Havin' fun with the first round

All-NBA teams after one round, Boston/Philadelphia playoff prep

Yes, there were injuries, but I’m mostly watching balance. The parity in the NBA is so out of control that it is in complete control. This first round — the NBA’s “Quarterfinals,” were tremendous. The games felt connected to the rest of the playoffs, rather than a televised exercise eliminating mediocre NBA teams.

We are informed the .590 winning percentage left in the NBA’s Elite Eight is the lowest of the 16-team postseason era, aged 39 years. Pssh, lowest.

Outcome is finite, the sun shines on my front door all evening, the glass is 59 percent full o’ wins.

There are drags, load management didn’t save us from losing Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, saddest of all, the MVP, Joel Embiid. A cynic reminds us these six knees are perpetually gunked up, there wasn’t much more teams could do for them.

A hope reminds me we’re lucky to be here, happy the Clippers (late March) and Sixers (late April) made it to spring with spirit intact, even if this moment hurts. But I don’t know if readers will buy that.