Playoff Musings, Conference Finals

THINGS I DIDN'T KNOW BEFORE THE PLAYOFFS
Yes, you probably already knew all this. But it's news to me.

THERE IS ACTUALLY A SCENARIO IN WHICH I'LL ROOT FOR CARMELO ANTHONY. WHO KNEW?
The one and only scenario, not involving the Olympics or terrorists and potential harm to my loved ones, is when Carmelo is playing against Kobe. With the exception of TeeMak, who doesn't make the cut simply because we only count players who have played in the second round, these are probably my two least favorite players in the NBA. Maybe ever. But let me go the record here: GO 'MELO. KICK THE CRAP OUT OF THAT SCOWLING, PREENING MAMBA. Happy?

ORLANDO IS ALMOST AS LEGIT AS BARKLEY SAYS AND- IN THE WORDS OF THEIR OWN COACH- CERTAINLY TOO LEGIT TO QUIT.
I doubted the Magic. I like Howard, but he's a FT liability in the crunch. I like Lewis, but his smooth shot (and it is smooooooth) is more than a little overpaid (not sure anybody in Orlando feels that way after last night). They lost their all-star caliber PG. The bench seemed shallow. Stan Van seems a little uneven to me. So I wasn't really onboard.
They may only win Game 1, but I have to say that that's a real team. They kept digging in, especially Turkoglu who looked like a sloppier, white Magic Johnson last night, right down to the big smile after timeouts. You'll see the Cavs do some stomping in Game 2, but it won't be because the Magic aren't legit. The Cavs just might, when they're angry, be legitter.

KENNY SMITH MIGHT NOT BE THE SMOOTH OPERATOR PERSONALITY THAT HE SEEMS TO BE CULTIVATING
Did anyone else see in the postgame when he got visually bugged because he didn't get his printouts in time? Chill, baby. You're flanked by talkers galore. Your job is secure. Don't blow all the Mellow Dude Equity you've built up. It was like seeing Jack Johnson put on combat boots, a leather duster, and start spitting bullets all across the North Shore.