By Frank Heath
Sports Columnist
It can be difficult for fans of college basketball — especially around these parts, where the natural rivalries are so entrenched — to warm up to pro hoops and the NBA. But when the playoffs are in swing, as now, some among us can’t help but try.
Of course it doesn’t hurt when there are a couple of former Carolina guys playing for contenders, as there are now, with Rasheed Wallace and Vince Carter; and it goes without saying that it was easier still to motivate for the playoffs back during the 1990s when Michael Jordan and the Bulls were blitzing the league to the tune of six championships. Leading up to that, James Worthy’s years with Magic and the Lakers in the mid-to-late ‘80s were a fun ride as well.