The NBA spent most of the regular season receiving backlash from the media and fans about the product that was getting put out on the court every night. Ratings were down, and the NHL set the standard for All-Star weekend with its Four Nations Faceoff. Meanwhile, the NBA delivered another All-Star dud. It was a rough regular season, but the NBA Playoffs have been better, and Magic Johnson is seeing it.

So far, the NBA Playoffs have delivered. The first round typically has the least amount of good matchups, but we saw some outstanding series go down. Two series went to seven games, and there were only two sweeps. The Detroit Pistons and New York Knicks didn't go to seven, but it was arguably the best series of the first round as every game came down to the wire.

All in all, the first round of the NBA Playoffs was a success, and Magic Johnson has a message for commissioner Adam Silver regarding the strong start to the postseason:

“I want to send a big congratulations to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver because everything he wanted is coming to fruition! Years ago, he shared that he wanted a competitive balance in the NBA,” Johnson said in a social media post. “With Commissioner Silver reshaping the salary cap system and acknowledging the challenges in NBA trades, we are now seeing success in more small-market teams versus just big-market teams. OKC and Cleveland had the two best records this season and Minnesota, Indiana, and Denver are also having great success in the Playoffs.”

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In past seasons, we haven't seen this level of competitiveness in the playoffs. We did back in the 2010s, and fans have missed it. It seems to be back, and it's going to make for an exciting month of basketball.

“These Playoffs have been the best I’ve seen in the last 5-10 years because of the talent, competitiveness, and physicality,” Johnson added. “They are must-see TV!”

So far, there has only been one game in the conference semifinal round, and that contest delivered as well. The underdog Indiana Pacers went on the road and took down the top-seed in the Eastern Conference in Game 1. The Cleveland Cavaliers made a good comeback in the game, but they weren't able to defend home court. That series is shaping up to be a good one.

Two more series will get underway on Monday night as the New York Knicks will take on the Boston Celtics, and the Oklahoma City Thunder will host the Denver Nuggets. The Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors will get their series started on Tuesday night. Magic Johnson and everyone else watching are hoping for the good hoops to continue.