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November 07, 2007
Bobcats down 32, why was Felton playing?
Somebody needs to protect Raymond Felton from his own toughness.
I'm guessing that's the coach's job.
Felton loves to play -- anytime, anywhere. It's endearing how much he loves basketball. It's also admirable that he's willing to play through pain and injury.
So I'm sure he wasn't complaining about being the last starter on the floor, with roughly three minutes left in the third quarter and the Bobcats down 32 points to the Phoenix Suns.
That's when Felton tripped over Steve Nash on a drive to the basket. Medical tests indicate Felton suffered no serious damage, but if you'd seen him collapse under the pain in his left knee, you'd think he was done for the season.
Sam Vincent should have had Felton on the bench with the other starters. Derek Anderson could have played mop-up -- by Anderson's own description, he's here as insurance -- so hopefully Vincent learned from this near-miss accident.
Posted by rbonnell on November 7, 2007 at 12:36 PM | Permalink
Comments
Because they were down by 32, and not up by 32?
The object is to win, not lose.
When do you give up? At half-time?
Posted by: Will | Nov 7, 2007 1:10:42 PM
He was tripped by the best player in the league who was also still playing in a game that was already decided (as was Diaw, Marion, Bell). Shouldn't the bobcat's bench be able to learn how to play in a game situation with a starting point guard? Raymond and this team still have a lot of learning to do. It is wrong to blame the coach - he was pretty much treating it as a glorified practice.
Posted by: Rich | Nov 7, 2007 1:17:46 PM
Bonnell....you are the worst writer ever. Why are you allowed to write for this paper? NBA teams make huge comebacks all the time. It was the 3rd quarter. Are you kidding me Bonnell?! My dogs deposit better stuff in the backyard than what you put down in your columns. Who did Felton trip over? Oh, wait! Steve Nash...only a 2-time MVP playing in the 3rd quarter during "mop-up" duty! How can you call it garbage time when it's still the third quarter. In the words of Herman Edwards, "You play....to win....the game! HELLO!!! You play to win the game!"
Posted by: Cody Paul | Nov 7, 2007 1:38:33 PM
I'm actually going to somewhat defend Rick in this scenario, as I don't think they were coming back and Felton had played 40+ minutes in the 2 wins before. I think he should have been on the bench, BUT.....
My BIGGEST issue is how BLATANT, CHEAP, and DIRTY this play was from a soccer player who was just complaining about getting cheap shotted last year. In a game with his team up 30, Nash was frustrated b/c of the individual matchup of keeping Felton in front of him without fouling and stuck his foot out and tripped in the middle of full speed spin to the basket. This should be reviewed as basketball players play on hardwood and don't where the protective equipment other athletes do in other sports where LEG WHIPS are illegal. The sad thing is Nash is someone Felton lookED up to and wanted to model himself after.
Posted by: jperry | Nov 7, 2007 1:55:09 PM
Ricky,
Don't let Bobcat's Fan (Cody Paul, among other names) bother you. They just want you to cheerlead in the paper for the Bobcats.
The fact that the Bobcats are shorthanded and have lost two potential starters before really starting the regular season should give our coach, Tim Vincent, pause. After about 20 games all we are going to be hearing about are the assorted ailments from Primo, Wallace and Okafor....we don't need Felton hurt too.
By the way, did you talk to Mike last night, Rick? Is he jacked up about the team? How was his dinner with Jeter?
Posted by: Tremain Willington | Nov 7, 2007 2:45:01 PM
you need to spend more time discussing why the greedy Okafor deserves the $17 that he thinks he deserves. I haven't seen anything in his play that deserves a tenth of that kinda money. We could get two others better than he is with that kinda cash.
Posted by: tim | Nov 7, 2007 2:56:35 PM
Sure you play to win - but you can't always get it done! If you saw the game, the Bobcats were totally outplayed by the Suns, and that's why they had no chance whatsoever to erase that 32 points deficit. Evidently, coach Vincent was fully aware of this, that's why all the starters (except for Raymond) were already on the bench. Rick is right, Felton should've been on the bench by that time. Cody Paul, you're fully entitled to your opinion on this, but why do you need to use all that hateful language?! Keeping up some standards of civil dialogue is a lot better... About Nash tripping Felton: it was obviously on purpose, it was dirty, the refs should've called a flagrant foul, and Nash deserves to be suspended for a few games. Unfortunately, I doubt that the NBA is about to do this to the two-times MVP.
Posted by: Sandy | Nov 7, 2007 3:28:53 PM
We have season tix and sit in in the lowere bowl and was right in front of the Felton fall...for sure the way he was moaning and holding knee, we thought he was going to be suiting up with May and Morrison ( who btw, wanted so bad to go out to Felton on the floor...he walked out on the court and looked motionless)...but was it a dirty play...the speed of it, and we were close, doesnt suggest it in my mind...but would like to see the replays. What I do agree, is that we were out of the game 8 minutes into the first quarter...the Suns were on the top of their game and for every good play we made...they made 4....game was really over by the end of the half...these things happen and it doesnt suggest you quit the game...but it does suggest that you finish and "live to play another day"
Posted by: Bob | Nov 7, 2007 5:35:25 PM
http://www.nba.com/games/20071106/PHXCHA/gameinfo.html?nav=scoreboardhome
Look at this link about 1 minute in and watch Nash as Felton goes by him. There was no tangling up or accidental contact. It was a yellow card play.
Posted by: jperry | Nov 7, 2007 8:06:07 PM
JUST SAW THAT REPLAY AND NASH SHOULD BE SUSPENDED....WHAT A FAG...HES A CANADIAN ANYWAY....
Posted by: PATRICK | Nov 7, 2007 8:36:40 PM
let's stop the season while we still have a winning record. if the playoffs started today would we be in?
Posted by: will | Nov 7, 2007 9:39:34 PM
Bonnell (and anyone else):
Can you riddle me this? Why is a guy, who averaged 18.4 points, 5.5 boards, 2.2 3's, 1.2 assists, .71 steals with only .82 turnovers a game and INSANE fg and pretty great ft percentages when getting starting minutes last season, pretty much the last guy coming off the bench this year? How did he slide to the end of the pine? Is there some deficiency that I'm missing here that is keeping Herrmann in some doghouse? What IS going on?
Can anyone else answer this for that matter?
Posted by: bloodface | Nov 8, 2007 7:00:41 AM
bloodface,
Honestly I am not sure. Maybe he's having a hard time adjusting to a new coach and system? Maybe his defense (I'm not saying I've seen a problem)? I don't know.
What I do think, however, is that we need him OR Dudley in the lineup at the 4 alongside Okafor at the 5. Our backcourt with Felton, Richardson, and Wallace can run and score with the majority of 1-2-3 combinations in the league.
Our biggest issue right now is consistent frontcourt scoring. Okafor shows flashes at times with his back to the basket, but is best getting garbage buckets and putbacks (the sole reason besides injuries that he doesn't get a Howard type contract). He needs someone else at the 4 spot to help take more attention off of him and we need someone else in the lineup that keeps teams from playing 5 on 4 at best.
Putting in Hermann or Dudley would make us as quick or quicker at every position on the floor and give us skilled scorers as well. I don't know if this will happen, but I think it will eventually give us our best chance of maximizing our talents when we are not in the 3 guard lineups with Wallace at the 4.
Posted by: jperry | Nov 8, 2007 9:51:16 AM
Mr. Bonnell,
You can always look at it this way. If the Bobcats' can play like this for the next five to nine years, maybe Charlotte can get rid of them too? Hummm? Kinda' gives you a warm feeling all over doesn't it?
Posted by: DH | Nov 8, 2007 11:42:04 AM
I agree that Dudley should get a chance at the 4 spot, he really wants to play, he knows how to score, rebound and guard. He has a good body size for that too, even though he is only 6'7". Hermann should be his main back up, and you can switch Hollins in&out every now and then.
Hermann on the other hand, has been a little lost since the preseason. I think he want's to do too much, but he is underachieving. He's defense has been very poor this past 4 games and his shooting is nowhere near the second half of last season. Maybe it has to do with playing time, but he has to trust himself and do one thing at a time.
On the other hand, Carroll, Dudley and Davidson, should be rotated more often in the 2,3&4 position together with J-Rich, Wallace & Okaforin order to allow some rest to the BIG 4 without having them all out at the same time. Finally, Hollins should be always the first option when it comes to Primoz. Primoz has been way to sloppy, is too lazy, slow and his shooting is the worst ever.
Posted by: RobC | Nov 8, 2007 2:22:16 PM
The game wasnt completely over with 3 mins left in the 3rd. Teams make runs in the NBA all the time. If the game was over, then Steve Nash wouldve been on the bench. His argument has no merit when the play included Steve Nash. Now if it was Marcus Banks then I can understand his argument. Just another example of Bonnell's obvious dislike for what he calls the local team aka Bobcats.
I don't know how anyone can make excuses for the way he reports on the local team aka Bobcats. He makes errors on the stats and his ariticle/observations are completely bland.
Posted by: Bobcats Fan | Nov 8, 2007 6:41:00 PM
Rick, you should have kept it real and just named the artilce "Rick Bonnel takes another jab at the bobcats with his brilliant hind sight"
Posted by: joe Hill | Nov 9, 2007 8:31:31 AM
I love Will's comment (first one above)..."Because they were down by 32, and not up by 32?The object is to win, not lose.
When do you give up? At half-time?" Rick is so bad at the Bobcats insight it actually turns my stomach. He posts, not edgy stuff that may to be tough to swallow, but seriously ludicrous stuff that a human being with a functional brain shouldn't write. The fact he makes a living at this is truly amazing. Every blog is filled with the same comments too. At what point does the Observer say, "Let's hire talent!"? Apparently never.
That said, I am starting one and I will be making several additions a week. I'd love the feedback. I got through a long first post and will add more after the Houston game.
Posted by: Shawn Wells | Nov 10, 2007 4:14:27 PM
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