by Greg Auman

Even by awards-show standards, you have high expectations for an opening sing-and-dance number when Neil Patrick Harris is hosting, and NPH didn’t disappoint Sunday night in a too-fast-to-live-blog number that pulled off Mike Tyson, magic and more to open the 2013 Tony Awards.

So many rapid-fire great lines delivered so well — “you could bounce a quarter off the ass of Billy Porter,” and speaking to the throng of child actors up for awards: “They’re the reason this whole season seems to look like Chuck E. Cheese.”

In my spare time, I work at Goliath National Bank.

NPH was up for the physical demands of an opening number, literally jumping through hoops, then appearing at the back of the stage in how’d-he-do-that fashion. Yes, Mike Tyson was a little wooden in his musical number, but take a step back and appreciate that phrase in nearly any context.

I could watch this number three times and still miss lines, but it’s outstanding to hear the big-smile optimism of a line like “Kathy Lee’s a broadway lyricist so anything can happen.”

Great start to Tony night, and the pace is encouraging with an award already presented and speechified in the time it takes to type this.

As the number closed, NPH deadpans: “That’s our budget. Good night!”

by Bill Hubbell

Kawhi walked farther than people who don’t like cancer on the Spurs first possession. And the refs actually blew the whistle!

Mike Breen <<< Doc Emrick. Jeff Van Gundy >>> Eddie Olyzck. Nothing against Breen or Eddie O, they’re both good, just not in their counterpart’s class.

Hey where do Danny Green’s game two, first quarter threes rank in the history of game two, first quarter shots?

Tony Shalhoub was up for a Tony, but Courtney Vance won for his role in “Lucky Guy.”

Vance already was a winner for being married to Angela Bassett.

—Jalen Rose on the KIA NBA Countdown Show: “For those of you that don’t know, 100 yards is 300 feet.” Thanks, Jalen. Can you go metric?

–Wondering whether the Miami Heat had to officially add Joey Crawford to their postseason roster?

–Magic: “I was upset with the whole Miami Heat team in Game 1.” But I’m not rooting for anyone or anything like that…

by Bill Hubbell

12-year old Julia Dale of “South Florida” just sang the anthem. She chewed the scenery worse than anyone at the Tony’s will tonight. I bet her mom is completely normal. Kid had a good voice and hairy arms.

Heat introduced after the White Stripes “Seven Nation Army” is blared on 11. Number of Heat players with the White Stripes on their I-Pods: The same number that have the Cutting Crew’s “I Just Died in Your Arms Tonight.” Same number as the title of a movie starring Robert Downey Jr, Andrew McCarthey and Jamie Gertz.

–Bill Hubbell