1:34 p.m. – Alright, this is how it's going to work. Up until tip, I'm going to liveblog in this here thread. Refresh intermittently, and voila: The post should be updated. When 2:30 approaches, I'll open a new one. Also, please comment. I'll do my best to quote some of the best ones up here on the main page. Also, tziller AT gmail.com is open in another tab for your nonpublic thoughts.

1:37 p.m. – Oh, and forgive me if I'm a bit less excited than earlier. That halftime segment on the D.C. kid who's buddies with Gilly made me all emotional. Damn ABC.

1:45 p.m. – Why Mike Bibby will destroy Tony Parker, by Tom Ziller: Mike Bibby will destroy Tony Parker because he is a much better shooter, he is infinitely stronger, and his gang doesn't include Gerard Depardieu and Jacques Costeau. Seriously though, the fact that MB10 is a bit of a slow defender works to his advantage. Parker will get free on picks. As Miller, Artest and KT/Reef take notice and move to the rim, Parker is going to want to pull up and shoot. And he will. And a lot of the time, he will miss. And Bibby will be leaking out. And Bibby will make transition threes. And all will be glorious.

On the other end, TP is going to get run through so many Brad Miller screens that he isn't going to know Versailles from Lyon. I really can't wait for the first backcourt Miller pick. The excitable young Parker won't know what hit him.

ABC be damned: I'm hella excited again.

1:52 p.m. – Alright, this Cavs-Wiz game isn't living up to its billing. Gilly has been un-Gilly. LeBron is looking a little too Frazier. Z, of all people, is abusing Haywood and Etan Thomas (who should be Mad Dog Madsen running-mate in '08, by the way). Gooden is almost as boring as Duncan. Varejao's name is pronounced awfully weird. Hubie isn't very excitable. Sloppy sloppy sloppy.

2:01 p.m. – And just like that, LeBron ignites the crowd. That kid is pretty good.

2:03 p.m. – Someone needs to tell Vince Carter that pet bulemia is not funny. It's just gross.

2:08 p.m. – For the record, the Cavs game isn't over yet. I think Gilly scores 15 this quarter. Also, I haven't talked about Kevin Martin in a while. I think he's going to have a monster series, though maybe not from the first game. A number of breakaway dunks for Speed, I forsee. And some open threes. He might be the third most important guy for the Kings, actually – he can't break on defense and he has to pitch in on offense.

2:10 p.m. – Get the silver bullets and the holy water ready: Donyell Marshall is back from the dead!

2:15 p.m. – Alright, I need to make my final preparations before the tip. And yes, voodoo is involved. Let's just say I hope none of you fine readers resemble Bowen, Balki or Tim Duncan. (For multiple reasons, actually.)