Jeff Van Gundy (left) and the Rockets will face the Lakers in the first round. John Biever/SI

10. Which Van Gundy will have the better playoff run? 

Just getting out of the first round, obviously, would constitute a major breakthrough for either Jeff, who coaches the Houston Rockets, or Stan, who coaches the Miami Heat. Over the past few months, Jeff has tried hard to get a hold on his point guard, Steve Francis, who had a subpar season, while Stan has quietly maneuvered a Heat team that began the season 0-7 into a fourth-place slot in the playoffs.

As in real estate, location is everything, and Miami's Eastern Conference address offers Stan a better chance of advancing than his brother in the loaded West. Whatever happens, the stock of the lesser-known VG has risen precipitously.

9. Did the Denver Nuggets and their fans celebrate a little too, uh, exuberantly the other night when they beat Sacramento to qualify for the playoffs?

In a word ... yes. People of the Mile High City, there are 16 playoff teams and only 29 teams in the league, so you didn't exactly win a championship. Of course, you haven't been to the postseason since 1994-95, so enjoy. The more important question is: Would a good showing in the postseason (i.e. avoiding a sweep or winning, say, two games) save the job of coach Jeff Bzdelik, who, for reasons I don't quite understand, is rumored to be in trouble?

8. How much of a factor will Antoine Walker be for the Dallas Mavericks?

After redecorating their team with power forwards, the Mavs find themselves with a lower seeding than last season (fifth instead of third). Tension between coach Don Nelson and Walker, who shares the PF duties with Dirk Nowitzki and Antawn Jamison, has been evident all season and has led Walker to the bench on a few occasions. But the Mavs have performed well over the last month and could still make some noise if Dirk and the two 'Twans can play together.

7. Are the New Jersey Nets still in the league?

Over the past two years they've been the focus team in the East (such as it is). But Indiana's 60-win season, Detroit's emergence since the Rasheed Wallace trade and injuries to Jason Kidd and Kenyon Martin have all but killed talk that the Nets can make it back to the Finals for a third straight year. Perhaps they'll be more comfortable sneaking into the playoffs than being expected to dominate them.

6. Can the Sacramento Kings exhibit the kind of toughness they showed last Sunday against the Lakers?

The Kings claim they pay little attention to the criticism that they are soft. They're kidding themselves. They know they have to get tougher to win the West and showing the kind of defensive intensity they did to limit Kobe Bryant (even if he was trying to make a point by not shooting the ball) is one way to do it.

5. Are the the Indiana Pacers correct in complaining that they've been overlooked?

Absolutely. We in the media messed this one up. They are a terrific team that deserved more credit. But ...

4. Will the East come down to a coaching battle between Indiana's Rick Carlisle and Detroit's Larry Brown?

We all know the storyline here, right? Despite making the Eastern finals, Carlisle is pushed out in Detroit so Brown can be hired. Carlisle goes out and wins 60 games in Indy and could have a chance (I think) to match wits with the man who replaced him in a return trip to the conference finals.

3. Can this Minnesota Timberwolves playoff team show that it's better than those of the past seven, all of which have bowed out in the first round?

It had better, because another first-round exit just won't play in the Twin Cities this time around. In all likelihood, in fact, the T-Wolves probably have to at least reach the conference final to make this feel like a truly redemptive season for likely MVP Kevin Garnett and his two new playmates, Sam Cassell and Latrell Sprewell.

2. Will the absence of David Robinson, Speedy Claxton and Stephen Jackson, three players the San Antonio Spurs needed to win the championship last season, come back to haunt them?

It doesn't seem so at this point because the defending champs have been rolling, finishing atop the Western Conference. But the playoffs are different, and the aforementioned trio played key roles for coach Gregg Popovich in May and June last year. Plugging someone into the Claxton role (aka a backup for point guard Tony Parker) will be particularly difficult.

1. Is Kobe Bryant on the same page as his L.A. Lakers teammates?

Of course not, but that's not really the question. The question is: Does it matter? Can the Lakers put aside their differences in the quest for one more championship before the team breaks up? This is the story line for the playoffs, because the Lakers, at full Kobe-and-Shaq strength, probably can't be beat. But they are a potential second-round victim if The Big Two allows the purple and gold to implode.

Sports Illustrated senior writer Jack McCallum covers the NBA for the magazine and is a regular contributor to SI.com.