Just like the pro ballplayers, we’re gearing up for the playoffs here in the Dime office; only with much worse eating habits and much lazier workouts. Yesterday we posted the Playoff X-factors to watch for in the first round, and the Best Playoff Matchups. We even dropped the visuals on D-Wade’s Playoff Kicks that he’ll be rocking against the Bulls today … Some readers have already gotten on our case for not going with “Vince Carter vs. Toronto Fans” as one of the best matchups. We actually did kick the idea around up until the last minute, but in the end we didn’t wanna harp on the same stuff everyone else is going to be talking about for the next two weeks. Besides, Sam Mitchell says it shouldn’t be an issue: “Y’all need to let this Vince Carter stuff go,” Mitchell told the Toronto Globe & Mail. “It’s not about Vince coming back to Toronto. It’s about the New Jersey Nets and the Toronto Raptors. Vince Carter just happens to be a member of that team. It’s a divorce, guys. Let it go. We let it go the day the trade happened. You guys are the ones that seem to be hurt. [The fans] need to let it go. It’s a divorce.” … Yesterday was also spent watching replays of old NBA playoff games: Michael Jordan hitting “The Shot” over Ehlo; Alonzo Mourning’s rookie-year game-winner against the Celtics; Jazz/Suns from 1990 featuring Kevin Johnson vs. John Stockton and Karl Malone vs. Tom Chambers; MJ’s 63-point game against Boston; Pacers/Celtics from ‘91 featuring Larry Bird, Chuck Person and a young Reggie Miller; and Suns/Warriors from ‘94 featuring Barkley, Majerle, KJ, C-Webb, Mullin, Spree and Avery Johnson … A few random observations: did you know the ‘90 Suns had Majerle, Jeff Hornacek and Eddie Johnson on the same squad? That’s buckets-buckets-bong-bong ALL DAY. Just watching that team practice would be a shooting clinic … After Mourning’s famous shot, there was still 0.4 left on the clock despite the Hornets players, mascot, cheerleaders and a bunch of media storming the court. Kevin McHale threw a lob from half court for Dee Brown (super-long arms and crazy bunnies), but Kendall Gill defended it just like D-Wade broke up the lob for Josh Howard in last year’s Finals. McHale, playing in his last game, vehemently argued for a goal-tending call. When he didn’t get it, he collapsed on the floor … Muggsy Bogues was insanely quick, and had pretty long strides for being 5-foot-3. We always talk about guys like A.I. and Tony Parker, but Muggsy’s speed with the ball is right up there with the all-timers … The Suns/Warriors game is known as the one where Barkley pounded GS for 56 points, including 27 (on 11-for-11 shooting) in the first quarter … Did you know George “Iceman” Gervin played with Mike on the ‘86 Bulls? Iceman was about 34 at the time, and started 75 games during the season (16 ppg in 25 mpg). But in the 63-point game he came off the bench and didn’t get a lot of tick … At the end of regulation, Chicago was down two with 6 seconds left. Jordan brought it up and missed a three, but McHale was called for a foul well after the shot — after MJ landed, actually. That would never get called today, Jordan Rules or not. (Nor would the travel called on Bird with under a minute left.) Mike got to take two free throws alone with no time on the clock and calmly buries them both to force the first OT. Who in the League today would you be totally confident in facing that same scenario? Maybe D-Wade, maybe Kobe, maybe Pierce, maybe Steve Nash? The list ain’t that big, and full of “maybes” … The Kings fired Eric Musselman after just one year on the job. DUI stuff and 33-49 record aside, the Kings played and looked like they hated each other on a nightly basis, and didn’t seem to run an actual offense … Sebastian Telfair was arrested and charged with felony gun possession and driving on a suspended license. What’s up with the NY Journal News — where we first read the story — opening with the words, “Boston Celtics star Sebastian Telfair…”? Did we miss something? … Asked who he’d want the Bucks to take between Greg Oden and Kevin Durant, Andrew Bogut told a Milwaukee paper, “I think for us, Durant obviously.” … Jermaine O’Neal is having knee surgery next week, while Chris Paul is having foot surgery … We’re out like Musselman …