Everyone knows the NBA has certain teams it prefers to advance in the playoffs. We all know that.

So, do you really believe the league is going to allow the Houston Rockets to eliminate the Los Angeles Lakers?

Sure, tens of millions of Chinese love Yao Ming, but last time we checked it was American television that gave the NBA lots and lots of cash, and the American viewers absolutely would prefer to watch Kobe Bryant and the Lakers until mid-June … than the Rockets. Who are Yao, Ron Artest and nine guys nobody has heard of.

Just sayin’. Looking at a couple of interesting calls and non-calls, so far.

Honestly, I don’t believe in conspiracy theories. Certainly not in regard to the NBA. The Lakers and Celtics have just been better, over the years. The teams with the biggest stars usually advance … because they have the biggest stars. Duh.

And if they did care, and were running some huge conspiracy with the aid of the officials … Miami would still be playing, instead of Atlanta, and we’d have a LeBron-Wade second round … instead of this “go ahead and write it down” Cleveland-Atlanta snore fest.

But you can bank on it. If the Lakers win this series, and it’s close at all, some Houston fans and the conspiracy corps will be out in force, insisting the NBA wouldn’t let the Rockets win.