NBA Conference Finals—And Then There Were Four

The hype is over. The graveyard is getting a little plumper. By the end of May, two more will join the recently departed.

Welcome to NBA Conference Finals. Now let's see who wants it more now.

Eastern Conference Finals: Detroit Pistons vs. Boston Celtics

Every team in the East was hoping for one thing: Their road to the NBA Finals doesn't go through Boston. For those teams who were hoping that the Hawks would pull off the upset, hope you didn't hold your breath. For those who thought that King James would take them out, consider the mission failed.

Now everyone is throwing the experience card on the table and people are punching their tickets to Detroit. Talk about a city that will be busy this week. With the Pistons facing the Celtics and the Red Wings playing the Penguins in the Stanley Cup Finals, get used to see at least one Detroit team victorious.

But don't expect me to give the devil its due. Impressive is the fact Detroit managed to dispatch both Philadelphia and Orlando, but both teams did what Boston hopes to do for the first this postseason: Win on the road.

The team with the best road record of the season has yet to win a game on the road, and has played two straight seven game series.

But these guys prefer to be active than sit around and twiddle their thumbs. History has shown that rest can be both a blessing and a curse. That will be proven in this series. This one has enough star power to go seven games.

I'll go bold and say that Boston will win the four games necessary to get somewhere they haven't been in a while: The NBA Finals. Best part of that is the fact that Boston will win at least one game on the road.

Series Result: Celtics in Six

Western Conference Finals: San Antonio Spurs vs. Los Angeles Lakers

Kobe has been playing like an MVP all postseason. Starting Wednesday, we find out who wants it more: Kobe or the defending Champs. Does anyone else remember that Sprite commercial that featured Kobe and Tim Duncan?

After a grueling seven game series with New Orleans, San Antonio is heading back to some familiar territory. The Spurs are starting to truly play like World Champions, and if they expect to win it again, they will have to dethrone the resurgent Lakers, led by California's own MVP.

After sweeping the Nuggets in the first round and going six games against Utah, the Lakers are on pace to be in the NBA Finals for the first time since the days of "The Shaq and Kobe Show." If they make it past the defending champions, then we may have the showdown that will save the NBA.

With all due respect to the Spurs, the league needs a trip down memory lane, and LA and Boston have some serious momentum on their side.

As for the series itself, a showdown between K-Breezy and MC Parker will be just what the Western Conference needs to re-establish its early dominance. And considering the supporting cast involved in this series, both teams will deliver some excitement. But as much animosity as I have for Kobe, he has been virtually unstoppable in the postseason. So with that being said...

Series Result: Lakers in Six

Tip off starts tonight with Detroit and Boston. Are we excited yet?