Allow me to quickly sum up round 1 of the NBA Playoffs. They were not what we expected.

Yes there was plenty of drama. Yes there were lots of extremely close games. Yes there were a bunch of questionable calls.

But did anyone predict the Boston Celtics go seven games with the Atlanta Hawks. Allow me to explain how crazy this is. The team with the best record in the NBA, just proved how truly pathetic the East is by going into game seven against the team with the worst record in the playoffs.

A previous argument by the NBA was that there is no reason to change the playoff format as a team like the Sacramento Kings or Portland Trailblazers wouldn’t beat the Boston Celtics anyways. With that said, what’s the difference which conference the loser comes out of? Well, the pathetic Celtics led by the so called “BIG 3″ have proven that anyone can win a playoff series… well, except the Miami Heat.

Now for today’s round 2 games:

The Detroit Pistons host the Orlando Magic.

I’m very excited for this game as there is so much offensive fire power and so many defensive players on the court at all times. The two teams play completely different styles of ball and will make it that much more fun to watch. As the Pistons shoot away and drive to the hoop, the Magic just have to let Dwight Howard go to work and dunk one ball after the next. It will be fun to see how they match up.

The Detroit Pistons are a veteran team with playoff experience, but as the Hornets already proved to the Mavs, experience isn’t everything. The Magic will play hard and their outside shooting mixed with the presence of Howard in the paint will be quite difficult to get past. I felt from the beginning of the season that the Magic would be a strong team, well, now they’ve proven it.

New Orleans Hornets play host to the San Antonio Spurs.

The loaded West has emerged with the results that most of us expected to see. This will be a great match up to see who will eventually face the (hopefully) Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. I’d sit here and do a full game break down, but i don’t think it would compare to what’s already available. I’d recommend that every NBA fan take a look at the brilliant breakdown performed by Empty The Bench. The difference between the old school basic principles of basketball used by the Spurs will take on the new school running game of the Hornets.

Tonight will be a good night, everyone better tune in to TNT starting at 7:30 ET.

After about 17 hundred reports of Kobe being the MVP, the first official source has revealed. The LA Times has posted that Kobe Bryant will be named the 2007-2008 regular season Most Valuable Player. Is this report legitimate? Well, I’ve got to believe so if ESPN is willing to quote it.

David Stern is expected to be in Los Angeles to present the award to Kobe Bryant during the next playoff series. I’m assuming it will be on Tuesday or Wednesday, whichever is the evening of game two against the Utah Jazz.

I have written many times already how much Kobe deserves this award and I am looking forward to seeing him accept it with a big smile. he has worked hard for the last several years and worked even harder this year. he has done everything possible to incorporate his teammates and be the best leader that he possibly can.

Kobe - We appreciate your dedication to winning and respect your work ethic. Keep up the intensity and take us back to the promised land!!

The 2008 NBA Playoffs have been full of exciting match ups and great come backs. In the West, the higher seeded teams have played strong and made it to the 2nd round. In the East, the teams least expected to struggle are the ones that have been challenged. Unfortunately, I feel as though every game could’ve been even better had the referees not made so many poor calls. Allow me to review a few plays that I don’t agree with.

Jason Kidd flagrant foul on Jannero Pargo:

As you watch Pargo run to the basket, Jason Kidd makes a clear attempt to go for the ball. As the ball is obviously hidden, Kidd has no choice but to foul and prevent the easy lay up. While Pargo jumped in the air, Kidd’s left arm got caught around Pargo and Kidd’s momentum carried him past Pargo. As Kidd passed by he attempted to prevent the basket either way and his arm got stuck around Pargo’s neck. I feel that because Jason Kidd’s arm was stuck there, and his back was somewhat to the play, he couldn’t tell exactly what was going on and had no intention of creating such a dangerous play. No harm, no foul. Pargo walked away, and Kidd was ejected. I felt that the foul could be called as a flagrant, but I don’t think it required an ejection. Luckily, Kidd wasn’t suspended, although his play was worse than that of Darius Songaila on Lebron James.

Darius Songaila “punches” Lebron James:

This call I had to completely disagree with. I don’t feel that there was any intent on the part of Darius Songaila to hurt Lebron James and the call that was made on the court ended up being the correct one. I understand the assessment of a technical foul based on the contact to the face, but for the league office to suspend Songaila for a pivotal game during an intense playoff series is ludicrous. It’s unbelievable that Lebron James gets this much credit from the refs.

In game five when Lebron missed the four foot bank shot with no one around him for the game winner, I understood a lot about him. Deshaun Stevenson called Lebron James overrated going into this series, and to an effect, I can’t help but agree with him, to an extent. A great player must be a clutch player. I great player must be the floor general and must be the best player on the court every time he steps onto the court. Lebron James was turned into a superstar before he even scored his first basket the summer of the draft. Just like Dwyane Wade got all the calls during Miami’s championship run in 2006, Lebron is getting all the ticky tack calls now. The Cavs won game 5 because Delonte West hit a jump shot at the end. When Lebron can’t pass it up and is forced to go for the win, he chokes. In case you guys didn’t notice, as Lebron took the shot, he landed on the floor, and laid around looking at the refs as if he couldn’t believe he didn’t get the call. I was stunned, but at the same time, I was a WITNESS.

I also heard on ESPN radio one of the best points. If Lebron James had been in the position of Darius Songaila, and Songaila was the player getting backhanded in the chin, would Lebron James have been suspended? I think not…

Zaza Pachulia and Kevin Garnett scuffle with Sam Cassell going crazy on the side:

This is the play that bothers me most. Kevin Garnett fouls Zaza Pachulia by throwing his forearm into his throat/jaw area and Zaza comes back into KG’s face. Understandable considering how much trash talk Garnett has been doing all season long. He’s always running his mouth and he’s always talking smack. Perhaps an eight seed in the East is more intimidating than we all expected. Either way, Joe Johnson made the most veteran play of everyone on the court. He moved in between Zaza and KG and pushed Zaza away to avoid the battle. Guess who gets involved next?

Sam I Am, the one and only Sam Cassell starts running around like a mad man searching for someone to start a fight with. He’s lucky, he locates a smart Joe Johnson who doesn’t knock him out and instead walks away. The end result is a bunch technicals and no suspensions. Once again, the superstar avoids a suspension because he’s a superstar. Kevin Garnett should’ve been suspended for game five, Zaza Pachulia should’ve been suspended for game five, and neither suspension occured. Also, Kendrick Perkins and Marcus Williams left their respective benches and stepped onto the court, which is automatic suspension for the following games. Those suspensions weren’t assesed either.

Maybe gang signs from Paul Pierce will do the trick… or maybe not…