It’s basketball to the next level now in the National Basketball Association (NBA).  Regular season is over and the playoffs are on.  Topping the standings for the playoff season are defending champions the Detroit Pistons for the Eastern Conference and former champs the San Antonio Spurs for the Western Conference.

 

Completing the cast for the Eastern Conference playoffs are Miami, New Jersey, Cleveland, Washington, Indiana, Chicago and Milwaukee in that order.  In the Western Conference, the playoffs will see Phoenix, Denver, Dallas, Memphis, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Los Angeles Clippers, and Sacramento in that order.

An interesting attraction in the playoffs is the presence and possibly, meeting, of two big names in current NBA history — LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers.  Both these excellent players sat out the playoffs last season but they’re here to showcase their talents and make history for their teams.

The two are actually neck and neck in the battle for the MVP award with Kobe enjoying an advantage in points per game at 35.4 (no. 1) and James with an average clip at 31.4 points (no. 3).  If things go their way, it will be one spectacular matchup to see their teams squaring it off.  Wether that will happen in the finals or elsewhere, it does not really matter.  I’m hoping that they will play on the same court soon.