Heels in the League (NBA) 01/31/10
(NBA) 01/31/10
Once again it is time to check up on the North Carolina players that are now at the next level. In this “Heels in the League” (NBA) post we check in on the games from yesterday, January 31, 2010. The National Basketball Association had nine games yesterday, all but two of them have a touch of Carolina Blue in them. What is rare in this edition of “Heels in the League” (NBA) is that none of the seven games are head to head match ups. So, sit back and relax as we go through the games from 01/31/10…
For a small recap from all of yesterday’s games you can check out Real GM’s post.
In the first game of the day we have the Dunver Nuggets (WC 1st Northwest) going to the lone star state to take on the San Antonio Spurs (WC 2nd Southwest). A game that was played at the AT&T Center in front of a crowd of 17,607 (max capacity: 18,797). For the visiting squad from the Mile High City it’s rookie point guard Ty Lawson (42 games: 22.4 MinsPG ~ 9.1 PPG ~ 3.5 APG ~ 0.9 SPG) who had a below average performance, playing just 14 minutes, scoring two points (0 for 3 ~ 0 fof 0 ~ 2 for 4) to go with two rebounds and a turnover. The national champ from last year had a -4 pts differential in this game. In the end it was a pretty one sided game as Denver took down San Antonio by 14 points, with the final score being 103 to 89. With the W the Nuggets are now 32 and 15 (.681 winning percentage), second in the East, 4.5 games behind the conference leader and 2 games in front of the third place squad.
Main Stream Media:
ESPN ~ NBA.com ~ The Sporting News ~ CBS Sports
Blogs:
Roundball Mining Company (TrueHoop Network) by Jeremy
Denver Stiffs (SB Nation) by Nate Timmons
Moving on to the second game, where we find the East/West match up of top teams, as the Boston Celtics play host to the Los Angeles Lakers. The game was played in front of 18,624 (max capacity: 18,854) at the TD Garden. For the home squad we have ex UNC big man Rasheed Wallace (42 games: 23.9 MinsPG ~ 10.2 PPG ~ 4.4 RPG ~ 0.8 BPG), who comes off the bench for 21 minutes. He too as a below average game as he only scores three points (1 for 3 ~ 1 for 3 ~ 0 for 0) to go with four assists, two steals, one rebounds while having a -2 pts differential. In what could be described as a up and down game, in the end it was Los Angeles taking it by the slighest of margins, defeating Boston by one, with the final score being 90 to 89. With the loss the Celtics are now 29 and 16 (.644 winning percentage), sliding down to fourth in the East, 7 games behind the conference leader and 4.5 games ahead of the fifth place squad.
Main Stream Media:
ESPN ~ NBA.com ~ The Sporting News ~ CBS Sports
Blogs:
Celtics Hub (TrueHoop Network) by Brian Cobb
CelticsBlog (SB Nation) by Jeff Clark
Hardwood Houdini (FanSided) by greenbanner18
Slam Dunk Central by Jeff Sack
RedsArmy.com by BigMck
The next game has the other team from LA as the Cleveland Cavaliers (EC 1st Central) play host to the Los Angeles Clippers (WC 3rd Pacific) in another East/West match up. The game is played at the Quicken Loans Arena (or as it’s nicnamed the “Q”) in front of a sold out attendance of 20,562 (max capacity. 20,562). For the home team we have the combo of Jawad Williams (24 games: 11.1 MinsPG ~ 3.8 PPG ~ 1.3 RPG ~ 0.6 SPG) and Danny Green (11 Games: 4.2 MinsPG ~ 2.3 PPG ~ 0.6 RPG ~ 0.2 APG), who both come off the bench for the Cavs to play in this game. Williams played for 20 minutes, scoring 12 points (4 for 8 ~ 2 for 5 ~ 2 for 2) to go with two rebounds, two assists and a TO. The forward had a +6 pts differential. Green just played three minutes, scoring four points (1 for 2 ~ 1 for 2 ~ 1 for 2) to go along with one rebound, one steal and a block. In this one Green had a pts differential of +4. As far as the game went it was all Cleveland in this one, defeating Los Angeles by 25 points, with the final score being 114 to 89. With the victory the Cavaliers are now 38 and 11 (.776 winning percentage), in first place in the East, 5.5 games ahead of the second place.
Main Stream Media:
ESPN ~ NBA.com ~ The Sporting News ~ CBS Sports
Blogs:
CAVS: the blog (TrueHoop Network) by John Krolik
Fear the Sword (SB Nation) by John Bena
King James Gospel (FanSided) by Cody Norman
Slam Dunk Central by Jeff Sack
The fourth game of this recap has the Orlando Magic (EC 1st Sotheast) heading to the Motor City to take on the Detroit Pistons (EC 5th Central). The game was played at The Palace of Auburn Hills with an attendance of 19,107 (max capacity: 22,076). For the team from the sunshine state it’s veteran guard Vince Carter (41 Games: 30.1 MinsPG ~ 15.6 PPG ~ 2.8 APG ~ 4.2 RPG), who I had a good discussion about with @russbengtson, who starts for the Magic and plays 19 minutes in all. The ex pupil of Dean Smith didn’t have a good game in this one as he only scored two points (1 for 8 ~ 0 for 1 ~ 0 for 0) to go with three rebounds, one assist and a steal, while having a +2 pts differential. In what was a pretty close game in the end it was Orlando beating Detroit by five points, with the final being 91 to 86. With the win the Magic are now 32 and 16 (.667 winning percentage), second in the East, 5.5 games behind the top team in the conference and 1 game ahead of the third place squad.
Main Stream Media:
ESPN ~ NBA.com ~ The Sporting News ~ CBS Sports
Blogs:
Orlando Magic Daily (TrueHoop Network) by Philip Rossman-Reich
Orlando Pinstriped Post (SB Nation) by Ben Q Rock
Howard the Dunk (FanSided) by Andrew Melnick
Need4Sheed by Natalie Sitto
In the next game we have the Indiana Pacers (EC 4th Central) going north of the border to take on the Toronto Raptors (EC 2nd Atlantic) at the Air Canada Centre. A game that was viewed live by 16,715 fans (max capacity: 19,800). For the team from Naptown it should be rookie power forward Tyler Hansbrough, but as we all know the national champion from last year is still out from an ear infection. Here is an online article about Hansbrough and his infection. As far as the game went it was Toronto taking this one, defeating Indiana by the final tally of 117 to 102. With the loss the Pacers are now 16 and 32 (.333 winning percentage), tied for 13th spot in the East, 8.5 games back of the last playoff spot.
Main Stream Media:
ESPN ~ NBA.com ~ The Sporting News ~ CBS Sports
Blogs:
Indy Cornrows (SB Nation) by Tom Lewis
Always Miller Time (FanSided) by Josh Dhani
Pacers Pulse (Bloguin) by Pace Miller
The second to last game of the night has the Minnesota Timberwolves (WC 5th Northwest) playing host to the New York Knicks (EC 3rd Atlantic) in another East vs West match up. The game was played at the Target Center in front of a crowd that numbered 13,711 (max capacity: 20,500). For the home squad we have rookie shooting guard Wayne Ellington (47 Games: 18.0 MinsPG ~ 6.1 PPG ~ 2.2 RPG ~ 0.9 APG), who comes off the bench for 22 minutes. In that time frame the guard scored eight points (3 for 6 ~ 2 for 3 ~ 0 for 0) to go with six board and an assist while having a +22 pts differential in the game. The game was all Minnesota in this one, defeating New York by 21 points, with the final score of 112 to 91. With the victory the TWolves are now 11 and 38 (.224 winning percentage), last in the West, 16 games out of the playoff picture.
Main Stream Media:
ESPN ~ NBA.com ~ The Sporting News ~ CBS Sports
Blogs:
Canis Hoopus (SB Nation) by wyn
Dunking with Wolves (FanSided) by Derrick Willis
TWolves Blog (Bloguin) by SG
And we finish the recap with the game between the Golden State Warriors (WC 5th Southwest) and the Oklahoma City Thunder (WC 4th Northwest). The game was played in front of a crowd of 17,565 (max capacity: 19,599) at the Ford Center. For the visiting team it was Brandan Wright, who does not play, as he hasn’t for the whole season since of his shoulder injury. As far as the game is concerned it was Oklahoma City taking this one, defeating Golden State by eight points, with the final score being 112 to 104. With the loss the Warriors slide to 13 and 33 (.283 winning percentage), second to last in the West, 12.5 games behind the eighth place team, 23 games behind the conference leader.
Main Stream Media:
ESPN ~ NBA.com ~ The Sporting News ~ CBS Sports
Blogs:
Slam Dunk Central by Stephen Rhodes
