The Knicks granted permission to the Rockets Sunday to speak with Van Gundy, and Rockets owner Les Alexander and GM Carroll Dawson were in Dallas to watch the Western Conference Finals game, where Van Gundy, currently a color man for TNT, is announcing the game.

Sources told me Les was talking with Van Gundy last week - something that both Van Gundy and the Rockets have adamantly denied. Possibly because they needed the Knicks' permission first to legally talk to Jeff about the vacancy. But the fact that Van Gundy has not yet taken the Cavs job, when several New York papers (including the misfiring Peter Vecsey) reported he had taken it, is interesting.

Those same contacts told me last week that they believe that this job will be Van Gundy's.

Which brings us next to current Sixers coach Larry Brown.

I'm simply not allowed to go in to detail here, but my gut says Larry Brown will be the next Rockets coach. There are many small items going on behind the scenes that seem to indicate that could be the case. The Rockets can't talk about the possibility of hiring Brown until he makes a decision this week about staying or not with the Sixers, and if he doesn't stay, he needs to agree on the terms and conditions with 76ers' Chairman Ed Snider.

Snider told the Philadelphia Daily News last week that he felt Brown was leaning towards not staying in Philly.

However, there are still several variables there. Brown must decide to leave and decide that Houston is the place for him. Can Les pay Brown enough knowing that he has large dollars still invested in Tomjanovich? Since Brown is under contract for two more seasons, Philly can also expect to be compensated by the Rockets if they hire Brown.

Though Doc Rivers, Mike Dunleavy and others have been mentioned as possibilities, and I believe they will get interviews and consideration, I really believe it's a two-horse race currently, with the job being Brown's or Van Gundy's to turn down.