Some NBA Notes after a weekend of doing nothing but working and watching The Association:

1. So Miami is done. Sounds about right. I figured the Bulls could do it, but not so definitively, you know, considering that this is a team with 36 total All-Star appearances. Looks like their championship "window" might have slammed shut. They've got a bunch of free agents and who knows if Gordon Gekko is coming back. Meanwhile the (former) Baby Bulls look fantastic. They could very well come out of the East. The upcoming series against Detroit should be entertaining. The Pistons have a good team, but I still don't trust Flip at the helm. It should also be interesting to see what Ben Wallace does against his old team.

2. Even though they're up 3-0, I'm still not sold on the Cavs. They just don't seem to have it in them this year like they did last year. Of course, they might not have their collective hearts in it going up against The Wizards, but that's no excuse. They're really going to have to step it up next round against the Nets or Raps.

3. And speaking of the Raptors, they're showing their inexperience as well as their spotty defense against the Nets. Kidd is having a stellar series, and VC actually showed up to play in Game 4. The Dinos are going to have to grow up quick to get past the Nets (or at least are going to have to figure out if you push Carter around he gets off his game). The Nets, on the other hand, look like they've got one round in them at most. A possible Round 2 of Nets/Cavs could end up being a battle of Who Cares Less.

4. Phoenix has L.A. on the ropes. They're just a bad team. But, then again, the series was 3-1 last year. I'm not saying the Lake Show has a shot to come back, but they could win another one. Maybe. Or maybe not. How many more games does Brown have in him? Probably just that one. Forget I mentioned this. Moving on.

5. The Spurs/Nugs series has been a good one, but it looks like San Antonio (cliché alert!) has their swagger back. If they Spurs keep playing at their highest level they should have no trouble finishing off the Nuggets. But don't look for AI, 'Melo and Company to go down quietly.

6. So the Warriors are looking like VMI right now. Their offense is RIDICULOUS! What has gotten into Baron Davis? He looks like he's so hungry that he could eat soup with his hands! Hasn't he been hopping around on one leg for the better part of 3 seasons? This series with the Mavs is an absolute shoot-out, by FAR the best series in the playoffs. Easily one of the most fun playoff series I've watched in years. And that picture up top (thanks to The Basketball Jones) is pretty much the greatest thing ever. It's almost as if Baron decided to become what we all thought Gilbert would be in the post season. For this, I thank you Mr. Davis.

Now, I know this is looking down the road a bit, but say The Warriors can do the unthinkable and pull this off, then what? Can they win another series? Is this a fluke that they have the Mavs number and no one else's? Can Baron Davis' keep this up? Can anyone remember a time in which the better team LOST a seven game series? I've got all these questions and no answers. Kyra Sedgwick needs to get on the case.

UPDATE: Wow. I mean I knew there was a chance this could happen (I even called it in my playoff preview, you know, not to brag or anything), but still, the way the Mavs have firmly placed their hands around their neck is stunning. Dirk is back to his "never get it done in the playoffs" ways. I thought he had gotten over that, but last year's FInals have clearly messed with his head. I talked about it durring the regular season, but who thought it would effect the team this bad? He's just not taking the big shots. He's lost that fire that ALWAYS looks scarry in the eyes of a German. Sure, back to back 3's in the finals 30 seconds, but it was too little too late. Jerry Stack can't do this by himself, even though he's trying.

The Mavs have only themselves to blame for this. Oh, and also Charles Barkley for giving Golden State reason to show him up.