The NBA has a problem: There's no flow to the individual first-round games and definitely no flow to any of the series. The momentum the Sonics built by beating the Spurs on Monday figures to be pretty much dissipated by the time the teams meet again, which I think is a week from next Tuesday.

Even the close games are a chore to watch, with the final two minutes taking around 45 to play. The subplots aren't meeting expectations, either. Especially the whole close-your-eyes-and-pretend-it's-1982 thing surrounding the Celtics-Sixers series.

But as they teach in journalism school, if you can't say something nice, make something up. The games might border on the unwatchable, but it's a player's league. With that in mind, here's a completely subjective look at five players who are, for various reasons, always worth watching:

Allen Iverson, Sixers: Obvious. Entertaining but frustrating. Get the man some help.

Donyell Marshall, Jazz: Just because I remember his Warrior days, when they didn't know what to do with him and he didn't seem bothered by it. Deadly jump hook. Karl Malone still provides the team's best flexes and facial expressions, but Marshall is the guy the Kings can't stop. Wins points for having the most un-Jazz-like physical appearance in history.

Paul Pierce, Celtics: Always there when they need him. Has an alertness about him that's refreshing. He's rare among the elite NBA players in one respect: There's nothing self-conscious or contrived about the way he handles himself on the court.

Adrian Griffin, Mavs: Sentimental pick. There's nothing exceptional about him, but count how many times you hear an announcer say, "Battle for the ball, and Griffin comes away with it." It could be a drinking game. Saw him in Salina, Kansas, when he was toiling in the USBL. Even then, he was the most selfless guy out there. The only difference was, back then he was also the most talented.

Greg Ostertag, Jazz: Has anyone ever looked more sorry on the basketball court? Not sorry as in poor (although it can fit), but sorry as in "My fault, my fault, my fault." Jerry Sloan has turned the man into a walking apology.

This Week's List

Once again, handling themselves with all the poise of a rabid squirrel cornered by a badger, we present: The Portland Trailblazers, three and out.

Two words for Blazers management: Start over.

This week's lesson in the relative meaninglessness of the big-league save: Eddie Guardado, a solid reliever with no discernible strikeout pitch, leads the AL with eight.

Let the watch begin: Can Ruben Sierra hit .400?

It's times like these that make you understand why Saddam Hussein employs an army of food testers in his various palaces: Athletes, especially basketball players and especially lately, seem to come down with food poisoning far more than the average human.

Hot dogs -- $20; popcorn -- $15; beer -- $10; knowing you're among the most gullible and stupid sports fans in history -- priceless: For the proposed Tyson-Lewis fight in Memphis, the worst seats in the house will go for $250.

Just for the heck of it: Dennis Littlejohn.

Back in my day, pitchers pitched every four days and ballplayers sat out only when the hangover was really, really bad: Now that baseball players have taken to year-round conditioning programs, nutritionists and pharmacological assistance, more of them are injured than ever before.

But the chapter you really want to read is the one where Omar documents his aversion to Arthur Rhodes' earrings: Omar Vizquel's just-released autobiography (no, we aren't sure who asked for it) reveals that, among bats used by Albert Belle, all of them were corked.

Sources say it was slipped into his drink while he went to the bathroom at a nightclub: It seems that someone gave Aramis Ramirez a little Carl Everett Starter Kit when he wasn't looking.

A tough climb, maybe, but I'll be in Cooperstown the day it all pays off: The Mark Grant Appreciation Page on the web is run by a bunch of folks who have begun a campaign to get Grant inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Speaking of which: Please stop the calls and letters; I'll have the Doug Frobel Appreciation Page up within a month.

Best moment of the WNBA draft: The post-selection hugs, which take place from about three feet away, with a heavy emphasis on preventing the exchange of any make-up materials.

And to think, he was once a Ranger: Jason Giambi's replacement, Carlos Pena, has the talent and personality to make the transition a little easier for A's fans.

Looks like the Lewis-Tyson promoters shouldn't waste their time advertising in the Pittsburgh area: Despite the best record in the NL, the Bucs drew just 13,000 Wednesday, prompting Brian Giles to take management to task for raising ticket prices following a 100-loss season.

And finally, here's one for SABRmetricians: Is Jason Giambi the best player in the history of the game to take the field with a rooftop fold on the bill of his cap?

Tim Keown is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at tim.keown@espnmag.com.