If Saturday was any indication on the quality of the games in the NBA Playoffs, holy crap are we in for a treat.

First you had the Indiana Pacers give the Chicago Bulls a big wake-up call. The only problem is that Derrick Rose answered the bell with a little help from Kyle Korver at the end. If anyone doubted who the MVP was, they were reminded. Especially Pacers President Larry Bird.

Then you had the Miami Heat fend off the Philadelphia 76ers. Look, Doug Collins has done a great job with these kids, but there is just no way the Heat should be fending these guys off from anything but the after game buffet. They're just not there yet.

Following that game, you had the Atlanta Hawks avenge last year's playoff sweep and take game one against the Orlando Magic. A team some- not me- have picked to represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals. Center Dwight Howard scored 46 of the team's 93 points. Do the math here, people. Follow the ineptitude.

Point guard Jameer Nelson scored 27 (still adding?) and no other Magic player had more than 6. Anyone remember when teams learned you could let Michael Jordan score 50 and still beat the Bulls? Credit the Hawks with doing what they had to do and making the Magic disappear in game 1. (I've been waiting 8 hours to write that one)

In the nightcap, you had the Dallas Mavericks will themselves to a game 1 victory over a Portland Trailblazers team who many believe are capable of making lives miserable in the playoffs.

Turns out people were right, only it's the lives of their own fans. I like the Blazers, they have a lot of things going for them, but they showed last night is that when they need to close out a playoff game they have no idea what to do.

That's just a product of youth, the question is: if they want to be successful this year, someone needs to step up quick. The Mavericks just proved while at least one veteran capable of doing what is necessary with less than 4 minutes on the clock is one of the absolutely necessary traits of any team for a deep run into the playoffs.

Four great games last night, and it continues today.

The San Antonio Spurs host the Memphis Grizzlies in the first game and while no one believes the Grizzlies can pull off four wins in this series, they should compete and maybe make life interesting a la what the Oklahoma City Thunder did to the Los Angeles Lakers last year.

And speaking of the Lakers, they take on the New Orleans Hornets. If you needed a sign of divine intervention, this was it. The Hornets are the one team in the Western Conference the Lakers needed to play because of the downward spiral the Lakers finished on.

The Hornets are the kind of team that can heal a team's issues and give some momentum going into the playoffs. Whether or not the Lakers can take advantage is another story. Lord knows penetrating point guards can give them fits and Hornets PG Chris Paul certainly fits that bill.

In what is probably the most anticipated game of the day, the New York Knicks take on the Boston Celtics in a game that I believe could signal a changing of the guard in the Eastern Conference. I'm not usually big on predictions because once the words leave my mouth, the forces of the universe conspire to ensure I look like an ass. However I'll say it again: if the Knicks win game 1, they'll win the series.

In the round's final game 1, the Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder square off. The Nuggets look like a different team since the departure of Carmelo Anthony. A trade that reminds me of when of the Dallas Cowboys traded Herschel Walker for mainly draft picks and built a championship team.

Whether the Nuggets can do that remains to be seen, but no one can deny the difference in this team lately and, while Oklahoma City is an up and coming team, looking past the Nuggets would be a mistake. I expect a good amount of offense and just plain fun games to watch.