Kevin Garnett, Celtics
99-65 win vs. Hawks
18 pts, 9-13 FG

Pau Gasol, Lakers
109-98 win vs. Jazz
18 pts, 8-13 FG

Sasha Vujacic, Lakers
109-98 win vs. Lakers
15 pts, 4-6 FG, 2-2 3-pt FG, 5-5 FT

An unofficial stat we love is points-per-shot ratio. Without delving too deep, a ratio of 2-to-1 is outstanding and 3-to-1 very rare. In Sunday's Game 1 win over Utah, the 38 points on just 16 shots by Kobe Bryant caught our eye. The ratio was a result of a parade to the foul line, where Bryant made 21-of-23 free throws, having his way with solid defenders Ronnie Brewer and Andrei Kirilenko. Bryant also had seven assists and six rebounds in a superb game.

Josh Smith, Hawks
99-65 loss at Celtics
7 pts, 3-11 FG, 1-2 FT

Marvin Williams, Hawks
99-65 loss at Celtics
7 pts, 3-11 FG, 1-2 FT

Matt Harpring, Jazz
109-98 loss at Lakers
5 pts, 2-8 FG, 1-2 FT

There has been a lot of talk about Tracy McGrady's inability to get out of the first round. But many others have had multiple chances and not reached the conference semifinals - Grant Hill (nine), Carmelo Anthony (five), Andre Miller (four) and Celtics coach Doc Rivers. Between Orlando and Boston, this was Rivers' fifth trip to the postseason. The last two were particularly galling: a squandered 3-1 lead to Detroit with McGrady in 2003 and three home losses to Indiana in 2005, including a 97-70 setback in Game 7. This Celtics squad is the best Rivers has ever had, so when he was pushed to the limit by upstart Atlanta, you would think that would cost the coach some sleep, right? "I slept 10 hours (Saturday night)," Rivers said. "I took an Ambien and I was out like a rock. It was great. I was concerned that my alarm clock wasn't loud enough." All of the Celtics got their wake-up call, rolling to a 99-65 win as they held the Hawks to the second-lowest Game 7 total in NBA history. And after nine years of coaching, one of the true good guys is finally into the conference semifinals. "I guess if you coach long enough, you get lucky," Rivers said. "I didn't do anything."

What is the matter with Jazz forward Carlos Boozer? On first blush, the All-Star forward's numbers appear acceptable; in seven postseason games, he is averaging 15.9 points and 14.0 rebounds. However, Boozer's scoring average is down more than five points from his regular-season norm of a career-high 21.1 points. What's more, Boozer is shooting less than 43 percent (45-of-105) from the field - a precipitous drop-off from his regular-season number of 54.7 percent, which ranked ninth in the league. In Sunday's Game 1 loss to the Lakers, it was more of the same. Boozer had 15 points and 14 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the postseason. But he also committed seven of Utah's 13 turnovers and battled foul trouble all game, fouling out with his team down six and 3:28 to play - when he was needed the most. Since scoring 20 points in Utah's postseason opener, Boozer has not reached that plateau, despite working primarily against Luis Scola and Carl Landry, a pair of rookies. He also is committing more than three turnovers per game. If Boozer does not find a way to snap out of his slump quickly, this could be a very short series for the Jazz.

In a first-round sweep of the Nuggets, Lakers guard Sasha Vujacic averaged 7.8 points by existing almost exclusively at the arc. The Slovenia native was 10-of-21 from the field, including 2-of-5 when he wandered inside the circle. But in Sunday's Game 1 win over Utah, Vujacic expanded his game a bit and was rewarded. Taking the ball to the basket, Vujacic made 4-of-6 shots - 2-of-2 from the arc - and 5-of-5 free throws as he scored 15 points, his best game of the postseason thus far. Vujacic pushed his playoff average to 9.2 points, higher than the 7.8 belonging to starter Derek Fisher.

There's not many rookies to watch in the 2008 playoffs following the exit of Hawks center Al Horford, whose first postseason was an eventful one. Horford had eight points, 12 boards and two blocks in Sunday's loss and averaged 12.6 points, 10.4 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in his first postseason series, which included (a) a runner-up finish in Rookie of the Year balloting; (b) some trash-talking with Celtics superstar Paul Pierce, who was baited into a fine; (c) and his first Game 7. So which rookie still alive in the playoffs had the highest scoring average this season? If you want to peek, the answer is right here.

All season, there have been doubts about Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo's ability to perform in the postseason. GM Danny Ainge tacitly admitted concern by signing Sam Cassell, and Rondo's shaky play at the end of Game 6 kept the questions coming. The second-year point guard has not allowed the skepticism to affect other areas of his play. In Sunday's Game 7 win, he held Hawks guard Mike Bibby to two points and two assists in 25 minutes, totally outplaying the veteran. In the four games at TD Banknorth Garden, Rondo limited Bibby to 7-of-28 shooting and a total of 25 points and five assists. That's called making a point.