Hope you didn't get too distracted by the first round, which had its definite highlights and extreme lowlights.

There was the extended drama of Boston's seven-game, seven-overtime triumph over Chicago, which was one of the most entertaining early-round series ever.

And you had the tedium of Atlanta's seven-game defeat of Miami, the most boring lengthy series I can remember.

But the larger significance of the first round reinforced what we already knew: Cleveland and the Lakers are even greater favorites than we thought before LeBron's Cavaliers swept Detroit and Kobe's Lakers shoved aside the Jazz in five games.

Let's survey what has happened and what's left for Cleveland and the Lakers as they march to the NBA finals?

? James is making sure that his pending Most Valuable Player award announcement will have zero embarrassment attached.

During the Cleveland destruction of Detroit, James averaged 32 points, 11.3 rebounds and 7.5 assists, which topped his season MVP averages of 28.4, 7.6 and 7.2.

Next up for the LeBron-aires: Atlanta, which just finished off Miami on Sunday. Good luck there, Josh Smith and Joe Johnson.

? Bryant and the Lakers don't have it as easy in the conference semis, since Houston is a real playoff team.

But Kobe's hearing everybody talk about what Ron Artest could do defensively, and Kobe is getting that look in his eyes. Starting tonight, we'll see what that means.

? The defending champion Celtics gutted it up in the Chicago series, and they will pay for it.

Warning: Ray Allen played 280 minutes in the first round, Paul Pierce played 311 and Rajon Rondo played 317.

For comparison, Kobe played 203 first-round minutes and LeBron played 162.

Unless Kevin Garnett is sneaking back into action, and it does not look like that's happening, Boston probably spent every bullet it had to get past the Bulls.

? Orlando is the second-best team in the East and gets Boston this round.

But the big problem: If the Magic gets past Boston and plays Cleveland, it's best option to defend James is Courtney Lee, possibly out for the playoffs after catching a Howard elbow to the face.

That means the guy guarding LeBron probably would be Mickael Pietrus. Uh-oh.

? Denver looms as a threat for the Lakers , presuming the Nuggets move past Dallas in the second round--the Nuggets won Game 1 Sunday going away.

Am I the only one having Stephen Jackson 2007 flashbacks when I see the Nuggets Chris Andersen defend Dirk Nowitzki?

But if Denver makes it to the conference finals against L.A., recent history does not suggest a Nugget upset.

The Lakers swept Denver in last year's first round, took three of four this regular season and overall are 10-1 against Denver since the start of last season.

? Interestingly, the teams that are known to give the Lakers playoff trouble are either gone or severely weakened.

Boston eliminated the Lakers in last year's finals, and the Celtics are beat up and without Garnett.

Phoenix eliminated the Lakers in 2006 and 2007, and the Suns didn't make it this year.

Detroit eliminated the Lakers in the 2004 finals, and the Pistons got whomped by Cleveland.

San Antonio eliminated the Lakers in 2003, and the Spurs were first-round fodder for Dallas this year.

? Question left for the Lakers : Will they get a full-speed Andrew Bynum? The young center is coming back from knee surgery and he averaged only 5 points and 3 rebounds in the Utah series. They'll need him eventually.

Question left for Cleveland: If an opponent finds a way to limit LeBron and that might not happen until the Lakers' Trevor Ariza takes a defensive turn will other Cavs players emerge?

That means you, Mo Williams, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Delone West and Joe Smith.

Wait. Did I just type that Joe Smith is a key piece for a title run? Yes, I did.

Tim Kawakami is a columnist for The San Jose Mercury News.