Coincidentally, teams in National Basketball Association history to win Game 1 of a best-of-seven series have gone on to win 77 percent of the time. But to say the Wizards are wholly ineffective on defense would be an oversimplified mischaracterization.
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Former Kentucky Basketball guard John Wall put on an impressive display in the Washington Wizard’s victory over the Atlanta Hawks in their first game of the NBA Playoffs.
Patterson had another solid season as a key role player for the Toronto Raptors and will look to continue his efficient scoring season heading into his team’s first round matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks. While Wall did, fortunately, get plenty of help, as the Wizards had six players score in double figures, he was still the star of the night, and probably of the entire slate of games for the day.
The Wizards went 3-1 against the Hawks this season, but two of those games occurred during the opening week. They need more from their starting shooting guard. “We didn’t have to double team in the post anymore”.
The playoffs have incredible magnifying powers.
Oubre played well in his playoff debut, but all of the other reserves went missing for the majority of the game. Gortat also threw down a monstrous dunk over Millsap in the game.
On three days of rest (five times), Morris shot 56.9% overall and 50% from three.
All that scrambling inside could create more tension like Sunday’s altercation.
It didn’t get to that point.
But in order to win, and this means in seven games, they’ll have to win on the road at least once. But if you look at it from the Hawks’ perspective, they allowed the Wizards to get by without outcome, and that represents a missed opportunity that they’re not good enough to squander. They’re playing their card.
The victor of the Wizards and Hawks series is scheduled to play the victor of the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls series. Wall is too good. Whichever SG Atlanta plays can’t contain Bradley Beal. The Wizards have too many complementary perimeter pieces. They have done some damage against Atlanta this season.
While the game with Atlanta hung in the balance in the first half, Wall led the Wizards on a furious run in the second to outlast Atlanta in Washington on Easter Sunday. But even if Chicago can’t pull off the upset, the more games it makes Boston play, the better for Washington. It wasn’t all bad for the Hawks. Paul Millsap fired those shots after his Atlanta Hawks lost Game 1 despite a 39-17 edge in attempted free throws, accusing them of “playing MMA.” There was no statement made in Game 1.
“I don’t know, we’ll see”, Collison said of his future. “We’ve just got to scramble”.
The punch will be more of a combination. They’ll foul you hard and play physical. Of the Hawks’ 2015 starters, only Paul Millsap remains. By the time he was done revolving, Wall was tilted onto one leg in the paint, surrounded by Atlanta defenders and gathering the might to zip the ball out toward the 3-point line where Otto Porter stood free and available. He grabbed just two rebounds. Over their last five games, the Wizards are putting up 106.8 while allowing 106.2. Howard leads in rebounds with 12.7 and in blocks with 1.2 per game.
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The great thing is that they control those things. Game one of the playoff series reintroduced and reinforced some familiar themes and questions. “If we’re going to jostle the whole series, then that’s what it’s going to be”, Morris said.
