Have The Conference Finals Started Yet?

At this point, barring a massive surge from LeBron James or Deron Williams deciding to score 18 points in the fourth quarter of every game, that the last image of these playoffs is going to involve Baron Davis, not Tim Duncan or Tayshaun Prince. The Western conference finals started yesterday, and we couldn't help but notice the collective yawn.

As of 9:30 a.m., Spurs blog Pounding The Rock was still talking about the Suns series, and the Utah Jazz Blog is down all together. Free Darko is musing on Stephen Jackson. With the Suns, Warriors and Bulls out, the whole playoffs has a different feel. Unless you think David Stern believes the markets of San Antonio and Salt Lake City can carry him.

As outstanding as our Illini Deron Williams was in the fourth quarter, the outcome of yesterday's Game 1 was never really in doubt, and it's difficult that the whole series is, either. The good news? Manu Ginobili will always look the way he does in that picture, and that, friends, is a start.

Utah Jazz Blog Pounding The Rock