With the Cavaliers facing another long layoff, most of the players are keenly following the Boston-Orlando series, which will determine the Cavs' opponent in the Eastern Conference finals.

But not Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

"I watch the Travel Channel or the Discovery Channel," the Cleveland center said. "I don't watch much Basketball. When I'm at home, I like to kick back and read a book or do something else. The last thing I want to do is watch games."

Ilgauskas - nursing a sore ankle and shoulder - is thrilled with the extra time to recover after sweeping Atlanta out of the conference semifinals, and to get ready for what he figures will be a much tougher series.

If the Celtics (up, 3-2, in the series) win in Orlando tonight, they will open at The Q on Monday. If that series goes seven games, the winner will face the Cavs on Wednesday.

"Each player prepares differently," Ilgauskas said. "Some guys take more time off. Some guys do extra shooting or cardio. They know their bodies and what works for them.

"For me, personally, I wouldn't change it for the world because each added game is more chance for injury. Atlanta and Miami beat the hell out of each other, and when [the Hawks] came to play us, we could tell. Maybe we didn't have our timing, but we had our legs and energy, which they didn't. I like the position we're in."

So does Cavs coach Mike Brown, although he knows people will always question whether there is such as thing as too much rest.

"If we go in and win, people are going to say we did a nice job during this time," he said. "If we go in and we lose, people are going to say we had too much time on our hands. You can look at it as a good thing. I do. But some people may not."

With at least a week off, the Cavs again will try to strike the right balance between working out and resting, trying to stay sharp and trying to relax. They faced the same situation after sweeping Detroit in the first round.

"We just have to make sure we try to take advantage of every day," Brown said.

About the only thing different this time around is that instead of preparing for one or the other of two opponents, this time it's more like three opponents - Orlando, Boston without Kevin Garnett and Boston with Kevin Garnett. Although the Celtics have announced that a knee injury would keep Garnett out of the rest of the playoffs, Joe Smith isn't so sure.

"I'm quite sure the further they go, the healthier he'll get," the Cavaliers forward said with a laugh. "KG is a good friend of mine. I played with him [in Minnesota], and I understand how tough it is for him to sit down and watch his team. I feel for him, and, hopefully, he can get back."

Smith said he had not talked with Garnett lately and had no inside information. But he did have a little insight.

"Our history together, me knowing him and how much he loves this game, I can sense and feel from afar it's real tough on him right now," Smith said.

"When he first got injured, I sent him a text message and wished him the best with his injury, hoping he could get back out there. But I don't know too much about it since."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: mschmitt@plaind.com, 216-999-4668