New Orleans Hornets forward P.J. Brown won the NBA's Sportsmanship Award on Saturday.
Brown beat forward Elton Brand of the Los Angeles Clippers in voting by NBA players, with 95 first-place votes and 1,220 points.
Brand got 75 first-place votes and 1,139 points, followed by Memphis forward Shane Battier with 59 first-place votes and 985 points.
The award honors the player who best exemplifies ethical behavior, fair play and integrity on the court. Brown received the Joe Dumars Trophy, named for the former Detroit Pistons All-Star guard who was the award's first recipient.
The NBA will donate the $25,000 prize to the P.J. & Dee Brown Foundation.
Brown, an 11-year veteran, averaged 10.5 points and 10.3 rebounds this season for the Hornets.
PAYTON SILENT: Gary Payton has not played in the fourth quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers' last two playoff games, and he is clearly not happy about it. The exact measure of Payton's discontent could not be determined Saturday, with Payton staying away from the media while the rest of the Lakers got ready to practice for Game 4 against the Houston Rockets.
Coach Phil Jackson has benched Payton in favor of Derek Fisher and Kareem Rush, both of whom have had their jump shots working much better than Payton's. And with the Rockets packing the middle to defend Shaquille O'Neal, outside shooting is at a premium for Los Angeles.
"I told him this morning, and he knows the reason why," Jackson said.
And how did Payton take the explanation?
"I don't know. He didn't say anything," Jackson said.
Jackson's fourth-quarter rotations and Payton's unhappiness have provided the latest plot twist to the Lakers' soap opera season.
"If he wasn't a little disappointed, I would think less of him. So that's definitely to be expected," Karl Malone said.
Payton is shooting just 20 percent from 3-point range and 33 percent overall, and his defense is no longer as suffocating as it was earlier in his career when it earned him the nickname "The Glove."
THOMAS DOUBTFUL: If the New York Knicks are going to extend their season past this weekend, they'll likely have to do it without Tim Thomas.
The Knicks are down 3-0 to the New Jersey Nets with Game 4 of the best-of-seven series today at Madison Square Garden. Thomas couldn't do much Saturday to help his teammates get ready for the elimination game because back spasms kept him on the sidelines.
"Nothing's changed, it's frustrating," he said after doing light shooting.
Thomas, acquired in February, has been out since Game 1 when a flagrant foul by Jason Collins left him with a bruised back and ankle. The 27-year-old forward said the ankle is sore, but it's the back spasms that are keeping him off the court. "I'm doing everything possible. Needles . . . you name it, I'm doing it," he said. "Next is dirt."
He wasn't ready to give up yet, not with today possibly being his last chance to play this season. Thomas went for more treatment after practice and planned to return to the court later in the day, adding he was spending all afternoon at the training facility.
PACERS IN CONTROL: Things are already so different for the Indiana Pacers this postseason.
After three consecutive first-round playoff exits, the Pacers have a 3-0 lead over the Boston Celtics with a chance to complete the sweep today. Still, the Pacers know it's not yet time to celebrate — or even think about moving on.
"We need another win," forward Jermaine O'Neal said after an off-day practice on Saturday. "Being up 3-0 is a big thing for us, but nobody spoke about it after the game. We understand why we're here, and that's to win four games.
"Maybe after tomorrow's game we can sit around and talk about it. But the series is still going, and we still have one more game to win."
The Pacers put themselves in position to sweep Boston with a 108-85 victory on Friday night, getting 19 points apiece from substitutes Al Harrington and Jonathan Bender. It was the worst playoff loss in Celtics history, a span of 261 postseason games since 1948.
A victory in Game 4 would give the Pacers their first postseason series victory since they reached the 2000 NBA Finals.
"We know we're close to reaching one of our goals for the season, but the hardest thing is to close out a series," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. "I think our team understands that, especially having been through it the last three years."
Today's games
Indiana at Boston
Indiana leads series 3-0
L.A. Lakers at Houston
L.A. Lakers lead series 2-1
New Jersey at New York
New Jersey leads series 3-0
San Antonio at Memphis
San Antonio leads series 3-0