ALL JAZZED UP!

It really shouldn't have come as such a surprise.

After all, the mighty Lakers with this year's MVP won Game 1 by just 10 pts and Game 2 by 11points, unlike the blowouts from the first round.

Also, this team boasted of a defensive ace, an All Star caliber point guard, and 2 All Star big men. No to mention a 3 point threat from the bench and a solid bench.

So why are we still surprise that the Jazz won Game 3 in their own home court?

After all, unlike the first two games, Carlos Boozer got his game going right from the very first quarter. Deron Williams was both dominant and unselfish and Memo Okur rained threes down on the suddenly flustered Lakers.

But even the Jazz's new found offensive potency failed to knock out the Lakers immediately. Led by MVP Kobe Bryant, the Lakers fought back to within 3 in the last 2 minutes. Then Boozer hit consecutive baskets, Lakers failed to score on their possessions and the Jazz faithful were brought back to life.

What does this mean? Only that the Lakers will have to play an extra game before moving on to the Conference Finals. The Jazz, like the Hornets, are a team learning about what it takes to win in the playoffs.

But for now, it's gonna be Lakers ball.

HERE COME THE SPURS!

Well, well, well. Look at who just got their championship form back.

Yes, all the Spurs needed were some home cooking, some home cheering and the 6th Man awardee to become a starter.

Manu Ginobili started in Game 3 and he started out hot. By the end of the Spurs' Game 3 110-99 victory, Ginobili has logged in 31 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds.

Tony Parker came back with a vengeance with another 31 points and 11 assists, negating Chris Paul's excellent offensive game (35points and 9 assists).

David West had a monster game with 23 points while Tim Duncan had a solid game with 16points.

But for me, the biggest reasons why the Spurs won were the disappearance of Tyson Chandler (foul trouble) and Peja Stojakovic (8 points in 2-7 shooting, as contrast to Game 2's 25points) and the timely offensive contributions of Michael Finley (3-5 three's in the 2nd quarter) and Bruce Bowen (4 three pointers in the 2nd half).

Now we get to see how fast the Hornets adjust to playoff basketball.

KOBE SHOWS JAZZ WHY HE'S THE MVP

Dominance? Check.

Unselfishness? Check.

Mental toughness? Inspired leadership? Passion that will not be denied? Check, check and check!

That's how you determine who the MVP is...and this season, there can be no question that Kobe is the MVP.

Just take a look at what he did in Game 2 of their series with the Jazz. He scored 34pts, gathered 8 rebounds, 6 assists, a steal and some really timely shots.

Jazz pulls to within two? Kobe hits 2 straight shots. Jazz collapse on driving Kobe? He kicks out to Fisher for an open three. Double teamed? Dishes out to Pau for the dunk.

After the game, he gives kudos to his teammates and leaves us with a vow to be even better in the upcoming games. And we believe him.

So let me be the first to say it: sorry, Lebron, but Kobe is the King.

THE BIG THREE VS THE CHOSEN ONE

Three perennial All Stars versus the Anointed One.

The Big Ticket, The Truth and the Baby Faced Assassin versus The King.

Who will win? Boston will win in 6 games. I think.

But it won't be easy, oh no. They'll have to bring their A-Game every night (unlike the Hawks series, when the decided to send stunt doubles to play the games in Atlanta)

This is going to be real hard. Ilgauskas will body up Garnett and when he's done, Wallace will harrass KG. Lebron will run Pierce ragged while dominating both sides of the court (Pierce averaged like 13pts a game vs the Cavs in the regular season while Lebron logged in around 30pts)

So Boston will win because of Rajon Rondo (Boobie Gibson, hand him your "Surprise of the Playoffs" trophy, please), Sam Cassell and PJ Brown, not to mention Tony Allen and Glen Davis. Cavs have Pavlovic, Joe Smith and...well...Donyell Marshall.

Now all the Celtics have to do is make me a soothsayer instead of a liar.

DEEEEE-TROIT BASKETBALL!

Did you really expect something else?

I know Philly shocked the Pistons twice. I know they Pistons seem more vulnerable than ever. I know they aren't the same dominating team they were from 3 years ago.

But they're up against a young Superman, a what-am-I-doing-in-the-limelight Turk and a 6'10" small forward with a reputation for being "un-tough".

Still, I expect the Magic to put up a hell of a fight in Games 3 and 4. That's when they learn what it takes to be a playoff team. If they win a game there, that's gonna go a long way in building confidence to take that even bigger step.

But not this year. This year, the Pistons will still reign supreme.

My pick, Pistons in 5 games.

STUNG AGAIN!

I knew it was going to happen but I didn't know it was going to be this bad.

Game 2 was supposed to be the game where the Spurs start feeling their way back into the series. And for about 24minutes, they did.

Too bad it was the first 24minutes of the game. As soon as the second half started, it went back to being the Hornets' game to lose...so they didn't lose.

The Hornets may be young but they have CP3, who is one of the two best young point guards in the NBA right now (Deron Williams is the other), David West, who is fast becoming the premiere power forward of the Western Conference, as well as Peja Stojakovich, still as deadly as ever from the perimeter. Add to that Tyson Chandler and you have a pretty potent team.

Of course, you can't ever count out a team with TD, Parker, Manu and Pop in it. You just can't do it. The Spurs are just like that movie monster that gets shot, incinerated, crushed by a ten wheeler and then decapitated...and still stands up to go after the hero.

I'll believe the Spurs are dead once the Hornets win 4games...not one game too soon.

CAN THE SPURS STEAL GAME 2?

They can but they probably won't.

The Hornets' biggest advantage is that they are an unknown playoff team. No one really knows their identity and character, things like who steps up, who chokes, who passes up his normal shots and stuff like that.

I think the Spurs need another game to determine how to attack the Hornets...then the fun begins for them.

Popovich is among the best coaches in the game (in fact, second only to Jerry Sloan, in my humble opinion). He'll figure out how to take West away, maybe with Robert Horry or with Kurt Thomas. He'll figure out how to tire CP3 out and maybe get Bowen to shut down Peja.

All in all, I think it'll come down to championship experience...and the Hornets just don't have the bling to bring down the defending champions...yet.

Spurs in 6games.

THAT'S THE WAY, A-HA A-HA!

The real Boston Celtics play only on their homecourt.

They hire stunt doubles to play in Atlanta, which is why this particular series went to 7 games.

Jeff Van Gundy said it best during halftime when he commented "This game is already over. Too bad we don't have a mercy rule."

I have to agree with JVG on this one. There is nothing more boring than 24 minutes of meaningless basketball, when the subs are playing for more playing time next year and the fringe players are showing off in the hopes of landing another 10day contract.

I mean, come on! Glen "Big Baby" Davis passed up two open teammates in the paint just so he could run to the three point line and launch one. How pathetic is that?

But thank God this one is in the books already. Now we can move on to a more intriguing match up: Boston versus Cleveland.

My pick. Lebron's gonna have a great series but would I really pick LBJ over KG, the Truth and the Baby Faced Assassin? No, I don't think so. I think it'll be Boston in 6.

WHAT'S UP WITH THE CELTICS?

Or maybe I should have said...what's down with the Celtics?

I mean, they were doing everything right...they went out and traded a high draft pick for a sharpshooting All Star (experience over potential), got perennial MVP candidate for blooming MVP candidate (again, experience over potential), signed on two proven and playoff tested vets (need I say experience over potential again?), won 65 plus games, got the number 1 seed throughout the playoffs and did it with superb offense and unrelenting defense...All that was left was for their 8th seeded opponent to throw in the towel.

And yet, here we are, gearing up for Game 7 of the Celtics vs the Hawks. What the hell happened?

Garnett, Pierce and Allen are all still playing at around the same level as they were during the regular season so there's no drop off there...Rondo is improving steadily and Cassell and PJ Brown are great additions.

So what's wrong? Pressure getting to the Big Three? Or is it that they are still in that regular season level of play while the Hawks have gone on to playoff mode?

Well, I still think the Celtics got the guns to outbombard the Hawks so I'm going with them for tomorrow.

Hopefully, I don't jinx the Celtics the way I did the Suns.