NBA Playoffs 2013: Breaking Down Every Opening-Round Series

The first round of the 2013 NBA playoffs started off slowly and finished with a flurry.

Three clubs with home-court advantage were booted by their underdog competitors, while favorites such as the New York Knicks and Oklahoma City Thunder fought desperately to advance.

How exactly did the Golden State Warriors conquer the Denver Nuggets? What were the keys to the Memphis Grizzlies' triumph over Lob City? And how in the world did the Chicago Bulls advance?

Find out as we break down every opening-round series.

No. 1 Oklahoma City vs. No. 8 Houston Rockets

Key Storylines

The series was initially billed as "James Harden vs. his former team." The narrative quickly shifted when Russell Westbrook was ruled out due to his meniscus injury, suffered when he collided with Patrick Beverley in Game 2.

OKC suddenly was without half of its megastar tandem, and his absence for the rest of the playoffs cast a shadow on the series.

Kevin Durant proceeded to put the team on his shoulders as Reggie Jackson, Derek Fisher and Kevin Martin did their best to chip in.

Key Stats

Kevin Durant took 23 shot attempts per game after Westbrook's departure, Chandler Parsons' back-to-back 20-plus scoring nights fueled Rocket victories, and OKC's 40-24 advantage in the paint in Game 6 sealed the series.

How It Played Out

Despite Westbrook's Game 2 injury, Durant spearheaded a Game 3 win to put the Thunder up 3-0. Then, it was time for a Houston comeback.

The perimeter energy of Patrick Beverley and James Harden put Oklahoma City on its heels, while the all-around play of Parsons and the interior decorating of Omer Asik upended the Thunder.

Beverley's emergence was critical after Jeremy Lin was sidelined with a chest contusion, and a combined 47 points off turnovers helped Houston secure Games 4 and 5.

In the clincher, Durant and Martin teamed for 52 total points as OKC committed just 10 turnovers. Without Westbrook, they advanced to face the Memphis Grizzlies.

Result: Thunder in six

No. 2 San Antonio Spurs vs. No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers

Key Storylines

Even if Kobe Bryant had been healthy, the Los Angeles Lakers would have struggled mightily to advance past the San Antonio Spurs.

Since he was nursing his torn Achilles, Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol had little chance of challenging Tim Duncan and company.

The big question entering the series was how much of a fight LA would put up. The results weren't pretty.

Key Stats

The Spurs had seven players with seven-plus points per game, Steve Nash and Steve Blake played just two games apiece, and Gregg Popovich's crew won each game by double digits.

How It Played Out

LA engineered a spirited effort in Game 1, but that was about as high as its hopes would get.

For the most part, San Antonio moved the ball effortlessly, as it shot 49 percent from the field collectively. Matt Bonner went insane from long distance (6-of-8, 75 percent), and the Spurs never ran out of options.

Howard and Gasol averaged double-doubles and showed flashes of dominance. Nevertheless, San Antonio collectively out-rebounded Los Angeles over the course of the four games.

Tim Duncan and Tony Parker look like the championship tandem of the past, and the Spurs are now a favorite to reach the NBA Finals.

Result: Spurs in four

No. 3 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 6 Golden State Warriors

Key Storylines

In one of the most exciting series of the first round, the Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors clashed in a high-scoring slugfest.

George Karl's group was without Danilo Gallinari (ACL), while Mark Jackson's squad lost David Lee in Game 1 (torn hip flexor).

It was an opportunity for Stephen Curry and Ty Lawson to exhibit their skills, and did they ever.

Key Stats

Lawson posted 21.3 points and 8.0 assists, Stephen Curry shot 47 percent, and Golden State dished 23.8 assists per game. 

How It Played Out

A see-saw battle in Game 1 resulted in a Nuggets triumph and a torn hip flexor for Lee. Both setbacks seemed gargantuan, as the Dubs were now without their frontcourt anchor and down 0-1.

I doubt any prognosticators foresaw Golden State reeling off three straight wins to take command of the series. In each game, Stephen Curry waited for his turn to strike and proceeded to cripple the Nuggets with a flurry of triples and dimes. During the Warriors' four wins, he notched a ridiculous 28 points and 9.8 assists per game.

Lawson's playmaking skills were dazzling, and Denver physically dominated Golden State in Game 5. Unfortunately, Curry and his supporting cast (including a surprise return by Lee) held them off in Game 6 to advance. 

Result: Warriors in six

No. 4 Los Angeles Clippers vs. No. 5 Memphis Grizzlies

Key Storylines

A rematch of 2012's first-round skirmish featured the Los Angeles Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies.

The Griz sought to avenge last year's Game 7 loss, while Lob City looked to prove that its regular-season success wasn't a mirage.

It ended up being by far the most physical and chippy matchup of the first round. Elbows and extracurricular activity reigned, and the result was a reversal of 2012's outcome.

Key Stats

Memphis averaged 100-plus points per game (regular season: 93.4), while Blake Griffin hauled in 5.5 rebounds per game.

How It Played Out

It's simple: The Grizzlies executed their offensive and defensive sets terrifically, and the duo of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph owned the Clippers' frontcourt.

While Gasol and Randolph were busy gobbling up boards, Mike Conley and Jerryd Bayless did more than their fare share to hold down the fort against Chris Paul and Jamal Crawford.

Los Angeles reverted to its inefficient ways offensively, as its stagnant unit generated just 18 assists per game.

A CP3 buzzer beater in Game 2 will be easily forgotten as the Clips were whipped on both ends of the floor.

Result: Grizzlies in six

No. 1 Miami Heat vs. No. 8 Milwaukee Bucks

Key Storylines

Although the Miami Heat were overwhelming favorites to win the series, Milwaukee Bucks guard Brandon Jennings predicted his club would win in six.

This bold statement gave the defending champs even more reason to thrash the Bucks and advance quickly to the second round.

The Big Three and company didn't treat Jim Boylan's boys too kindly

Key Stats

Nine Heat players registered five-plus points, Brandon Jennings shot under 30 percent from the field and 21 percent from three, and LeBron James shot 63 percent. 

How It Played Out

Milwaukee grabbed leads in almost every game, but Miami always had an answer. Chris "Birdman" Anderson supplied huge production during his modest minutes, Ray Allen drilled three-plus triples per night, and Miami's defense clamped down.

The Heat took care of their individual assignments and rotated well as a unit, and the result was a meager 85.2 points per game for the Bucks.

Result: Heat in four

No. 2 New York Knicks vs. No. 7 Boston Celtics

Key Storylines

The injury-plagued Boston Celtics encountered a high-octane New York Knicks group with an enhanced commitment to defense.

This was a battle between two veteran-laden clubs and the potential swan song for the shamrock's Big Three.

The series began as a landslide and ended as a nail-biter.

Key Stats

The Celtics posted 75 points per game in the first three contests, Carmelo Anthony shot 18-59 (31 percent) in Games 4 and 5, and the Knicks survived by winning the turnover and rebounding margins.

How It Played Out

Boston's offense was hideously inept in the first three games. That's partially due to Avery Bradley's shaky play and partially due to the Knicks' overachievement defensively.

A Game 4 win for the Celtics was widely viewed as little more than a consolation prize. That is, until they convincingly bested the Knickerbockers at Madison Square Garden in Game 5.

The closeout game featured a brilliant start for New York, which only led to a collapse and subsequent 20-0 Boston run.

Carmelo made enough shots down the stretch, but the Knicks must shape up if they want to oust the Indiana Pacers in Round 2.

Result: Knicks in six

No. 3 Indiana Pacers vs. No. 6 Atlanta Hawks

Key Storylines

Indiana Pacers vs. Atlanta Hawks wasn't a highly-anticipated series because it pitted small-market teams and almost no superstars.

Fortunately, the matchup witnessed several superstar-caliber performances. More importantly, it included a major mid-series momentum shift that put the Pacers' season at risk.

Key Stats

Both teams shot 42 percent from the field, but Indiana dominated the glass, grabbing 49.3 rebounds compared to Atlanta's 38.3.

How It Played Out

Paul George's ultra-productive first couple of games complemented the Pacers' stifling team defense and control of the boards.

Their 2-0 series lead wasn't safe, as the Hawks returned to Atlanta to see Al Horford and Josh Smith tie the series.

Frank Vogel regrouped his troops and re-focused them defensively, and the rest is history. Larry Drew's bunch suffered a damning power outage in Games 5 and 6.

Result: Pacers in six

No. 4 Brooklyn Nets vs. No. 5 Chicago Bulls

Key Storylines

The New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics grabbed the most headlines, but the Brooklyn Nets vs. Chicago Bulls series was the most hard-fought, exhilarating first-round clash in the East.

Would Deron Williams and company muster enough firepower to topple Tom Thibodeau's hard-working outfit?

The bigger question became: Would the injury and illness-stricken Bulls be able to survive?

Key Stats

Numbers don't tell the story in this one, as at least six Bulls were hampered by sickness or leg/foot issues. Nevertheless, Chicago won the assist and rebound margins.

How It Played Out

A strong Game 1 win for Brooklyn was quickly old news when Nate Robinson and company methodically took three straight games.

Joakim Noah gutted through plantar fasciitis to post a near-double-double in less than 30 minutes per contest. Meanwhile, Luol Deng missed the final two days due to a brutal virus, and Kirk Hinrich was sidelined mid-series when he bruised his calf.

A pair of timely wins for the Nets forced a Game 7 at Barclays Center. Brooklyn's offense lacked flow, Chicago won the battle of the paint, and Noah and Marco Belinelli turned in magnificent nights.

Despite being shorthanded, the tough-as-nails Bulls snatched the road win and earned the right to advance.

Result: Bulls in seven