Every game in the second round has been won by the home team (Every one!) so where’s the drama in that?

SCOTT JACOBS

The NBA Playoffs are too long. We know that. I know that, you know that, and David Stern secretly knows that. But for the last couple years, ever since the NBA made the awkward transition of making the playoffs almost as long as a WNBA season, the league has slowly gotten more drawn out and less exciting.

And this second round fiasco hasn’t helped make things move along.

In a shocking event of home team dominance, unprecedented as far as my recent memory goes, the home team is 10-0 in the second round. Count that again. Ten and Ohhhh. Aka: what happened to that amazing regular season where every team was so close, and who stole my Doritos?

The Lakers have shown themselves to be the superior team against Utah (They lead 2-0). The Pistons beat Orlando thoroughly before the Magic took Detroit to the wire in game two, only to give the game away with awkward late plays. Of course, they promptly won game three at HOME to push the series to 2-1. More on that series in a minute.

The Hornets pulled away big time after two close halftime scores in New Orleans, and appeared like they might be the first second round road team to win on the road. But after a spirited play by Chris Paul, the Hornets got flat and the Spurs ran them out of the gym in a fourth quarter rally that just screamed, “we needed this game a lot more then you did.” That series is 2-1.

Then there’s the Boston-Cleveland series. Lebron is shooting like 20% for the series, and the Cavs haven’t eclipsed the 80 point mark in either of their first two snoozers in Beantown. Ray Allen didn’t score his first point of the SERIES until the third quarter of game two! And that first game: well it set back NBA basketball the way Adam Sandler’s Eight Crazy Nights set back animation.

So here’s where we stand: LA 2-0, NO 2-1, DET 2-1, and BOS 2-0.

But this home cooking thing might actually get worse.

Utah which looked way over-rated in two very bland games in LA goes home to Utah where they lost 4 times all season. If they can’t be LA in their home gym where they’re a different team, that series could be a sweep.

The Spurs are one win away from evening their series up after Tony Parker played out of his mind. What to look for: how New Orleans plays to start game four. The Spurs have their mojo back, and the Hornets are still a very young team. Plus, even though no one wants to admit it (okay, just me), the Spurs are the defending champs. Even if their bench calls themselves the 35 Club.

The Pistons already lost one game in Orlando, when over-paid Rashard Lewis had the game of his life. Now, Chauncey Billups health comes into question. The Pistons go to guy suffered a hamstring strain, and Detroit was flat without him. On Saturday Night we find out if the Magic have a Cleveland in them (aka: total reversal of fortunes, an Atlanta: well we can win the home games, or a Phoenix (we got one win in us, now let’s self combust)). Whatever it is, its not too difficult to see that series going back to Detroit nodded up at two, just like it was with Philadelphia.

Finally there’s Cleveland. Their offense has been atrocious in this second round, and Lebron is stinking up the joint. Of course the Cavs are a much more relaxed home team, and their role players (o who are we kidding: everyone except James is a role player on that team) tend to play better and look more comfortable. That said it’s hard to have any confidence in the Cavs given their first two monstrosities. But Boston was so shaky on the road with Atlanta that I want to see them prove they can win a road game, before I assume that game three is when they will.

Finally, there’s the schedule. It really bothers me. How can the Magic and Pistons already have played three games before the Celts and Cavs played two? The NBA playoffs are so long to begin with, what would be another two days to make sure everyone is on the same page in terms of games played. Had Detroit won their first three games against Orlando, they could have advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals before Boston played its third game. That just doesn’t make any sense.

What they should do: Let the Haws-Celts play game seven and not start the other series until Monday and Tuesday. The playoffs are so long as it is, would another couple days really matter?

Finally, this second round has lacked spark. Take away a very good game three in San Antonio tonight, and a very close game two between the Pistons and Magic, and this second round has been as disappointing as Balls of Fury. And that movie, for the record, was absolutely horrible.

One last note: can anyone beat the Lakers right now in a seven game series? Not only is LA loaded in their starting five, but their bench would probably make a better starting five then anything Miami sent out the last two weeks of the season. In all seriousness, LA’s bench is absolutely sensational, and they are playing terrific, fundamentally sound ball right now. I think I’d be a reach not to think that LA is going to win it all this year.

Of course. I’ve been wrong before (like way too many times).

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