NBA Playoffs

The NBA Playoffs got underway on Saturday with the Washington Wizards playing the Cleveland Cavaliers and there were a couple of interesting Game 1's. In the Wizards-Cavaliers Game 1 matchup, it looked like a heated rivalry between the two teams. These two teams have played each other in the first round for three straight years now, with the Cavaliers winning the previous two first round series. Wizards' point guard Gilbert Arenas said in his blog that the Cavaliers will not beat the Wizards for a third straight time and the Wizards will come out victorious. Cavaliers' superstar forward Lebron James did his part to ensure the Cavaliers a Game 1 victory, scoring 32 points in the Cavaliers' 93-86 victory. In the following game, the Phoenix Suns played the defending champion San Antonio Spurs. The Suns were in control of this game for the first three quarters, building a 16 point lead. But the Spurs came back in the fourth quarter and sent the game into overtime on Michael Finley's three point basket with 15 seconds left. Tim Duncan scored 40 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, but no play was better than his three point basket with 3 seconds left in the first overtime to send the game into double overtime. Steve Nash hit a three pointer with the Suns down three in double overtime to tie the game but Manu Ginobli scored the game winning layup with 1.8 seconds left to seal the Spurs' 117-115 victory. The New Orleans Hornets defeated the Dallas Mavericks and the Utah Jazz defeated the Houston Rockets in the day's two other games. In an upset, the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Detroit Pistons 90-86 in the Palace of Auburn Hills to take a 1-0 series lead. The Pistons had a 15 point lead in the third quarter but the 76ers didn't go away. Led by good defense and turnovers from the Pistons, the 76ers were able to chip away at the Pistons' lead and they eventually took the lead in the fourth quarter. The Pistons also missed some critical free throws, with Chauncey Billups missing three of four in the fourth quarter. In the other Game 1's on Sunday, the Orlando Magic defeated the Toronto Raptors, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Denver Nuggets and the Boston Celtics defeated the Atlanta Hawks. Which series looks like the most interesting so far? If there is an upset, which series is it more likely to come from?