Round 1 of Hawks-Bulls series goes to Al Horford in his battle with ex-Gator teammate Joakim Noah
Tuesday, May 3, 2011 | Men's Basketball, Track and Field, Scott Carter
If you're like me – a casual NBA fan who pays a lot more attention once the playoffs start – then this is the time of year you look forward to.
The Celtics-Heat series is one I'm keeping a close eye on. The Dallas-L.A. Lakers series is also very intriguing. But the second-round matchup I'm most interested in is the Bulls-Hawks, a pair of teams without much playoff success the past decade.
But this year is different. The Hawks upset the Magic in the first round and the No. 1-seed Bulls quickly disposed of Indiana.
Two guys most of you are very familiar with – former Gator teammates Al Horford and Joakim Noah – are playing a large role in the series. Horford started at center for the Hawks in Game 1 Monday night, and Noah was Chicago's starting center.
Horford and Noah know what it's like to win championships – they won a pair of NCAA titles with the Gators – but now they are trying to beat each other.
Horford grabbed the early advantage on Monday when the Hawks continued their playoff surprises by knocking off Chicago, 103-95, on the road in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Both Horford and Noah spent most of the night on the court – Horford playing 38 minutes and Noah 39.
However, Horford had the better overall game, finishing with 9 points, 13 rebounds, four assists and two blocks to help the Hawks snap a 15-game losing streak in second-round playoff games. Perhaps the most impressive stat of Horford's night was that the Hawks were +13 net points when he was on the court.
Meanwhile, Noah finished with 11 points, nine rebounds, two assists and a block. The Bulls were even when Noah was on the court.
The series resumes with Game 2 on Wednesday night in Chicago. I'll provide a comparison of the two former Gators after each game to see how they stacked up against one another.
QUOTES OF NOTE:
“If you looked at us in the regular season, we are a roller coaster. We come out and play great, the other game we get blown out by 50, and so people are saying, 'Same Hawks again.' I can understand that. But I think the guys have come to realize we have an opportunity to do something special. We are just embracing our chance to still be in the playoffs.'' – Horford after Game 1.
“It's tough when your best player is limping off the court with an injury that you know he's had before. It's tough, but right now, we have a game on Wednesday in less than 48 hours.'' – Noah after Game 1, discussing the ankle injury suffered by teammate Derrick Rose near the end of the regulation on Monday night.
