Heels in the League 04/04/09 (NBA)
04/04/09
Yesterday’s slate for the National Basketball Association was a decent seven games in all. Of those over half, four to be exact, featured teams that have ex North Carolina players on them. So, as you all know by now, when an ex UNC player is in action in the NBA the next day on The Fifth Corner it’s time for me to do the post I call “Heels in the League”. We are down to the last ten day of the regular season and for a lot of the Tar Heels that means the end of the line, since they will not see the playoffs. On the other hand, some will see the post season, and of course that will also be followed on this same daily post.
First game of the night was the New Jersey Nets (3rd in the Atlantic Division) and the Chicago Bulls (2nd in the Central Division). For the visiting Nets it was ex Tar Heel Vince Carter getting a lot less minutes than usual, just 28, and scoring way below his season average, four (compared to 20.9 ppg), to go along with two rebounds, two assists, one steal and a block. Carter’s performance at the United Center was definitely not the best one of the season, and when the ex Heel isn’t on his best game the team usually will not win. This is the case last night as well with Chicago (37-40, 25-12 home) getting the win by 9 points over New Jersey (31-45, 15-23 away), 103 to 94. And while the Nets are still mathematically able to make the playoffs, being 5 back with six games to go, it’s highly unlikely it’s going to happen.
The next game with a touch of carolina blue is the one that has the Detroit Pistons (3rd in the Central Division) going to the Wachovia Center and facing the Philadelphia 76′ers (2nd in the Atlantic Division). In the game ex UNC big man Rasheed Wallace got 26 minutes coming off the bench and didn’t do much with them. The Pistons’ center scored just eight points on 3 for 12 shooting (1 for 7 from beyond the arc), while collecting six rebounds, three blocks, two assists and a steal. When it was all said and done it was Philadelphia (40-35, 24-15 home) taking this game by 5, defeating Detroit (36-40, 17-21 away) 95 to 90. With the loss the Pistons slides to the eighth spot in the playoff race, with the Bobcats 2 games behind with a handful of games to go.
This game is a match up of the top teams in the Southeast Divisions as the Orland Magic (1st in the Southeast Division) went north to the Philips Arena to take on the Atlanta Hawks (2nd in the Southeast Division). Marvin Williams didn’t play in this one, but I bet he wished he had, in a very low scoring game, it was Orlando (57-19, 27-11 away) beating Atlanta (43-34, 29-10 home) by the final tally of 88 to 82. With the Hawks’ loss and the 76′ers win the Atlanta lead for fourth place is just 2 games, but with so few games left in the season it would seem that the Hawks will keep their position and have a first round home advantage against the 76′ers.
The last game of the night has a duo of ex Heels as the Miami Heat (3rd in the Southeast Division) come up north to the nation’s capitol to take on the Washington Wizards (last in the Southeast Division) in match up from the Southeast Division. For the home squad it’s Antawn Jamison and Brendan Haywood, both starting in front of the Verizon Center crowd. Jamison had a good game, scoring 23 points (8 for 15 ~ 1 for 4 from 3 ~ 6 for 11 FTs), while adding seven rebounds, an assist and a steal in 37 minutes. His team mate, Brendan Haywood, had a double double while playing 35 minutes, scoring 18 points to go along with a game high 12 boards. The ex Heel also had four assists and a block on the night. Unfortunately all of that was not enough as Miami (41-36, 15-24 away) beat Washington (18-60, 13-27 home) by the final tally of 118 to 104.
Shortlink:
