As the buzzer sounded at Philips Arena in Atlanta and ABC announcer Mike Tirico announced assurantily that the Atlanta Hawks had taken the series with a Game Seven win over the surging Bucks, the first round of the NBA Playoffs officially came to an end.
It seemed like nothing came easy in a wild first round, with the exception of a routine sweep of the Charlotte Bobcats by the Orlando Magic.
In the West, the seventh-seeded San Antonio Spurs took down Dallas in six games. Fourth seed Denver was toppled by Deron Williams and Utah. Oklahoma City rose to the occasion multiple times, scaring the defending champion Lakers and almost forcing a seventh game if it weren't for a Pau Gasol tip-in with 0.5 seconds left.
In the East, the Cavs, Magic, and Celtics had no problems with their first round opponents, toppling Chicago and Charlotte, respectively. While they cruised, Atlanta struggled to overcome the over-achieving Milwaukee Bucks. Coining the chant, "Fear the Deer!", the Bucks and their fans took three straight games to take a 3-2 series lead, but Atlanta won the final two and advanced.
With the first round over, here is a loo ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NBA
Article written by Curt Hogg
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