INDEPENDENCE — Center Zydrunas Ilgauskas will break the franchise record for games played when the Cavaliers host the Phoenix Suns tonight at Quicken Loans Arena.

Coach Mike Brown, who did not play the veteran Saturday against Dallas, guaranteed as much Tuesday at Cleveland Clinic Courts.

“‘Z’ will play,” Brown said.

Ilgauskas, a 12th-year player who has also missed two other NBA seasons entirely due to injury, didn’t talk to the media for the second straight day, but a team official said he is expected to comment after the game tonight.

Brown, who was responsible for holding a healthy Ilgauskas out of a game for the first time in the center’s career, said he wished he would have handled the situation differently on Saturday, but didn’t elaborate.

The coach also said he planned to speak with Ilgauskas, but would not specify when that would happen or what he would say.

“I don’t know yet,” Brown said when asked what his message would be. “I didn’t write anything out or anything like that, but when I do (talk with Ilgauskas), I’m not going to tell anybody (what was said).”

Ilgauskas, who overcame numerous foot injuries early in his career, is tied with current general manager Danny Ferry with 723 regular-season games played. The 7-foot-3, 260-pound center has missed 328 games over his career, but the Dallas game is believed to be the first time he didn’t play when he was healthy and in uniform.

“I understand the process he’s been through,” Brown said. “I’ll be just as happy as anybody when the records come.”

Brown said Shaquille O’Neal would start at center against the Suns, but added that Ilgauskas definitely would play. How much is uncertain, because Phoenix, like Dallas, is a run-and-gun team that utilizes a lot of small, quick lineups.

“I don’t know how many minutes any of our guys will play,” Brown said.

In a related matter, Brown said he had no plans to speak with superstar LeBron James, who on Monday strongly voiced his displeasure over the fact Ilgauskas didn’t play against the Mavericks.

“LeBron is a loyal person. He’s a loyal individual,” Brown said. “That’s big on his agenda. That’s what has made him the type of person he is today. You respect and understand he was trying to be loyal to ‘Z.’ I have no problem with that at all.”

Suns rising

Phoenix owned an NBA-best 14-3 record heading into its game in New York on Tuesday. The Suns led the league in scoring (112.0), field goal percentage (.507) and 3-point percentage (.445), but were 25th in defense (104.5). Still, Phoenix was 11-1 when it held the opposition under 110 points and was the only team in the league to have scored 100 points in every game.

“They’re a high-possession team,” Brown said. “No matter if you make or miss shots, they’re coming at you. Our biggest thing is we need to get back in transition, but we’ve got to have vision of the basketball. If you’re relaxed for half a second in transition, (point guard) Steve Nash is throwing the ball over the top and they’re getting a layup.”

Power forward Amare Stoudemire is averaging 19.8 points and 6.9 rebounds for the Suns, while shooting guard Jason Richardson is scoring 17.7 points a night. Nash is contributing 16.4 points and a league-leading 12.1 assists. Center Channing Frye (12.8), small forward Grant Hill (12.2) and backup guard Leandro Barbosa (11.6) give Phoenix six players who average in double figures.

“Teams that do fall prey to trying to play at their pace and their style, they usually lose out,” Brown said.

High profile

With private pictures of Indians outfielder Grady Sizemore being posted on the Internet and Tiger Woods’ much-publicized mishap dominating the news, O’Neal was asked how a high-profile athlete could protect his or her privacy. His answer was that it can’t be done, but he added he wouldn’t want to do it anyway.

“If you want dirt on me, I’ll give you my own dirt,” O’Neal said. “Just call me up. I’ll tell you what I did.”

Just a game

O’Neal, who was traded from Phoenix to Cleveland for Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic in the offseason, holds no animosity toward the Suns organization, saying he had “a great, short stint” in Phoenix.

“I still have a bunch of friends on the team, but I’m going to go after it as if it’s another game,” he said.

Tip-ins

The league released its coach and rookie of the month selections for each conference, but did not announce its players of the month. James will likely be honored in the East.

At 4-0, the Cavaliers are the only Eastern Conference team that is undefeated against the West.

Point guard Mo Williams averaged 37.0 points in two victories over the Suns last season, including a career-high 44-point performance at The Q on Feb. 11.

Williams became the first Cleveland player to make seven 3-pointers in a game without a miss against Dallas. Mark Price, Wesley Person and Trajan Langdon made six without missing.

Among active players, only Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki and Paul Pierce have played more games with only one team than Ilgauskas.

Tonight

• Who: Cleveland vs. Phoenix
• Time: 7 o’clock
• Where: The Q
• TV/radio: FS Ohio; WEOL 930-AM, WTAM 1100-AM

Contact Rick Noland at (330) 721-4061 or rickn@ohio.net.

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