1.   Although they would earn an easier playoff opponent by droppingfrom fifth to sixth in the Western Conference, there is no turning backnow.

2.   An American League scout lounged in the stands at Yankee Stadium on Thursday night, in his second week of trailing the Yankees for a potential playoff opponent.

3.   An Islanders victory on Sunday meant a tougher playoff opponent.

4.   Anaheim, which leads the AL West and could be a first-round playoff opponent for Boston in October, had given the Sox fits all season.

5.   Belichick said Sunday that before he goes out Christmas shopping Monday, the team will have tied up loose ends in its preparation for Miami as a playoff opponent.

6.   Against any playoff opponent, the Suns are going to have a difficult time matching up on the front line.

7.   But the game should nevertheless provide a guage of where these potential playoff opponents stand.

8.   Even before they knew the identity of their opening-round playoff opponent, the Kings knew they had a scheduling problem at Staples Center.

9.   First, of course, they had to get past struggling Calgary before they would know their playoff opponent.

10.   Heat forward P.J. Brown wondered aloud what the Knicks have left for the Indiana Pacers, their next playoff opponent.