It was the first time since the playoffs started that the Celtics didn’t require seven games to move on, and the fans and players in Boston are plenty happy about that. After last night’s 89-81 victory over the Pistons, the Celtics have advanced to the Finals for the first time since 1987.

“It’s kind of surreal,” Garnett said. “Probably hasn’t even hit me yet because we haven’t slept in about four days, going on five days now. Going to the Finals, I’m just hoping to get some sleep.”

Kevin Garnett only had 16 points and 6 rebounds, but the slack was picked up by Paul Pierce, who dropped 27 points on 8-12 shooting. What won the game, though, was the Celtics D, who suffocated Detroit’s offense, holding Tayshaun Prince to 10 points on 3-10 shooting, and Rasheed Wallace to 4 points on 2-12 shooting.

I hate to be the Atlanta Homer fan right now, but given that the Hawks took the Celtics to seven, and won all of their home games, rather than one of their home games, would it be fair to say that, maybe, just maybe, the Hawks are better than the Pistons?

Don’t answer that.

Anyway, Game 1 of the Finals is about two months away (starts on Thursday, really). It’s Kobe Bryant vs. the World, and while I want to say the Lakers win, I feel without homecourt advantage, and with the Celtics seeming to gather some momentum, the C’s will take this thing in 7.

With the Spurs a single game away from elimination — and three games away from moving on, I guess — their chances of repeating look dim. To put it this way, the Spurs would have to win their game tonight in LA, go back and win in San Antonio, then win again in LA, an especially hard feat given their inability to win in LA yet, even with a 20 point lead in the third quarter.

There’s that hope I have that the Spurs pull this off and I don’t have to see a duel between Kobe Bryant, whom I hate, and KG/Paul Pierce/Ray Allen, whom I also hate, but those hopes are dim as well.

To make matters worse, Vegas says LA by 7 1/2, and Vegas never seems to be wrong. When they are wrong, they’re off by a couple of points, and 5 1/2 isn’t helping their cause right now, either.

At any rate, it shouldn’t be long before the NBA gets what they want and we get seven games of Boston/LA, and Bill Walton and every other announcer can talk about how this is Bird vs. Magic, part II, only Bird isn’t white, he’s black, and he’s not quick, he’s pretty fat, and his name isn’t Bird at all, it’s Paul Pierce.

Here’s the Lakers/Spurs highlights from last night. Enjoy.

Last night’s controversial 93-91 win over the Spurs all but guarantees the Lakers will be representing the West in this year’s NBA Finals. The Lakers led just about the entire game, and while Brent Barry had a chance to win the game with 2.1 seconds left, his shot — the controversial no call — hit off the backboard as Derek Fisher guarded him. . . well, rather closely.

It’d be hard for the Spurs to say they lost the game because of a no call, given that Tim Duncan was 10-26 from the field, Tony Parker 8-17, and Manu Ginobli just 2-8. Kobe Bryant finished the game with 28 points, and Lamar Odom chipped in with a bounce game of 16.

The Lakers lead this series 3-1 now heading back to LA, and barring something along the lines of Red Sox/Yankees, have pretty much assured themselves a spot against Boston or Detroit.

Game 3 didn’t feature a whole ton of highlights, but this crossover followed by the slam home was pretty nice. Unfortunately, it didn’t really matter, because the Lakers got killed.

After last night’s 103-84 victory, in which Kobe Bryant was held to 30 points (you know you’re good when you’re “held” to “just” 30 points), the San Antonio Spurs breathe new life and, given a victory in Game 4, can actually make this thing a series again.

Tim Duncan scored 22 points for the Spurs, but the most important contribution came from Manu Ginobli (30 points), who had been nothing more than a ghost his first two games. In just 31 minutes of play, Manu came off the bench to provide them with a quick spark, going 5-7 from beyond the arch and leading the Spurs to victory. Game 4 is tomorrow night in San Antonio.

Some Lakers/Spurs highlights for your viewing pleasure.

There’s a lot of people who don’t want the Spurs in the playoffs because they feel they’re “boring” and not very fun to watch, but I’m probably one of the few out there that think their contribution is a good thing — they play fundamental ball, it’s almost impossible to really blow them out, and they’re the one team that everyone in the West would say, “Damn, I didn’t wanna play these guys.”

All those accolades awarded, I didn’t think the Spurs, given a 20 point second half lead, could ever blow it. Ever. To me, once the Spurs get a lead, I feel it’s pretty safe; Tony Parker will dribble and drive, Robert Horry will hit some big shots, every time a team attempts a come back Tim Duncan goes And 1 on ‘em and drains their emotion.

It looked that way last night, at least up until six minutes remained in the third quarter, where the Spurs started watching a 20 point lead fall to 15, to 10, to 5 and, before you know it, to a 4 point deficit.

Kobe Bryant had 27 points for the Lakers, but 25 of those came in the second half when Kobe decided he was going to stop passing the ball and start shooting it. Pau Gasol contributed with 19 points, but it was the Lakers second half defense that really brought them back in this one. Tim Duncan had 30 points but struggled down the stretch, and Manu Ginobli, who needs to come up big in this series, was MIA, shooting 3-13 from the field and finishing with 10 points.

The Lakers go up 1-0 in the series, and Game 2 will be Friday in LA.

Sorry, but I just don’t get very excited over the Eastern Conference games. Truth be told, I got more pumped up for the Suns/Spurs games than I did for last night’s Pistons/Cavs games. There’s something about the East that just screams “second place,” and I can’t get hard over two teams that like to have a nice, methodical, slow tempo in their winning attempt.

That said, I do enjoy the Spurs and Lakers, because even if the teams are completely different — well, LA, anyway — there seems to be some kind of rivalry there, and it’s the type of series where either team could win on the road and actually surprise you.

Tonight’s game tips off at 9:00 EST, and though I won’t be awake until the end, I did go and check the line, which has the Lakers a startling 7 point favorite. I know they’re at home, I know the Spurs didn’t sleep the other night, but seven points? In the playoffs? Against the Spurs?

As much as I want to say “Take the Spurs! You gotta take those points!” I know when something smells fishy in Vegas, then somebody knows something in Vegas. And that somebody is almost always right over me.

I’d love to see the Spurs pull a win on the road. Unfortunately, I don’t see it tonight. Take the Lakers and the seven. Enjoy.

(Sorry about the clip, Spurs fans, but I had to).

Game 7 tips off here in just a few minutes, and the buzz for me is a pretty mild one. The way these playoffs have gone, I feel that I can go to sleep, wake up, and know with certainty that New Orleans won the game. There’s that part of me that says, Hey, San Antonio has experience with this kinda stuff, and there’s that other part of me that says, Hey, they never win back-to-back championships, so why should this year be different?

Beyond that, it’s also somewhat hard to get your hopes up in a second round that shows nothing but home winners. Orlando choked — but hey, they’re Orlando — and Utah choked — but hey, they’re all white — but something tells me the Hornets won’t blow this one at home.

Vegas says it’s New Orleans by 4.5, and I’ve gotta say take the Hornets — this series hasn’t featured a game in which a team has lost in single digits, and San Antonio has had a knack for losing the third quarter by 20. I think it’ll be close to the fourth, but I see Chris Paul and New Orleans pulling away, ultimately winning by 11. Bet it hard. If I’m right, we’ll set up some kind of PayPal forwarding where you can donate some of your winnings. If I’m wrong, serves you right for gambling.