It's 8 a.m. on a Saturday and I'm already up. That's how excited I am for the first day of this year's playoffs. Today's slate is fantastic, as things kick off with Wiz/Cavs at 12:30 and finish with Jazz/Rocks at 9:30. Here's the full schedule:

That's a tasty buffet of basketball for the very first day. I couldn't be more excited. This is your thread to comment on all the day's games, and I'll be checking in intermittently all afternoon and evening.

(...meanwhile, in New York...)

Donnie Walsh formally announced Isiah Thomas' firing from the Knicks, but kept with the early reports by retaining Isiah in some ambiguous role. Walsh's comments reflect a lot of the sentiments often expressed here at P&T:

"I just believe a new voice, a new coach, is necessary to change the direction of the team," Walsh said. "This is a coveted job. People want to coach here."

"Obviously, when you're losing, there has to be a culture change," he said. "There's no easy answer. ... We've got to work 24-7 to become competitive.

A culture change, indeed. Maybe with a new coach and a new culture in the locker room, we might still be in contention on April 19th. For now, enjoy the Knicks-free playoffs. Have a great day.