As promised, the NBA delivered an exciting (enough) first round of playoff action. Maybe it didn’t measure up to last year’s standards, but we’ll take what we can get, people. Here’s a recap of each first round series, followed by a few words about the conference semifinals.

Round 1

EAST

No. 1 Cleveland vs. No. 8 Chicago

The pick: Cleveland wins, 4-0

The result: Cleveland wins, 4-1

D errick Rose continues to remind people that he may well be the best point guard in the game … with the exception of Deron Williams. Without him, Chicago may have lost each game by an average of 20. Sure, Noah looked good underneath, but Rose’s supporting cast is eerily similar to the weakness of Wade’s cast. Cleveland was never worried about this series, and they reasserted the fact that based on regular season record, they are the de facto Finals favorites. (Though, of course, they won’t get there.)

No. 4 Boston vs. No. 5 Miami

The pick: Boston wins, 4-2

The result: Boston wins, 4-1

Boy, oh boy, oh boy. Is Miami that bad, or Boston that good? Surprisingly, I think it is more of the latter. While the Heat are more of a six- or seven-seed than a five-seed, the Celts played as well as they did in their championship run of two years ago. Pierce was sharp, Rondo was his usual self, Allen played extremely well, Perkins dominated the middle, and Davis, as he seems to do quite a bit in playoff games, came out to play.

No. 3 Atlanta vs. No. 6 Milwaukee

The pick: Atlanta wins, 4-2

The result: Atlanta wins, 4-3

This series more than any other had me very nervous. The Hawks looked like absolute garbage against a team that was missing their best player, Andrew Bogut. Had Bogut been available, I would have taken the Bucks in six. Had he he played, they might have won in four. This is the end of the run for the current Atlanta franchise. No way will Johnson want to come back after the Magic wipe the floor with them in the second round.

No. 2 Orlando vs. No. 7 Charlotte

The pick: Orlando wins, 4-1

The result: Orlando wins, 4-0

Damn you, Skip Bayless. All that talk about the Bobcats’ superior coaching and defense tricked me into actually giving them a game in this series. Orlando is a force to be reckoned with, and should cruise into the Finals. (Yep, the Finals.)

WEST

No. 1 Los Angeles vs. No. 1 Oklahoma City

The pick: Los Angeles wins, 4-1

The result: Los Angeles wins, 4-2

Does everyone sort of feel that Durant is not the best player in town? His inconsistent shooting prevented the Thunder from walking away with this miracle. Russell Westbrook’s play was unflappable. He reminds me of a smaller LeBron James in terms of his career progression. Started off as more of a passer with an average shot and a natural ability to drive, began shooting, and now is developing range. Oklahoma City is going to be very, very good next year - we’re talking 1- or 2-seed good - with James Harden a year older, Nenad Kristic in the middle, Jeff Green maturing, and the secret weapon that is Serge Ibaka getting on the floor.

Oh, yea, the Lake Show won, though.

No. 4 Denver vs. No. 5 Utah

The pick: Utah wins, 4-3

The result: Utah wins, 4-2

There is something about Denver that makes you never want to pick them in the playoffs. As good as Melo and Billups are, the rest of the team just doesn’t have the make-up to be successes in the postseason. Combine that with the crazy-good duo of Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams, and you have a pretty easy Jazz series win.

No. 3 Phoenix vs. No. 6 Portland

The pick: Phoenix wins, 4-2

The result: Phoenix wins, 4-2

Well, at least my Finals champs made it past Round 1. (For a while, I was having scary flashbacks to a few years ago when year-after-year I would take Yao, Tracy, Artest and the Rockets, only to see them go down against a six-seed). Nash carried the load, but it was the surprising play of Jason Richardson, and the (finally) clutch shooting of Channing Frye and Jared Dudley that carried Phoenix on.

No. 2 Dallas vs. No. 7 San Antonio

The pick: San Antonio wins, 4-3

The result: San Antonio wins, 4-2

I think this was the end of the road for Dirk in Dallas. As much as Dallas and Mark Cuban have loved him, another year without a championship run might make him want to test the free agency waters. As for San Antonio, damn are they underseeded. Tony Parker is clearly 100 percent, and Manu Ginobili has taken the throne from Amare Stoudemire as the most possessed player in the game right now. 

Conference semis

EAST

No. 1 Cleveland vs. No. 4 Boston

The pick: Cleveland wins, 4-2

Will it happen? This is the series that has me the most nervous - as evidenced by last night’s Boston whooping. The Celts are far deeper than the Cavs, can match-up against LeBron by swapping who’s covering him based on the situation, and it looks like Cleveland might live and die by - gulp - Mo Williams. Still, gotta stick with my earlier pick - as I will for all of the second round series.

No. 2 Orlando vs. No. 3 Atlanta

The pick: Orlando wins, 4-2

Will it happen? I quoted him the other day, and I’ll rehash that here - as Alan Hahn, the Knicks beat writer for Newsday, said, Orlando in 3.5. This won’t be a problem for SVG and co. If I had the coin, I’d lay heavy money on an Orlando sweep.

WEST

No. 1 Los Angeles vs. No. 5 Utah

The pick: Los Angeles wins, 4-2

Will it happen? The Lakers’ depth will prove to be too much for Williams, Boozer, Millsap and co. Utah is good - very good - but the Lakers are groomed for the postseason, and they’ll be able to take this one last series before losing to the winner of the below match-up …

No. 3 Phoenix vs. No. 7 San Antonio

The pick: Phoenix wins, 4-3

Will it happen? You bet this one is going seven. Phoenix and San Antonio have more talent than any other team in the West. Instead of trying to analyze this series again, I’m just going to sit back and watch in what will be the most exciting seven games of playoff basketball this year.