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January 12, 2008
Stray thoughts entering the Bobcats-Pistons' game
- If Raymond Felton misses considerable time with that ankle sprain (and the guy has a ridiculously high pain threshold), remember the Bobcats have a spare roster spot to sign a point guard to a 10-day contract.
You can find a fill-in point guard in the developmental league. It would be much harder to find a minor-league big man who could actually play NBA minutes.
- Close losses like Friday are a reminder how costly the Bobcats’ poor foul-shooting can be. They shot 58 percent from the line against the Cavaliers, and making one more free throw in regulation would have made Felton’s 3-pointer a game-winner.
- Speaking of free throws, it’s interesting how coach Sam Vincent often chooses not to use Emeka Okafor in the fourth quarter, instead going with Nazr Mohammed as the basketball eqivalent to a "closer.’’ Not that Mohammed is great at the foul line, but his low-post scoring has come in handy of late.
- I’ll be interested to see if the Bobcats’ zone defense continues to be as effective, now that scouts have had a week to study it in long stretches. Gadget defenses are less effective in the pros than in college, because NBA teams have a wide enough skill set to exploit the deficiencies you’re looking to hide in a zone.
Posted by rbonnell on January 12, 2008 at 02:03 PM | Permalink
Comments
Any thoughts on that terrible out of bounds call at the end of regulation? It isn't mentioned in any of the game recaps or the TV highlight packages.
Posted by: Michael Procton | Jan 12, 2008 2:45:54 PM
Okafor should not be signed for the maximum. He is a solid NBA role player and nothing more. It has been stated that Okafor doesn't score a lot because he doesn't have a true PG to get him the ball. Nazr has the same PGs as Okafor and he scores on a consistent basis. I really hope the Bobcats don't sign Okafor to a really big deal. I think he should be on the team, but not for big money.
I agree that the Felton isolation play at the end of the first overtime was insane. Nevertheless, Vincent is doing a respectable job. The Bobcats will turn it around...
Posted by: Token | Jan 12, 2008 2:59:22 PM
I was at the game and Charlotte clearly got screwed as the ball definitely went off Lebron's hand and out of bounds. I could see it from 40 rows up so it's amazing that not one of the 3 refs could. I also watched on a replay today and Lebron hit it out without a doubt.
Carroll had a great game and there is no explanation for why McIniss ever sees a minute on the floor at Carroll's expense.
Posted by: bayne | Jan 12, 2008 4:08:18 PM
Vincent is doing a respectable job? A team that can consistently play with (and BEAT) the very best teams in the NBA should not be anywhere close to NINE GAMES UNDER .500!
Posted by: Michael Procton | Jan 12, 2008 6:12:18 PM
Our team is still young, but we made a few mistakes down the stretch that good teams never make. Gerald got the ball stolen after securing a rebound. I actually blame the player who bought his man behind Gerald without giving a heads up. We allowed Damon Jones to get two wide open looks at a 3ptr b/c Gerald wanted to cheat on Lebron. Let him drive, but only limit him to a 2. If he scores, then ur still up by 1. keep scoring on ur end and you still have the lead.
I don't understand why we called a Felton Iso play at the end of the first OT. I can live with him taking the shot if he was left open after a kick out, but a Iso play for Felton isn't smart coaching.
Posted by: bobcats fan | Jan 12, 2008 6:43:26 PM
Two things hurt the Bobcats the other night.
1) Poor shot selection or poor choice of plays at the end of the 4th
2) Poor officiating
I saw Okafor get called for a foul on the offensive end late 4th QTer and Varejo does the same on the other end and gets nothing called.
It is not to say that Charlotte didn't have thier chances but the Refs definitely bailed Cleveland out with "Phantom" calls and no calls on our end. How could they not call a foul when Felton was clearly bumped.
Posted by: CEREBRUM | Jan 12, 2008 8:54:41 PM
I nicknamed my penis Bob.
Posted by: Michael Procton | Jan 13, 2008 1:15:12 PM
It shows how much Felton & McInnis were missed. The Bobcats held the ball too long on possessions at the end.
How many times did the shooter get the ball with little time on the clock?
Also Carrol has to improve his defense because Billups was his man on the game tying 3-pointer I do believe. I can't believe he was that wide open.
I guess the positive is the better play of the team. There have not been large blow outs the last couple of games even when we do lose. We are just one player away from getting over the top.
Posted by: CEREBRUM | Jan 13, 2008 3:03:58 PM
Here is the best video I can find on the basket interference call that stole a Bobcats win.
http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/videopage?videoId=3194083&categoryId=2459788
I ran through it several times and everything I saw was perfectly legal. It was hard to see the Bobcats lose on a bad call but I never suspected they would even be competitive with the Pistons. Also, on a sad note one of the first thoughts I had at the game was "did this ref make a bet?" All the years I have been a NBA fan I have never ever thought such a thing...a sad leftover from the 2007 referee betting scandal.
The Bobcats are playing much, much better after the long overdue adjustments MJ & SV made: sitting Okafor more in the 4th, playing Matt Carroll more, and sitting McGinnis almost all the time.
Posted by: RoyFan | Jan 14, 2008 12:20:11 PM
My Goodness..Procton actually has a penis!
Posted by: Bob | Jan 14, 2008 10:31:12 PM
My Goodness..Procton actually has a penis!
Posted by: Bob | Jan 14, 2008 10:34:45 PM
VOTE GW TO BE AN ALL STAR
http://youtube.com/watch?v=QFIMtglVS6g
Posted by: BDUB | Jan 17, 2008 11:03:59 PM
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