"It's a very fair assumption that he will be back as head coach next year, pending our owner's approval," Celtics chief executive officer Richard Pond said through a team spokesman. "Everything will be discussed at the end of the season."

Owner Paul Gaston, who has the final say, has not made a decision, Celtics spokesman Jeff Twiss said.

The Celtics have gone 23-22 under O'Brien since he took over from Pitino on Jan. 8 with the team 10 games under .500. They improved enough to briefly move into playoff position before losing six out of their last eight.

The Celtics were eliminated from the playoff race on Wednesday night when they lost to the Miami Heat 102-97 and the Indiana Pacers beat the New York Knicks 100-93 to clinch the final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.

The Celtics players also said they would like to see O'Brien back.

"The first business is to get Coach O'Brien signed," said forward and co-captain Antoine Walker. "He's got the respect of all the players."

When Pitino bailed on the free-falling Celtics it looked to be another disastrous season. But O'Brien instilled energy, shortened the rotation, got the team to focus on defense and they surged into the playoff fray over his first couple months running the team.

Personnel File

WHATTA BUMMER: Paul Pierce (41 points) and Antoine Walker (29) had gargantuan games in the fatal Miami loss, but neither could hide their disappointment afterward.

"Obviously, our goal was to make the playoffs," Walker said. "I'm very disappointed. I felt we were good enough to make the playoffs and we just fell short."

BROWN OUT: Point guard Randy Brown could miss the rest of the season with a hip injury suffered vs. the Lakers last week, and he has been placed on the injured list.

That means Chris Herren, who had been demoted to third string, moves up to the backup spot while CBAer Milt Palacio moves into the starting lineup. Herren sat on the bench without playing for eight straight games. Brown, signed as a free agent in the offseason, has been wracked with injuries throughout the season.

Beginning with Kenny Anderson missing 45 games, the Celtics point guard situation all season has been like an emergency ward.

Noteworthy

QUOTEWORTHY: "Last week I probably could have played on it. It's a matter of me wanting it. I've got to think about me for once. I don't want to be selfish but I think the real thing is after this year, I have to look at me. Should I suck it up, just go out and play half-assed and not be healthy. Or be Kenny Anderson?'' -- Kenny Anderson, who has missed the last 21 games, on why he's still out with a bad ankle.