Your quick and dirty Round 2 NBA Playoff Picks

Suns vs. Spurs -- Once more into the abyss for the desert dwellers, who never see the plus side of this matchup, mostly because Tim Duncan and Tony Parker are plus players on both side of the half court line, while Steve Nash and Amar'e Stoudemire are not. Phoenix will win any game that Jason Richardson takes over, and with Manu Ginobili and Richard Jefferson, he's got a shot at doing just that. For a couple of games. But not four. Spurs in six.

Lakers vs. Jazz -- Every year, the Lakers look vulnerable in the first round against a young and defensive minded team that has a plus point guard. Every year in the second round, Deron Williams looms as the big matchup nightmare. That is, until LA needs to actually win the games, which is when Kobe Bryant shifts over to Williams on defense, and the Lakers bigs -- aka the real reason why LA will win until Koke just isn't a plus player anymore -- will reduce Carlos Boozer to a sputtering pile of fail. Oh, and one more thing that happens every year... the second round series isn't as long, or as fun to watch. Lakers in five.

Cavs vs. Celtics -- A month ago, this looked like the most delicious sweep of an old and insufferable team on the board. I was going to savor every minute of it, delighting in the knowledge that the Massholes would lose their fudge over how there's no hope (never mind that, um, they've got their billions of rings, and dozens of franchises would kill to win their division, sell out the building, and go at least two rounds deep every year). Then in the off-season, parts would be sold, Doc Rivers would go, and the bill would need to be paid for that slash and burn title of theirs.

And then LeBron James had to inject the elbow drama, and the Celtics would get a kitteny-soft five game series win against the suddenly pathetic Heat, and the Cavs would look oddly vulnerable against the .500 Bulls....

And no, this can't really be happening again, can it? Not with James in the ultimate walk year, a host of reasonable three-point shooting options that get nothing but open look after open look, Shaquille O'Neal in the paint to at least make the Celtics bigs stay honest on defense...

Well, I'm not camping nearly as happily, or as confidently, as I once was. But then I think about how Rasheed Wallace is going to finish the tank job he started, and how James will eat the eroding Paul Pierce, and my hands stop shaking. For a little while, anyway. Cavs in 7.

Magic vs. Bucks or Hawks -- Um, this is a squash. Orlando could play a pooled team of the best players from these two clubs, and it wouldn't matter. Sure, the Hawks have more talent, and could actually catch fire a little, but it would only make a game of difference. The Game 7 that no one wanted will produce the second round series participant that no one will remember. Magic in four against the Bucks, Magic in five against the Hawks.