Heels in the League (NBA) 01/26/10
(NBA) 01/26/10
And yes, once again, it is time to get back in checking out the North Carolina players in the Pro’s, as it’s time for the next edition of “Heels in the League” (NBA), that covers the game from yesterday, Tuesday, January 26, 2010. The National Basketball Association didn’t have a big schedule last night, with just five games in all. Of those five four of them had a touch of Carolina Blue, with one of them being a West Conference head to head match up. So, without further ado, let’s get going with this recap for the games from 01/26/10…
We begin this recap with a East/West coast clash as the Los Angeles Lakers (WC 1st Pacific) come to the nation’s capital to take on the Washington Wizards (EC 5th Southeast), after meeting up with President Obama. The game was played in the Verizon Center, in front of a sold out crowd that numbered 20,173 (max capacity: 20,173). For the team from the nation’s capital it’s the tandem of Antawn Jamison and Brendan Haywood, who start for the Wizards and both come close to having double doubles in this one. Jamison, who played for 46 minutes, scored a game high 27 points (11 for 22 ~ 2 for 4 ~ 3 for 4) to go with nine rebounds (2 offensive), an assist and a TO, while having a -8 pts differential. Haywood, who was on the floor for 32 minutes, scored 11 points (4 for 6 ~ 0 for 0 ~ 3 for 5) along with eight rebounds (4 on the offensive side), an assist and turned the ball over once while having a pts differential of -9. In a game that was won in the second quarter, it was Los Angeles to beat Washington by a dozen points, with the final being 115 to 103. With the loss the Wizards are now 14 and 30 (.318 winning percentage), placing them second to last in the East, 7.5 games behind the eighth place team in the conference.
Main Stream Media:
ESPN ~ NBA.com ~ The Sporting News ~ CBS Sports
Blogs:
TruthAboutIt (TrueHoop Network) by TruthAboutIt
Bullets Forever (SB Nation) by Mike Prada
Extra coverage on The Fifth Corner. I know it has nothing to do with any Tar Heels in this recap, even if general manager of the Los Angeles Lakers since the 2000–01 NBA season Mitchell “Mitch” Kupchak is from the Carolina Family, here is the video of the Lakers at the White House:
The next game of the night, another East/West Coast match up, has the Minnesota Timberwolves (WC 5th Northwest) going to the mecca of basketball, Madison Square Garden, to take on the New York Knicks (EC 3rd Atlantic), in a game that was witnessed by 18,111 (max capacity: 19,763). For the visiting squad it’s rookie Wayne Ellington, who once again gets decent minutes, 18 in all, coming off the bench. In that stretch the shooting guard scores eight points (3 for 6 ~ 2 for 2 ~ 0 for 0) to go with one rebound and a turnover while having a -9 pts differential. Unfortunately for the ex national champ and his team mates this was not much of a game, as New York defeated Minnesota by 27 points, with the final score being 132 to 105. With the loss the TWolves are still in single digit wins at 9 and 37 (.196 winning percentage), being the last team in the West, 16.5 behind the last playoff squad in the conference and 25.5 games behind the conference leader.
Main Stream Media:
ESPN ~ NBA.com ~ The Sporting News ~ CBS Sports
Blogs:
Dunking with the Wolves (FanSided) by Derrick
TWolves Blog (Bloguin) by SG
In the third game we have yet again an East/West battle as the Charlotte Bobcats (EC 4th Southeast) go to the US Airways Center to take on the Phoenix Suns (WC 2nd Pacific). The game was played in front of crowd of 15,722 (max capacity: 18,422). For the visiting team from the east coast it point guard Raymond Felton, who starts and gets 38 minutes in all. For the speedster from Chapel Hill it’s a 17 points night (7 for 8 ~ 1 for 2 ~ 2 for 2) to go along with four rebounds, four assists, two steals and four TOs while composing a -3 pts differential in the game. In yet another game that goes overtime, and another first for the Bobcats, Charlotte defeats Phoenix by five, by the final of 114 to 109. With the W the Bobcats are once again at .500, with a record of 22 and 22, in seventh place in the East, 12 games behind the conference leader and 0.5 game in front of the last playoff squad.
Main Stream Media:
ESPN ~ NBA.com ~ The Sporting News ~ CBS Sports
Blogs:
Queen City Hoops (TrueHoop Network) by Brett
Rufus on Fire (SB Nation) by David Arnott
Slam Dunk Central by Jeff Sack
And finally we close out this post with the head to head divisional match up as the Golden State Warriors (WC 5th Pacific) took on the Sacramento Kings (WC 4th Pacific), in a game that was seen live by 14,522 fans (max capacity: 17,317) at the ARCO Arena. For the visiting team it would be Brandan Wright, but as we know he didn’t play as he still recovering from the shoulder surgery. On the other side, it is ex UNC big man Sean May, who for the first time in a long while gets playing time, 15 minutes off the bench. In that time frame the ex national champion scores seven points (2 for 4 ~ 0 for 0 ~ 3 for 6) to go along with 11 rebounds (4 offensive) and a pair of turnovers while having a +6 pts differential. In what was a pretty tight game, in the end Sacramento outlasted Golden State by a final of 99 to 96. With the W the Kings are now 16 and 28 (.364 winning percentage) and holding on to the 13th spot in the West, 8.5 games back of the last playoff spot. With the loss the Warriors drop to 13 and 30 (.302 winning percentage), 14th in the West, 11 games back of the eighth place team.
Main Stream Media:
ESPN ~ NBA.com ~ The Sporting News ~ CBS Sports
Blogs:
WarriorsWorld.net (TrueHoop Network) by Sherwood Strauss
Cowbell Kingdom (TrueHoop Network) by Zach Harper
Golden State of Mind (SB Nation) by Feltbot
Slam Dunk Central by Stephen Rhodes
