Not only are the Wizards going to have to set the tone early by winning Game 1, but they have to set the tone early in Game 1 if they want to win the series. Washington must play as hard as they did in their series clinching game over Toronto to put the Hawks on the hot seat.
The Hawks (60-22) were the best team in the Eastern Conference, and are going to be hard to put away if they are able to gain an early advantage in the series. The Hawks jumped out to an early 2-0 series lead over Brooklyn, and were able to cruise to a series victory even after a hard push by the Nets. If the Hawks are able to take an early lead over the Wizards, the series could turn in favor of the Hawks.
To ensure the Wizards come out strong and jump out to an early series lead, Paul Pierce has to get his team ready to play at a level even higher han they did when Washington and Toronto faced off. Atlanta is a far better team than Toronto, and is going to give the Wizards a much tougher fight in every game. With Paul Pierce continuing to be the scrappy player he is, he must get the rest of the team ready to battle.
Marcin Gortat was able to provide a huge boost for Washington in the paint in the Toronto series, but Nene is the one who will be needed most to pull off an upset of Atlanta. Nene needs to continue to rebound the ball exceptionally, while also finding a way to produce like he is able to. Gortat will find a way to score his points, but if Nene can also get going, the Hawks will have a hard time guarding the Wizards inside the paint.
Game 1 is where both teams are going to look to set the tone and prepare for a series that has high potential to last 7 games. Gaining an early series lead would give either team an opportunity to have some slack and prepare for a bad game another time in the series. Washington and Atlanta will show each other what they can bring to the table as soon as Game 1 begins, and will both look to set the tone and pace of the series.
