5 Things To Like From the First Round Series
By Greg Chin
Apr 23, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) celebrates a win in overtime with teammates guard Shaun Livingston (34) and forward Harrison Barnes (40) as New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (23) walks off the court at the end of game three of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at the Smoothie King Center. The Warriors defeated the Pelicans 123-119 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
- The Sweep
The Warriors’ 4-0 sweep of the Pelicans was their first playoff series sweep since 1975, when they defeated the Washington Bullets 4-0 to win the NBA title. They added that to an already impressive list of accomplishments the Warriors have reached this season. For the superstitious lot, they might even see this as a “sign”.
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Regardless, it was good to see the Warriors get out to a first-round sweep. The pressure surrounding them was palpable – after all, they were coming off one of the best regular seasons in NBA history. If the team had struggled in their first round series, the media attention surrounding them would have exploded and the regular season success would have cast them in a negative light.
For comparison, look at the Atlanta Hawks and their first round series. The Hawks had a similarly impressive regular season, and were the best team in the Eastern Conference. However, they are currently struggling against the eighth-seeded Brooklyn Nets, with the series tied at 2-2. Just imagine what the naysayers are saying right now.
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