Heels in the League (NBA) 02/23/10
(NBA) 02/23/10
It is once again to check out what the ex North Carolina players did in the National Basketball Association by doing what is my daily post called “Heels in the League” (NBA). In this edition we check on the games from yesterday, Tuesday, February 23, 2010. To see a run down of all the games check out RealGM‘s recap. Also remember to come back during the day to see the “Before the Games” post (previews and lines of the games for tonight). But for now check out this recap from 02/23/10…
The first game of the night is a East/West clash between the New Orleans Hornets (WC 3rd SW) and the Cleveland Cavaliers (EC 1st Central), in what is the first (of two) games between the two franchises. The game was played at the Quicken Loans Arena in front of a sold out crowd of 20,562. For the home squad from C-Town it’s the trio of Tar Heels, with Antawn Jamison (44 Games: 38.4 MinsPG ~ 20.0 PPG ~ 8.7 RPG ~ 0.2 BPG), who starts the games, Jawad Williams, who does not play (DNP – Coach’s Decision) and Danny Green, who does not even dress for this one. In the game the ex NPOY gets a total of 37 minutes, scoring 18 points (7 for 14 ~ 1 for 4 ~ 3 for 4) to go with six rebounds, two assists, two steals while having a team hight +18 pts differential in this one. In the end it was Cleveland winning this one by 10 points, defeating New Orleans by the final of 105 to 95. With the W the Cavs are now 44-14 overall (.759 winning percentage), 25-4 at home (.862 winning percentage) and are the top squad in the East, 5.5 games ahead of anyone else.
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 second game of this recap is the one between divisional foes as the New York Knicks (EC 4th Atlantic) head north on I-95 to take on the Boston Celtics (EC 1st Atlantic). The game was played at the TD Garden in front of a crowd that numbered 18,624 in what is the second (of four) match ups, with Boston winning the first game by two points. In this one, for the home squad, we have ex UNC big man Rasheed Wallace (51 Games: 23.6 MinsPG ~ 9.9 PPG ~ 4.1 RPG ~ 0.9 BPG), who comes off the bench to play for 20 minutes. In that time the center scores seven points (3 for 6 ~ 1 for 2 ~ 0 for 0) to go with five rebounds and an assist, while his pts differential was -1. In the end it was Boston (-10) winning the game, but not covering the spread, defeating New York by four points, with the final being 110 to 106. With the victory the Celtics are 36-19 on the season (.655 winning percentage), 16-9 at home (.640 winning percentage) and are third in the East, 6.5 games behind the conference leader.
Main Stream Media:
ESPN ~ NBA.com ~ The Sporting News ~ CBS Sports
Blogs:
Celtics Hub (TrueHoop Network) by Zach Lowe
Celtics Blog (SB Nation) by Jimmy Toscano
Hardwood Houdini (FanSided) by bpaul
Slam Dunk Central by Jeff Sack
RedsArmy by Red’s Army
Moving on we have another East/West match up as the Minnesota Timberwolves (WC 5th NW) head to the sunshine state to take on the Miami Heat (EC 3rd SE), in what is the first (of two) games these franchises will have this season. The game, which was played in front of 15,854 spectators, was played at the AmericanAirlines Arena. For the visiting squad we have rookie Wayne Ellington (56 Games: 17.8 MinsPG ~ 6.4 PPG ~ 0.9 APG ~ 2.2 RPG), who comes off the bench to play 15 minutes. For the shooting guard it was a 15 points night (4 for 7 ~ 2 for 2 ~ 2 for 2) to go with four rebounds, one assist, a steal and three TOs, while having a +13 pts differential. When it was all said and done, in a pretty low scoring affair, it was Minnesota winning the game (but not covering the 7 points spread), defeating Miami by the final of 91 to 88. With the win the TWolves are now 14-44 for the season (. winning percentage), 5-24 on the road (.172 winning percentage) and are dead last in the West, 18.5 games behind the last playoff squad.
Main Stream Media:
ESPN ~ NBA.com ~ The Sporting News ~ CBS Sports
Blogs:
Howlin’ T-Wolf (TrueHoop) by JSteinmeyer
The second to last game is once again one that puts a Eastern team against a Western one with the game between the Detroit Pistons (EC 4th Central) and the Sacramento Kings (WC 4th Pacific). The game was played in front of an attendance of 11,557 at the ARCO Arena, and it’s the second (of two) meetings between these squads, with Sacramento winning the first one. For the home squad it’s Sean May (19 Games: 9.4 MinsPG ~ 3.2 PPG ~ 2.0 RPG ~ 0.2 BPG), who comes off the pine in this one and plays for 12 minutes for the Kings. In that time frame the power forward scores just two points (1 for 1 ~ 0 for 0 ~ 0 for 0) to go with one rebounds, a steal and a turnover while having a pts differential of +3. In this one, in what was a mild upset it was Detroit (+2.5) winning this one, defeating Sacramento by a dozen points, with the final score being 101 to 89. With the loss the Kings are now 18-39 overall (.316 winning percentage), 13-14 (.481 winning percentage) and are 13th in the West, 14.0 games out of playoff contention.
Main Stream Media:
ESPN ~ NBA.com ~ The Sporting News ~ CBS Sports
Blogs:
Cowbell Kingdom (TrueHoop Network) by Zach Harper
And what seems to be the pattern of the day, it’s once again a East/West battle, with the Golden State Warriors (WC 5th Pacific) playing host to the Philadelphia 76′ers (EC 3rd Atlantic). It’s a game played at the ORACLE Arena in front of a crowd that numbered 17,115 in what was the second game (of two) between these two squads. For the home team we should see Brandan Wright, but as we all know there is no sight of him as he is still recouping from the shoulder injury/surgery. In another mild upset, it is Philadelphia (+1) winning this game, defeating Golden State by the final of 110 to 102. With the loss the Warriors are now 16-40 on the season (.286 winning percentage), 12-17 at home (.413 winning percentage) and 14th in the West, 15.5 games behind the playoff chase.
Main Stream Media:
ESPN ~ NBA.com ~ The Sporting News ~ CBS Sports
Blogs:
Golden State of Mind (SB Nation) by Feltbot
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