The Atlanta Hawks were, without a solitary doubt, the best team in the Eastern Conference all year long. The East's #1 seed has been projected by most to steamroll the eighth-seeded Brooklyn Nets, making this first round series nothing more than a mere formality.
However, the Brooklyn Nets showed on Sunday that they have enough fight to make things somewhat interesting, cutting a double-digit Hawks lead down to four with time winding down in the 4th. The Hawks would hold off the Nets 99-92 to win Game 1, but it appears the East's best will be in for a major battle all series long.
Key Stat:
Brooklyn's hero ball got them in trouble early on, as the Nets went without an assist in the game's first quarter. The Hawks would take a 32-20 lead into the break -- a lead they would never relinquish, regardless of the Nets' solid passing for the rest of the contest.
Atlanta MVP:
Kyle Korver was as dead-eyed from beyond the arc as he's been all season, draining five triples en route to a game-high 21 points. With Korver stretching the floor from downtown, the Hawks were able to get easy looks elsewhere to keep the game in hand.
Brooklyn MVP:
For the Nets to have a chance in this series, big man Brook Lopez has to go full "beast mode" on the Hawks. He did just that in a gritty Brooklyn effort on Saturday, posting 17 points and grabbing 14 boards in an extremely impressive double-double effort.
What's Next?
Brooklyn will look to steal one on Wednesday when the teams lock horns again in the ATL during Game 2. Tipoff is slated for shortly after 7:00pm local time.
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