Heels in the League (NBA) 01/06/10
As we continue to keep up to date with the “Heels in the League” (NBA) post here is the edition from Wednesday, January 6, 2009. In all the National Basketball Association had ten games, half of them had a touch of carolina blue in them, with two of them having players from Chapel Hill on both benches. Talking about the NBA stay tuned as interviews with bloggers covering teams with Tar Heels on them should begin to come in within a week or so. But for now enjoy this recap for the games from 01/06/10…
The first game of the night has the Atlanta Hawks hosting the New Jersey Nets. A game that is played at the Philips Arena in front of a small crowd that numbered 11,219 (max capacity: 19,415). For the home team we have forward Marvin Williams starting and getting 29 minutes for the Hawks. The one and done small forward scores 12 points (4 for 7 ~ 2 for 2 ~ 2 for 2) to go with two rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block. In the end this was not much of a contest as Atlanta won the game by 30, demolishing New Jersey by the final of 119 to 89. With the W the Hawks are 22 and 12 (.647 winning percentage), holding on tight to fourth place in the Eastern Conference, 4 games back of first place.
Main Stream Media:
ESPN ~ NBA.com ~ The Sporting News ~ CBS Sports
Blogs:
Hoopinion (TrueHoop)
Peachtree Hoops (SB Nation) by hawksdawgs
The next game is one of the two that has Tar Heels on both benches. We see the Washington Wizards heading to C-Town to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Quicken Loans Arena (aka the Q) with a packed house of 20,562 (max capacity: 20,562). For the team from the nation’s capital we have the pair of Heels Antawn Jamison and Brendan Haywood. Jamison, who starts and gets 28 minutes in all, scores a game high 26 points (7 for 15 ~ 3 for 4 ~ 9 for 10) to go with two rebounds, an assist and a steal, while having a -16 pts differential. On the other hand Haywood, who comes off the bench for 27 minutes, gets just four points (1 for 4 ~ 0 for 0 ~ 2 for 4) along with seven boards (2 offensive), three blocks and a TO. The center’s +/- pts differential is -18. On the other side, for the home town Cavaliers, it’s another duo of Heels: Jawad Williams and Danny Green. And unlike most of the season both get more than 1 or 2 minutes in this one. For Williams it’s a 25 minute performance off the bench, where he scores 7 points (3 for 9 ~ 1 for 4 ~ 0 for 0) as well as four assists, a rebound and a steal (+18 pts differential). While Green, also coming off the bench, plays for five minutes, scoring five points (2 for 2 ~ 1 for 1 ~ 0 for 0) added to a rebound and a steal, for the guard it a +1 in the pts differential. In the end, just like the first game, this was not much of a match, as Cleveland took Washington down by 23 points, with the final tally being 121 to 98. With the W the Cavs are now 28 and 9 (.756 winning percentage) and are the top team in the Eastern Conference. The loss drops the Wizs to 11 and 22 (.333 winning percentage), placing them in the eleventh spot of the Eastern Conference, 3.5 games back of the eighth place.
There is a small online article from Hoopsnotes that talks about the Cavaliers and their non guaranteed contract players, which both Jawad Williams and Danny Green fall under that category. From the same web page there is another article that talks about Jamison heading to Cleveland, which is also a thought that the Wizs’ blog, TruthAboutIt, had about the power forward.
Main Stream Media:
ESPN ~ NBA.com ~ The Sporting News ~ CBS Sports
Blogs:
Truth About It (TrueHoop Network) by TruthAboutIt
Cavs: The Blog (TrueHoop Network) by John Krolik
Fear the Sword (SB Nation) by John Bena
Bullets Forever (SB Nation) by Jake the Snake
Slam Dunk Central by Jeff Sack
Giving you an extra video, it’s LeBron James scoring by making a shot from behind the back board:
In the next game of the night it’s the Orlando Magic hosting the Toronto Raptors, a game that was played at the Amway Arena with a practically sold out crowd of 17,461 (max capacity: 17,519). For the home team it’s guard Vince Carter, who starts for the Magic and gets 31 minutes in all. The Tar Heel only scores seven points in the game (2 fo 7 ~ 0 for 1 ~ 3 for 3) to go with four assists, three rebounds and a steal. In a pretty tight game it was Toronto winning this one by a nickel, defeating Orlando by the final of 108 to 103. With the loss the Magic is now 24 and 11 (.685 winning percentage), and in third place in the Eastern Conference, three games behind the conference leader.
Main Stream Media:
ESPN ~ NBA.com ~
The Sporting News ~ CBS Sports
Blogs:
Orlandomagicdaily.com (TrueHoop Network) by Zach McCann
Orlando Pinstriped Post (SB Nation) by Ben Q Rock
Howard the Dunk (FanSided) by Andrew Melnick
In the next game we have the Boston Celtics traveling down I-95 to the sunshine state to take on the Miami Heat. This game was played at the AmericanAirlines Arena with an attendance of 19,600 (max capacity: 20,000). For the visiting team we have ex UNC big man Rasheed Wallace, who starts this game and gets 36 minutes. The ex pupil of Dean Smith scored 16 points (6 for 11 ~ 3 for 5 ~ 1 for 1) to go with nine rebounds, two steals, a block and an assist as well as a trio of TOs. Wallace had a +12 pts differential in this game. The game went into overtime where it was Boston to take it, defeating Miami by the final tally of 112 to 106. With the W the Celtics are now 25 and 8 (.757 winning percentage) and are in second place in the Eastern Conference, a game back of the conference leader.
Main Stream Media:
ESPN ~ NBA.com ~
The Sporting News ~ CBS Sports
Blogs:
Hardwood Houdini (FanSided) by greenbanner18
Slam Dunk Central by Jeff Sack
The last game of the night is another head to head match up between teams that have a touch of carolina blue as the Golden State Warriors head to the Target Center to take on the Minnesota Timberwolves. The game is played in front of a crowd that numbered 12,046 (max capacity: 20,500). For the visiting squad we should get to see Brandan Wright, but the forward is still out due to his should injury and surgery. The one and done for Roy Williams is still a few months away from seeing the hardwoods. On the other side, for the Timberwolves, it’s rookie guard Wayne Ellington, who comes off the bench for 18 minutes in this one. The national champ scores nine points (4 for 6 ~ 1 for 1 ~ 0 for 0) to go with a rebound and an assist. As far as the game is concerned it was Golden State taking this one by a half dozen, defeating Minnesota 107 to 101. With the win the Warriors are now 10 and 24 (.294 winning percentage) and in 14th place in the Western Conference, 8.5 games back of the last playoff spot. The loss slides the TWolves to a record of 7 and 29 (.194 winning percentage), placing them last in the Western Conference, 12.5 games behind the eighth spot in the conference.
Main Stream Media:
ESPN ~ NBA.com ~ The Sporting News ~ CBS Sports
Blogs:
Howlin’ T-Wolf (TrueHoop Network) by howlingtwolf
Golden State of Mind (SB Nation) by R Dizzle
Shortlink:
