10 Things We Learned from the 2014 NBA Playoffs Opening Weekend

With the first weekend of the 2014 NBA playoffs now in the books, we can finally start to look at some tangible evidence when trying to figure out which teams are headed towards the Finals. While a one game sample size is obviously not enough to make definitive judgments (otherwise, Josh McRoberts would be the odds-on favorite to win next year’s Slam Dunk Contest), it can begin to either confirm or refute questions that had arisen towards the end of the regular season.

Every single series carries with it a host of subplots worth following and examining: Can the Pacers prove that their late season funk was just pre-playoff malaise and not a bigger red flag? Can the veteran Spurs carry the momentum of their league-best regular season into the postseason? Can anyone on Memphis or Charlotte, respectively, slow down Kevin Durant or LeBron James?

We got answers to all these questions and more, and while we have seen but a fraction of this two month second season play out, some interesting storylines are already beginning to emerge. Here are 10 Things We Learned from the 2014 NBA Playoffs Opening Weekend.

Matchup: Portland Trail Blazers vs. Houston Rockets
Game 1 result: Portland 122 - Houston 120 (OT)

After a regular season in which he averaged 26.8 points and 15.5 rebounds per game against the Rockets, LaMarcus Aldridge came out and dominated Game 1 to the tune of 46 points and 18 rebounds as the Trail Blazers scored a comeback road win in Houston. Aldridge was especially lethal in the post, going 6-for-11 on the block and scoring 16 points, nearly double his season average from that spot on the floor (8.3). He even sunk two three pointers after making just three during the entire regular season.

It didn't even matter if defensive whiz Dwight Howard was guarding him; Aldridge simply dominated from the opening tip until he fouled out with about a minute to go in overtime. The Blazers' offense was on point all night, and Aldridge and Damian Lillard (who scored 31 points of his own) became the first duo to score at least 45 and 30 in a playoff game since Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen did it in 1992.

With Patrick Beverly now out again after reinjuring his knee, Houston's defense has never been more vulnerable. For Aldridge (and Lillard too), the opportunity to dominate on offense will never be greater.

Matchup: Washington Wizards vs. Chicago Bulls
Game 1 result: Washington 102 - Chicago 93

After a regular season in which they lost their best player to injury, traded one of their other best players for basically nothing, and yet somehow still found a way to win 48 games and finish fourth in the Eastern Conference, the Chicago Bulls were a trendy pick to reach the Eastern Conference Finals. While it's certainly still a possibility (Joakim Noah and Tom Thibodeau are two of the best at what they do), making such a statement has overlooked the Washington Wizards, who demonstrated Sunday night that they are for real.

With Nene back in the lineup after missing six weeks from the end of February to early April with a sprained MCL, Washington won their final four regular season games and have carried that momentum into the playoffs. The frontcourt of Nene and Marcin Gortat has both the size that can give the Bulls trouble and the playoff experience not to back down, and the pair combined for 39 points and 21 rebounds on Sunday. The backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal, while playoff neophytes, are also unafraid and will continue to be buoyed by Nene's return.

For their part, the Bulls' No. 1 concern has been with their offense and lack of a go-to scorer late in games. That they managed just 18 fourth quarter points did nothing to allay those fears, and it's reasonable to wonder if that, combined with the Wizards' confidence and talent, will be enough to send Chicago home early.

Matchup: Memphis Grizzlies vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Game 1 result: Memphis 86 - Oklahoma City 100

The Memphis Grizzlies may have barely qualified for the playoffs, but that certainly does not speak to how good they actually are. Since Marc Gasol returned on January 14, they are 33-13 and playing easily their best basketball of the season. Together with Zach Randolph, Gasol presents a difficult matchup for the Thunder given OKC's relatively punchless center committee of Kendrick Perkins, Steven Adams, and the immortal Hasheem Thabeet.

But the problem for Memphis is that Kevin Durant—the presumptive league MVP—negates that matchup difficulty, and then some. In 43 minutes during Game 1, Durant poured in 33 points to go with eight boards and seven assists, icing the game with 13 points in the final quarter. We know Durant is great, but his ability to swing a game that seems to be getting away from Oklahoma City takes him to another level.

It remains to be seen how Memphis will try to counteract Durant's scoring ability; Tony Allen was enough of an answer on Saturday, at least, with Durant going just 5-for-14 from the floor with the defensive specialist on him (versus 8-for-11 with anyone else). We're willing to guess that success won't last, however.

Matchup: Dallas Mavericks vs. San Antonio Spurs
Game 1 result: Dallas 85 - San Antonio 90

When the Spurs couldn't get their three point shooters any breathing room on Sunday, it looked like Dallas was going to be able to steal a game from their Texas rival despite off days both from Dirk Nowitzki and Monta Ellis. The Spurs' inability to get their patented pick-and-roll game going meant we were in for a low-scoring affair, and an abysmal 3-for-17 night from deep did little to help matters.

The outlook seemed pretty bleak for the defending Western Conference champions as they found themselves trailing 81-71 with 7:45 to go, but a renewed defensive commitment sparked a 15-0 San Antonio run that saw Dallas commit three turnovers and miss 12 shots in a row.

With the third-fewest points allowed per 100 possessions during the regular season, the Spurs' defense is already established as one of the NBA's best. If they can maintain that quality as they head towards a seemingly-preordained showdown with Oklahoma City, it would be hard to pick against San Antonio.

Matchup: Golden State Warriors vs. Los Angeles Clippers
Game 1 result: Golden State 109 - Los Angeles 105

Most trash talk in the modern NBA is the classic "all bark no bite." There's no reason to think that some of the salvos fired prior to the Clippers-Warriors series would lead to anything other than a lot of the classic "hold me back" behavior of the modern NBA.

Both teams play hard and have guys who are extremely physical, and in the heightened intensity of the playoffs there's going to be a lot of contact. The referees did not seem to understand that, though, and Game 1 of what should be a classic series was marred by numerous foul calls that disrupted the flow of the game.

Blake Griffin played just 19 minutes, getting whistled for three fouls in four first half minutes and fouling out early in the fourth quarter. Andre Iguodala collected four fouls in 11 minutes and played just 20 on the night before he, too, fouled out. If this is an omen for the rest of the series, these games could be borderline unwatchable.

Matchup: Charlotte Bobcats vs. Miami Heat
Game 1 result: Charlotte 88 - Miami 99

It was perfectly reasonable to wonder if only playing 54 regular season games was going to impact Dwyane Wade's on-court performance in the playoffs. If Game 1 is any indication, then the answer is a resounding "no."

Wade looked like, well, Wade on Sunday, going 10-for-16 from the field and scoring 23 points in Miami's win. He helped cap the Heat's game-winning 18-4 fourth quarter run with a rarely-seen three pointer that pushed the lead to 15, and prior to that was his usual self getting to the hoop.

According to the NBA's SportVU player tracker, D-Wade went 4-for-5 on drives to the basket and 6-for-7 on shots in the paint. If he can keep playing 34 minutes per game like he did Sunday and maintain that kind of production throughout the playoffs, it would be hard to bet against a Miami three-peat.

Matchup: Charlotte Bobcats vs. Miami Heat
Game 1 result: Charlotte 88 - Miami 99

Yes, the Charlotte Bobcats lost to Miami, and will almost certainly drop the series in four or five games. But if Sunday's game proved anything, it's that this Charlotte team is not here by accident. They play tough defense (they averaged the sixth-fewest points allowed per 100 possessions in the NBA during the regular season), have a legitimate anchor in the paint (Al Jefferson), and more than anything else, they play hard.

They even held a lead until Miami went on an 18-4 run in the fourth quarter to move ahead for good, and they accomplished all that with Jefferson feeling the effects of a foot injury suffered in the first quarter. With four Bobcats making their first playoff starts on Sunday, this is all virgin territory for them, but to their credit they did not back down an inch from the Heat.

Even though their season will almost certainly be over in the next couple of weeks, the Bobcats have demonstrated that this is an exceedingly well-coached team that is going to be a contender going forward.

Matchup: Atlanta Hawks vs. Indiana Pacers
Game 1 result: Atlanta 101 - Indiana 93

There has already been much discussion and consternation surrounding the Pacers' late season swoon, and with good reason. This is a team that started out the season 18-2 and was 46-13 after a win over the Jazz on March 2, then proceeded to go 10-13 over the regular season's final 23 games. They've spent the last few months making more headlines off the court than on. It has just been a bad scene.

Game 1 against Atlanta did absolutely nothing to change the emerging perception that the Pacers are a crumbling mess. Jeff Teague ripped them apart to the tune of 28 points, getting to the basket at will as Indiana fell 101-93 on their home floor. Roy Hibbert continues to struggle with his consistency, Paul George continues to struggle with shooting, and David West contributed very little.

Atlanta is not a great matchup for the Pacers, and considering Indiana has won just twice in Atlanta since December of 2006, this series has all the makings of a huge upset.

Matchup: Brooklyn Nets vs. Toronto Raptors
Game 1 result: Brooklyn 94 - Toronto 87

In case you haven't heard, Raptors' General Manager Masai Ujiri went to the Raptors' fan festival outside the Air Canada Centre grabbed a microphone, and, among other things, screamed “Fuck Brooklyn!” to the delight of the assembled Raptor faithful. Sadly, this motivational attempt didn’t work; the Raptors lost their first playoff game since 2008, and have now given home court advantage to the more experienced Nets.

Honestly, we’re not sure Ujiri’s bold proclamation actually made a difference. The Nets certainly didn’t seem to care, with Paul Pierce openly expressing surprise that Brian Colangelo (who was fired almost a year ago) was no longer the GM.

Note to Masai: maybe next time just keep those types of things to yourself.

Home team record in the East: 1-3
Home team record in the West: 2-2
Cumulative home team record: 3-5

It was not a great weekend if you are someone who believes in the "chalk" theory, always picking the home team. The higher-seeded Raptors, playing at home in Toronto, dropped the playoffs' first game and set the tone for a Saturday that saw the home teams go 1-3.

Sunday looked like it would follow suit, with first Dallas and then Charlotte holding fourth quarter leads on the road before seeing the Spurs and Heat, respectively, rally for victories. Despite these two setbacks, the road teams managed to take both of the day's final two games, bringing the home teams' final record to 3-5 after the opening weekend.

So what does it all mean? It certainly speaks to the maturity of the road teams, who all share the common characteristic of featuring at least a couple players with playoff experience who are less likely to be caught wide-eyed by the bigger stage. Falling into an 0-1 hole suddenly puts the higher seed in a borderline must-win situation, and has a tendency to reveal the character of that team.