Is Cavs' loss Knicks, others' big gain?

There was John Calipari bearing - excuse the choice of words here - witness to Mike Brown's impending doom while a few seats away LeBron James' famous mother, Gloria, fumed as the Cavaliers were getting pounded by the Celtics in their worst home playoff loss in franchise history on Tuesday night. People around her say she was calling for Brown's immediate ouster.

It may come soon enough, especially if the Celtics eliminate the top-seeded Cavaliers Thursday night in Game 6 of this Eastern Conference semifinal series in Boston. The Celtics are one win away from an unexpected run to the conference finals and, perhaps more notably, causing a seismic change in the NBA, most especially the East, for years to come.

There is a strong belief that if the Cavs fail here, James is almost certain to leave Cleveland for opportunities elsewhere, be it here in New York or, perhaps, Chicago. "Our focus right now is Game 6," the Celtics' Kevin Garnett said. "All the other stuff that surrounds LeBron and Cleveland, that's his business. I have nothing to add to that."

But truthfully, the Celtics have every reason to use the proverbial 300-pound gorilla in Cleveland as part of their game plan. Consider mental warfare as part of the defensive scheme. The closer the Cavs get to the unthinkable demise, the more LeBron appears to have one foot out the door, the more that once-tight team that loves to dance and preen before games starts to fracture.

Exhibit A is James' glares at guard Mo Williams, one of his supposed supporting cast who clearly isn't interested in fighting through those bruising screens set by the Celtics' rugged big men.

Celtics assistant Tom Thibodeau's defense is designed to contain James by, as Garnett explained, putting bodies in front of him and in all lanes "so he sees a group or a crowd." He has been forced to be a jump shooter, which is certainly testing his balky right elbow. James missed so badly in Game 5 (3-for-14 from the field) it has led to whispers that the elbow is in worse shape than James will admit.

"I don't hang my head low or make excuses about anything that's going on," James said, "because that's not the type of player or person I am."

Even that has been questioned at this point. The two-time MVP faced rare ridicule Wednesday as the sports nation was stunned by his seemingly apathetic effort during the Cavs' 32-point loss in Game 5, which could have been his last home game as a Cavalier.

"I spoil a lot of people with my play," James said. "You have a bad game here or three bad games in a seven-year career, then, you know, it's easy to point that out. You just got to be better. I put a lot of pressure on myself to go out there and try to be great and try to be the best player on the court and when I'm not, then I feel bad for myself because I'm not going out there and doing the things that I know I can do."

The Knicks hope this is an affliction that lasts at least one more game.

The Dolan family owns controlling interests in the Knicks, MSG and Cablevision. Cablevision owns Newsday.