Best part of the 2011 NBA Playoffs? The fact that the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets series will probably go seven games.

Worst part of the 2011 NBA Playoffs? We have to wait until Wednesday for game two.

Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images

WESTERN CONFERENCE OPENING ROUND PLAYOFF SCHEDULE:

• No. 1 San Antonio Spurs V. No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies at 1pm/10am on TNT on Sunday
• No. 2 Los Angeles Lakers V. No. 7 New Orleans Hornets at 3:30pm/12:30pm on ABC on Sunday
• No. 3 Dallas Mavericks V. No. 6 Portland Trailblazers at 9:30pm/6:30pm on ESPN on Saturday
• No. 4 Oklahoma City Thunder V. No. 5 Denver Nuggets at 9:30pm/6:30pm on TNT on Sunday

And of course, pay attention to the Games Of Notes for more up to date information and schedule.

gotemcoach:

Scene of the crime.

Oh, he got Gary Neal, Coach

See Chauncey’s face? That’s the face every Laker-backing gambler makes every time Derek Fisher takes a shot. 

Every year, it feels like one specific guy costs me a bunch of money. 

Last year it was Nick Young. Every time I had money on the Wizards, and the game went to the wire, it seemed like Nick Young would jack up a grotesque three, then turn the ball over, then turn it over again. I’m sure he didn’t, but gambling breeds irrational dislike. 

This year, the wallet thief seems to be Derek Fisher. Tonight, the Lakers were 2.2-1 to beat the Nuggets at home. By the end of the third quarter, it felt like good money, with the Lakers firing on all cylinders… apart from Fisher, who spluttered and sprayed like a busted exhaust pipe. 

(You feel like Derek Fisher earns his time, with his sporadic ability to initiate contact, and not fall for fakes. But does that really make up for his sloth-footed defense, and terrible shooting? The problem isn’t his shot selection either; he’s taking great shots. They just never go in). 

Because he’s not having a good year, it feels like Fisher has been solely responsible the last 10 times the Lakers have blown a big lead. That’s irrational, but it seems true. (But then, he’s ranked 207th in offensive efficiency and 292nd in defensive efficiency, so maybe it’s kind of true).

The upshot? Fisher always seems to work things out in the playoffs. So, obviously I’ll be dropping hundreds on the Lakers no matter what the odds. I assume I’ll recover all the cash Fisher lost me in the regular season.

Emeka Okafor already knew that Carmelo Anthony was an unstoppable scorer, but tonight he learned that when he decides to lead the team in rebounds, you can’t stop Melo on the boards either.

(Photo by Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)

Ron Artest can’t check Carmelo Anthony one-on-one, but luckily, the refs have been there with defensive help all afternoon.

(Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)

Carmelo Anthony by Dylan Coulter

NBA Playoffs Throwback Unstoppable of the Day:

Nuggets-Lakers 1985 Western Finals

[Danny] Schayes [had] the unenviable task of guarding Abdul-Jabbar.