One week into the NBA playoffs, a bunch of things I've seen surprise me. Others, not so much.

I am surprised that the Miami Heat responded so well to their Game 1 beating at the hands of the Atlanta Hawks. Their coach Eric Spoelstra does an outstanding job. He's got Dwyane Wade and a bunch of CBA quality players and he keeps them more than competitive. Don't look now but Pat Riley is getting that franchise turned around quick. Spoelstra better watch his back. He may only stay around long enough for Riley to pull the plug on him to return to the sideline himself in time to win another ring. Just ask Stan Van Gundy....

Speaking of Stan Van Gundy, I am surprised that it appears that he's losing his team. The Orlando Magic have had a great year. But in watching them in the playoffs, it has become painfully obvious that his players are not responding the all of the hollering and histrionics. The Sixers are a spirited enough opponent to take advantage of the kinks in the Orlando armor. It seems like the Magic are playing these games very tight. They take way too many three point shot. And they're perimeter defense is weak, which can be a killer against the athletic Sixers. This is not an easy matchup for the Magic under the best of circumstances, but my man Stan is setting him up to be the fall guy because of his bellicose sideline demeanor.

I am not surprised that the New Orleans Hornets are quitting on Byron Scott. Scott is generally a finger pointer when it comes to his players. He can get by for a year or two, selling his finger pointing under the guise of accountability. But his act becomes transparent quickly. This is a young, talented team, but they lack effort at times and play with a collective body language normally reserved for solitary confinement at a prison ward. The only reason Scott will survive this offseason as coach is because owner George Shinn would rather keep a bad coach than pay two.

I am not surprised that the Lakers are in a dog fight with the Utah Jazz. I don't think the Jazz can beat them, but the Lakers have some serious issues on the defensive end of the floor. And I think if you force fed Phil Jackson some truth serum, he'd admit to you the same thing.

And while I'm still on the theme of coaches, I'm very surprised about the 180 that Bulls coach Vinny Del Negro has done this season. Not only has he grown nicely into the job, but their young players are improving under him. Joakim Noah has improved immensely. He has become an outstanding defensive player and a very good screen and roll big man. Between that and his hair, he looks a little like Rebecca Lobo out there, but I digress. Del Negro has taken a lot of heat for not having time outs available in the closing seconds of the first two games of this series. But if you don't use them, you lose them. He called the timeouts he needed to call to gvet them to the end. And they managed to win one late on the road. Also, keep in mind he's without his 2nd best player in Luol Deng. No matter how this Celtics series turns out, the Bulls have turned the corner.

I am completely surprised that Yao Ming only had 6 shots in Game 2 of the Rockets-Blazers series. I will be even more surprised if we see Yao take so few shots again in another game in these playoffs.

I am not surprised that the Cavs are dominating the Pistons. There is no team in the league that is as imposing defensively as the Cavaliers. And the faster they can finish off the Pistons, the more rest they can get. Whcih would make them that much tougher to beat come mid June.

I am totally suprised that Jeff Van Gundy stole my Benjamin Button/Greg Oden joke. Either great minds think alike or my favorite coach/announcer is secretly reading my blog and I don't know it. And if you're a little uncomfortable with my man crush on the Van Gundys, I understand.

And finally, I'm surprised to the great Tim Duncan playing like a shadow of his former self. Either we're wathcing an all time great get old before our eyes, or he's more injured that the Spurs are letting on. With that sais, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich made a very smart move pulling his starters in the 3rd quarter of a blowout, especially Duncan. Either way, I would not count the Spurs out until they're out. Duncan may not be able to move like he used to, but he knows how to get it on on guts and brains. And if all else fails, he'll blame the refs......Y'all be cool. Giddyap.