In no particular order, here are some observations, and musings, from last night’s Lakers-sponsored obliteration of Steve Nash and the Suns.

• Hopefully Doug Collins gets the coaching gig with the Sixers. Not because he is qualified for the role, but because I can’t go through another NBA postseason with somebody’s lips as vapor-locked to someone’s rearend like Collins’ were on Bryant last night.
• Speaking of Kobe, how on EARTH can Phil Jackson make off-hand remarks about Durant getting to the line and Nash carrying the ball when Kobe gets the most overt superstar treatment in the league. Forget the ghost foul calls: just seconds after Kobe was T’d up for mouthing off at an official, the man covering, Grant Hill, was given a technical foul for waving his hand at an official in a “Get out of here!” sort of way. I don’t know if Kobe deserved the technical, but Hill DEFINITELY did not, ESPECIALLY in the postseason. That was purely a reactionary make-up call to please Bryant.
• I’m a Kobe hater - not because I don’t like his game, just because his swagger irritates me (mainly because he backs it up with ridiculous game) - but I’ll be the first to admit that the dude was on like he’s never been on before last night. The buzzer beater at the end of the first quarter was just the beginning for him. If he stays hot, the Lakers will sweep the Suns - you can’t D up a guy with a fadeaway as devastating as Kobe’s.
• Will the Lamar Odom lovefest please end? Mr. Kardashian shows up for ONE game, and he’s got recently-fired (and rightfully so if he believes garbage like this) head coach Byron Scott saying on ESPN that Odom is one of the league’s best players? He’s got range and height and can handle the ball, but he’s apathetic 90 percent of the time he’s on the court, and he’s got no killer instinct. In my opinion, he’s one of the guys that plays for a paycheck. Let’s not proclaim him a deity for one 19-point, 19-rebound night. I could have ripped 19 and scored 19 the way Amare was playing defense last night.
• My man Amare did not deliver last night. At all. He rarely boxed out, refused to step up and be a disruption when a Laker would cut to the hoop, and wasn’t assertive enough on offense. Listen, if your jumper is working, I understand you leaning on it. But his athleticism trumps that of Gasol and Bynum - he should get in the paint and throw some dunks down with authority, if nothing else then to take the wind out of the Lakers’ sails sporadically.
• While Alvin Gentry utilized Robin Lopez effectively - in moderation, but not too tentatively considering it’s the Western Finals - he did little else good coaching-wise. Barbosa, who was on for a change, was given limited minutes, Channing Frye was left on the court WAY too long - let’s face it, he chokes under pressure - and Louis Amundson should never be on the court unless he is paired with Amare or Robin. Maybe I missed Stoudemire considering he was invisible on the defensive end all night, but for a period midway through the game, Louis was the Suns’ 5, and Frye the 4. Do you REALLY think you’re going to slow the Lakers attack with Amundson, who is well overrated - maybe he can perform against the Mavs, but not agains the Lake Show - and Frye as your two big men underneath?
• I still hate Amundson’s pony tail.
• Am I the only one who thought the only reason for Didier Mbenga’s entry into the game was to confuse Amare? With the goggles, the two looked identical, apart from Mbenga being a little beefier.
• Also couldn’t figure out why Phil chose to go to Sasha off the bench. Maybe the Zen Master knew the Lakers would run away in the 3rd quarter, but Vujacic belongs overseas or in the D-League. He’s clueless.
• If Josh Powell were on any other team, he’d be a legit enforcer with heavy minutes off the bench. Whenever he plays limited minutes for the Lakers, you notice his presence. Problem is he’s buried behind Gasol, Bynum and Odom.
• Shannon Brown is athletic. As the TNT broadcasters pointed out, why wouldn’t he do something like that in the dunk contest.
• This was the worst Steve Nash has played this season. He couldn’t get into a groove, dribbled too much - I know he often does, but last night was especially disruptive to the flow of the offense - and for some reason, was often oblivious to how wide open Lopez or Amare would be off the pick n’ roll. If there’s one thing the Lakers had trouble guarding last night, it was the PNR, and Nash needed to capitalize on it more often.
• Jason Richardson is the key for the Suns. If he gets going, they can win this series. If the Suns continue to play Keep the Ball Away from J-Rich, they’ve got no shot.
• However, the Suns could probably win with Goran Dragic playing big minutes if Ron Artest chooses to chuck the ball as much as he did in the second half. As Doug Collins noted over, and over, and over, and over again - as he often does with points - Artest had terrific shot selection in the first half.
• Derek Fisher is the perfect example of one of those guys that you HATE, until he’s on your team. His intangibles are superior, and while he got burned by Westbrook and Deron, he still makes decisions crucial to the Lakers winning games.
• Did I mention Kobe was unstoppable last night? Because Gentry must’ve mentioned the fact that there was nothing the Suns could do four times last night. Listen, the point of a defense is to slow a team. If they’re hitting 65 percent of their shots, one of the reasons is porous defense. It’s not as if the ball had magnetic ties to the hoop - get a hand in someone’s face, that’ll slow ‘em down.
• I’m thisclose to taking back my prediction of the Suns going to the Finals. I’ll give them one more game, and chalk this one up to a well-rested Kobe being the top-10 - and that’s being conservative - all-time player he is.

What’d I miss?

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.

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

Derrick 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.

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)

Overheard the other day at Newsday was the following argument from a co-worker (paraphrased):

The NBA needs to follow in the NHL’s steps and re-seed in the playoffs. Why should the No. 1 seed have to play the No. 4 seed if the seventh seed tops the No. 2 seed?

Well, unnamed co-worker, you’re wrong, because the NBA’s got it right, and the NHL’s got it wrong.

The simple reason here is that when a seven-seed tops a two-seed in a seven-game series, chances are the seventh seed is probably BETTER than the two seed.

I understand that when a 14-seed (ie. Ohio) tops a 3-seed (ie. Georgetown) in the NCAA Tournament, it is an upset, and the next nine times the two teams play, the Hoyas would probably win. I understand that in a three-game series, an inferior team could win two times out of three. I’ll even by a lesser-quality team having a shot at winning a five-game series.

When you get to seven-game series, though, I’d argue that 100 times out of 100, the better team is going to win.

A perfect example is in this year’s playoffs. The second-seeded Dallas Mavericks are on their way to being ousted by the seventh-seeded San Antonio Spurs (as correctly predicted by yours truly).

Why? The Mavericks are a solid, solid team, well-deserving of the second seed in the Western Conference. However, with Tony Parker, a healthy Manu Ginobili, a damn-good George Hill, and of course Tim Duncan, San Antonio is a really solid team.

It isn’t a secret that one of the reasons San Antonio is seeded seventh is because of the lack of Parker for a large portion of the season. And it isn’t a secret that when San Antonio moves on, it won’t be shocking to anybody.

Now, let me ask you. Do you think the Lakers (assuming they move past the Thunder, which they will) would rather take on the Jazz or Spurs in the second round?

It’s definitely close, and no clearcut answer. I’d argue the Spurs, but if you’re taking the Jazz, you’re not crazy. But no way will Phil Jackson be complaining to David Stern that the second round should be reseeded because his team earned the right to play the Spurs. While San Antonio was the seventh best team in the West during the regular season, they took down the second-ranked team in the postseason, and thus, are the second-best team in the Western Conference during the postseason.

So don’t start pitching for re-seeding in the NBA playoffs, because if you force a team to win four games out of seven against another team, the side that comes out on top IS the better team.

What’s the ONLY thing better than filling out an NCAA Tournament bracket? Filling out an NBA playoff bracket, of course!

All right, all right, maybe we’re getting ahead of ourselves here. But appropriately brought up by ESPN First Take’s Jay Crawford the other day, why is it that people go crazy trying to predict the NCAA Tournament, but don’t even consider filling out an NBA playoff version?

The NBA playoffs have got it all.

Superstars (Wade, LeBron, Kobe).

Powers (the Western Conference).

Underdogs (the Bucks, Hawks and Bobcats).

So, here we go. An attempt at nailing the NBA Playoffs, from round 1 to the Finals, with series-by-series breakdowns. This will, presumably, be version one of a few attempts, as I don’t foresee myself nailing the first round - if my NCAA Tournament bracket is any indication.

Eastern Conference Round 1

No. 1 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 8 Chicago Bulls

I loved watching Derrick Rose’s performance in last year’s playoffs as much as possible. And I’d love to see Vinny Del Negro go and win the NBA Championship, and put John Paxson, who certainly seems like a bully from an outsider’s perspective, in his place.

However, LBJ has the best team in the league - one of the reasons I don’t see him leaving town in the summer - and the Cavs won’t even hiccup through this series.

• Cleveland wins, 4-0

No. 4 Boston Celtics vs. No. 5 Miami Heat

Ahh, the aging Celtics. The end of a mini-dynasty. Following in the footsteps of the Pistons, Boston is quickly falling out of the elite, and into the masses. They’ve got Ray Ray, Pierce, KG, Rajon and Perkins, though, meaning that this year isn’t dead yet.

The Heat, meanwhile, have seen a late-season surge, thanks to South Beach’s favorite Dwyane Wade. While that may work in the regular season, though, Wade won’t be able to carry his team single-handedly pass the Celts. Similar to when the LeBron show couldn’t get past the Magic alone in the playoffs last year, Wade will have to wait for another max free agent to join him in Miami before moving past the first round.

• Boston wins, 4-2

No. 3 Atlanta Hawks vs. No. 6 Milwaukee Bucks

Get Andrew Bogut on the court, and I take Milwaukee in a heartbeat. Bogut is one of the league’s best big men, and seemed to take a major step forward this year. Unfortunately for Brandon Jennings and John Salmon, there won’t be a seven-footer in the post against Hotlanta.

For the Hawks, this is the end of several years-worth of building. Josh Johnson is going to bolt in the offseason, leaving the team with Josh Smith, Al Horford and Jamaal Crawford - formidable, but not elite. The run won’t end in round one, though, as Atlanta will take advantage of the Bucks’ short-handedness.

• Atlanta wins, 4-2

No. 2 Orlando Magic vs. No. 7 Charlotte Bobcats

If you’re one of the many that watches ESPN’s First Take everyday, you’re no doubt aware of Skip Bayless’ obsession with the Bobcats. He loves their defense, loves the tandem of Gerald Wallace, Raymond Felton and Steven Jackson, and thinks they’ll handle the Magic.

The biggest flaw with Bayless’ excitement? IT’S THE MAGIC. Orlando is a match-up nightmare, with big men that can shoot from three, quick guards, and the force that is Dwight Howard underneath. While Charlotte will make this closer than your typical 2 vs. 7 match-up, they certainly won’t stop Orlando.

• Orlando wins, 4-1

Western Conference Round 1

No. 1 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 8 Oklahoma City Thunder

You won’t find many people that are as fond of Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant as I am. They are the perfect duo, with Durant the league’s best scorer and an evolving rebounder, and Westbrook a great court general that can score and dish the rock. Thanks to their huge improvement this year, the Thunder went from afterthought to, at times, a contender for the three-seed in the West.

Unfortunately for OK City, they’re an eight-seed. That means a first round match-up against Kobe, a rejuvenated Gasol, Bynum, Odom, Artest, Farmar … yes, the deepest team in the NBA. The Thunder will continue to improve, but their playoff run won’t last long this year.

• Los Angeles wins, 4-1

No. 4 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 5 Utah Jazz

K-Mart is back. Mr. Big Game Chauncey Billups is in his element - the NBA postseason. Birdman is on the big state. Nene is under the hoop. And we haven’t even mentioned superstar Carmelo Anthony. The Nuggets are really, really good.

For some reason, I just don’t trust them like a trust Deron Williams and the Jazz, though. Sure, Denver took three of the four regular seasons. And yes, Andrei Kirilenko is missing the first round. But Utah still has Okur, still has Boozer, and still has - yes, he’s worth mentioning twice - the league’s best point guard, Deron Williams. This will be the second-best opening round series - we’ll get to the best in a minute - and it will go to the Jazz.

• Utah wins, 4-3

No. 3 Phoenix Suns vs No. 6 Portland TrailBlazers

What a killer for Portland, losing Brandon Roy right before the playoffs. The team’s best scorer, leader, and evolving star would have thrived on the big stage. How good is Portland, though? Even with no Roy, you can’t count them out. There’s LaMarcus Aldridge’s two-way play, Marcus Camby’s unconscious defensive prowess and Andre Miller’s resurgence.

Still, it won’t be enough to stop the Suns. Alvin Gentry has coached a team that would handle any of Mike D’Antoni’s squads. Amare Stoudemire is playing like a man on a mission, Steve Nash looks like a 25-year-old, Grant Hill is Grant Hill, and Jason Richardson is playing well. While missing Robin Lopez will hurt, Channing Frye and Jared Dudley will fill in, and deliver a first-round win.

• Phoenix wins, 4-2

No. 2 Dallas Mavericks vs. No. 7 San Antonio Spurs

Aggravated how chalk I’ve gone? No need anymore. The Mavs are good. Very, very good. Nowitzki has played as well as he ever has this year, Jason Kidd has looked solid at the point, Jason Terry is a magnificent spark off the bench, and former-Wizards Brendan Haywood and Caron Butler have championship on the mind of Dallas’ fans.

HOWEVA (cue Stephen A. Smith), Dallas drew the Spurs - a team that in no way is a seven-seed. Tony Parker is back, Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan are healthy, and all of the sudden, after a rollercoaster-ish regular season, San Antonio is a legit title contender. This will be the aformentioned best series of the first round.

• San Antonio wins, 4-3

Eastern Conference Semis

No. 1 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 4 Boston Celtics

Last year may have represented the passing of the guard from Boston to Cleveland as the East’s best - although the Magic wound up winning the East - but I firmly think this will represent the beginning and end of eras. Boston will slip to a bottom-half of the East team next year, with the entire team on the decline with the exception of Rondo. And while on paper, this team still looks sharp, they just don’t bring it on the court.

The Cavs will, once again, coast through a series. The one problem could be the integration of Shaq. If I’m Mike Brown, I wish O’Neal was injured for the entirety of the playoffs. He causes Cleveland to play much different and much slower, and there will be an adjustment period. Thus, Boston will take two games, but no more.

• Cleveland wins, 4-2

No. 2 Orlando Magic vs. No. 3 Atlanta Hawks

Crazy how little love the Magic get. They started the season so poorly, and since, have been a force to be reckoned with. On top of that, they are the defending Eastern Conference champs, and have even upgraded their point guard to Jameer Nelson.

I love watching the Hawks, love seeing Crawford, Horford, Smith and Johnson click, and would love to see them make a run to the Finals. The Magic are just too good, though, and Atlanta’s run will end here.

• Orlando wins, 4-2

Western Conference Semis

No. 1 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 5 Utah Jazz

The Jazz are very talented, and if Kirilenko comes back, they are one of the NBA’s best. Yet, the Lakers’ run through the Western Conference is eerily similar to Duke’s path to the Final Four. While Utah, Denver and Oklahoma City are good, I just really feel that Dallas, San Antonio and Phoenix are great.

The deep, Kobe-led Lakers will continue to look like a playoff machine, and dispose of Deron Williams and the Jazz relatively easily.

• Los Angeles wins, 4-2

No. 3 Phoenix Suns vs. No. 7 San Antonio Spurs

SPOILER ALERT: THE WINNER OF THIS SERIES WILL ADVANCE TO THE NBA FINALS.

What a series this will be. The methodical, by-the-book Spurs against the high-flying, exciting, up-tempo Suns. Mr. Fundamental, Tim Duncan, against Dude Explosive, Amare Stoudemire. Tony Parker, a scoring and dime machine, against Steve Nash, a scoring and dime machine.

I’ll be tuning into every one of these seven games, on the edge of my seat, watching each team try to control the tempo of the game. This series will be epic - I’m talking Tim Duncan hitting another three-pointer to send games into overtime epic. And Phoenix fans, lucky for you, Gentry has this team primed to get over the playoff hump

• Phoenix wins, 4-3

Eastern Conference Finals

No. 1 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 2 Orlando Magic

The long-awaited rematch. King James’ chance to silence the critics, and advance toward an NBA Championship. Cleveland’s supporting cast’s chance to show James that the team is good enough to be a perennial contender, and that the Antawn Jamison, Anderson Varejao and Moe Williams can be the missing pieces to James’ version of Jordan’s run with the Bulls in the 1990s.

EVERYTHING points to Cleveland winning. But they won’t. With Shaq’s handcuffing the team on offense, and his inability to handle Howard on defense, and Orlando’s depth and ability to shoot from the outside, again, the Cavs will run into their nemesis, and again, fall a series short of getting to the Finals.

• Orlando wins, 4-2

Western Conference Finals

No. 1 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 3 Phoenix Suns

You’d think I have a love affair with the Lake Show after my never-ending praises regarding how deep they are. You’d think Kobe and Phil Jackson would be able to handle J-Rich and Alvin Gentry. You’d think that the team that dominated the Western Conference from start to finish would do the same in the playoffs. And you’d think picking the suns in the postseason is crazy.

Phoenix is different, though. Robin Lopez will be back at this point to dominate the paint. As I’ve said 1,000 times, Stoudemire is quickly showing that he is one of the league’s five best - yes, five best - players. Nash is fresh, Dudley is playing his role of super sixth man off the bench, Hill brings leadership, and Richardson brings explosiveness. Finally, the Suns will get to the Finals in what will be the best series of the postseason.

• Phoenix wins, 4-3

NBA Finals

No. 2 Orlando Magic vs No. 3 Phoenix Suns

No Kobe vs. LeBron? No problem. This match-up has the make-up of a terrific NBA Finals. Each team can shoot, each team has an incredible inside presence, and each team is very, very hungry for an NBA Championship.

When looking at the match-up, you can go either way. Orlando has the experience, has the formula, and has that look of a team that a lot of people love to hate. Phoenix has the supreme talent and the hot hand, but also has the stigma of being Phoenix.

I think this is when the Suns bust that stigma, though. They’re no longer regular season superstars that don’t play defense. The defense is still lax, yes, but it isn’t five players playing on the same court, it’s a team working as a cohesive unit. When Amare comes to the Knicks - whoops, did I say that? - him and Howard will engage in plenty of regular season battles. As a treat, this will be an appetizer, on the big stage, in the NBA Finals. And at least this time, in his final series as a Sun, Stoudemire will have the last laugh. Barely.

• Phoenix wins the NBA Championship over the Orlando Magic, 4 games to 3