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Nets hang in, but can’t get over top in playoff-opening loss to Hawks

ATLANTA — The Nets spent the previous four days hearing about how they shouldn’t be in the playoffs, how no one wanted to watch them play, how the Hawks had essentially been given a bye into the second round.

At times throughout Sunday’s opening game of this best-of-seven series, the Nets looked as if they’d taken those criticisms to heart. But something else seemed clear much more of the time: The Nets simply aren’t good enough to beat a team that finished the season with the best record in the Eastern Conference.

Despite momentary glimpses of strong play, the Nets eventually fell 99-92 to the Hawks, dropping the first game of this series and only reinforcing just how difficult a task they have in front of them.