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August 16, 2008
Playoffs? Lottery may be more likely for Bobcats
There's impact, and then there's IMPACT. I think Larry Brown will make the Bobcats better next season, maybe winning five games they wouldn't have otherwise won.
Doesn't mean I think they'll reach the playoffs.
I think it will be harder - perhaps significantly harder - to make the playoffs in the Eastern Conference than it was the past two seasons. Injuries could diminish some top teams (think Miami's precipitous fall last season), but the way other teams are improving will make it tough on the Bobcats, who (at least so far) haven't done much to change their look.
Again, barring major injury, I think seven teams are virtual locks in the East. As of now, I'd rank them: Boston, Cleveland, Orlando, Philadelphia, Detroit, Toronto and Washington.
That would leave the Bobcats vying for the last spot with at least four other teams: Milwaukee, Atlanta, Chicago and Miami.
I think Richard Jefferson will greatly improve the Bucks and the Bulls and Heat added the top two players in the 2008 draft. The Hawks will miss Josh Childress, so they could slide.
The Bobcats haven't done much to upgrade beyond hiring Brown. They locked up Emeka Okafor (a wise move, but that retains, not improves). They added some depth at point guard with rookie D.J. Augustin. And if Jason Richardson plays the way he did the second half of last season, the Bobcats will have their first All-Star.
However, until they add a versatile, athletic big man to complement Okafor, looks like they're treading water and pointed back toward the draft lottery.
Posted by Observer Sports on August 16, 2008 at 10:05 AM | Permalink
Comments
I think that anyone who is a fanof the Bobcats know that we need to add that versatile big man to get to that next level. We just wonder if the Front Office knows this. Oh well, I guess we can start looking the 09 NBA draft.
Posted by: Steve | Aug 16, 2008 10:54:06 AM
They had a chance to add a big man and instead they drafted some seven foot tall pastry chef. BRILLIANT!!!!!
This is what happens when the man in charge of "basketball decisions" is more worried about tee times and strip clubs. Sorry Charlotte, you deserved better.
Posted by: TP | Aug 16, 2008 11:55:40 AM
For real, when is this team going to move to another city ?
Posted by: Good grief | Aug 16, 2008 1:31:12 PM
Yeah and the bobcats have the highest lower bowl ticket prices in the entire NBA. AMAZING!! They need to adjust the prices down enough to sell out the arena and then start raising them when they create an atmosphere. Simple economics. Why in the world would someone pay $150 for a ticket when you are the only one at the game and you can get the same ticket from scalpers for $25?
Posted by: Bob | Aug 16, 2008 2:14:01 PM
Well said Rick. We have been begging for an impact starting PF to put beside Okafor for the last 2 seasons. As we come up on season 3 what do we have? Another year of "maybe Sean May..." when he's never proven an ability to stay healthy or be a force even when healthy, a second year hard worker in Davidson (improving but not nearly ready to contribute major minutes) and Ajinca, a man who, I will say kindly, needs a LOT of work in the NBDL. That's it. So what is the front office doing? Evidently nothing. They could have signed Josh Powell as a young player to compete for the role but the Lakers finally signed him. They've got too few assets to make a deal for a starting PF without giving up Wallace (if anyone wants him). So where does that leave us? STUCK IN NEUTRAL, just as Bonnell said.
I'm not sure the Bobcats can afford that. By making stupid draft picks we are left only slightly better than last season while other teams have stepped up in a big way. DJ will be a good player, but there were TONS of free agent PG's available that could have filled in behind Felton. Had we chosen Lopez, we would have had a big man to place beside Okafor from day 1. Or if we had chosen Bayless we could have moved Wallace in a trade for a PF (Al Harrington?), played J-Rich at the 3 and Bayless at the 2. That would be a heck of a team once everyone was up to speed.
DO SOMETHING BOOBCATS. WE WANT YOU TO SUCCEED BUT YOU'VE GOT TO STEP UP AND GET A STARTING PF!!
Posted by: Truth 1 front office 0 | Aug 16, 2008 3:05:11 PM
I took a client from out of town to a game last year and he said his city gets a better turnout for WNBA games. Then I told him I paid $300 for the two club seats and he almost fell out of his chair laughing. I agree the premium seat prices are WAY TOO HIGH! In fact, it's a real slap in the face to the fans. They are trying to sell tickets for MORE THAN TWICE market value and THEN lock you in for three years!!! My entertainment money will not be going to the bobcats this year.
Posted by: Bobs Cats | Aug 16, 2008 3:16:59 PM
I'm a season ticket holder. Although I didn't break the bank to get club level seats, I've got nice lower bowl corner seats on the isle across from the club level. I can touch the guy in club and spent $65/seat, which was down from $75 last year. I go to about half the games and sell the others in 5 game blocks. I don't have any problem selling them because most people dont mind spending $65/seat for 5 games. The problem comes when they are asked to invest in 41 games. The market allows me to sell in 5 game blocks, so thats what I do. Now one day the team will be competitive, then those same empty games some are complaining about now, will be sell outs, and you won't be able to get tickets to later. Its a double edged sword. Be careful what you ask for. If you want to go to a game, there is no reason to spend top dollar to sit in club, when there are plenty of other reasonably priced seats elsewhere in the arena.
Posted by: FuriousStyles | Aug 16, 2008 5:04:21 PM
I'm a season ticket holder. Although I didn't break the bank to get club level seats, I've got nice lower bowl corner seats on the isle across from the club level. I can touch the guy in club and spent $65/seat, which was down from $75 last year. I go to about half the games and sell the others in 5 game blocks. I don't have any problem selling them because most people dont mind spending $65/seat for 5 games. The problem comes when they are asked to invest in 41 games. The market allows me to sell in 5 game blocks, so thats what I do. Now one day the team will be competitive, then those same empty games some are complaining about now, will be sell outs, and you won't be able to get tickets to later. Its a double edged sword. Be careful what you ask for. If you want to go to a game, there is no reason to spend top dollar to sit in club, when there are plenty of other reasonably priced seats elsewhere in the arena.
Posted by: FuriousStyles | Aug 16, 2008 5:07:50 PM
This is a last place team and will always be until they disband in a few years.
Posted by: Toilet Face | Aug 16, 2008 5:13:58 PM
On paper the other eastern teams may look better, doesn't mean our guys are gonna lay down when they throw out the ball. We are still a young team with room for improvement. Let's see if LB can bring out the best in our talent, unlike Vincent.
Sure it would be nice to have a stud PF like Chris Bosh, don't think there was one available in the draft. Randolph or Jason Thompson, maybe down the road. Wouldn't mind parting with Gerald if the right guy was available, but Varajeou ain't that guy. Maybe Charlie Vill. if he ever grows up.
Let's see how the current guys play before we give up on the season. We may suck again but with May and Ammo back and improvements from Felton and Okafor, we could surprise some people.
Posted by: d-man | Aug 16, 2008 5:21:19 PM
How can you even say "with May back" and expect to be taken seriously?
He's been in the league 3 years and played in 58 games. Until he proves he can stay on the court, counting on him is about as wise a move as the Panthers counting on Dan Morgan all those years.
The only difference being that Morgan was a beast when he was healthy, May hasn't even shown that.
Posted by: Will | Aug 16, 2008 6:35:10 PM
Charlotte is a city of stuck up whiners that deserves nothing more than a soon to be bought out bank and the other headed north to NYC. Then lets see if any pro team including the Panthers would want to stay when the banking power is gone. Oh yeah and a newspaper that is finding itself irrelevant.
Posted by: JunBug | Aug 16, 2008 6:49:56 PM
The biggest thing keeping the Bobcats from drastic improvement is the fans (some who have commented on this article) that refuse to support a young and exciting team in our great city. Larry Brown will lead us to the playoffs. Maybe that's what it will take for Charlotte to truly get behind its hometown team!
Posted by: BP | Aug 16, 2008 7:00:13 PM
Mentioned May because he's who we got. He's probably a 5 on a 10 scale for PF. Not my 1st choice but what's the alternative. I figure that he is coming back as that's what I'm led to believe based on Las Vegas camp that he's at least running, working out, etc. Oden is coming back from same surgery at about the same time last year. If (I know, big if) he plays it's a better situation than Crash at the 4. What else we gonna do? Sign/trade for who? As for you negative fucks, go back to new jersey, yankee bastards.
Posted by: d-man | Aug 16, 2008 9:06:54 PM
Bonnell, any more updates of May's rehab and weight loss? A healthy May upgrades this team in terms of post scoring and rebounding, which are both needed. May's not the best on the defensive end but hopefully Ok can help out in that area. I know its a big if, but I feel that if May is healthy this season and Ammo turns into half the player the front office thought he would be, we will compete for the 7th/8th seed next year.
Posted by: Mason | Aug 16, 2008 10:06:35 PM
Rick...you're crazy. We HAVE our athletic big man in Ajinca. He would have been the first pick in the draft next year. Just ask Larry Brown.
And please...stop with the Dan Morgan comparisons...he was on the field about half the time. May hasn't even managed a quarter.
d-m, Greg Oden is not obese. Sean May is.
Posted by: Michael Procton | Aug 16, 2008 10:42:43 PM
man the pacers are better than you bobkakas anyday
Posted by: koko | Aug 16, 2008 10:54:58 PM
"Charlotte is a city of stuck up whiners that deserves nothing more than a soon to be bought out bank and the other headed north to NYC. Then lets see if any pro team including the Panthers would want to stay when the banking power is gone. Oh yeah and a newspaper that is finding itself irrelevant." <--- Go ahead and move then. We won't miss you.
Posted by: PantherDave | Aug 17, 2008 12:05:02 AM
Procton, I didn't know college dropouts could attain a doctors degree, nutritionist or some other profession that would allow you to make a claim that Sean May is obese. Hopefully you are not merely plugging his height and weight into the BMI index as any intelligent person knows that the BMI index can not be applied to athletes, espicially ones who focus on weight lifting. Certainly you have not seen or examined Sean's knee, nor would you even comprehend what you saw if you did see it. Yet you claim he is obese and that his weight was the direct cause of his injury. Doesn't matter that two of the more athletic and fit big men, Oden and Amare, suffered from the same injury and surgery. Seems a bit foolish to me, but I guess so do you.
Posted by: Mason | Aug 18, 2008 11:06:17 AM
You guys don't know what you're talkin about. Sean May is by far the best pick this team has made. He just had bad luck in his first 2 seasons trying to do too much.
He will come back healthy, he will be our starting PF, maybe even an All-Star this year. I want to see you guys at the end of the season when you see his stast hit 18ppg, 12rpg, 2bpg & 3apg.
Let the season begin, he'll even better than Okafor; maybe a 6'9" Howard!!!
Posted by: Guess Who??? | Aug 18, 2008 2:00:38 PM
Well if Bonnell is predicting lottery, then we can safely assume 6th in the East?
Posted by: apauldds | Aug 18, 2008 2:59:52 PM
I agree that the team's biggest problem so far is the lack of support from Charlotte "fans". I'm hoping the new tv deal will help to generate more support.
Posted by: Artofthefan_com | Aug 18, 2008 4:04:47 PM
Bob,
I was very surprised to read that we have the highest lower bowl prices in the NBA. What source are you using?
Posted by: Michael Thompson | Aug 18, 2008 4:48:22 PM
WAR AJINCA!!!!!!
Posted by: Jubal | Aug 18, 2008 10:41:29 PM
Completely agree with Bonnell...while most teams are getting better or focused on rebuilding, the bobcats are doing what they do best -- moving sideways. The boobs (err...bobs) had a chance to take Lopez, Chalmers, CDR. And they ended up with DJ, Ryan Hollins little brother, and a 2009 2nd rounder.
See you guys in the lottery next year. Cross your fingers for Blake Griffin!
Posted by: d.inscoe | Aug 19, 2008 2:55:49 AM
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