It's Buzz City Kids' Day at the Spectrum Center, a rare 1pm tip-off for the Charlotte Hornets and the Phoenix Suns.
1:05 - A kid named Brogan Hall just killed the National Anthem. Hoping that's an omen for a great day for the hometown team.
1:10 Tip-off, ball controlled by the Hornets. Immediately Marvin Williams drills a three-pointer. The Suns can't get it much past half-court before Nicolas Batum steals it and deals it to Michael Kidd-Gilchrist for the lay-up.
1:11 - UNC grad Marvin Williams drains another three, after a Suns miss. Hornets jump out to an 8-0 lead, and Phoenix calls a timeout less than two minutes into the game!
1:14 - Devin Booker, who put up 70 Friday night against Boston, misses an ugle three-point attempt. Hopefully he left his shot in Beantown.
1:20 - At 7:35 the Suns make their first FG of the game. 17-3 Hornets.
1:20 - Seconds later Marvin Williams sinks his 3rd three-pointer of the day. If only that juju will translate to his fellow Tar Heels in Memphis this evening.
1:21 - Suns call another timeout, after a Cody Zeller bucket. 22-3 Charlotte.
1:24 - 5:33 to go in the 1st and the Hornets lead by 20. 27-7. It doesn't look like the "Tank's In The Building Jinx" is going to work today. Yes, I just knocked on wood.
1:28 - TIMEOUT Phoenix. 2:18 to go in the 1st. Hornets lead 32-9.
1:33 - MKG scores a layup. The Kentucky alum has 6. UNC's Marvin Williams has 9. Tar Heels ahead in the NBA version of the Elite Eight so far.
1:34 - END OF THE 1ST - HORNETS 38 SUNS 18
1:37 - The Suns start out the 2nd quarter with two straight buckets, but MARVIN hits three #4 on the day! Hot one for the "old man." He's 4 of 5 so far.
1:40 - Frank Kaminsky hits a three-pointer of his own. Timeout on the floor. Hornets up 44-28. 9:05 to go in the half.
1:41 - The obligatory T-shirt toss. Same ole, same ole. I now miss the sock toss from the NCAA tournament. That needs to be the new "thing."
1:44 - Phoenix's Alan Williams stuffs a layup attempt by the Hornets' Briante Weber. Not smart. Fun watching a grown man pushed backward in mid-air. Weber is still getting comfortable in the NBA.
1:47 - The Tank has missed some "easy" twos so far. That's three, by my count. Kemba drills a three, his first. Quick exchange and Jeremy Lamb with a rim-rocker! Hornets' lead is 14, 48-34. 6:15 to go before bathroom break.. I mean, halftime.
1:53 - 3:00 to the half Nicolas Batum takes a smooth pass from Kemba, swishes an open three. The lead is 19. 57-38. ***Check that. 57-39, after a Booker jumper was changed to a three. *** Either way, I don't think he's getting to 70. He has 6 with nearly half of the game over.
1:58 - With 1:44 to go, Cody Zeller pulls off a sneaky play. He pokes it loose as Booker dribbles down the floor. A perfect transition play, 3 on 1 and Zeller slams it home.
2:02 - KEMBA CLUTCH! At the buzzer, Kemba drills another Hornets three. POTTYTIME. HORNETS 69 SUNS 47.
2:23 - Potty break: Successful. Finding the ever-elusive Pete Kaliner in the crowd: Unsuccessful. Hornets still rolling by 16. 74-58. 7:50 to go in the 3rd.
2:30 - AAAAND I'm getting nervous. 5:53 in the 3rd and the Hornets' lead is down to 11.
2:32 - Check that. 9.
2:35 - Frank hits a jumper to put the Hornets back up 11. 85-74 with 2:56 to go in the 3rd. Can't help thinking about the "Tank Jinx." I think Steve Clifford is to, as he calls a timeout after several back-and-forth buckets. The Hornets are 0-3 with Tank in the building. Losses to LeBron and Miami, KD and the Thunder, and Milwaukee without the Greek Freak. Eesh.
2:43 - A pair of free throws by Marvin gives Charlotte an 18-point advantage. with a minute left in the quarter. Good run by the Hornets. ***Unclinching***
2:44 - Devin Booker has turned up his game in the 2nd half. 11 points in the 3rd, after scoring just 10 in the 1st two quarters. Hornets still with an 18-point lead at the end of 3. HORNETS 98 SUNS 80.
2:50 - Hornets hit the century mark. Have a 15-point lead. Marvin's up on MKG 16-12. South Carolina has a 5 point lead on Florida. Things are looking really good. Maybe if I leave now, I beat the traffic and get back to Asheville, just in time for Carolina-Kentucky tip-off at 5:05?
2:52 - Crap, it's a 10-point Hornets lead.
2:56 - 8.
2:57 - MAAAAARVIIIIIN WILLIAAAAAMS!! THREE!!! 5 of 6 from three for the former Tar Heel. He's up to 19.
2:59 - 5:51 to go. Timeout Hornets. 9-point game. 103-94. Another T-shirt toss? HANES makes underwear. Dear Hornets PR, we need a Purple and Teal Underwear toss! Gotta be the Comfort Fit waistbands, though. Make it happen!
3:03 - It's a 4-point game. I'm out. If they win, you can thank me later. HAHAHA!