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Editor's note: MJD actually wrote this week's piece on Sunday. So, the predictions came just one day into the playoffs.

Defensive Playas

Trying to pick a defensive player of the year has to be a lot like judging a wet t-shirt contest. Everyone's going to have their strengths in some areas and weaknesses in others, but if every single one of the people involved didn't have the necessary goods to win it, they wouldn't be in the competition to begin with. And unless the contestants have some self-esteem problems, everyone should go home with a smile on their face.

It's an impossible thing to judge. Ben Wallace changes entire offenses and entire games by himself. Ron Artest is the toughest, most physical, and most committed one-on-defender in the league. How do you go about deciding which one of those is most important? There just is not a fair set of criteria.

The NBA has decided, apparently, to just take Rick Carlisle's word for it every year. Carlisle personally calls media guys all around the league and makes his case for who he wants to win. Last year when he was coaching the Pistons, he pimps for Ben Wallace, and Big Ben wins it. This year, he pimps for Ron Artest and Ron Ron wins it. If Rick Carlise wants us to, we'll be handing the award to Primoz Brezec at this time next year. None of this is to criticize Rick Carlisle; in fact, I think this is something a coach should do. Players should know that a coach has their back.

The bottom line is that all of these guys deserve the award. If I had a vote, it might not have gone to Ron Artest, but it's certainly hard to argue against him.

I don't think the league's MVP award should ever go to someone just because another guy has won it a few years in a row, as has happened before. With Defensive Player of the Year, though, I've got no problem with it, for a couple of reasons. One, it's harder to quantify. Two, the award is a little bit flawed in that it seems to be going to the best defender who also isn't a superstar offensively. Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, and Shaq, for example, are all good defenders, but won't get a lot of consideration. And two, it's hard to trust the media to make the absolute right call, so it's probably best to recognize as many different players as possible. For this award in particular, coaches should be voting. They know better than anyone who disrupts their offense the most.

With all that said, it was announced yesterday that Artest is the winner, but the other two guys shouldn't get too discouraged. Artest, Bowen, and Wallace play for the three best defensive teams in the league, and that's the real reward for being a great defender.

Greased in the East

Perhaps it's a little unfair to be doing first-round NBA playoff predictions while each series already has a game in the books, but fairness in things like this has never really been a major concern to me. I'll keep them brief.

(1) Pacers vs. (8) Celtics. Danny Ainge could also get consideration for Defensive Player of the Year, as he seems to have made it his goal to keep all good players away from the rims in Boston. It would be a lot harder for Ron Artest to lock up Paul Pierce if the Celts had anyone else to go to. Pacers in 4, none of the games will be close. In the long run, though, making the playoffs will have been a good thing for the Celtics.

(2) Nets vs. (7) Knicks. The Nets want to end it in four to get Kidd and Martin as much rest as possible, but I don't think Stephon Marbury and the Knicks are the lay down and die type. Remember last year when Marbury gave the Spurs such fits in the first round? Something similar will happen here, especially if he Nets get complacent after administering the game one beatdown. Nets in 6.

(3) Pistons vs. (6) Bucks. Milwaukee needs to take care of the ball and hit a ton of perimeter shots to even stay competitive. I don't see the Pistons leaving too many outside shots open when Milwaukee's options in the post are Joe Smith and Brian Skinner. Good role players, and they've done a lot for the Bucks, but... well, neither of them are making any offensive highlight reels. It's too bad for Milwaukee that they're running into a team that's playing with so much confidence. Pistons in 4.

(4) Heat vs. (5) Hornets. I see this series as a microcosm for the Hornets' season. Down the roster, man for man, their all-star caliber players and good depth should allow them to beat Miami. But things like injuries, internal strife, and everyone not being on the same page are going to cost them. A team who wants it more can just take it from them. I don't mean to disparage the talent on the Miami roster; I think they've got a lineup that will be looking really really good in a year or two. New Orleans is more experienced and deeper, I'm just not sure it's going to matter. Baron Davis cannot guard Dwayne Wade without two healthy ankles. If he can penetrate easily, New Orleans is in serious trouble. Everyone on the Miami roster gives a good effort defensively and shares the ball. New Orleans can't answer. Heat in 6.

Impressed Out West

(1) Timberwolves vs. (8) Nuggets. My sharp and deeply refined basketball instict tells me that the Wolves will win most games when Sam Cassell has 40 and KG has 30 and 20. That's just the crazy feeling I get about things. The Wolves should be able to slow these games down and have their way in the halfcourt. There were only 9 fast break points scored in game one, total. Not good for the Nuggets. I like Minnesota in a walk, but wouldn't it be fun to see Carmelo get hot and steal a game for the Nugs? Timberwolves in 5.

(2) Lakers vs. (7) Rockets. The Lakers have four hall-of-famers who have played with each other for only a year, most of them missing significant time with injuries, and still, they are infinitely more team-oriented than the Rockets. Steve Francis continues to amaze me, and not in any way that could be considered good. He just doesn't get it. Jeff Van Gundy, who has looked past 10 years like his dog died every morning, has been smiling more recently. Why? With every Lakers win, he gets closer and closer to a life where he doesn't have to coach Steve Francis. The Rockets are a few players, and probably a couple years, away. Everyone can get excited about Shaq/Yao if they want to, but even if Yao matches him point for point, the Rockets can't hang with the Lakers. I just think the Lakers will figure out how to defend the Rockets bread-and-butter play, the one where Steve Francis dribbles for 17 seconds and launches an off-balance 18-foot fadeaway. Lakers in 5.

(3) Spurs vs. (6) Grizzlies. The Grizzlies are a good team, but of the top five seeds, the Spurs were probably best equipped to shut them down. Tough break having to play them in the first round. I think the Grizzlies could've ran with the Mavs or Kings and played enough defense to give them fits, but the Spurs are a smart, experienced, veteran team who can slow things down, take advantage of matchups, and force the Grizzlies to play a style of basketball they don't want to play. The Spurs just have too much. Congrats to Hubie Brown, Jason Williams and the rest of the Grizzlies for a phenomenal year, and I hope it makes them feel better that they're getting pasted at the hands of the eventual champs. Spurs in 4.

(4) Kings vs. (5) Mavericks. I like defense. I hate this series. Spend the first hour and forty-five minutes of each of these games catching up on some reading, mowing the lawn or reviewing WNBA draft results. Here's how it will go. Both teams will run. Both teams will launch threes. Vlade will flop 726 times, and bitch to the referee after each of them, wether he gets the call or not. Don Nelson will look like he's been drunk for the last 30 years. Someone will decide to play defense, and then decide it's just not worth it because the guy he's defending will have four teammates who are all open right now. Teams will build double-digit leads, and they will disappear quickly. But it will probably be close at the end. Eventually, one team will win four games and convince themselves that they have a chance to win the NBA title. Then they will play a team that believes in defending, and they will be made to cry. The end. Not that it matters, but Kings in 7.

And yes, I realize I picked all the teams who have already won a game, and yes, I realize that makes me less of a man.

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M.J. Darnell runs www.themightymjd.com.