The Washington Wizards pulled off a 104-98 Game 1 upset against a weary Atlanta Hawks squad Sunday, and Al Horford called the NBA’s postseason scheduling “very funky.”
The Wizards were fresh off a week-long rest after sweeping the Toronto Raptors, while the Hawks had closed out the Brooklyn Nets just 38 hours before taking on Washington.
Horford finished with 17 points and seventeen rebounds in the series-opening loss.
Per the AJC:
The Hawks did not use fatigue as an excuse for the 104-98 loss to the Wizards in Game 1. However, it was noted among members of the team that the other Eastern Conference semifinal between the Cavaliers and Bulls does not start until Monday night. The Cavaliers and Bulls had series-clinching wins on April 26 (four games) and April 30 (six games), respectively.
Hawks center Al Horford shared text messages with his father, former NBA player Tito, about when the next series would begin. […] When is the next game, Monday? No, Sunday. The late game? No, the 1 p.m. game.
“The schedule is very funky,” Horford said. “I’m not going to lie. It is. There is no question about it.”
