Wait, the semifinals have already wrapped up?

In rather anticlimactic fashion, three of the four NBA semifinal match-ups failed to get past the minimum four games. The fourth series, while given plenty of media attention considering the LeBron factor, was a pretty rotten series as well.

Even worse, the conference finals could produce a pair of duds as well. In the East, you have an athletic powerhouse in Orlando taking on a team that was the beneficiary of a pair of favorable match-ups in the Celtics.

Out west, while the series could go seven, I’ve got a sneaking suspicion we’re in for a letdown - not in the way that the universe is picking (Lakers easy), but via an easy win for Phoenix.

On to the Round 2 wrap up and conference finals preview:

Conference semis

EAST

No. 1 Cleveland vs. No. 4 Boston

The pick: Cleveland wins, 4-2

The result: Boston wins, 4-2

I prognosticated scared. And what do they always say? When you prognosticate scared, you get bit.

Okay, nobody says that. But the signs were out there. Shaq’s counterproductive presence on the court. LeBron’s elbow. Boston’s hot streak, led by Perkins, Allen and Pierce. The mere fact that Mo Williams - mediocre point guard Mo Williams - was the key for the Cavs.

I wasn’t at all surprised to see Boston here, and should have adjusted my prediction accordingly. Cleveland’s supporting case was WAY overrated coming into this one. The team is built for the regular season, much like the Suns have been in years past, and would have major trouble in the postseason.

Boston, meanwhile, didn’t have to do much. Nobody played exceptionally - everyone just maintained their roles. And with the defense figuring out ‘Bron ‘Bron, Cleveland never stood a chance.

No. 2 Orlando vs. No. 3 Atlanta

The pick: Orlando wins, 4-2

The result: Orlando wins, 4-0

Did you lay heavy money on the sweep as I suggested? No need to analyze here. This was a mismatch from the start.

WEST

No. 1 Los Angeles vs. No. 5 Utah

The pick: Los Angeles wins, 4-2

The result: Los Angeles wins, 4-0

One of those series where the result didn’t quite tell the tale of the series. While the Lakers were the better team all four games, Utah managed to keep it tight.

Of particular note in this series was the epic Game 3 … the best basketball I’ve watched this year. Neither team could miss a shot down the stretch … and it wasn’t because of freeway defense. Kyle Korver, Deron Williams (save the failed buzzer beater), Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom, even Ron Artest where NBA Jam’ing. One of those games that had it not been on the West Coast, and had the sports media world not insisted on only covering LeBron James this postseason, it would have gotten a whole lot more due publicity.

No. 3 Phoenix vs. No. 7 San Antonio

The pick: Phoenix wins, 4-3

The result: Phoenix wins, 4-0

Where does ESPN get off saying the universe picked San Antonio to win when I PICKED THE SUNS.

Seriously, though, why doesn’t Phoenix get ANY respect. For the most part, they were picked to lose to a team that wasn’t supposed to have much of a shot of winning in the first round. Furthermore, this coming off a series that many picked Phoenix to lose to a Brandon Roy-less Portland Trail Blazers

The Suns are dangerous - very dangerous. Dangerous enough that they don’t need Robin Lopez to get to the promised land. And dangerous enough that if they do, they could cruise there.

Conference Finals

No. 2 Orlando vs. No. 4 Boston

The pick: Orlando tops Cleveland, 4-2

Will it happen: New team, same result.

The Magic won’t get the chance to oust the Cavs for the second-straight year, but they will dispose Boston easily in a series that will go six, but won’t be that close.

Orlando is too athletic, has the inside-out game down pat too much, and will be playing against a Celtics team that is too old to go this deep in the playoffs.

No. 1 Los Angeles vs. No. 3 Phoenix

The pick: Phoenix tops Los Angeles, 4-3

Will it happen: Sticking with the pre-postseason pick - logically, does that mean my season pick? I don’t know … - and taking the Suns in seven.

The argument will be how on EARTH do you combat Gasol and Bynum underneath, hold off Kobe, slow the bench, out-Zen the Zen Master, score on Artest, win at Staples, beat the Lakers in the postseason … the list goes on.

I don’t have an answer. But Alvin Gentry does. And from watching the Suns, from Nash to Richardson to Amare to DRAGIC for heaven’s sake, they are on a mission. This is their year. And they’ll win the West, with or without Robin Lopez.

Yep, I’m still perfect. Provided the Hawks can hold homecourt advantage, my first-round NBA Playoff predictions will be a pretty eight-for-eight.

All right, enough with the ego-boosting. I’ll get more in-depth at the end of this weekend regarding the second round of the NBA Playoffs - although I assure you I won’t touch what I’ve predicted - but I do have one worry.

The Celts.

Cleveland without Shaq would have no problem with this team. Cleveland with Shaq, I’m a little nervous.

The offense isn’t nearly as fluid with the big man in there, and running the floor with Shaq instead of a far-more athletic J.J. Hickson or Anderson Varejao could handcuff Cleveland.

Moreover, Paul Pierce is playing the best basketball he has in a few years. Add in Rajon Rondo’s point play, Glenn Davis’ performance off the bench, and Ray Ray’s three-point stroke, and you have the high possibility of an upset.

Will it happen? I’m afraid it will. Am I going to change my pick? No, I’m sticking with Cleveland.

This will be a hard-fought series, though. Miami’s not a great team, but they’re not a bad team, and Boston made them look pitiful. Cleveland, meanwhile, looked underwhelming at times against Chicago.

We’ll see if the King’s drive for a ring continues into the Eastern Conference Finals against the Magic.

(Yes, disrespect meant toward the Hawks. As Alan Hahn, Newsday’s Knicks writer, tweeted this week, Orlando will win that series in 3.5)