Brown is looking forward to the matchup.

"When you look at Cleveland and Boston and Orlando, they're the top three teams in the East," said Brown. "You expected that. The disappointment is probably Detroit, because everyone thought Detroit would be a little bit better. In my opinion, Boston is at the top of their game. The Big Three have been solid. I think the bench has a different personality than a year ago. Tony Allen has stepped in and done a really fine job. When you look at Boston, it always comes back to their defense. They have the third-best differential in the league right now and that was very consistent for them last year as they went through the season and the playoffs. The difference between their scoring and what they give up is just outstanding."

Although much of the roster remains the same, Brown said the Celtics are more of a known quantity than the team that captured the NBA championship last season.

"They have a lot of talent and they've been together now," said Brown. "Last year, they were hoping for the chemistry, they were hoping they could maintain the defense and that the Big Three at playoff time would be able to get their points. It all came true. They also weren't totally infallible. They had chinks [in the armor], they had learning periods, the chemistry had to come together and there were a lot of new faces on the second unit."

Brown has known Kevin Garnett for a long time and said he's not only a consummate professional but he's a complete player.

"If you look at his career, he's one of four guys actively playing who are 20-plus points and 10-plus rebounds [per game]," said Brown. "Plus, he's always been a high percentage shooter. Since I've been around the game, since 1973, he's one of the very few athletes who on the last play of the game can guard any one of the five positions and be your guy. He would play your best player on that last play of the game and you can't say that about too many people. To be a great defensive player, you have to have a different type of personality, you have to have athletic tools, and you have to have the IQ to read the situation when the game is on the line, and that's what he brings."

That doesn't mean tonight's opponent won't give them a run for their money. Brown said he expects an interesting game if the Hornets bring their best.

"New Orleans last year had the second-best record in the West," he said. "[The Hornets are] off to a shaky start but they've only played 18 games, Boston has played [23]. This is a team that when they're at the top of their game, they're exciting to watch because of Chris Paul. He comes not only with his 20 points, but first in assists [11.9 average] and first in steals [2.78 average] and he controls the game.

"When you go to this game as a television person, the battle between Rajon Rondo and Chris Paul should be tight."

Carroll profiled

Southern Cal football coach Pete Carroll will be profiled on "60 Minutes" Sunday night at 7 on CBS (Channel 4). Correspondent Byron Pitts conducts the interview ... With the transition of CN8 out of the Boston market, Comcast SportsNet has picked up all of its live sports programming. In addition, CSN is picking up the Candlepin Challenge show, which begins airing tomorrow at 11 a.m. CSN has absorbed the Colonial Athletic Association Basketball tournament, select Hockey East regular-season games, and the MIAA Super 8 Hockey Championship March 15 at 7 p.m. ... HBO will air the sports documentary "Breaking the Huddle," which chronicles the integration of college football in the South, Tuesday at 10 p.m. It will also be available on demand Dec. 17-Jan. 12. Among those interviewed are trailblazers Thom Gossom, Darryl Hill, Jerry LeVias, Willie Lanier, John Mitchell, Bubba Smith, Wilbur Hackett Jr., Jimmy Jones, and Sam Cunningham ... NESN announced yesterday it will cease production of its original programming of "Globe 10.0" by the end of the year. The half-hour show, hosted by columnist Bob Ryan and featuring Globe writers, premiered on the network in June 2007 ... CBS will stream some games from its SEC college Basketball schedule live on CBSSports.com. The season kicks off tomorrow from 4-7 p.m. with Indiana at Kentucky. Twelve games will be streamed live and free of charge on the website, concluding with the March 15 SEC championship game. The site will also provide on-demand highlights and recaps of all games ... NBC Sports will show the Merrill Lynch Shootout tomorrow from 4-6 p.m. and Sunday from 3-6 p.m. from Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Fla. The event is hosted by Greg Norman and features some of the biggest names in the sport competing for $2.8 million. Norman will be paired with Camilo Villegas; Ryder Cup captain Paul Azinger will be with US Open runner-up Rocco Mediate; Stewart Cink is paired with Fred Couples; and Ryder Cup teammates Boo Weekley and J.B. Holmes are a team. Looking to defend their title are Woody Austin and Mark Calcavecchia.