NBA Playoff Impressions: The Hurdle Is Still There.

Jazz 103, Rockets 99 - It's like we're watching that sort of old magic that Stockton and Malone would work, sure, Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams need to do this on a more consistent basis, but this is Jerry Sloan's tried and true system, much as some of us hate it in terms of boring old halfcourt offense. Tracy McGrady still has that first round playoff hurdle to get over, and while Shane Battier should be kept to assist McGrady and Yao Ming, the rest of the parts (maybe save Rafer Alston) could be scrapped in order to add for another role player to spread the floor out. It's certainly not as if McGrady didn't give it his all; it just wasn't enough, yet again.

Pistons 95, Bulls 69 - This whole series got off on the wrong foot for the Bulls to begin with, getting whistled for five cheap fouls in the first few minutes (with two of those on Ben Gordon in about three minutes, and they need him to score early and often to have a chance at the upset), and Detroit just owned this game from the beginning. Of all the teams that play in the old slow-down, half-court offense, Detroit is possibly the most exciting because the front court of Rasheed Wallace, Chris Webber, and Tayshaun Prince is similar in size and passing skills to what would be optimal for say, the Suns, if a more solid defensive version, as Max noted in his series preview at the Starting Five.

Western Semis Picks: I think both of these matchups will go seven, so let's get that out of the way.

Spurs vs. Suns - The obvious problem for the Suns, as viewed in prior years, is that the Spurs can play run-and-gun with the Suns, but this team of control freaks will be looking to slow down Phoenix after an initial attempts to beat them at their tempo. What San Antonio does is beat you at your tempo, then shift to the pace they want to play at. The wrinkle in the whole series this time will be the play of Amare Stoudamire. This Suns team is vastly improved with him in the line-up, and he's gained more skill in his absence. Tim Duncan will need to push the post, get Amare in foul trouble early, and let's see if Nash can put up a defensive fight against Tony Parker. I think this Suns team squeaks through this time.

Warriors vs. Jazz - Carlos Boozer will do to the Warriors inside what Dirk Nowitzki either could not or would not -- pound the post. We need to see how Don Nelson will line up his squad to prepare for that. Hopefully he doesn't do what Avery Johnson did, and change up the lineup that got him to the second round. The Warriors have a decided advantage when the games are at Oracle Arena, but they will need to take one in Salt Lake City. Can they do that? I think they will be able to steal a road game, so Warriors in the full number of games, as long as Baron Davis' hamstring holds up.

(Photo: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

NBA Playoff Impressions: Yay Area.

Warriors 111, Mavericks 86 - Sheer, utter, and complete domination of an opponent, pummeling into submission, even through injury to the driving force of the team. Stephen Jackson emptied everything in his arsenal, with 21 of his 33 points total coming from outside the arc, and Mr. Playoff Beard himself, though hurt, still chipped in 20 and made the Mavs play him seriously. Double figures from Andris Biedrins, Jason Richardson, and Matt Barnes just kept piling on. After games three and four, you had an idea that Golden State had this series, but you never imagined the clampdown looking like that, with an utterly dejected and somewhat lifeless Dallas team looking at 20+ point leads in the third quarter. Are the Warriors a championship team? Don't know. Doubt it. Can they make some serious noise in the rest of this playoff season? Fuck yes, and I'll be happy to cheer them on while they do it.

(As for Dirk, enjoy your MVP as you're awarded it somewhere besides in the middle of a playoff game. Eight points and eight points only, in a game you needed to show up for again.)

Jazz 94, Rockets 82 - Victories by the home team only remain the rule in this series. Something has to break -- either T-Mac will shake off his playoff exit streak come Saturday, or the dull, old pick-and-roll style will survive for another round, and the fear of a Jazz-Spurs series at any point down the line is absolutely devastating to even consider. Houston, please win, if only for the sake of those of us who have no particular rooting interest, yet would still like to see a Western Conference finals worth watching.

(Photo: Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

NBA Playoff Impressions: Home Is Where The Wins Are.

Rockets 96, Jazz 92 - T-Mac scores 26 and adds 16 assists; Yao has 21 and 15; the Rockets are back on point in a 3-2 series where the home team has won every game so far. This means either both teams are matched up fairly well (given that this is a 4-5 matchup, that's likely), or neither team is very good on the road for the playoffs and shouldn't be trusted come the next round against the eventual winner of Mavericks-Warriors. Carlos Boozer had the Jazz team high with 26, but only had eight rebounds.

Spurs 96, Nuggets 89 - Especially frustrating as a Nuggets fan, because they had a lead in the third quarter and then kept coughing it up. You do not get up by 10 points on San Antonio in the second half and then proceed to let them right back into the game. Here comes the repeat of 2005: win the opener, lose the next four.

Cavaliers 97, Wizards 90 - The Cavs pull off the shakiest sweep of the three that took place in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Again unable to hold Antawn Jamison to under 30 points, the Cavaliers' defense must be called into question at every opportunity when they get the eventual winner of the Nets and the Raptors soon. This team doesn't put opponents away.

(Photo: AP)

NBA Playoff Impressions: Control Freaks.

Spurs 96, Nuggets 91 - The reason San Antonio has won multiple championships with Tim Duncan and Gregg Popovich in recent years is because they are control freaks. They want to control how the other team plays to an almost obscene degree, and the way you do that is by making it impossible for a team like the Nuggets to actually establish any form of offensive consistency from the second quarter on. Then, you capitalize on the turnovers and frustration plays that occur as a result, as evidenced by the third-quarter inbound that Robert Horry stole and took for a 3, sparking a 13-3 run that essentially said, "This game is out of reach for you, no matter what the final score will be."

(Edit: As D-Wil notes, you also work the refs a lot -- Manu is hated in Denver for being a flopper, and the Spurs flop like the Azzuri in the World Cup.)

Jazz 98, Rockets 85 - Jerry Sloan is as much of a control freak as Popovich, running the same old pick-and-roll based offense since the Stockton-Malone heyday. Again, it puts a premium on defense so Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer, and Mehmet Okur can operate. Utah took the two games on their home court by absolutely shutting down Tracy McGrady early, and holding him to 18 points for the game before Jeff Van Gundy ceded defeat by yanking the starting lineup.

Cavs 98, Wizards 92 - The sad part of this stretch for the Wizards is that Antawn Jamison is playing absolutely out of his head; he had 38 points today, and it doesn't bode well that the Cleveland defense can't limit that. However, if there's no supporting cast to help with Butler and Arenas out, Jamison's 38 doesn't mean much. LeBron tossed in 30, nine assists, and six boards.

Pistons 97, Magic 93 - Orlando actually had a lead to cough up this time, and that's the only remarkable thing you can say about this series. Dwight, Hedo, Grant, Darko -- thanks for playing.

(Photo: Getty Images)

NBA Playoff Impressions: Kobe Takes Over.

Lakers 95, Suns 89 - A very nice comeback over the second half, as Kobe puts in 15 of 45 in the last quarter to give the Lakers at least some semblance of respectability as a team in this series. Whether it will carry over to Game 4 is anyone's guess. The Suns should have locked down on that double-digit lead. No reason not to bring down the hammer there. What I can tell you: Kwame Brown is not getting 19 again like that. Someone else on the Lakers is going to have to step up to help Kobe out.

Jazz 81, Rockets 67 - Utah shot badly at the Delta Center, Houston just shot worse. Outside of McGrady and Yao, there were 17 points scored by the rest of the Rockets roster. Good defensive work by the Jazz.

Pistons 93, Magic 77 - Wait a minute, this series isn't over already? Too much talent in Detroit against too much youth and inexperience in Orlando.

(Photo: Getty Images)

NBA Playoff Impressions: Holding Serve.

Rockets 98, Jazz 90 - Tracy McGrady wants to make damn sure he gets to the second round of the playoffs this year, I think. 31 points in game 2 will give you that thought. Carlos Boozer had an absolutely monstrous game in a losing effort with 41 points, which I was not aware that he was even capable of getting near in a game. Houston shot like crap from the floor, but the interesting tidbit is that their free throw shooting saved them -- Gargamel apparently does not let a player leave practice until they hit ten free throws in a row. I like this practice, and believe it should spread around both the pros and college. The Jazz are now up against the wall, though -- they can get a game back in Salt Lake City, but if they can't win when the Rockets shoot badly, it won't help them.

Pistons 98, Magic 90 - The Pistons are methodical, efficient and nasty. When you have all five starters in double figures, and Antonio McDyess throwing in his usual few off the bench, it means your stars have to perform at their top to beat them, and Dwight Howard was not on top of his. Hedo Turkoglu and Grant Hill were the only Magic players in double figures until Darko Milicic joined them with 10 in the fourth quarter. It looks like they're giving up already, or forgot to show up.

Also worth noting: The Suns' Leandro Barbosa got his Sixth Man award after ripping the Lakers hard yesterday.

Bonus photo below, just because it was funny and/or kinda sexy. If you feel like it, caption contest away.

the Heat's worst nightmare.

This was so incredibly painful to watch when it happened, because I saw the replay while watching at work, and it was one of those moments when you felt the pain through the screen. The extent of Dwyane Wade's separated shoulder isn't known yet, but Miami felt his absence, losing to the Rockets by 10 in Pat Riley's first game back on the sideline. If it is serious, then the Heat may make the playoffs, but they will lose in the first round.

In other notable NBA games, Manu Ginobili was a bad man, ripping off 24 straight points (40 total) against the lowly Hawks in a Spurs win. This is the sick thing about Ginobili -- he can have ungodly games like this, then maybe not show up, then put in the double figures (anywhere from high teens to mid-twenties) that the team needs from him to win. He's just another weapon -- a nice one to have, but this is why San Antonio is there every year, even if they're one of the less exhilarating teams to watch.