Heels in the League (NBA) 03/17/10
(NBA) 03/17/10
Yesterday was another jam packed night in the National Basketball Association with eleven games altogether. That means this edition of “Heels in the League” (NBA) for the games from Wednesday, March 17, 2010, with nine games having a touch of Carolina Blue, one of them being a head to head match up, with the added bonus that one of the teams that has ex Heels on it clinches it’s divisional with a win yesterday. For a less Carolina oriented run down of the games you can check out ESPN’s Scoreboard Page, Real GM’s recap post or Inside Hoops’s Daily Round Up. But for now, here is this edition of “Heels in the League” (NBA) for the games from 03/17/10…
The first game of the night is also the only head to head match up with the Indiana Pacers heading (EC 5th Central) to C-Town to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers (EC 1st Central) in a divisional battle between on the opposite side of the spectrum. The game, played at the Quicken Loans Arena in front of a sold crowd of 20,562, is the third meeting (of four) between these two teams, with Cleveland having won the first two. For the visiting tem we should be seeing Tyler Hansbrough, but as we all know the lottery pick for the Pacers is likely out for the remainder of the season with an inner ear infection. For the home squad instead we have a trio of Tar Heels, with Antawn Jamison (54 Games: 37.7 MinsPG ~ 19.6 PPG ~ 8.7 RPG ~ 0.3 BPG) starting for the Cavs and playing 35 minutes, Jawad Williams (42 Games: 13.3 MinsPG ~ 4.2 PPG ~ 1.4 RPG ~ 0.1 BPG) coming off the bench for 20 minutes and Danny Green not even dressing for this one. Jamison was one rebound away from having his third double double in a row as he scored 17 points (7 for 12 ~ 2 for 4 ~ 1 for 2) to go with nine rebounds (2 on the offensive side), a steal and a TO while having a +12 pts differential. Williams only scored three points (1 for 3 ~ 1 for 1 ~ 0 for 0) to go with a board and a pts differential of -19. In the end Cleveland clinched the game, the series and their division with this one, defeating Indiana by five points, with the final score being 99 to 94. With the win the Cavs are now 54-15 on the year (.783 winning percentage), 30-4 at home (.882 winning percentage) and are first in the East, 6.0 games ahead of the second place squad. The loss drops the Pacers to 22-46 on the season (.324 winning percentage), 7-30 on the road (.189 winning percentage) and in 13th spot in the East, 12.0 games out of playoff contention.
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
Indy Cornrows (SB Nation) by spstevenson
King James Gospel (FanSided) by Cody Norman
Slam Dunk Central by Jeff Sack
Second game of the recap is between two teams that could be seeing action in the post season as the Atlanta Hawks (EC 2nd SE) head north of the border to take on the Toronto Raptors (EC 2nd Atlantic) in what is the third (of four) match ups between these franchises, with the first two won by Atlanta. The game was played at Air Canada Centre in front of an attending crowd of 18,441. For the team from down south it’s small forward Marvin Williams (66 Games: 30.0 MinsPG ~ 10.2 PPG ~ 5.1 RPG ~ 1.1 APG), who starts for the Hawks and plays a total of 32 minutes. The ex national champion has an off night scoring just two points (1 for 10 ~ 0 for 0 ~ 0 for 0) to go with four rebounds and a block while having a -7 pts differential. In the end, in what was a game that as close as it could be, it was Toronto beating Atlanta by a single point, with the final score being 106 to 105. With the loss the Hawks are now 43-24 overall (.642 winning percentage), 17-17 on the road (.500 winning percentage) and are fourth in the East, 10.0 games behind the conference leader and 6.5 ahead of the fifth team.
Main Stream Media:
ESPN ~ NBA.com ~ The Sporting News ~ CBS Sports
Blogs:
Peachtree Hoops (SB Nation) by hawksdawgs
Soaring down South (FanSided) by Kris Willis
Slam Dunk Central by Stephen Rhodes
The third game of the night is an East/West clash as the Oklahoma City Thunder (EC 3rd NW) taking on the Charlotte Bobcats (EC 3rd SE) in what is the second (of two) games between them, with OK City winning the first one. The game was played in front of 16,179 fans at the Time Warner Cable Arena. For the home squad it’s speedster Raymond Felton (66 Games: 32.8 MinsPG ~ 11.8 PPG ~ 5.5 APG ~ 1.6 SPG), who starts for the Bobcats and gets 38 minutes. For the national champion from 2005 it’s a 17 points performance (7 for 10 ~ 1 for 1 ~ 2 for 4) to go with seven assists, four boards, a steal and a block while having a +9 pts differential. In the end it was Charlotte winning this one, defeating Oklahoma City by eight points, with the final score being 100 to 92. With the W the Bobcats are now 35-32 on the year (. winning percentage), 25-8 at home (.757 winning percentage) and are sixth in the East, 18.0 games behind the conference leader, 0.5 games ahead seventh place and 1.5 ahead of the last playoff squad.
Main Stream Media:
ESPN ~ NBA.com ~ The Sporting News ~ CBS Sports
Blogs:
Rufus on Fire (SB Nation) by David Arnott
Moving on in the recap we find another divisional match up with the Boston Celtics (EC 1st Atlantic) playing host to the New York Knicks (WC 3rd Atlantic). The game, played at the TD Garden in front of a sold out crowd of 18,624, is the third (of four) with Boston having won the first two match ups. For the home squad we have ex UNC big man Rasheed Wallace (64 Games: 23.0 MinsPG ~ 9.4 PPG ~ 4.1 RPG ~ 0.8 BPG) who comes off the bench in this one for a total of 23 minutes. For the ex pupil of Dean Smith it’s a seven points performance (3 for 7 ~ 0 for 1 ~ 1 for 1) to go with three rebounds and a steal while having a pts differential of -6. In the end it’s Boston taking this one by a dozen, defeating New York by the final of 109 to 97. With the win the Celtics are 43-24 overall (. winning percentage), 21-12 at home (.636 winning percentage) and are tied third in the East, 10.0 games behind the conference leader and 6.5 games ahead in front of the next squad.
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
Slam Dunk Central by Jeff Sack
RedsArmy by BigMck
Celtics Life by Margaret
the fifth game of the night is yet again another East/West match up with the Orlando Magic (EC 1st SE) being host to San Antonio Spurs (WC 2nd SW) in what is the first (of two) clashes between these teams. This one was played at the Amway Arena with a crowd of 17,461. For the home team from the sunshine state it’s Vince Carter (62 Games: 30.9 MinsPG ~ 16.7 PPG ~ 3.0 APG ~ 4.1 RPG) who starts for the Magic and played a total of 30 minutes in all. For the shooting guard it’s a game high 24 points night (7 for 11 ~ 3 for 4 ~ 7 for 
to go with eight assists, four rebounds, and a turnover with a team high +22 pts differential. As far as the game went it was Orlando winning this one in a blow out of sorts, beating San Antonio by 26 points, with the final being 110 to 84. With the W the Magic are now 48-21 overall (.696 winning percentage), 28-7 at home (.800 winning percentage) and are second in the East, 6.0 games behind the conference leader and 4.0 ahead of the next squads.
Main Stream Media:
ESPN ~ NBA.com ~ The Sporting News ~ CBS Sports
Blogs:
Orlando Pinstriped Post (SB Nation) by Ben Q Rock
Slam Dunk Central by Stephen Rhodes
The next game of the recap is once again a conference vs conference one with the Dallas Mavericks (WC 1st SW) playing host to the Chicago Bulls (EC 3rd Central). This is the second (of two) games between the squads, played at the American Airlines Center in front of 20,406, with Dallas having won the first game. For the home town team it’s Brendan Haywood (63 Games: 31.9 MinsPG ~ 9.5 PPG ~ 9.9 RPG ~ 2.1 BPG), who starts for the Mavericks and plays for a total of 26 minutes. The big man in the middle scored four points (1 for 3 ~ 0 for 0 ~ 2 for 4) to go with three boards (2 on the offensive side), two blocks, an assist and a pair of TOs while having a +4 pts differential. In this one, which was a pretty high scoring affair, it’s Dallas winning it by seven, defeating Chicago by the final of 113 to 106. With the victory the Mavs are 46-22 overall (.676 winning percentage), 24-10 at home (.705 winning percentage) and are tied for second in the West, 4.0 games behind the conference leader and 2 games ahead of the next squad.
Main Stream Media:
ESPN ~ NBA.com ~ The Sporting News ~ CBS Sports
Blogs:
Mavs Moneyball (SB Nation) by zdgmans
The next game in the recap is a divisional one as the Minnesota Timberwolves (WC 5th NW) heading to EnergySolutions Arena to take on the Utah Jazz (WC 2nd NW) in what is the fourth (of four) clash between them, with Minny having a 2 to 1 advantage in this. The game was played in front of an attendance that numbered 19,851. For the visiting squad it’s shooting guard Wayne Ellington (64 Games: 18.3 MinsPG ~ 6.7 PPG ~ 0.9 APG ~ 2.2 RPG), who comes off the bench for a total of 22 minutes. For the rookie and national champion it’s a night where he scores 13 points (4 for 6 ~ 3 for 4 ~ 2 for 2) to go with a rebound, an assist and a TO while having a pts differential of -6. As far as the game went it was Utah winning this one pretty easily, defeating Minnesota by the final of 122 to 100. With the loss the TWolves are now 14-55 on the year (.203 winning percentage), 5-30 on the road and are dead last in the West out of any hope for the playoffs this year.
Main Stream Media:
ESPN ~ The Sporting News ~ CBS Sports
In the second to last game of this recap we have the New Orleans Hornets (WC 5th SW) playing the Golden State Warriors (WC 5th Pacific) in what is the fourth (of four) clashed between them, with New Orleans having won the first three. The game was played at the ORACLE Arena in front of 17,155 spectators. For the home squad from Cali we should see Brandan Wright, but as we all know by now he is out due to the shoulder injury and will probably be out for the rest of the year. As far as the game is concerned, in a high scoring affair, it was Golden State wining this one by 10, defeating New Orleans by the final score of 131 to 121. With the win the Warriors are now 19-48 on the season (.284 winning percentage), 15-20 at home (.428 winning percentage) and second to last in the West and out of any chances of going to the post season.
Main Stream Media:
ESPN ~ NBA.com ~ The Sporting News ~ CBS Sports
Blogs:
Golden State of Mind (SB Nation) by dj fuzzylogic
And we close this out with the game between the Milwaukee Bucks (EC 2nd Central) and the Los Angeles Clippers (WC 3rd Pacific) in what is an East/West match up. The game, who is the first (of two) between these two teams, was played at the STAPLES Center in front of a crowd that numbered 15,241. For the visiting squad it’s Jerry Stackhouse (26 Games: 20.3 MinsPG ~ 8.4 PPG ~ 1.8 APG ~ 2.5 RPG), who comes off the bench and plays a total of 12 minutes. For the vetersan shooting guard it’s a five points night (2 for 7 ~ 1 for 5 ~ 0 for 0) to go with one board and a pts differential -7. In the end it was Los Angeles winning this game, defeating the Milwaukee by eight points, with the final score being 101 to 93. With the loss the Bucks drop to 36-30 overall (. winning percentage), 13-21 on the road (.382 winning percentage) and are fifth in the East, 16.5 games behind the conference leade and 1.5 games ahead of the next squad.
Main Stream Media:
ESPN ~ NBA.com ~ The Sporting News ~ CBS Sports
Blogs:
Brew Hoop (SB Nation) by Frank Madden
