What makes a series fun?

Are blowouts good in the playoffs?

There have been a lot of lopsided games in this year’s postseasons, especially in the last week.

Just in the NBA alone there have been six games in the last week that were won by at least 19 points. And that’s not to leave out the NHL, which saw two separate teams take 5-0 leads this week.

To go along with the lopsided finishes, many of the one-sided games were evident early on, with one team or the other taking a nearly insurmountable lead in the first quarter and turning the rest of the game into a practice drill.

Normally, I celebrate blowouts. If one team is that much better than the other its best for them to run away with the final score and get the game over with. No sense bothering with overtime or unnecessary minutes on your best players.

It’s how the playoffs work, get the good teams to the end and we can watch them battle in close games then.

And then there’s the Boston Celtics-Washington Wizards series.

The series has been hugely interesting, with burgeoning stars on both sides and plenty of drama. It is likely to go seven games.

A seven-game series almost by definition is fun. It’s a sure sign that two teams are evenly matched. It signifies to most watchers that any small thing could swing the series.

Yet, this series hasn’t been all that fun. And it’s because it hasn’t been all that close, except in the number of games won.

Only one of the five games they’ve played has been close. Even that game, an overtime contest in Game 2, was won by double digits.

Both teams have been basically unstoppable at home.

Washington has won its two games in the nation’s capital by an average of 23 points. Boston has won its three home games by nearly 15 points each.

The matchup has its moments.

Boston’s Isaiah Thomas has been as terrific as he was in the last of the regular season, finding a way to score by the dozens despite giving up a foot in height to nearly everyone on the court.

Washington’s John Wall is a blur who has personally dragged his team on 20-0 runs that turn close games to routs and make the Celtics look like the Generals.

There’s been drama between players with two bit pieces getting into a shoving match.

And all that is interesting.

But, it’s hard to keep my level of intrigue fresh when the game is no longer in question.

Sure, there’s intrigue in the next game, but there’s part of me that also knows the next game will be just as lopsided.

What’s most frustrating is that both teams have shown that they can be 20 points better than the other, and yet, also 20 points worse.

Luckily, there’s only seven games in this series. And hopefully, more interesting games in store.