Brownie Points: Who could Cavaliers beat in West?

How deep into the Western Conference playoff field would you have to dig to find a team the Cleveland Cavaliers would beat in a seven-game series?

We have the Mavericks, Suns and Spurs. Um, nope.

Then we have the Jazz, Rockets and Nuggets. Hmm.

Getting warm yet?

The Cavs had better beat the seventh-seeded Lakers (even ABC could sell Kobe vs. LeBron, especially now that “The Sopranos” have been whacked), because I think No. 8 Golden State would have run them off the court. Even the Clippers — who missed the postseason completely — aren’t a great matchup for King James and his court.

Still, I can’t buy this idea that the NBA should ignore conferences and seed playoff teams by record only — a la the NCAA tournament. Think about the travel, the time changes and, ugh, even more time off between games?

Let’s say the Suns win 68 games. Best record in the NBA. Meanwhile, Boston sneaks in at No. 16, so Phoenix’s reward is one — and maybe two — five-hour flights to Beantown?

No matter how weak the East is, they have to send someone to the Finals.

I am in favor of reseeding after each round. We would have seen Suns-Warriors and Spurs-Jazz in the second round this year, with the possibility of Suns-Spurs in the conference finals.

Limping to the finish line

Barry Bonds hit home run No. 747 Monday but also played the outfield with all the grace of a stiff-legged 747 jet. Memories of a helpless Willie Mays in the 1973 World Series come flying back.

It makes you wonder if the home run record is worth it. I know … such a silly question.

Bonds won’t get a championship ring. He won’t get the fanfare usually associated with such a milestone and may not even get a standing ovation if he hits the thing anywhere but San Francisco.

But you can bet on this: If Bonds blew out his knee tomorrow and had to come back two years later to get the record — he would do it.

Quick hitters

• While Grant Hill continues to top the list of free agents piquing the Suns’ interest, you can scratch Golden State’s Matt Barnes off those under Phoenix surveillance.

Barnes’ excellent postseason play, especially against Dallas, surely raised his asking price, but there are also some off-court issues that cut into his appeal.

• Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon will be on the same race team? What is this, NASCAR or professional wrestling?

This has all the trappings of Alex Rodriguez joining the Yankees — sometimes buying all the best talent isn’t the best idea. It’s not going to end well.

• Together, they have more wins than Cy Young — and a dozen Cy Young Awards to boot. But while the Diamondbacks and Yankees faced off Tuesday night, neither Randy Johnson nor Roger Clemens was anywhere near the Bronx.

Big deal. Neither is scheduled to pitch in the series. The only people who seem to care are the reporters.