'Dog days

 Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. When did the NBA playoffs become the NCAA Tournament?

Last night's results: Lakers 122, Warriors 101. Heat 96, Knicks 92.

Lakers boot the defending NBA champs in six games. Ditto the Heat to the allegedly resurgent Knicks.

In other words, two survivors of the NBA play-in games are now in their respective conference finals, and the only question is, which one is Florida Atlantic and which one is Miami? 

("Miami is Miami," you're saying)

Wise guy.

Seriously, what's in the water in Florida? The Owls, the Hurricanes, and now the Heat. And did you think you'd ever see the day when the Lakers were an underdog?

That's exactly what they are, though, having finished a meh 43-39 and beaten the Timberwolves in overtime in the play-in round to lock down the seventh seed in the West. They cobbled together something that worked toward the end of the season (Rui Hachimura? Austin Reaves? Who are these guys?), and LeBron has been LeBron, and Anthony Davis has been ANTHONY DAVIS and not, you know, RediMed Anthony Davis.

AD went for 17 points and 20 rebounds last night in disposing of the Warriors. LeBron put up a 32-9-9 stat line. Which means the two of them combined for 49 points, 29 rebounds and 12 assists. Yikes.

And the Heat?

Well, they opened the playoffs by beating the Bulls to secure the eighth and final playoff berth. Then they turned around and knocked out the Bucks, the No. 1 seed, eliminating in just five games a team that won 14 more games than the Heat did in the regular season.

They did it because Playoff Jimmy Butler has been Supernova Playoff Jimmy so far, and because they have the best and most frequently underappreciated coach in the NBA, Erik Spoelstra, who knows how to win in the playoffs. Playoff Jimmy and Playoff Spo are even doing it without their best outside shooter, Tyler Herro, who's out for the duration.

Now it's on to the conference finals. And don't think there won't be more 'dog days ahead.

As Da Tournament showed us, what you never know, you never know.