Through the second weekend of the NBA playoffs, six of the eight series have moved to a Game 4, with only the New York Knicks and Miami Heat breezing through with sweeps that now leave them with a week off. It's particularly maddening for the Heat and Knicks, who just happen to be facing each other and now must wait, and wait.

It is helpful to the Heat, considering this now provides point guard Tim Hardaway another full week to heel the sprained foot that kept him out of the series sweep of the Pistons. But the Knicks are coming off a hard-fought series, edging the Raptors by a grand total of 12 points in three extremely close games. This really slows the Knicks' momentum going into a series involving perhaps the most intense rivalry in the NBA, and Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy has bemoaned the schedule from the start.

Even Utah coach Jerry Sloan, when the Jazz lost Game 3 at Seattle Saturday after easily handling the Sonics the first two games, was taking a shot at the schedule: "Now we have two weeks off before we play again."

The sarcasm was palpable; not playing until Wednesday is bad enough. But the NBA is getting its wish. With four games Saturday and three Sunday, the two-a-night theory begins again Monday night, with Charlotte looking to stave off elimination at Philadelphia, and the Milwaukee Bucks hoping to force a Game 5 by upsetting the Indiana Pacers. Last season, Turner had broadcast games on both TNT and TBS, and most of the time the games were on at the same time.

"This is the only way it makes sense keeping the number of games down during the week," said one NBA official. "This way, they don't cannibalize each other the way they have the past few years."

Good thing.

The regular season ratings were down 23.5 percent on Turner and 21 percent on NBC, so they're doing what they can to direct what loyal viewers they have to particular games.

Just consider the league's good fortune Sunday. Thanks to the unlikely scenario of the Sacramento Kings upsetting the Los Angeles Lakers and the Minnesota Timberwolves knocking off the Portland Trail Blazers, they have marquee matchups for Tuesday: Portland at Minnesota in the early game and the nightcap featuring the Kings going after the Lakers again.

Regardless of how many series end Monday and Tuesday, the NBA clearly bought a lot of time by stretching out the schedules. It will be interesting to see if they lose ratings as it all progresses.

Dynamic duos and one

It's hard to get past the phenomenal numbers being put up by duos from two Western Conference teams.

Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant have been playing in the stratosphere, each averaging 30 points a game as they've led the Lakers to a 2-1 lead over the Kings. O'Neal also is leading the NBA playoffs with 17.7 rebounds a game, plus 3.3 assists and 3.0 blocks. Bryant is averaging 4.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists.

Not quite as impressive in total but certainly in diversity of contribution are forward Kevin Garnett and point guard Terrell Brandon as they keep the Timberwolves alive against the Blazers. Garnett already has two triple-doubles -- in Games 1 and 3 -- and has averaged 19.3 points, 11.0 rebounds and 8.7 assists. And Brandon has had in 21.7 points, and 10.0 assists. Garnett had 23 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists and Brandon had 28 points and 12 assists as the Timberwolves stunned the Blazers 94-87.

Then again, it's tough to sneeze at the line of Chris Webber, leading the Kings Sunday with 29 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists, giving him an average of 26.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists for three games despite his fouling out in Game 1.

Injurious situation

While the Heat are anxiously awaiting the return of Hardaway in some capacity this week, the effect of injuries on two other series continues to fester. And forward Joe Smith, the first big man off the bench for the Timberwolves, remains questionable with a hyperextended knee.

Tim Duncan, the Most Valuable Player of the playoffs for the world champion San Antonio Spurs last season, still hasn't played since April 11, when he tore a cartilage in his left knee against the Kings. The Spurs will not play the All-NBA power forward until he practices full-go for a test, and he hasn't been cleared to do that yet. The Spurs are hopeful that will happen Monday. Trailing 2-1, they play at Phoenix Tuesday night. Without him, it's going to be tough, despite the growing statistics of Spurs center David Robinson, who has averaged 31.0 points, 14.0 and 2.5 blocks the past two games after struggling through Game 1 with 17 points, eight rebounds and a block.

(And let's not forget the Suns are without Jason Kidd, Tom Gugliotta and Rex Chapman).

Then there's the Philadelphia 76ers, trying to put away the Charlotte Hornets. The Sixers are ankle-deep in trouble, so to speak. Point guard Eric Snow sat out Saturday's victory over the Hornets with a chip fracture in his right ankle, and leading scorer Allen Iverson suffered almost exactly the same injury during the Sixers five-point victory over the Hornets Friday night.

When asked about his status, Iverson shrugged his shoulders and told reporters, "The only way I won't play is if they amputate it."

Shots from the perimeter

• It's tough to argue the Knicks being labeled the "chosen ones" by the media and others outside of New York. The series clincher over the Raptors came in the form of a 3-point bank-shot from Larry Johnson, who then had the gall to shove his arm in the air in the form of hanging an "L" for loss to the crowd. It's the same garbage he did last season after they stunned the Pacers on a 4-point play that was clearly a blown call by the officials. What added to the impact of the shot was how it came right after Patrick Ewing had shoved Raptors center Antonio Davis for no particular reason despite the Knicks holding a four-point lead with 42 seconds left. It allowed the Raptors to pull to within 82-80, then L.J hit. the shot. Raptors All-Star forward Vince Carter won't soon forget his first playoff experience, shooting just 30 percent from the field, while averaging 19.3 points, compared to 25.7 during the regular season and .465 from the field.
• You've got to love Pacers All-Star Reggie Miller coming out Saturday night in Milwaukee wearing a "Superman" T-shirt to incite the partisan Bucks crowd. After struggling throughout the series, and much of the season, he had 34 points to lead the Pacers to a 109-96 victory despite Rik Smits being suspended for the game after throwing an elbow to the throat of Bucks center Ervin Johnson in Game 2. Smits will be back Monday night for Game 4 in Milwaukee.
• Isiah Thomas said Sunday on the NBC telecast that he had talked with the Pacers, Hawks and Nets about their open head coaching positions. He still hasn't worked out a deal with the league so he can keep his ownership of the Continental Basketball Association. Expect something to happen with the CBA before the June NBA draft so Thomas can be involved with his new team.
• Sidney Lowe, the Wolves assistant, also is a Hawks candidate.
• Hornets guard Eddie Jones is leaning more toward leaving Charlotte as a free agent, particularly after the opening game against the Sixers drew just 11,686 (half of capacity) and owner Ray Woolridge threatened the city that he couldn't re-sign Jones unless he got a new arena for the Hornets. Bad politics. Very bad.