Ainge's honor is just a sidelight right now

Danny Ainge was preoccupied yesterday with the birth of his sixth grandchild and the stress of Game 5 against the Cavaliers. So while the Celtics' general manager appreciated being named The Sporting News NBA Executive of the Year, he probably will enjoy the honor more during the offseason.

Ainge received 18 of the 47 votes cast by GMs and executives representing all 30 NBA teams, as tabulated by The Sporting News. Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak was second with 14 votes, while Hornets GM Jeff Bower was third with 12.

Ainge was presented the award prior to the game.

"I don't want to diminish the award, just right now there are a lot of other things going on," said Ainge during a press conference before the game, a 96-89 Celtics victory. "I want the attention to stay on the players on the court. So I'm a little uncomfortable with this right now. It's the biggest game of the year for us and a lot of people.

"We're really in the middle of trying to become the best team in the NBA. That's really our objective."

The only other Celtics executive to win the award since its inception after the 1972-73 season was the late Red Auerbach in 1980.

Since last offseason, Ainge acquired Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and rookie Glen Davis via trade and also signed free agents James Posey, P.J. Brown, Sam Cassell, and Eddie House. The Celtics won an NBA-best 66 games during the regular season and had the largest turnaround (42 games) in league history from one season to the next.

"The key to putting this team in place, like I've always said, starts with ownership," Ainge said. "And the owners have done some good things to make all of us look good.

"[Other keys are] the players on the court, coaches, and management. Keys are obviously the people in the trenches, and I have a great staff that works behind the scenes."

Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo, the 2007 Executive of the Year, said in a statement: "[Ainge] orchestrated a stunning and record-setting turnaround of a struggling team with two great trades and various roster acquisitions."

Celtics coach Doc Rivers and his players also praised Ainge.

"When we made the Kevin trade, I don't know if we had enough players to fill the team for a while, but he not only went out and got players, but he got players that fit, and I think that's important," Rivers said.

Said Allen: "[Ainge] sent me a text message [last August] that we're going to get the best of every opponent every night.

"I just always kept that text message because with what we did and what he did off the court with this team, it made them aware, a lot of players in the NBA and teams in the NBA, that the Celtics were serious."

Pistons waiting

The winner of the Celtics-Cavaliers series will face the rested Pistons in the Eastern Conference finals. Detroit advanced by eliminating Orlando in five games, wrapping up the series Tuesday. The Pistons did not practice yesterday, and only players needing treatment were required to go to the training facility. Detroit will return to practice today and is expected to practice daily before the conference finals, the Pistons' sixth straight.

"It's nice to have a short break," Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars said in a text message. "It allows us to get healthy and stay locked in on what we're trying to accomplish."

The Pistons were 1-2 against Boston in the regular season and 3-1 against Cleveland.

"All we can do is sit and watch the Boston-Cleveland series and know that whoever we're going to play is going to be a tough opponent," Dumars said.

Pistons guard Chauncey Billups will surely benefit from the layoff, as he missed the last two games of the Orlando series with a strained right hamstring. When asked for a Billups update, Dumars said: "Nothing to report yet, but he seems to be getting better."

That ices it

Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas established the franchise record for playoff games with his 48th last night. He scored 6 points in 26 minutes. Ilgauskas dropped Mark Price to second. The 7-foot-3-inch center from Lithuania is in his 10th season with the team that drafted him in the first round in 1996.

Cavaliers coach Mike Brown said Ilgauskas's longevity is attributable to his devotion to fitness.

"He's one of the most dedicated guys I've seen [when it comes] to taking care of his body," Brown said. "If you're able to be around for an extended period of time before practice and after practice and see how many times he sits in an ice bath . . . I'm not talking put warm water in and throw some ice in. It's an ice bath. He puts ice on his back, on his ankles, on his feet.

"He takes very good care of his body in the summertime, regular season, preseason, playoffs. It's no wonder the longevity is there, and I can see him playing for a long time after and as long as he wants."

Cassell way off

Cassell is shooting 24.2 percent and has missed 7 of 9 3-point attempts in the series. Rivers described Cassell as "struggling" and might have gone with House over Cassell in the fourth quarter. But Rajon Rondo played the entire second half . . . The star-studded crowd included LeBron James's friend and rap star Jay-Z with R&B star Beyonce; singer/actor Donnie Wahlberg; actors Rob Lowe and Jonah Hill; and Patriots star Richard Seymour . . . There will be a game Sunday at 3:30 p.m. at TD Banknorth Garden. The Celtics will either play Game 7 against the Cavaliers or Game 1 of the conference finals against the Pistons.

Monique Walker of the Globe staff contributed to this report.