There's a strangely familiar pattern to the remaining Eastern Conference playoffs series.
With the Celtics sweeping the Knicks out of the playoffs, let the speculation begin in New York.
But back to the series still alive. I wouldn't say they're over but let's put it this way: With Chicago, Miami and Atlanta all ahead 3-1 on Indiana, Philadelphia and Orlando respectively, these series may as well be over.
Is there a comeback in the works? If there is, Orlando is the only team with a remote possibility. But history is not in any team's corner as there have only been eight comebacks from a 3-1 deficit in the history of the NBA playoffs.
Orlando will have to find some offense and Stan Van Gundy will have to be as creative as he is candid in helping his team crawl out of its hole.
He was not pleased with the last shot, and since Hedo Turkoglu is not getting it done, particularly at the end of games, Van Gundy needs to help his squad by drawing up some plays to get better looks for them.
Outside of Jameer Nelson, Orlando doesn't have any players that can break you down off the dribble, and with a roster full of predominately catch and shoot guys, the offense needs to be adjusted.
The question is: can you do it and how successful will it be at this stage?
Either that or put the ball in the hands of Nelson, or maybe Gilbert Arenas and let them create.
The strategy of Atlanta head coach Larry Drew is working so it's Van Gundy and Orlando's move now.
The Celtics will have a bit more rest before they collide with the Heat to see who will go to the Eastern Conference final.
Can we please stop this notion about the "Big Three" in Boston, as this is an experienced championship tested squad? They are a team in every sense of the word as you only have to look at them having a different leading scorer in each win over New York and all playing their roles well.
Defensively, they trust each other and understand how to play together to stop an opponents. Isn't that right Carmelo Anthony (37.5% fg in the series)?
As for the guy that makes things go in Beantown, Rajon Rondo, teams have it wrong in laying off him because of his inconsistent mid-range jumper.
When you sit back, it gives him time and that forces the other defenders to work harder for longer against the likes of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett. Similar to football, the defensive backs look better when the quarterback is under pressure.
Laying off Rondo gives him time to survey the floor.
True, he is quick and can hurt you on a drive, but if he's doing that consistently, it's less likely that others are involved as much. When you give him that much time you are sacrificing one, and maybe in some eyes the most important of the three key tenets to good defense (pressure on the ball, denying or preventing easy catches by an offensive player and help side).
Rondo may be close to getting the ultimate compliment from opponents in that teams need to start thinking about giving him the "Steve Nash treatment."
Make him a scorer and see if you can limit the damage he does when he gets his teammates involved.
Kings staying put
It seems like the Kings will be back in Sacramento next season particularly if Sacramento mayor and former NBA all-star Kevin Johnson has a say in the matter.
It seemed like just yesterday, in reality 10 or 11 years ago, that the Kings were one of the sexiest small-market franchises in the NBA.
They had a contending team and a noisy arena with a rabid fan base that made it difficult for visitors to win there.
In a sense, it sort of reminds you of what Oklahoma City now has.
And how interesting is it that the man overseeing some of the current proceedings as chairman of the NBA Relocation Committee, Thunder owner Clay Bennett, moved his team from Seattle.
