Slip on your sweats, call in some thin-crust pizza, and switch the channel to TNT, (American) basketball brethren: Detroit at Boston — a repeat of last year’s Eastern Conference Championship Series — tips off at 8 p.m. EST. "It’s early, but it’s exciting," Iverson says. I couldn’t agree more. So ready your comments and questions, stretch, and hit the jump for some live-bloggin’ entertainment. See you in there.

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Los
Angeles Lakers at Phoenix

I know we, as basketball junkies, should be looking forward
to the Celtics/Pistons game.

Good defense in that one. Slow-down, playoff basketball from
two teams who fought for the Eastern Conference crown last year and still might
be the favorites to take to the Eastern Conference finals this year. Provided,
of course, that Mo Williams learns how to play defense.

But let’s not try to fool ourselves. We want to see the Suns
play the Lakers. We like watching the Suns play anyone, even if they have
slowed a bit. We enjoy the Lakers getting a good challenge. This may not be a
matchup of the best two teams in the West, and it may not even be a close game.
But that’s the one to watch. You know it.

Don’t eat your vegetables, and move
right on to the confection of your choice. Play with your toys, even when
you’re working. Shaq and A.C. Green (both former Suns and Lakers, pictured above)
would.

It didn’t take long for Steve Nash to pull the
passive/aggressive, "I don’t think we
should run away from our running game"-bit. He’s already been talking about
it in halftime interviews and to the press postgame. He knows that the running
game still might be his team’s best chance at doing anything this spring.
Meanwhile, the Lakers want nothing to do with spring. They’re all about the
summer. And I’m all about this game.

Celtics/Pistons? We appreciate you. We respect you. And if
we had to choose, we’re watching the second game.

(Join Skeets and co.
for a live blog tonight, starting around 8 p.m. Eastern.)

Los Angeles Lakers:
8-1, 96.4 possessions per game (3^rd-most in the NBA), 108.8 points
scored per 100 possessions (5^th-most in the NBA), 94.8 points
allowed per 100 possessions (1^st in the NBA). David Watts.

Phoenix Suns: 8-4, 91.7 possessions per game
(14^th), 108.7 points scored 100 possessions (8^th), 105.7
points allowed per 100 possessions (16^th). David Watts.

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Excellent eye, ShareBro kevcops. The resemblance is uncanny unshaven.

Photos via Jezebel and Getty Images.

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A look around the league and the web that covers it. It’s also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren’t always listed in order of importance. That’s for you, dear reader, to figure out.

C: SF Chronicle, via FH. Don’t expect Stephen Jackson to wear a mask for that injured left eye.
PF: MySpaceTV. Paul Brogan’s new NBA rap featuring LeBron James, Greg Oden, CP3 and Chris Bosh.
SF: Ridiculous Upside. Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett support the D-League.
SG: Denver Stiffs. Are the Denver Nuggets the NBA’s version of "Major League"?
PG: The Sport Count. Danilo Gallinari’s Rehab Diaries: "Noon: Look into the mirror, burst into tears."
6th: TalkHoops.net. Remembering the And 1/streetball movement …
7th: 100% Injury Rate/Fan IQ. Nuggets’ cheerleader makes announcers go "GAAAAAAAAAA …"
8th: The Phoenix. Heavy Q: "Why do white players seem to bring out the worst in Garnett?"
9th: PistonsNationBlog.com. Lil’ Will Bynum throws one down hard while playing in Europe.
10th: MOUTHPIECE Blog. Larry Hughes. Real talk. Postman E: "You are not as good as you think you are. You’re that awkward, crappy guy at open gym who, for whatever reason, thinks he’s really good, and alienates an entire court of eager basketball players in the meantime. You are self-deluded. You don’t command minutes. You waste possessions. You don’t defend. Your arm sleeve-sweater-thing is utterly ridiculous. You take horrible shots. SOMEONE NAMED A WEB SITE AFTER YOUR BAD SHOTS. IT WAS QUITE POPULAR DESPITE ITS INCREDIBLY LONG URL."

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Last week, Chris Bosh and Baron Davis started up an oddly entertaining "Funniest Skit" competition at IBeatYou.com. Here’s video of Boom Dizzle’s slightly disturbing entry, which just recently hit those series of Tubes that I like to call You.

Not bad. But I expect the sequel — titled the "The Break-Up" — to be even better …

Um, baby, this is hard for me to say, but I think we need to spend some time apart. Yeah, yeah, it’s not me, it’s you. I’m just at a point in my life where I need a change, I need something new, I need a shot at a title.

Honestly, I think I’ve gotten the most I can out of this relationship. I just need more wins. But hey, hey, you’ve been great. I have so many wonderful memories of our time together, all the fun we had. No regrets. I hope we’ll stay in touch and be friends.

And oh, this might be a little weird, but do you think you could maybe hook me up with that cute cousin of yours across the hall? Maybe give me a number or something … no? OK, cool, cool. I understand.

Also, don’t forget to check out CB4’s Bruce Lee-like entry. Funny stuff.

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