The playoffs are into their second week of play, and it’s amazing to see how much more entertaining the NHL postseason is compared to its NBA counterpart.Games going down to the final seconds of play have become a reoccurring theme in the NHL, while games ending in the first quarter have become the theme in the NBA.Every NHL playoff series, with the exception of the New Jersey Devils and Montreal Canadians five game series, has been an entertaining series.The NBA could learn a few things from the NHL. The NBA playoffs have thus far been a huge bore. Almost every series is at two games to nil, with only a handful of games being competitive.Other than Michael Jordan’s outburst and an explosion from Rex Chapman of the Phoenix Suns, the NBA playoffs are very predictable.Everyone knew the Bulls would be up 2-0, and the same goes for the Knicks. After all, they play in New York and NBC could not afford to have the Knicks bowing out early.It’s no surprise the Miami Heat is also up 2-0 over their in-state rivals Orlando. Maybe Penny Hardaway can fire himself, instead of his coach, after the way he has played the first two games. ‘Lil’ Penny could do a better job of being a team leader.The Western conference has also gone according to the NBA’s script. The Lakers have won both their games, as have the Rockets and the Jazz.Thank goodness for the Detroit-Atlanta and Seattle-Phoenix series that are tied at a game apiece.On the other hand, the NHL has been much more entertaining, with the exception FOX’s glowing puck.The best team in hockey, the Colorado Avalanche, was pushed to six games by the lame Chicago Blackhawks. Detroit had to battle back from an opening-night defeat to tame St. Louis in six.Edmonton-Dallas and Anaheim-Phoenix have gone to seven games to determine who goes to the next round.This is the NHL at its best, with the visiting team showing up and winning games on the opponent’s home ice.In the Eastern Conference New Jersey was able to handle Montreal, but every other series has been spectacular.Even though the New York Rangers and Florida Panthers series was decided in five games, two of those games went to overtime. The overtime period in hockey is what separates the NHL from the rest of the sporting world in terms of drama. There is nothing better than an overtime to decide who moves on and who goes home.Buffalo and Ottawa are going to seven games in a series that has turned into a soap opera surrounding the situation of injuries to Sabres’ goalie Dominik Hasek.But, the best of the NHL playoffs came from the Pittsburgh-Philadelphia series. The Flyers won in five games, but it still was the best series.Pittsburgh’s Mario Lemieux bowed out of hockey with dignity and class. Watching last Wednesday’s game when Super Mario scored on his last shot in his last shift in his last home game was chilling.Lemieux is retiring from the game after being able to overcome many obstacles that were thrown in his way.Lemieux came back from Hodgkin’s Disease and a chronic back problem to lead the NHL in scoring again this season.Lemieux is leaving the game of hockey on his own terms and not in a declining state, as so many of today’s athletes have done.Someone wake me up when the NBA Finals begin.