Words of caution

My loyal readers (I'm taking it on faith that they exist) may have felt I gave up on the Suns in the series with the Lakers. I didn't give up, but I was resigned to them not coming back. It's great that they did, which actually made my initial prediction correct.
But it seems that a lights-out Game 7 when absolutely everything that could go right did has led observers to write Phoenix into the Western Conference finals. However, I, for one, have plenty of fear of the Clippers. They can provide what the Lakers could not consistently - strong play down low. The Suns are still woefully small in the frontcourt and now they have to face Brand and Kaman. Plus, they have to deal with Mobley, Cassell, Shaun Livingston, Maggette off the bench and Radmanovic shooting threes. Where the Lakers were seen as Kobe and some other guys, the Clippers are a team.
My gut is telling me to take the Clippers, even though I'm well aware of their dismal history. I just don't know if those years of ineptitude mean anything to the players. I'm torn on this one. I guess I'll just have to watch to find out.
In the other series, I'm sure Mavs-Spurs will go to a six or seventh game. If Duncan plays like he did in Game 1, the Spurs will move on. As long as Detroit doesn't get bored or forget to show up at the games, they're moving on. I feel like the Heat will get past the Nets. I think Shaq still has one big series left in him.
What I'm reading: The Life and Many Deaths of Harry Houdini. It's a biography of the great illusionist that follows him from being just Ehrich Weiss to his long career of famous escapes. I did not know that when Houdini's family first came to America they lived in Appleton, WI, a city that I have been to a few times when visiting family in Cheese Country.
Blog-a-rhythm: The Strokes, First Impressions of Earth.