Heels in the League (02/24/09)

02/24/09

A bit late today, sorry about that folks, here is my post about the ex Carolina players now in the National Basketball Association which I call “Heels in the League”. Last night was pretty light as far as ex Tar Heels are concerned, with just three teams with a touch of carolina blue on it were in action. But as you all know, be it one or all, if there are Heels playing there is this post awaiting.

First game of the night was the one between the Detroit Pistons and the Miami Heat, being played at the AmericanAirlines Arena and where the oddsmakers have the Pistons as a 4.5 points underdog versus the Heat. For Detroit it’s Rasheed Wallace getting 36 minutes in the middle and scoring a very mediocre six points to go along with six rebounds, two steals, one assist and a block. But not just the ex Heel was sub par last night, as his team mates didn’t fare much better, and that can only mean that Miami (30-26, 19-10 home) was able to take this game, defeating Detroit (27-28, 13-13 away) by a dozen, 103 to 91, behind Wade’s career high 16 assists. This pushes the Pistons below .500 and seventh in the Eastern standing (17 games back of Cleveland) and only two games ahead of Chicago.

In the second game of the night it’s the Dallas Mavericks heading to play another team from the lone star state, the San Antonio Spurs, at the AT&T Center. In this one the Vegas odds are making the Mavs a 4.5 underdog on the road. And while I was happy to see that Jerry Stackhouse had played the previous two outings, he was not on the floor for his squad in this one. In the end I doubt that the ex Heel’s ten minute contribution would have helped any, as San Antonio (38-17, 19-7 home) took the match easily, beating Dallas (33-23, 14-15 away) by the final of 93 to 76. Even with the loss if the playoffs were to start right now the Mavs would be in as the eighth seed of the West 13.5 games behind the Lakers and just one game ahead of the Suns.

The last game of the night with a touch of carolina blue it should show us the only active duo of ex Heels on one team, as the Charlotte Bobcats headed south to play the Phoenix Suns at the US Airways Center. For this game the brain trust of odds in Sin City say that the Bobcats are a seven point underdog. Looking at the box score we see that ex Heel big man Sean May yet again was absent from any playing time, and once again we are left wondering if it is because of his injury or because of his conditioning. The other ex Heel, speedy point guard Raymond Felton, got 41 minutes in the game (most for his squad) almost got a double double on the night. The ex Heel got 14 points (7 for 15) while dishing out nine assists, grabbing three boards and collecting five steals. Unfortunately it was not enough, as Phoenix (32-24, 17-11 home) won this one by 10, beating Charlotte (22-35, 6-20 away) 112 to 102. And while the Bobcats are in 14th place in the East, they are only 5 games behind the eighth squad (Milwaukee) with 25 games to play.

Shortlink: