(1). San Antonio Spurs (50-16)

1st round foe: (8) Utah Jazz (36-30)

Biggest concern vs. Jazz: With big boys Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson, Utah can cause the Spurs problems in the paint.

Last 10: 10-0 (Won 10)

Strengths: The hottest team in the NBA, the Spurs have great chemistry, Tony Parker is playing at a very high level and they’ve got one of game’s best coaches in Gregg Popovich.

Weaknesses: Still wondering if this regular-season success is a product of the schedule? Are they really as good as they appear to be? What happens if Parker gets in foul trouble early?

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NBA commissioner David Stern canceled more games through Nov. 30 after talks with the NBPA broke down Friday./AP Photo.

Yo D? What’s up guy? Haven’t seen you in a minute. What’s good?

Ah man. Nothing much. Staying busy. What’s good with you?

You know me, kid. I’m out just trying to do the right thing. So it looks like you’ve slimmed down some. Getting your run on?

Yeah man. Trying.

I hear you. I saw you one time darn near get trucked by a car over there by the hospital. I was like, ‘Yo, that looks like D right there.’ Got to wear brighter colors bruh. You know moms taught you to look both ways before crossing the street.

You right. You right.

Anyway, what’s up with this lockout man? The NBA has one of its greatest seasons in recent memory then just shut it down. What you think the problem is?

Dollars. It’s all about the dollar.

Got millionaires fighting over billions. I just heard they canceled games through the end of next month and there won’t be an 82-game season.

Yep. Well, NBA commissioner David Stern never says never, but he even admitted it’s not “practical” to have a full season. Shouldn’t have even tried to do that after canceling games earlier. Never understood trying to cram an 82-game season in.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers will likely draft Duke freshman Kyrie Irving in Thursday’s NBA Draft. ESPN is reporting that the Cavs are committed to doing so.

I understand the reasoning.

It’s a PG league.

Point guards are needed because a lot of the better teams have quality ones. Chicago has 2010-11 NBA MVP Derrick Rose. Oklahoma City has Russell Westbrook. Memphis has Mike Conley. Boston has Rajon Rondo. New Orleans has Chris Paul.

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Can LeBron James lead Miami to a win Sunday in Game 6 to force a Game 7. Hmmmm./AP Photo

I hate the term “Do or die.”

One, it’s cliche. Two, you’re not going to die by losing a game, but  you’re not going to feel that good, either.

The Miami Heat are facing that reality.

Down 3-2 to the Dallas Mavericks, the Heat need to win Sunday’s Game 6 at home to force a deciding Game 7 on Tuesday in Miami.

Truth is, the series should be over.

Miami blew a huge lead in Game 2 at home and should have won Game 4 as well but give Dallas credit. The Mavericks are locked in defensively and Dirk Nowitzki is not only playing, but he’s being a leader.

LeBron James should take some notes from him on how to find a way in the fourth quarter.

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He's the third option for Miami's Big 3, but in the playoffs, Heat power forward Chris Bosh is starting to look like he belongs with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade./AP Photo.

Chris Bosh has felt the heat this season and not just from moving from Toronto to Miami.

The Heat power forward has been criticized by many, including myself, for playing too soft or passive. He’s part of the latest Big 3, but Bosh wasn’t carrying his weight like LeBron James and Dwyane Wade had been.

In the playoffs, Bosh has been playing closer to his potential, particularly in the Eastern Conference finals against the Chicago Bulls. Bosh averaged 23.2 points in the series the Heat won in five games. He had two 30-point games in the series and in Game 5, Bosh’s double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds was needed to beat the Bulls in Chicago.

He’s still the third option heading into his first NBA Final to James and Wade, but if he plays well, that will make it even more difficult for the Mavericks to slow down the Heat.

Here are four other keys to the series for the Heat.

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Germany's Dirk Nowitzki has always been a scorer (Avg. 23 PPG in 13 NBA seasons), but being a more complete player has turned him into an even tougher cover./AP Photo.

Dirk Nowitzki is not better than LeBron James. He’s just been playing better in the playoffs. At least that’s what everyone is saying.

All we hear now is how Nowitzki has become this unstoppable player.

Hello?

Dirk  has always been a tough cover. The difference is he’s finding teammates so he’s making opponents pay for however they guard him.

Making his second trip to the NBA Finals, the 7-footer, one-legged shot maker with range from El Paso is one of the five keys to the series. If he can force Miami to have to double team him, that opens up the entire Dallas offense.

Here are other four keys for Dallas in the finals, which begins Tuesday at 9 p.m. in Miami.

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Dallas SG Jason Terry has a tattoo he may have to get removed if the Miami Heat win the NBA finals./AP Photo.

Check out these articles into Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night at 9 p.m. on ABC.

1. LeBron James: I have a long way to go before being compared to Michael Jordan

2. Heat’s Big Three go from being selfish to successful

3. Spoelstra is Miami’s calming influence

4. Hyde 5: LeBron, Jay-Z and Dallas’ DeShawn Stevenson

5. Mark Cuban’s quiet time goes on, to Mavs’ delight

6. Actor Adam Pally, Rudy Gay talk Dirk or LeBron

7. Jason Kidd: ‘I still have a lot left to give’

8. Terry will get NBA championship tattoo removed if Mavs don’t beat Miami

He's in a new uniform, but same foe awaits LeBron James in the NBA playoffs - the Boston Celtics./Photo by AP.

Goodbye Shield. Welcome back logo.

With the NFL Draft ending today, let’s talk NBA Playoffs.

The first round was good. Correction. It was great.

The Memphis Grizzlies stunned everyone except Charles Barkley in beating the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs in six games, the Boston Celtics posted the only sweep in a first-round series and Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Kevin Durant has been the best player in the playoffs so far.

Now the conference semifinals are here. We’ve got the match up everyone wants (Miami Heat vs. the Celtics), the one we didn’t expect (Grizzlies vs. Thunder), the one that will end quickly (Atlanta Hawks vs. the Bulls) and the one that will last longer than it should (Los Angeles Lakers vs. the Dallas Mavericks).

Let’s do this:

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Glen Rice could light it up.

Boy, not putting Wilt Chamberlain on my greatest 1-on-1 players in NBA history caught me some flak.

Good.

Not putting the greatest of all time,  Michael Jordan, atop that list caught me even more flak.

Even better.

I’m trying to make you all think out the box a bit. So today, I’m talking about the guys who jump shot I envied. The guys who when they shot it, you thought it was going to go in 10 times out of 10 because it looked so good coming out of their hands.

Now before I go any further, these guys are not only list: Dennis Scott, Allan Houston, Rick Barry, Pistol Pete Maravich, Peja Stojakovic, Dirk Nowitzki, Paul Pierce, Stephen Curry, Wesley Person, George Gervin, Alex English, Hal Greer, Michael Redd, Michael Jordan or Chris Mullin.

Trust me, I want to put Mullin on this list. Sorry Chris.

Here we go.

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“I’ve said all along we all know how the vote is going to go. LeBron will win the MVP every year until he retires.” – Stan Van Gundy.

Stan Van Gundy has been a strong advocate for Magic center Dwight Howard winning the league MVP honor this season.

He speaks his mind. Don’t we love that?

Nod your head. You do. I know I do.

Even if Stan Van Gundy’s voice can sound a tad bit on the whiny side, you’re going to get an honest answer out of the guy.

 So when talking to the media before today’s game at Cleveland against the Cavaliers, the Orlando head coach had a few words to say about Magic center Dwight Howard’s deservement of the NBA MVP award and LeBron James being a clear cut favorite to win it for a second straight season.

On being an advocate of Dwight Howard being the NBA MVP and if he’d disappointed if LeBron James won the award unanimously: “I would never diasappointed on anything that happens on a vote type of thing. As I’ve said, look, I’ve also made very clear you can’t argue (with James getting the MVP). It’s not I’m saying somebody else doesn’t deserve it. I haven’t come out and tried to say that LeBron doesn’t deserve it. I think you can make a case for him. I think you can make a hell of a case for Dwight. I think you can make a hell of a case for Kevin Durant and what he’s done for that team. I think there are six or seven guys you can make very good cases for, but no, I wouldn’t be disappointed with anyone in the vote. I know good Dwight has been and I know how important he is to us. We know his value like Cleveland knows LeBron’s value.”  

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