AUBURN HILLS, MICH. ? Somewhere in the viaducts of his mind, this all made perfect sense to Larry Brown. Create controversy … generate distraction … act like a petulant child … watch the Pistons snuff out the Heat in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals. Yes, who couldn’t see this coming? So elementary, really.

In fact, after the Pistons evened this series at two apiece Tuesday evening with their 106-96 victory, Brown might decide to drop a few rumors of his own regarding reports of his imminent departure.

The more outrageous the better. There’s word he’s thinking of hooking up with Ricky Williams and doing a little traveling. First India, a month in Albania, on to Liechtenstein.

And to think this really could have been an unmitigated disaster. Facing health issues that could prevent him from coaching next season, numerous reports from numerous unnamed sources in numerous cities claimed Brown was leaving the Pistons at the end of the playoffs to become president of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

This didn’t make the locals happy. Some were calling for Brown to pack his bags before Tuesday’s game in favor of former Bad Boy coach Chuck Daly.

But despite the circus atmosphere that enveloped the Pistons after these reports, despite Brown suddenly becoming the story of this series and refusing to properly address the rumors, the Pistons shrugged off the distractions to even the series before losing Game 5 on Thursday night.

For Brown, the victory and rumors of his departure only added to his growing legacy. Another big win when he absolutely had to have it. He loves this stuff. Loves the attention that feeds his ego. Loves the fact so many coaches will study and memorize this newest coaching method of his.

Chapter One: Create controversy and generate distraction.

With reports running rampant that Brown has or is in the process of accepting the title as president of the Cavaliers, the genius gives cryptic answers to whether the reports are true. Brown says he wants to coach next year in Detroit, but it depends on what his doctors tell him. But he never answers whether he would go to Cleveland if he can’t coach in Detroit.

Chapter Two: Act like a petulant child. Brown grows (acts?) agitated and angry at Tuesday morning’s practice when asked to comment on the reports, as if these questions should surprise him when he’s being talked about more in this city than Kid Rock and Eminem combined.

“Don’t just come out and throw things,” Brown fumed. “That’s not fair. I’m coaching here. I have never changed in what I said … I want to coach here. This is what I’ve done my whole life.”

He continued the act on WDFN, a local radio show, later in the day. “I’m going to be here if they say I can coach because I am healthy,” he said. “I don’t want to think about the other alternative.”

Larry Brown, genius, motivator, master thespian. Then again, maybe as Brown and the Pistons suggested, rumors and speculation were no big deal. After all, reports like this have followed Brown from job to job and city to city.