The Washington Wizards left their first game of their first round series in the 2018 NBA Playoffs with a high-scoring loss, but they were in it up until the very end. Here are three takeaways from Game 1.
It’s expected for every 8-seed to lose their first game of the playoffs. Upsetting a 1-seed is a rare thing in the NBA, but winning a Game 1 away from home is even harder. The tricky thing about this game was that the Toronto Raptors had developed a nasty habit recently of losing their first game of every playoff series.
Had the team ever been a 1-seed during that spell? No, but the fear was definitely there from the fans.
The Washington Wizards aren’t your typical 8-seed either. They were a team that unfortunately started to decline in the rankings due to John Wall‘s injury. They’re a team that should definitely be higher if their entire team were healthy, which they just so happen to be now.
Unfortunately, the Toronto Raptors have re-invented themselves this year, and with their different brand of basketball, the curse of losing Game 1s disappeared to start the 2018 NBA Playoffs.
While the Wizards ended up losing by eight on Saturday, the game was much closer than a usual 1-seed would like, meaning this series could end up being a long one. Here are the Wizards’ three biggest takeaways from Game 1 of their first round series.