UNC Basketball: Heels in the Pro’s ~ NBA (10/31/12)

November 1, 2012 by Leave a Comment

While the NBA season began on Tuesday it was not until last night that the National Basketball Association had a nice slate, giving us nine games in all. Of those seven of those had former UNC Basketball players in it, three of them with former Tar Heels on both benches. This means it’s once again time for another edition of the Heels in the Pro’s NBA Style, this time for 10/31/12. In all there were double digit players that once called Chapel Hill home in action last night. With seventeen former UNC Basketball players now at the next level it will be something that will happen plenty of time during the `12-`13 season. So, without further ado, let’s get going with this edition of Heels in the Pro’s NBA for October 31, 2012…

The first game of the night has the Indiana Pacers [Eastern Conference ~ Central Division] (4-3 in the pre-season) going north of the border to take on the Toronto Raptors [Eastern Conference ~ Atlantic Division] (6-1 in the pre-seaon) for what is the first game for both franchises this season. This is the first of four games between the two squads, this one shown on TSN (The Sport Network), has Indiana as a 1.5 points favorite. The game, played at the Air Canada Centre in front of a packed house of 19,800, lasted just over 2 hours and twenty minutes. For the visiting team it’s former National Player of the Year Tyler Hansbrough (@THANS50 on twitter), who comes off the bench for the Pacers for a total of 20 minutes in all. In that time frame the 6’9″ power forward scores eight points (2 for 5 ~ 0 for 0 ~ 4 for 4) to go with three rebounds, an assist while having a points differential of +2.. On the other side it’s Ed Davis (@eddavis32 on twitter), who comes off the pine for the Raptors and get a total of 14 minutes in all. While on the floor the power forward gets five points (2 for 4 ~ 0 for 0 ~ 1 for 2) to go along with a pair of boards, two blocks and two TOs while having a points differential of +1. In what was a real close game down the stretch and thanks to a plus 10 fourth quarter it was Indiana defeating Toronto by a duece, with the final being 90 to 88. With the W the Pacers begin the regular season on a positive note and will try to keep it going as they take on the Bobcats on the road on 11/02. On the other hand the Raptors will look to get their first win of the season on the Nets in Brooklyn on 11/03.

Picture thanks to Audley Stephenson (@TheAudman on twitter). Celebrating hia fifth season of the TheBreakdownShow, which is basketball talk, the way it should be!

 

 

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiGRzfYmvPc&w=640&h=360] 

Next game on the night has the Denver Nuggets [Western Conference ~ Northwest Division] (3-4 in the pre-season) going to the City of Brotherly Love to take on the Philadelphia 76′ers [Eastern Conference ~ Atlantic Division] (6-1 in the pre-season) in the first of two games in this East/West match up. The Vegas insiders have Philadelphia as a 1.5 points favorite in this one. The game, which lasted 2 hours and eight minutes, was played in front of a crowd of 19,101 (max capacity: 20, 328 at the Wells Fargo Arena. For the team from the Mile High City it’s speedster Ty Lawson (@TyLawson3 on twitter), who starts for the Nuggets and gets a team high 37 minutes. In that time the floor general scores a game high 16 points (7 for 17 ~ 1 for 2 ~ 1 for 2) as well as seven assists, five rebounds and a pair of steals while having a points differential of -3. In the end, in a very low scoring affair, it was Philadelphia winning this one, defeating Denver 84 to 75. The Nuggets, who lowest point production last season was 81, start off the season with a loss and will try to right the ship on 11/02 as they head to the sunshine state to take on the Magic.

 

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTay-0ASdCE&w=640&h=360] 

The third game of the night is the first one between divisional foes as the San Antonio Spurs [Western Conference ~ Southwest Division] (4-3 in the pre-season) heads to The Big Easy to take on the New Orleans Hornets [Western Conference ~ Southwest Division] (4-4 in the pre-season). This was the first of four games the two teams will play against one another and has San Antonion as a 6.5 points favorite. This game, which lasted just over 2 hours and ten minutes, was played at the New Orleans Arena in front of an attendance of 15,358 (max capacity: 17,188). For the visiting squad from the lone star state it’s Danny Green (@DGreen_14 on twitter), who starts for the Spurs and plays a total of 33 minutes. In that time the shooting guard scored nine points (4 for 11 ~ 1 for 5 ~ 0 for 0) to go with three rebounds, a pair of blocks, a steal and a turnover while having a points differential of -4. As far as the game went it was San Antonio taking a tight one, beating New Orleans by four, with the final being 99 to 95. The Spurs start the season with a W and will try to keep it going as they take on the Thunder on 11/01.

 

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkL70N8pi2Q&w=640&h=360] 

The fourth game of the night is once again a match up with former UNC Basketball players on both benches, three former Heels in all. In this one it’s the Dallas Mavericks [Western Conference ~ Southwest Division] (1-0 in the season) taking on the Utah Jazz (5-3 in the preseason). The game, the first of three games between the two squads, has Utah as a 8.5 points favorite in this one. The game, who went on for a total of 2 hours and 22 minutes, was played at the Energy Solutions Arena in front of a crowd that numbered 17, 634 (max capacity: 19,911). For the away squad it’s a pair of former Heels, with the first one being Brandan Wright (@bwright34 on twitter), who starts for the Mavs and plays for 26 minutes. In that time power forward got 15 points (7 for 8 ~ 0 for 0 ~ 1 for 2) to go along with three rebounds, two blocks, an assist and a turnover while having a +1 points differential. The other former player from Chapel Hill is Vince Carter (@mrvincecarter15 on twitter), who comes off the pine to play for 20 minutes in all. The veteran shooting guard scored a dozen points (3 for 12 ~ 2 for 4 ~ 4 for 4) to go with a pair of assists, a board and a turnover while having a points differential of -8. On the other side, for the Jazz, it’s newly acquired Marvin Williams (no twitter account for Williams), who gets 30 minutes as a starter. In that time the power forward scores a game high 21 points (7 for 13 ~ 2 for 3 ~ 5 for 5) to go with three rebounds, an assist, a steal, a block and a TO as well as having a +9 in points differential. At the end of the line, as far as the game wnt, it was Utah in a lopsided win, defeating Dallas by the final tally of 113 to 94. The W puts Jazz up for the season, and the team will be up next against the Hornets on 11/02. The loss puts the Mavs at 1 and 1 on the season, and will be in action on 11/03 versus the Bobcats.

 

 

[Added tweet...]

 

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[Bonus Video...]

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Xow16LlTiI&w=640&h=360] 

The fifth game on the night is also the third game with former UNC Basketball players on each side, this time both being rookies, as well as being a clash between Pacific Division foes. It’s the Golden State Warriors [Western Conference ~ Pacific Division] (6-2 in the pre-season) going up against the Phoenix Suns [Western Conference ~ Pacific Division] (5-2 in the pre-season). The game, which will be the first of four games, has Phoenix as a 2.5 points favorite. The game, played at US Airways Center in front of an attendance of 15,678 (max capacity: 18,422), lasted 2 hours and twenty minutes. For the visiting squad it’s Harrison Barnes (@HBarnes on twitter), who starts for the Warriors and plays just 14 minutes in all. In that time frame the small forward gets six points (2 for 5 ~ 0 for 0 ~ 2 for 2) to go along with three boards, an assist while accumulating a points differential of -2. On the other side, for the Suns, it’s floor general Kendall Marshall (@KButter5 on twitter), but the young man does not get to see any action in this game… “DNP ~ Coach’s Decision“. In the end, in a very low scoring affair, it was Golden State winning by a duece, defeating Phoenix 87 to 85. The Warriors begin well the season and will take on the Grizzlies on 11/02. While the Jazz will try to change their fortune as they play versus the Hornets on the road on 11/02.

 

 

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtTv6KRe7ys&w=640&h=360] 

The second to last game of the night is the one that has the Memphis Grizzlies [Western Conference ~ Southwest Division] (4-4 in the pre-season) heading to Tinseltown to take on the Los Angeles Clippers [Western Conference ~ Pacific Division] (5-3 in the pre-season). The game, which had LA favored by 3.5 points, is the first of four between the franchises. The game, which was played at the Staples Center in front of a packed house of 19,060, lasted 2 hours and 35 minutes in all. For the team from the Bluff City it’s Wayne Ellington (@WayneElli22 on twitter), who comes off the bench for a total of 16 minutes of action. In that time frame the shooting guard gets four points (2 for 5 ~ 0 for 2 ~ 0 for 0) to go along with a pair of rebounds and a +3 points differential. As far as the game, it was LA beating Memphis by 9, with the final score being 101 to 92. The loss starts the season for the Grizzlies on a bad note, but they can change that when they take on Golden State on the road on November 2nd.

 

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIsnlirz90k&w=640&h=360] 

In the final game of the second edition of Heels in the Pro’s NBA Style it’s Los Angeles Lakers [Western Conference ~ Pacific Division] (0-1 on the season) going to Rip City to take on the Portland Trail Blazers [Western Conference ~ Northwest Division] (3-4 in the pre-season). The match up, which was the first of four between franchises, has LA a 2.5 points favorite in this one. The game, which was played at the Rose Garden in front of a sold out crowd that numbered 20,401, lasted 2 hours and 23 minutes in all. For the team from Tinseltown it’s veteran Antawn Jamison (@Antawn_Jamison4 on twitter) coming off the bench for 13 minutes. In that period the power forward scored two points (0 for 2 ~ 0 for 2 ~ 2 for 2) to go with a rebound and a whopping -21 points differential. As far as the game goes it was Portland winning by double digit, defeating LA by the final of 116 to 106. With the loss the Lakers are now 0 and 2 on the season (0 and 10 including the pre-season), and will try to get their first win of the 2012-13 season when they play their neighbors, the Clippers, on November 2nd.

 

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd-htFIZWxU&w=640&h=360] 

That’s it, the seven game recap for the former UNC Basketball players now in the NBA. In all there were eleven former Heels to talk about, of those ten played, four had scored in double digits, one getting over twenty points. Make sure you come back tomorrow for the next edition of Heels in the Pro’s NBA Style. And as usual for more information about North Carolina basketball and/or football, teams and players, present and past, make sure to check back often on isportsweb!

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