The Second Season is Underway.

Now that every series has played one game, that means one thing: the goofy NBA playoff schedule kicks in where there are three days of rest between home games and you never know when a team plays and some games get relegated to NBA TV which is the same as not even having them on and there is no rhyme or reason to when teams play. Sweet.

Before the playoffs started, my Series I Can't Miss List looked like this:

8. Detroit vs. Orlando
7. Cleveland vs. Washington
6. Dallas vs. Golden St.
5. Chicago vs. Miami
4. Toronto vs. New Jersey
3. Jazz vs. Rockets
2. Phoenix vs. Los Angeles
1. San Antonio vs. Denver

After the weekend? I think it is time to rethink those rankings. I threw my predictions in at the end, just for the hell of it. If you don't believe me, that's fine (I wouldn't believe me, either), but that's what I was gonna say from the get-go. Cross my heart, hope to die.

8. Detroit vs. Orlando
Game 1 was close, but that does nothing to pique my interest in this series. Most of these games will be close, I bet, because everyone on Detroit is Mr. Too Cool for School and they try to act like they don't care (I'm looking at you, Chauncey). But do I really need to see Chauncey Billups back down Jameer Nelson for 46 minutes? I do not think that I do. (Damon Jones is nodding his head right now.)

(Actually, Billups' strength is oddly fun to watch. The guy is just an ox. In fact, I convinced some one that there is a You Tube video of Chauncey Billups pushing a live ox out of a sumo-type circle. If they want to come clean in the comments, they are encouraged. But that's how strong he is. He could theoretically out-push an ox.)

Since JJ Redick isn't gonna get much burn, he should be taking notes while watching Rip Hamilton. Redick strikes me as the kind of guy who didn't know that basketball players don't have to go to class in college, so he should be pretty good at taking notes. So get the loose leaf out JJ and write a few things down.

If the Magic somehow steal a game, wake me up. Other wise, I'll see you in the second round, Detroit. I'm not listening to that Deee-troit Baaaaask-et-baaaaaall guy anymore more than I have to. I really, really hate him.

Detroit in 4.

7. Cleveland vs. Washington
The only reason this series is slightly ahead of Detroit/Orlando is Lebron (and the Deee-troit Baaaaask-et-baaaaaall guy...I really do hate him). I stopped breathing for about two minutes yesterday when LeBron was writhing around on the floor in apparent agony, but since he's OK, I'm OK.

(Incidentally, if you roll around on the floor, slapping your palms off the ground and randomly moaning, you should have to come out of the game. Not because you delayed the game, but because if you roll around on the ground like that, you better be pretty hurt. How can you lay there, scream and slap and roll, and then bounce right back up and run down the court? Something doesn't add up there. It's like when a two-year-old plants his face into the cement, starts bawling, notices that no one is paying attention to him, and then just goes back to his business.)

It was good to see Larry Hughes have a good game, though, but - and I forget where I read this - but this series really is a testament to the Cavs professionalism. If it takes them more than 5 games to win this series, then they are just screwing around and not taking shit seriously. But I think they are pros - I mean, they get paid and everything - so I say they wrap it up right on schedule.

Cavs in 5.

6. Toronto vs. New Jersey
I was pretty amped to see Toronto fans mentally dismantle Vince Carter, but what's the fun if New Jersey still wins? If VC is gonna go 5-19, or whatever he was, shouldn't New Jersey lose?

This series is at No. 6 becuase there is still a chance that VC blows up at some point, but really, I don't see it happeneing. Shame, really.

Raptors in 7.

5. Chicago vs. Miami
I really didn't understand why Miami was the clear cut favorite in this series. So much is different from last season when the Heat barely escaped.

First, Miami doesn't have home court this year. Kind of important.

Dwyane Wade isn't close to 100%. Plus, Shaq was out half the year, so was Wade - they haven't exactly gelled together his season.

Chicago added Ben Wallace, who at least makes Shaq work as hard for what he gets as anyone else in the L, and they added Ty Thomas, another athletic maniac to run around and block shots and dive after loose balls and do Scott Skiles things. The Heat added Eddie Jones.

The Young Bulls are a year older; the retirement home that is the Heat is one year older.

Instead of coming in as a "savior" half way through the season, Riles abandoned them halfway through the year. And obviously there is no way to prove this, but motivation has to be questioned: are all those veterans as hungry as they were 365 days ago?

Not to mention that the Heat eliminated the Bulls last year in a testy series - this is payback for Chicago.

The point is, every advantage in the series is tipped in Chicago's favor when compared to last year. Game 1 wasn't a fluke.

Bulls in 6.

4. Houston vs. Utah
T. Mac trying to get out of the first round was compelling enough; after his "If we don't get out of the first round this year, IT'S ON ME" line, how can you not be pulling for him? How often do you see the super star lay it on the line like that?

To be fair to T Mac, this is the first time he's ever been on a team that had home court. So he was supposed to lose in the playoffs every time. It's not like he choked in the past (I choose to willfully ignore his "the second round feels good" comment).

Regardless, I'm pulling for T. Mac. I think you should, too.

Rockets in 6.

3. Dallas vs. Golden St.
Here was my thinking heading into this series: the three times Dallas lost to the Warriors, it was tainted - the first time was during Dallas' 0-4 start when they couldn't beat St. Mary's School for Little Blind Girls, the second time was at the end of the 17-game winning streak and no team can win more than 17 games for some bizarre reason, and the third time was at the end of the season when the Mavs weren't really trying.

So when the Mavs actually play their game, they are going to have their way with a team they had 25 more wins than. I didn't count on Avery Johnson changing his line up to suit the Warriors. That was the first time I ever said to myself, "Oooh, bad move there, Avery." Why would you cater to a team you are better than? Impose your style of plays on them. They are better at small ball; you are better than small ball. Do you, Avery. Do you.

Still, this is now a series. The Warriors have to be in the Mavericks head. They have to be wondering to themselves why they can't beat a team that thought it was a good idea to combine the heart and soul of the Indiana night club/court house scene and a team that hadn't been in the post season for 13 years.

They'll bounce back, though. Well, they better bounce back. With A-Rod now apparently done with "I don't do so swell in the big moments" thing for now, the sports world needs a choke artist. If Dirk follows up blowing a 2-0 lead in the NBA finals (and the worst temper tantrum since he was 4) with a first round exit, he should be getting the A-Rod/Mickelson/Manning treatment until he comes through. Hey, it could happen.

Dallas in 4.

2. Phoenix vs. Los Angeles
Everyone knows how this series is going to end - Kobe kills himself to keep the Lakers competitive, Phoenix wears him and the Lakers down in the 4th quarter - but it is still fascinating to watch.

The sheer juxtaposition of two distinct styles will always be an enthralling event. And it's not just fast-break, drive and kick vs. slow the tempo, run your sets. It's one man single-handedly trying to take on a franchise that embodies the "team" concept more than any other. It's almost like the "right" way to do things verse the "wrong" way. Good vs. Evil, if you want to be dramatic about it. Plus, these two teams genuinely dislike each other; Raja vs. Kobe positively loathe one another.

One thing that has been driving me nuts: every analyst explaining what the Lakers are doing wrong. They are settling for too many long jump shots or they don't get the ball inside enough or they are guarding the pick-and-roll all wrong. How 'bout this one: the Suns have much, much better players. How's that one work for you? It doesn't matter what the hell the Lakers do, they are gonna be luck to win one game, they aren't winning this series. Even if Kobe goes for 65 every night. The Suns bring guys off the bench that would start for the Lakers in a heartbeat.

In fact, one of those guys absolutely slaughtered the Lakers yesterday. Leandro Barbosa annihilated whoever the Lakers nominated to attempt to stay in front of him. Smush Parker, in particular, just got owned. No one on the Lakers coaching staff thought to call Smush over the sideline during some free throws and say "Hey, um, Smush? Did you read your scouting report? No? That's OK, we didn't expect you to. But listen, that lanky, shaven-headed man with the ball? The one we told you to guard...yea, he's really, really fast. Like, maybe the fastest in the league. Ha, yea, really Smush...I know, I saw that one lay-up, too. So you know what we are gonna need you to do? GIVE HIM A FUCKING STEP. OK, go play hard!"

I've never really watched anyone play themselves out of the league, but Smush is doing exactly that. Another reason this series is fascinating, but for a whole other, more pathetic reason.

Suns in 5.

1. San Antonio vs. Denver
I don't know where anyone else has this series on their Must See List, but it's No. 1 for me, no questions asked.

I picked San Antonio to win it all at the beginning of the year, so I feel loyal to that pick. But I don't want them to win, in fact, I would be thrilled the quicker they were out of the playoffs. I am actively cheering against them, no small reason being that Bruce Bowen is the dirtiest, slimiest prick in the NBA, hand down; Tony Parker made me sick of seeing Eva Longoria; that things where Tim Duncan hugs the ball drives me nuts. Now that Joey Crawford is gone, what's the point of keeping the Spurs around?

On the other hand, I had the good fortune to attend Iverson's first game in Denver. I don't really know the history of fandome in the Rocky Mountains, and I'm not a Nuggets fan myself, but that place was cookies that night. He started the night on the bench and at one point, the crowd thought he was checking in and lost its collective mind; when he actually did check into the game, the place exploded. Iverson's pure joy at being in a place where he was that wanted and where he could actually help was painfully evident. He soaked it up, played to the crowd, and when he did that cup-his-hand-to-his-ear, I-can't hear-you thing, I was on my feet, loving it. The man has charisma. I'm telling you, he made it personal for every person in the building.

Since then, I've been undeniably attached to Iverson's fortunes in Denver. I couldn't not want him to succeed. So when he has a chance to finally matter in the playoffs again - and remember, he can single-handedly get a team to the Finals - I have to back that. How couldn't I? Just because I picked the Spurs to win months ago? I don't think so.

So, I'm picking the Spurs to win, but I am cheering as hard as I can against them and myself. Just feels right.

Spurs in 7.

As for the rest of the playoffs? Well, since Day 1 I've had the Spurs over Cleveland, so I'll stick with that. I don't think this year can match last year's Second Season, but if it comes close, that'll be good enough.

(And if you think I am going to go right back to posting without acknowledging the fact that I stopped for months and months, then you would be thinking correctly.)

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The Ten Best Players in the NBA.

Did you know NBA training camp starts in, like, a week? Totally does. I had no idea. In honor of me not knowing that, here are Point 23's Top 10 Best Players in the League.

Full disclosure: ranking the best ten players in the NBA isn't exactly an original idea, but the inspiration came from Dime Mag's Top 10, via True Hoop. Oh, and Jones on the NBA ranked his, too. And um, Bench Renaldo had one. Whew.

Come on, I'm gonna read all those and not throw my two cents in?

So how are we defining best? Best one-on-one player? Best team player? "If You Were Starting a Team Today...?" Most unstoppable? Best scorer? Best all around player? Most valuable? How 'bout we define it like this: "best." There, that was easy, wasn't it? One thing we won't be doing is using stats, I can tell you that much. You aren't better because you average 29.4 and I average 27.3.

Toughest Omissions: AI, 'Melo, KG, Agent 0, Paul Pierce, CP3, Dwight Howard, Elton Brand, Kirk Hinrich (I know, I know...leave me alone). I'm really, really sorry fellas. I still got your backs though (pounds chest twice, points). You know who wasn't tough to leave off? Shaq. If we were making a "Top 10 Greatest Complimentary Players in the NBA," he'd be a lock for No. 1. Onto the list...

10. Ron Artest. Let's start with a little controversy, eh? He's the most unique player in the NBA, bar none. Complete wrecking crew on the defensive side, and then a tough matchup on the offensive side. He'll get you 20 a game, and take 20 away from the other teams best player. How many guys in the L are worth 40 points a night to their team? Not many.

The Kings went from an after ran to nearly knocking off the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference in the playoffs just by adding him. He's felt all over the court - literally.

For an opponent, there can't be a more frustrating person to play against. He would completely get in your head on defense, that's a given. But on offense, he looks so goofy. He pats the ball rather than dribbling it; he doesn't craddle the ball, he just kind of smacks at it. He's so unorthodox. He's the kind of guy you'd hate giving up 20 points to, more so than a "normal" looking player, if that makes any sense.

The fact that he's a headcase who has a very real chance of doing something that may get him permanently banned is a mild concern yes (and by mild I mean huge), but I think he's worth it.

9. Yao. Silently, the best center in the L. And silently is the key word here, because his lack of a killer instinct is kind if disheartening. There's really no reason he shouldn't score 30 every night. Yea, 30. That said, his skill set is pretty impressive - short jumpers, some over-the-shoulder moves, deft passer (I love deft passers, but why are only passers are deft? Why aren't there any deft shooters? Or deft ballhandlers?) and shot changer around the basket. Besides Shaq, I think he's the only center even worth while.

8. T. Mac. Mr. Sad Guy is the complete package. We're talking ideal circumstances here: his back doesn't go out and he stays happy all season long.

If God was going to design a basketball player, T. Mac is it. Long as hell, athletic as hell, range he doesn't even need. How easy does he make basketball look? Does he even sweat? Remember how Artest seems like the kind of guy you'd be furious to let score 20 on you? T. Mac seems like the kind of guy who could drop 35 on you and you wouldn't even be that mad.

He gets knocked for taking a lot of off balance jumpers, and the fact that he hasn't really won anything yet (that "its nice to be in the second round" comment will forever haunt him), but he is a winner: remember those four 3's in under a minute against San Antionio? Unreal. But still...maybe the reason him and Yao haven't really won anything is because both of them lack that killer instinct. This seems like a big season for the both of them, though. I'll be excited to see big things out of them.

7. Amare. Hey look, its Stevie's teammate. Amare's skills are still pretty raw, I think (all things being relative), but he's so uber-ridiculously-freaky athletic that he could have the coordination of Shawn Bradley and it wouldn't matter. You literally just give him the ball on the elbow, he fakes one way, goes the other, takes one dribble and two steps, and just crushes it. He's absolutely unguardable, and he doesn't even really have any moves. (OK, that's kind of unfair. He has some moves, but I don't think you'll see him do the Dream Shake or bust out Kevin McHale's up-and-under any time soon.) And its not like people are even playing his jumper - how thrilled do you think everyone would be if he shot 20 15-footers every game? They know what he's doing and they are still helpless.

Sitting out the majority of last season hurts his cause though. Once he gets back to 100%, he'll likely move up the list. I'm sure he's very concerned with that.

5. Steve Nash. The two-time MVP is far and away the best point guard in the league. He's really playing differently than any other point guard; he sees and reacts to things differtly. Whether he makes the system or the system makes him is really irrelevant at this point: the production can't be ignored. He got criticized as not being MVP-worthy (um, not by me or anything...) because he wasn't a pure scorer but more a distributor.

Nash can dominate a game in two ways, though: in the open court and transition, where there isn't anyone better, not even Jason Kidd. And in the half-court, he dominates the ball and directs traffic flawlessly. He'll literally hold the ball for the entire shot clock, and then at the last second find someone for a layup or open 3. Its uncanny.

Look how far he took a shallow Suns team in the playoffs - his second best player is the wildly over rated Shawn Marion and after that its a couple of foreign guys nobody quite wanted. Kinda remarkable, no? And yea, those guys are perfect for that system. But Nash is the reason why.

5. Dirk Nowitzki.You know what I like? When a player gets criticized for a weakness in their game and then goes out and shuts everyone up. Dirk got hammered for being a soft jump shooter, so he made it his personal mission to crash the boards - especially on offense - and put the ball on the floor and get to the rim, especially in the playoffs. Throw in his clutch shooting and his little temper tantrums (they are so adorable, Dirk), and we may have a monster on our hands for years to come. As long as he doesn't take his contract money and pull a Shaun Alexander, that is.

Now, those last six players are highly, highly debatable. There's a ton of players you could throw in there and it wouldn't be absurd: see Omissions, Toughest. (I can't believe I left Iverson off this list. I really can't.), probably some more. These next four though, I think, have to be considered the best four players in the League. Some Nash apologist will claim the two-time MVP should be here, but I don't think so. These are the top four, and that's pretty indisputable. Shuffle them around in any order - that's cool - but these have to be the top four. Have to be.

Think of it this way: of the six guys we mentioned above - or anyone else for that matter - could you make a convincing argument that they are the best player - bar none No. 1 - in the entire NBA? Absolutely not. Could you me that same argument for the next four guys? Most certainly. That seems like a good dividing line to me.

4. Tim Duncan. He's really good. Fundamental as hell. Moves and counter moves galore. Automatic double team, and he's patient and successful out of it.Pretty much an automatic deuce every time he touches it. I don't feel like talking about him though. Let's get to the Big Three.

3. D Wade. Absolutely impossible to guard on the perimeter. He gets to the rim like its his job (maybe cuz it is), and has a remarkably high success rate of finishing around the basket. Since refs love him like he's the son they never had, he gets to the line at a ridiculous rate. If the refs don't call a foul on a D Wade drive, then he wasn't fouled. His foul line J is basically a layup, even after pump faking to get the defender in the air. From the free throw line and in, I don't know that there is anyone better in the league.

Farther out than that though, and things get a little dicey. His range is suspect, although he did flash some distance in the playoffs. Which is why I don't understand why more teams don't go under the ball screens the Heat set for him; wouldn't you rather he launched a three or long J rather than slicing to the basket? And is there anyone in the league better at splitting the double-teams off the ball screen? Answer: No, there isn't.

Wade's height and help keeps him locked at the No. 3 spot, though. The two players ahead of him just out-tall him, which just makes them tougher to handle. Plus the next two guys both play on clearly inferior teams, which changes how they are guarded. They are without a doubt the focal points of their offenses. Playing with Shaq, Wade enjoys a benefit and a luxury that the next two guys don't get to enjoy. Not really Wade's fault, but still. He can fall down seven times and stand up eight. No one else can do that. (Know why? Cuz its impossible. D Wade can literally do the impossible.)

2. LeBron. There is no bigger LeBron apologist than me, and I really don't enjoy Kobe all that much, so this hurts a little. That said, he's still just the second best player in the L. Not that that's the worst thing in the world.

LeBron is the basketball equivalent of a five-tool player in baseball. He can shoot, get to the rim, pass with the best of them, post-up, and excel in transition. He's clearly superior at some of these aspects than others; no one is tougher one-on-one in transition and his ability to get to the rim is on par with the best in the league, and you'd be hard pressed to find a better, more creative passer in the league (its considerably easier to find open people when four guys are guarding you, but when you're teammates can't catch, it kind of evens things out). Yea, he can shoot, but it isn't really a reliable weapon - yet. And his post up game is raw, consisting mainly of him banging a few times and then elevating over his defender - and there isn't anyone he can't elevate over. His athleticism and his natural build really give him a weapon that not many people can fall back on. And for right now at least, that's more than anyone in the L can handle.

Still, his effort on the defensive end is questionable at best. Its not that he can't lock up - he just doesn't sometimes. And he's been knocked for being to passive (I'm not buying it, but still). You can't really knock his effort as a teammate, he defers almost - almost - to a fault. In a few years, he could be a player the likes of which they L has never seen (was that dramatic enough for you?). He's not quite there yet - he's close - but not quite there yet.

1. KB8. I mean KB24 (thank you, Biz). Kobe is the best player in the league, and its not even debatable. This isn't to say he should win the MVP or that I like him (I try, I really do) or that I agree with his off the court antics (fueding with Shaq; um...Eagle, Co.). But as a basketball player, he's the best the NBA has to offer. He's the prototype.

The Mamba really has no weaknesses. Pressure him on the perimeter and he's getting to the rim before you are even in your stance. Back off, and its buckets - from, like, really far away, too. He handles double-teams better than anyone in the league - which I guess makes sense, since he sees more of them than anyone in the league. His post up game is ridiculous, just an endless series of pivots and headfakes. And we haven't even gotten to his best move yet: his fadeaway, which he can get off over either shoulder, and either swish or bank it. When he misses, you're absolutely stunned, and when he does make it, the ball positively rips through the net - wap! He's clutch as hell, too. With the game on the line, there is no one else you'd rather have taking the shot - and frankly, its not even close. Dude is an cold-blooded assassin with ice water in his veins. (That's why he's cold-blooded, because of the ice in his veins, get it? He might be the first cold-blooded snake though. I'ma have to look into that.) Plus he can shoot left handed and is a beast on the defensive end of the court.

Here's what impresses me most about Kobe, and he's the only player in the NBA - at least that I've seen - that can consistently do it: Kobe will catch the ball on the wing, a step behind the three point line, with his defender draped all over him. He'll jab, headfake, ballfake, fake the drive, whatever - and get off a J. Here's the thing: He doesn't use a dribble, and gets wide open. I mean, the defender is staggering while Kobe is rising up, completely alone. How many other players can absolutely free themselves without even dribbling?

Kobe's passing gets knocked, but he's a more than able passer who would just rather take a tough shot than pass - and honestly, can you blame him? He actually had a solid number of assists for a 2-guard last season. His effort to be a good teammate is almost comically forced, like he read a manual on how to be a good teammate, tried to act it out, but is just convincing no one. His past seems to influence this more than anything - hey, at least he's trying to be a good teammate now, eh?

So while he may not be the NBA's best teammate, he's clearly its best player. And if you disagree, well...you don't really now what you're talking about. That's how good he is.

(At least until Bronny get himself a J.)

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