“He probably started this season maybe the fourth, third, fifth best point guard in the league, but right now, he’s definitely in the top one or two best point guards this season.” – LeBron James talking about Derrick Rose after Tuesday’s Game 5.

The Chicago Bulls have one of the game's most dynamic talents in point guard Derrick Rose.

The NBA playoffs are planting a seed in Derrick Rose that’s going to grow into something the league won’t be able to contain.

Having now been bounced from the postseason in his first two years in the NBA, Rose is going to reach a point when enough is enough.

When that time comes, look out.

“These are things that you just learn from,” said Rose, who averaged 26.2 points and 7.2 assists against the Cavaliers in the playoffs. Cleveland won the Eastern Conference first round series, 4-1. “And if I get put in that situation again, I’ll know what to do.”

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That right elbow of LeBron James in the white sleeve there is the talk of this series.

(1) Cleveland Cavaliers (4-1) vs. (4) Boston Celtics (4-1)

Series schedule: Game 1 – Today at Cleveland 8 p.m. ET (TNT); Game 2 – Monday at Cleveland 7 p.m. ET (TNT); Game 3 – Friday at Boston 2 p.m. ET (ESPN); Game 4 –Sunday 5/9 at Boston 3:30 p.m. (ABC); Game 5 – Tuesday 5/11 *at Cleveland TBD (TNT); Game 6 – Thursday 5/13 *at Boston TBD (ESPN); Game 7 – Sunday 5/16 3:30 p.m. *at Cleveland (ABC). *If necessary.

Series keys: For Cleveland: Stop Rajon Rondo from penetrating (When he does, Boston’s offense opens up to the fullest). 2. Establish inside presence (Make Kendrick Perkins and Kevin Garnett work defensively). 3. Speed up the pace (Test the older legs of the Celtics by scoring in transition). For Boston: 1. Test LeBron James early (If his elbow is good, find out early by going to the rim on him and guarding him tough). 2. Pick and pop (Put Shaquille O’Neal in situations where he has to stop Garnett or Rasheed Wallace from hitting jumpers. 3. Defy age (Many say the Celtics are too old. Prove them wrong.).

Series outcome: Cavaliers will win the series in six games, but if Boston splits the first two, it’s going seven.

Series stories

1. LeBron creating elbow room – Boston Globe
2. Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James’ ‘elbow‘ is talking on Twitter – Cleveland Plain Dealer
3. Cavaliers, Celtics just don’t like each other – Toronto Star

Paul Pierce and the Celtics eliminate Miami tonight.

The Boston Celtics took care of Miami, 96-86, in Game 5 to win the series, 4-1, and advance to the Eastern Confernce semifinals.

If Cleveland is able to hold on tonight to win Game 5 and wrap up this first-round series against the Chicago Bulls, they will face Boston in  Game 1 of the conference semifinals Saturday night at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.

If the Cavs lose, Game 6 of their series with the Chicago Bulls will be Thursday night in Chicago.

The Denver Nuggets will only go as far as Chauncey Billups and Carmelo Anthony take them.

(4) Denver Nuggets (53-29) vs. (5) Utah Jazz (53-29)

Series schedule: Game 1 – Today at Denver 10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN); Game 2 – Monday 4/19 at Denver 10:30 p.m. ET (TNT); Game 3 – Friday 4/23  at Utah 10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2); Game 4 – Sunday 4/25 at Utah 9:30 p.m. ET (TNT); Game 5 – Wednesday 4/28 * at Denver TBD; Game 6 – Friday 4/30 * at Utah TBD; Game 7 – Sunday 5/2 *  at Denver TBD. – *If necessary.

Series keys: For Denver: 1. Rediscover its swag (Nuggets have lost it since their head coach, George Karl, left team for cancer treatments). 2. Nene can’t settle (Denver big man must score big to keep Carlos Boozer honest). 3. Play a little defense (Nuggets allowed 102.3 points this season. For Utah: 1. Keep Denver off the line (Nuggets have made 1,924 free throws and attempted 2,487). 2. Bench must produce (With Boozer’s strained oblique and Andrei Kirilenko’s strained left calf, Jazz bench must step up). 3. Attack Denver’s heart (Carmelo Anthony is their star, but Chauncey Billups makes the Nuggets go. Deron Williams must get him in foul trouble).

Series outcome: Nuggets will win the series in six games, but somebody other than Billups – hint to Carmelo – must take over the leadership role.

Series stories:

1. Carlos Boozer to be a game-time decision for Utah playoff opener at Denver – The Canadian Press
2. Nuggets championship clock ticking – Denver Post
3. Doctor: Karl could be back for second round – ESPN

LeBron James has Cleveland atop the NBA regular-season hill for a second straight season.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have done this before.

And it wasn’t too long ago.

Last season, the Cavs won a league-best 66 games to earn home-court advantage in the playoffs, but wound up losing in the Eastern Conference Finals against Orlando in six games.

Earlier this week, they clinched home-court advantage again for the playoffs after the Los Angeles Lakers lost to the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday, but I’m still not sold the Cavs have the best team in the NBA, though.

Got some issues. Here’s a few.

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James has successful surgery Tuesday.

The Cleveland Cavaliers announced earlier today NBA MVP LeBron James has surgery to remove a right benign growth near his right jaw.

What?

It’s been an issue for months, but James got clearance from doctors to wait after Cleveland’s season ended before getting the procedure done.

The Orlando Magic eliminated the Cavaliers from the playoffs in the Eastern Conference finals last week. James averaged 38.5 points in the conference finals.

The Boston Celtics were no match for the Cleveland Cavaliers on Easter Sunday.

LeBron James said there isn’t a rivalry between Cleveland and Boston.

Could have fooled me Easter Sunday.

Now forget about the Cavaliers beating up on the Celtics by 31 points. Even the best teams get blown out. Although  Boston beat Cleveland in seven games in the Eastern Conference semifinals last year, it was the first time the two teams met in the playoffs with James wearing a Cleveland uniform.

But when Ray Allen and Anderson Varejao got after it in the second half Sunday, that looked like two teams that don’t like each other.

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