Rivers staying put

Magic Coach Doc Rivers has ties to two of three NBA teams that might be looking for full-time coaches next season. But the New York York Knicks and the Chicago Bulls should save their time and long-distance charges.

Rivers isn't interested. "No way," he said before Wednesday night's game against the Indiana Pacers. "Kris [his wife] isn't leaving, so I'm not."

One Magic source said he wouldn't be surprised if the Knicks made a run at Rivers after the season.

Rivers is under contract to the Magic until the 2004-05 season, although no contracts are set in stone on the managerial side of sports. The Portland Trail Blazers, for example, and former Knicks Coach Jeff Van Gundy reportedly talked last off-season while Van Gundy was still under contract in New York.

Rivers has ties to Chicago and New York. He grew up in Maywood, Ill., and played for the Knicks for two-plus seasons.

Rambling Rivers

Van Gundy was the first of three NBA coaches to resign recently. Tim Floyd left the Bulls and Dan Issel resigned as Denver Nuggets coach Wednesday. Rivers was not surprised that they became coaching casualties.

"All those three were in tough situations. . . the last few years you heard the rumors," Rivers said. "Tim Floyd was in an impossible situation. He didn't do anything wrong. Maybe taking the job."

Issel resigned after making an insensitive remark to a fan. Rivers said he has been tempted to return fire, too, on the customers, but bites his tongue. He tries to handle them like a comedian would a heckler. "In Dallas, our guy kicked a ball up through the basket and down and I tried to get the ref to make it count," Rivers said. "A fan yelled, 'Sit down, Doc. That only counts in football.' And I just turned and said "Not for the Cowboys."

ETC.

The Magic have beaten only four teams (Sacramento, Minnesota, Phoenix, Washington) with winning records. . . The Magic play the Detroit Pistons at TD Waterhouse on Friday night. They lost to the Pistons 105-100 Nov. 26, which turned out to be the last game Grant Hill played this season . . . Orlando will have a chance to make up ground on Atlantic Division leaders Boston and New Jersey on the road next week. They face the Celtics on Wednesday and the Nets on Friday.

On second thought

Rivers doesn't second-guess himself much, but he said he probably should not have played Darrell Armstrong against the Washington Wizards or the Dallas Mavericks last week. The Magic were depleted, missing Hill (season-ending ankle surgery) and Tracy McGrady (back strain.)

Armstrong has been battling back problems, among other ailments. "I look back and we got lucky he didn't get hurt anymore," Rivers said. "I don't think Grant being out and Darrell hurting his back is a coincidence. He's had to handle the ball more."

McGrady returned Wednesday night and scored a game-high 31 points for the Magic.