CAVS, MAGIC, HAWKS, CELTICS, LAKERS 2-0 UP
Well the 2010 NBA playoffs have offically started and after Game 1 in all the respective series, 8 teams were closer to a spot in the next round while 8 teams were closer to having their arenas shut down for the summer. All teams concerned still have a long way to go though. The home teams that managed to win Game 1 still weren't out of the woods because if they slipped up in Game 2, they would still lose home court advantage. For the losers, Game 2 provided another chance to lay down a banana skin. So, the pace hadn't slowed and the intensity hadn't died down. Every team that came up with a win in Game 1, particularly those that had homecourt advantage to defend, had to come up big again.
In the East, t he Cavs faced the Bulls in Cleveland. Well again the Bulls were competitive early on, leading 10-6 with 8:23 left in the 1st quarter, yet it was still the Cavs who were leading at the end of the opener. The Bulls came back to tie the game with seconds left in the first half but still, the Cavs came back. The Bulls went on to retake the lead early on in the 3rd quarter(having Luol stepping up his game always helps) and the two sides duelled till the 3rd quarter ended with the game tied at 77. The Cavs then decided that they weren't going to hang around. Credit to the Bulls for the effort but again LeBron James gave them a reality check. He grabbed 40 points and the Cavs won 112-102.
The Magic faced the Bobcats in Orlando. Well the Magic certainly weren't hanging around in the 1st quarter - they simply didn't let the Bobcats get into the game. More pain for the visiting team in the 2nd quarter and the Magic cruised into half time with a double digit lead. The Bobcats tried to make a stand early in the 3rd quarter and just got more of the same. The Magic lead hit twennty with seconds left in the quarter and surely it was game over at this point. In the 4th quarter the Bobcats finally took a bite out of the Magic's lead. Another example of too little, too late. No one really stood out for the Magic but Vince Carter turned back the clock to grab 19 points in a 92-77 win.
The Hawks faced the Bucks in Atlanta. Well early on the Bucks were certainly competitive. However the Hawks were soon taking care of business. The Bucks rallied again though in the 2nd quarter, taking a 32-30 lead with 8:57 left in the 1st half, and yet the Hawks were still running the show at half time. In the 3rd quarter the home side really stepped it up and stretched their lead to double digits. Could the Bucks come back from there? Not with the defence the Hawks were putting up they couldn't. The Bucks did cut into the lead but they needed their 4th quarter performance in the 3rd. Joe Johnson grabbed 27 points, leading the Bucks to a 96-86 win.
The Celtics faced the Heat in Boston. Well despite having their main man suspended due to a Game 1 brawl, the Celtics ran the show in the 1st quarter only for the Heat to come back and fire in a late 3 to leave the game tied at 23 at the end of 1. In the 2nd quarter the Celtics buried the Heat. Little more needs to be said. In the third quarter the Celtics continued their domination, it look as though the Heat would need a miracle if they were to get back into this game. They did not get that miracle. The statistic of Ray Allen top scoring with 25 points doesn't do the Celtics performance justice. The 106-77 scoreline does. Somehow the Heat have to find a response in Game 3.
Out West, the Lakers faced the Thunder in LA. Well the Thunder certainly didn't make things easy for the defending champions early on, but the Lakers still had a solid lead by the end of the first. That counted for nothing by half time though with the Thunder taking over in the back end of the 2nd, leading 47-45 at the half. The Lakers weren't done though and wrestled their way back into the lead during the 3rd quarter but it was still everything to play for. And sure enough, the Thunder retook the lead in the 4th quarter, but the Lakers came back, Kobe Bryant grabbing 39 points kind of helps. Lakers won 95-93 but can expect a rough ride in the next couple of games.
Elsewhere, the Spurs beat the Mavs 102-88 in Dallas to nick homecourt advantage from their old rivals. The Suns beat the Blazers 119-90 in Phoenix in what was an impressive performance but their defeat in Game 1 means that they're still in trouble. The Jazz beat the Nuggets 114-111 in Denver to take homecourt advantage in that series. That's probably the biggest surprise in all the Game 2s, how the Nuggets get back from there I'm not sure. Either way, five teams are still clear at 2-0. Yet now those teams have to see if their can get wins on the opposition's home court. In some cases I don't expect that to be particularly easy.
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