Game 1: Atlanta Hawks Grades & Reactions vs. Brooklyn Nets

Apr 19, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Paul Millsap (4) catches a pass behind Brooklyn Nets forward Thaddeus Young (30) during the second half in game one of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena. The Hawks defeated the Nets 99-92. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The Bad:

• I think I speak for every Atlanta Hawks fan when I say my stomach dropped like cement when Al started to writhe in pain clutching his hand. I’ve seen the narrative too many times to not have it cross my mind. Unfortunately, after Horford got taken to the locker room to have the finger addressed, the rest of the team seemed rattled. The Nets immediately went on an 11-2 surge following the injury timeout, no doubt causing concern leading into crunch time. Thankfully the x-rays of his dislocated pinkie were negative and he returned, but with him and Millsap not in 100% shape, we have to be grateful this playoff schedule has such long breaks in between games.

• The Nets interior size advantage lived up to the worries. Lopez had a field day with 14 boards, setting a new personal playoff high. As a team, Brooklyn doubled up on Atlanta on the offensive glass and poured in 54 points in the paint. All three point guards (Teague, Schröder, and Mack) incredibly had no rebounds between them. The size discrepancy and paltry rebounding numbers have been a concern all year long and Atlanta will need contributions from everyone going forward to help clean up the glass.

Next: Grades: The Starters