First Week ANALYSIS

As our first two weekends of playoffs basketball is officially come to a end. There were some stand out games that can not be ignored. This playoffs has already come at a shocking cost, the number one seeds of both conferences struggle closing out the series against their opponents, number eight seeds.
The headline game for the number one seed, of the Eastern Conference, the INDIANA PACERS over the past two weekends was game number one, in the series between the ATLANTA HAWKS . The Pacers were coming into the series having a shaky ending to the season, but nevertheless they were the number one seed. In the first quarter the hawks came out very strong and set the tone early for this match-up. Even though they were the lower seed it was clear that they weren't doubted on there heart and there ability. The hawks would out score the pacers in the first quarter 28-22. Second quarter the pacers would start to look more like themselves and the worthiness of a number one seed. The pacers would bounce back, out scoring the the hawks in the second 28-22. Second half the hawks would come out of the half ready to play. They would out score the pacers 30-16 in the third. Something that had happened at half time had clearly gotten to this pacers team, frustration was beginning to build as they were down by 20 points going into the fourth. Fourth quarter the pacers would bounce back, out scoring the hawks 27-21. Leading scorers for the pacers were Paul George who went 6/18 from the field, scoring 24 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 ast. and Lance Stephenson who went 8/18 from the field scoring 19 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 ast. Leading scorer for the hawks were Demarre Carroll who went 4/7 from the field, scoring 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 1 ast. and Jeff Teague who went 9/19 from the field, scoring 28 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 ast. The Atlanta Hawks would go on to take game one in the series and set the tone very early in this series 101-93. Currently the hawks have a 3-2 edge over the pacers in this series and play game six at home on Thursday.

The next headline game of these first round series's was the number one seed from the Western Conference the SAN ANTONIO SPURS vs the number eight seeded DALLAS MAVERICKS . The spurs came into this series closing out the series in a dominating fashion and clinching the number one seed far in advantage. The mavericks had a shaky end to the season as they were initially seeded as a number seven seed but slowly dropped down to a number eight seed.  In game one the mavericks would look like the stronger and better team early, but as the game came to a close they would give it away to the spurs. They would be down 1-0 in the series going into game two. The game that set the tone early in this series, for both teams was game two.In the first quarter both teams came out strong both holding there own, but the mavericks would  take the edge, out scoring the spurs 24-23 in the first. Second quarter the the mavericks would continue to push forward out scoring the spurs in the second 32-28, leaving the spurs down by five at the half. Second half it would be all Dallas, the mavericks would continue to dominate, out scoring the spurs in the third 32-24. Fourth quarter, the mavericks would put the game away, out scoring the spurs 25-17. Leading scorers for the spurs were Manu Ginobili who went 9/12 from the field, scoring 27 points, 2 rebounds, and 4 ast. and Tim Duncan who went 4/5 from the field, scoring 11 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 ast. Leading scorer for the mavericks were Monta Ellis who went 8/20 from the field, scoring 21 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 ast. and Dirk Nowitzski who went 7/19 from the field, scoring 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 ast. The mavericks would go on two take game number two 113-92. The series is currently tied at 2 games a piece. Game five will be played on Wednesday.