Bohls:

Artest. He's got a nasty streak that could get under Kobe's skin. Sure, the Rockets might forfeit some offense for all the fatigue guarding Bryant might bring, but you have to kill the head of the snake. Houston has to hope Artest doesn't go into the stands too often, however.

Golden:

Battier. The Rockets will need Artest more on the offensive end if they're going to keep up with the Lakers. At 6-foot-9, Battier is longer and taller than Artest and since Bryant has taken his game to the perimeter in recent years, it would be more difficult to shoot over Battier. Plus Battier will keep his cool, whereas Artest may lose it if Kobe goes off.

Which center in Game 7 of the Boston-Chicago series will have the bigger impact: Kendrick Perkins or Joakim Noah?

Bohls:

I've got a soft spot for Noah after his Gators' back-to-back titles. It seems like he's always in the right spot at the right time to get a clutch rebound or steal. Yes, Perkins blocks more shots and scores slightly more in Kevin Garnett's absence, but the big Bull doesn't back down from anyone.

Golden:

I like Perkins because of the physical presence he brings. If someone is going to get knocked out cold in Game 7, it'll be because he tested Perkins inside. He's developing into a real solid player on both ends, and coach Doc Rivers said as much: "He is our Kevin Garnett right now."

What is the key statistic for the Mavericks-Nuggets series?

Bohls:

It ain't sexy, but free throws may well decide this fairly even series. Both teams can score at will and averaged more than 101 points a game, but Dallas ranked second behind Toronto for the league's worst free throw percentage, and Denver was 20th. With drives to the bucket by Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard, the Mavs got to the line much more often than the Spurs and had a plus-differential of 28 points at the charity stripe.

Golden:

Watch for those three-pointers. The Nuggets are smoking from behind the arc (49 of 101 shots, or 48.5 percent) in the playoffs while Dallas has hit 29 of 88 (a pedestrian, but respectable, 33 percent). Jason Kidd saved the Mavs against San Antonio and must keep knocking down those triples to offset Chauncey Billups' hot shooting.

Should Dikembe Mutombo be elected to the Hall of Fame?

Bohls:

Not really, even though he has to rank as one of the most gracious, compassionate players in the game, his finger-wagging trademark notwithstanding. He falls in that next tier of excellent Basketball players, but isn't quite Hall-worthy. To be placed among that austere group, a player at some point has to be considered among the very best at his position. Mutombo was never regarded as anywhere close to the top center in the league.

Golden:

He would have been a lock had he retired in 2002, but he stole money for his last seven seasons. He averaged a double-double in 12 of his first 13 seasons, won four defensive player of the year awards and played in eight All-Star games. Being the second-most prolific shot blocker in league history, plus his humanitarian efforts in his native Congo, will help his cause, but he will fall short of the Hall.