carlisle said, “It’s all right. You can have fun with it.”

Brown resigned as coach of the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday after six seasons. The 76ers released him from a contractual clause that prohibited him from coaching another NBA team if he left Philadelphia prematurely.

Brown, 62, had two years left on his contract.

There are nine NBA coaching vacancies.

When asked about Brown, Dumars said, “We’ll be talking to him,” adding that he has heard Brown’s name linked to openings in Houston, Cleveland and Washington.

Brown did not return two messages left at his home.

Carlisle, in his first head coaching job, helped turn Detroit from a lottery team into the top-seeded squad in the East this season. He was honored as NBA Coach of the Year for the 2001-02 season.

He led the Pistons to a 100-64 regular-season record and a 12-15 postseason mark over two seasons.

Carlisle was hired as Detroit’s coach on May 25, 2001, after the team fired George Irvine following a 32-50 season. There was believed to be tension between Dumars and Carlisle, but both denied that was true.

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Portland Trail Blazer Coach Maurice Cheeks has received permission to speak to the 76ers about their vacancy, according to Associated Press.

The Trail Blazers on Wednesday turned down Philadelphia’s initial request to speak to Cheeks. Portland changed its mind after Detroit fired Carlisle, AP reported.

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Tim Duncan doesn’t expect to see a lot of crazy defensive schemes from the New Jersey Nets.

Instead, he expects mostly man-to-man coverage from a player -- Kenyon Martin -- who has Duncan’s respect as one of the best defensive big men in the NBA.

“Kenyon is right up there with them. He’s got quick feet, his hands are active,” Duncan said.

“If there was to be one guy [who defends him best], he would be right up them with them.”

The Duncan-Martin matchup should be one of the keys to the NBA Finals, which begin Wednesday night.