Good morning. Let’s watch some playoff basketball.

Good morning. Help us out, Pitbull. What time is it?

That’s right: PLAYOFFS!

TODAY’S SCHEDULE: We have that nice little opening day quadruple-header for you. Our series preview post is linked.

Wizards at Raptors, 12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Pelicans at Warriors, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC
Bucks at Bulls, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN
Mavericks at Rockets, 9:30 p.m. ET ESPN

Our team previews, a giant bracket, predictions and the series previews can all be found right here.

MOST EXCITING PLAYERS: I listed the 43* most exciting players in the NBA playoffs. (* There are actually 45, and at least one is not a player.)

IN OTHER NEWS: The NBA informed teams of its updated salary cap projections. A modest increase to $67 million is expected in 2015-16. Then, thanks to the new TV deal, it jumps to $89 million in 2016-17. Then it gets even higher. This is gonna get weird.

MORE LEAGUE STUFF: Conference imbalance will not be addressed this summer, says Adam Silver. Nor will lottery reform be back on the table. There are some schedule tweaks to drop the instances of 4-in-5 stretches, and back-to-backs will be reduced a bit. And there is still chatter about a short tournament to determine the No. 8 seeds in each conference. But overall, Silver’s reform platform seems relatively stymied by appropriately self-interested team owners.

BALLMER ERA: Are these really the Clippers’ new uniforms? If so, WHY?

TIEBREAKERS: The NBA held its drawings to break ties and finalize the draft order (outside of the lottery). Good job, Pacers!

PODCAST: Mike Prada and Ben Epstein talk about the series they are most excited to watch.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “He’s as crotchety as an old man passing a stone.” Via Marc Stein, that’s Monty Williams on Klay Thompson.

OH BOY: Kirk Goldsberry has a nice feature with Mark Cuban on basketball, analytics and everything. Apparently the interview was done a few weeks ago, before seedings were set. In the Q&A, Cuban said Houston’s use of advanced metrics has created a predictable team, and that while James Harden is awesome the team overall is not very good. The bulletin board is getting full!

RETHINK THIS, TORONTO: Toronto’s top tabloid is photoshopping Paul Pierce as Gandalf to riff on the Wizards moniker and make fun of The Truth’s age. Did they not read Lord of the Rings? Also, this didn’t work last year when they (hilariously) called the Nets ‘Dinosaurs’! The Raptors lost that series. Is Masai Ujiri gonna give us a “F--k D.C.!” for old time’s sake, too?

WELL THEN: It appears the Houston Chronicle celebrated the Rockets’ high seed with a poop joke.

SPEAKING OF ROCKETS AND MAVS ... Mavs Moneyball has a pretty glorious preview.

ELITE STRAT: Roy Hibbert can opt out and become a free agent this summer. The Pacers’ braintrust seem to be over Roy Hibbert for whatever reason. So Frank Vogel told the media his role will be diminished next season as Indiana attempts to become smaller and faster, and that Hibbert may come off the bench. Now it’s a game of chicken between Team Hibbert and the Pacers!

FURTHER PROOF THE GLOBAL FUTURE BELONGS TO CHINA: SlamBall is resurgent in China. VICE investigates.

THE BENEFACTOR: Having already fleeced the Nets in the Joe Johnson trade, the Hawks now get the pleasure of facing the horribly mediocre Nets in the first round. Kevin Arnovitz sets it up.

NOTED: 538’s model is very convinced the Warriors are heavy, heavy favorites.

THE BEST: Steven Lebron with the best feud, trash talk and other fun stuff from the season.

HE REALLY IS THE NORTH: DeMar DeRozan’s kindness is worth screaming from the mountaintops. I don’t have a mountain, though, just a newsletter. Bless you, DeMar.

Happy playoffs, my friends. We’ll have full coverage all day, as you’d expect. See you next time.