Who’s with me?

How do you defend Dwight Howard? Well according to Larry Drew’s tactics last night, you don’t. And if you don’t know the score yet, I’ll tell you some more. The Hawks allowed Howard to post 46 points and 19 rebounds by choosing not to double team him, when trying to keep him under control. Oh, I forgot to mention, the Hawks won.

They won because even though Howard posted record after record in the playoff history of the Orlando Magic, Atlanta kept his colleagues quiet and stifled the scoring elsewhere on the hardwood. After Howard and Nelson’s contribution, no other player scored more than six. Nelson was the one player who stepped up, when Howard needed some help in the third. He posted 20 in the quarter and 27 points for the game. The Hawks had five players who posted more than ten, and four who notched up 15 points or more each. Johnson and Crawford scored 25 and 23 respectively in the game.

The Magic and Stan Van Gundy have their thinking caps on. Whilst onlookers will be confident that the Magic can beat the Hawks in seven, this was a home court game for Orlando and it is now lost.

The rest of the first round of games went the way of my bracket posted on Friday, and Nowitzky, Kidd, Bosh, James and Wade shone for their sides in getting the job done.

The brightest star in the East however, was once again MVP elect Derrick Rose. And he had to be at his very best, as the Pacers were loving their return to the playoffs after a five year absence. The player who typified Indiana’s spirit and effort on the night was former Tar Heel Tyler Hansbrough. The North Carolina graduate took a hit to the face which saw him wobble off the court looking concussed. But Hansbrough made it back on to the court, stole the ball, and raced to the other end to drop it in, announcing his return to the game. Hansbrough scored 22 points on the night just two behind the Pacers’ top scorer Danny Granger.

So in Indiana’s backyard Indiana were ready, but so was Rose. And whilst this wasn’t Chicago at their best, they got away with one as unlike Orlando, they played a solid team game. Even in a Rose quiet period the Bulls always kept them in sight, and finished things off by scoring 16 of the last 17 points scored at the Conseco Fieldhouse on the night. Rose finished with 39-6 (rebounds) -6 (assists).