« Inside Jason Richardson's rehab | Main | Bobcats waive Brown, Johnson »
November 18, 2008
Bobcats last in scoring, rebounding
I spent lunch Tuesday perusing the Bobcats’ statistical rankings through the first nine games. Based on what I saw, it’s more surprising they’ve won three than lost six. They are last in the NBA in scoring (88.9 ppg.) and rebounding (37.7 per game) and their shots are blocked more often (6.89 per game) than any other team in the league (consistent with previous seasons). The only way they’re really improved is foul-shooting (15th, at 77.1 percent, versus their typical 29th or 30th). I never expected new coach Larry Brown to instantly fix all the Bobcats’ flaws. Still, those numbers illustrate how much work is ahead to turn this into a playoff team: The low-scoring number is a combination of dubious shot selection and Brown’s desire for a relatively deliberate pace. He hates jump shots early in possessions and since three of the starters (Gerald Wallace, Emeka Okafor and the now-injured Jason Richardson) have to play long minutes, he’s trying to limit the number of possessions per game. That makes for a curious mix of opponent stats: The Bobcats are allowing only 93 points per game, but their collective opponent shoots 46.2 percent from the field (fifth-worst field-goal percentage defense in the league). Translation: There aren’t a lot of possessions per game when the Bobcats play, but there’s also not much the Bobcats do well defensively, either in preventing easy baskets or getting the ball back off misses (last in the league in defensive rebounds). One more interesting stat: The Bobcats have the third-worst assist-to-turnover ratio in the NBA (1.11 assists for every turnover). That is a telling measure of a team’s offensive efficiency. It’s great to have some transcendent talent who can break down a defense all by himself. But the more assisted baskets a team scores, the more that team is sharing the ball to find easier shots.
Posted by Observer Sports on November 18, 2008 at 01:30 PM | Permalink
Comments
Wow the Bobcats are depressing this season. Not that they were great last year, but they at least won some games early and we knew expectations were low with May and Morrison out with injuries.
Now they are both healthy, we have a much better head coach, but its not translating to wins (or points or rebounds) on the court.
Thank goodness for the Panthers, 8-2!!
Posted by: James | Nov 18, 2008 1:48:29 PM
Okafor's doing wonders for the assist-to-turnovers statistic....not.
The rebounding isn't surprising, since we're missing a "4".
However, I don't understand why we don't play our bench a little more frequently. If I recall correctly, in all of our wins we used our bench more than we did in our losses.
Posted by: Cats_Fan | Nov 18, 2008 3:25:33 PM
I think Micheal Jordan, and the front office needs a reality check. He is not Front Office Management Material. Hire a coaching Staff that can get things Done. Not Hire the University of North Carolina Tarheels Past..........Micheal if you can read this get a grip. Stop trying to sell tickets with all of the Former Tarheels and not Real Talent.
Posted by: Marshal Bennett | Nov 18, 2008 3:45:53 PM
It is Michael, not Micheal and he hasn't tried to sell this team with UNC players. He only hired Brown, who is an excellent coach. Also his first draft pick was Morrison.
Posted by: Yeah? | Nov 18, 2008 4:42:06 PM
I've been to all the home games thus far except for last weekend due to a wedding. I must say that I've had a pretty bad feeling about it all. The Bobcats just aren't coming together as a team, and they're just awful in the 2nd half. Jared Dudley is a very bright spot... not that he's a superstar, but he's ALWAYS moving and always trying. Love it when he's on the floor!
Felton is not playing as well as I'd like, and Wallace was just terrible against the Raptors. Very little explosive power. Most of that usually comes from J. Rich with the occasional air from Okafor.
One huge problem was a total lack of perimeter defense. We NEVER guard the 3... Peja dropped, what, 3 3's in the first minute or something? Tayshaun and Rasheed knocked down several real fast too. Crazy. And we need to let Carrol, Felton, and Morrison drop some more 3's for our side. If only we could rebound the ball maybe we'd let the 3's fly a little more often.
I'm looking forward to tonight's game against Dallas, but mostly I'm just hoping they keep it close and don't drop another 12 or 14 point lead. GO CATS!!!!
Posted by: schmakt | Nov 18, 2008 4:53:55 PM
Whoa, there goes that dude Yeah spell checking peoples blog post... got to be a teacher, cause I dated a tilf (teacher i'd like to fuck) and she always tried to correct my broken english... plus I swear 7 - 8 blogs ago Yeah was arguing how stupid Larry was and I said LB was a great coach and he said the guy was out of his mind for not playing carroll... and now the guy is on here changing his view... thats what we call a deusch where I am from... SPELL CHECK THAT!
Holla!
P.S. Like I said Larry Brown will help this team this year... But they need that one player who has what they are missing in a complete package, Alan Anderson! 1 year ago I said mark my words this team would get worse without Alan, and 1 year later look!!!! Call it what you want... But Rick knows what I am saying!!!
Posted by: T-Dub | Nov 18, 2008 5:36:47 PM
Well here in WIlmington I would like to see how bad the team is but it is blackedout here.
Posted by: Aaron | Nov 18, 2008 5:56:13 PM
We should get a good draft pick next year oh wait nottt. Alexis Ajunka needs to be at Andrew Bynums level by end of next year or Jordan and Brown will never hear the end of it here in Charlotte. Now that Morrison is starting to score and no longer looks like a slow mop bouncing down the court will he last the full season without trade? We need a rebounder actually trade the whole team to the panthers for Peppers he can rebound and build around him the way the Panthers did.
Posted by: tarpanthercats | Nov 18, 2008 6:18:22 PM
Isn't our first round pick next year lottery protected? If not oh dear god...
Posted by: Mason | Nov 18, 2008 6:29:22 PM
Rick,
Your stats indicate that more than one type of big man can help us: Obviously a defender/rebounder would be great. But one who has some skills with the ball in his hands(thus helping our offensive efficiency) would be a godsend as well. I don't see how we could possibly get a fair trade for a COMPLETE big man. But a PF specialist of some sort who is worthy of NBA starts would be a true boon to this team.
And yes, Mason, I'm pretty sure that next year's pick is lottery-protected. I don't think we have to worry about Denver getting a lottery pick of ours for a few years. Does someone out there have the exact info?
Posted by: DeLaQuest | Nov 18, 2008 9:50:56 PM
Who really cares about Bob's Cats?
Posted by: Brian | Nov 18, 2008 10:29:46 PM
Has Racist Bob been seen at any games yet?
If the playoffs started today are we in?
Please move this poor excuse of a sports franchise.
Posted by: kevin | Nov 18, 2008 10:31:04 PM
Hey Rick & DelaQuest:
Did you guys see Ryan play tonight against the Mavericks? He was on it! That's what I am talking about! This young man can play, pure and simple.
Give him more playing time and he will develop into a very respectable Power Forward in the league!
Posted by: Wayne Cooper | Nov 18, 2008 11:20:31 PM
DLQ: Denver will get Charlotte's first-round pick next season if the Bobcats make the playoffs. If they don't, Charlotte keeps it. The pick would then be protected by a sliding scale, where Charlotte would retain it if it's in the top 12 in 2010, top 10 in 2011, top eight in 2012 and top three in 2013. Charlotte would have no protection for the pick in 2014.
Posted by: Michael Procton | Nov 18, 2008 11:35:01 PM
Tonight was the worst game I have ever watched. It's clear something has to be done, D.J. has done enough to start at PG, leaving Felton able to be moved. Also, it's ridiculous that Morrison and Carroll can't play because they're not athletic enough to match up against the Mavs SG. One of them needs to go too. Sean May sucks, he has to go. G-Force, I love him but he's the only guy of real value on the team.
Surely we can pick up something for a package of Felton, Morrison (because Carroll won't be able to be moved), and/or Wallace can't pick us up a big man we need.
Posted by: I sit near Buzz | Nov 19, 2008 12:30:19 AM
Unfortunately I would have to agree... tonights game was one of the worst Bobcats games I have ever endured in person. Two of the three most painful games I've been to have taken place this year (the Toronto game... ugh).
Honestly, besides Augustin and Dudley, there isn't a player on this roster I would miss if they were traded tomorrow. We don't have to worry about that though, because most of the players are grossly overpaid, and with most teams trying to CLEAR cap space for the big free agent summers coming up in 2009 and 2010 it makes the likelihood of a trade even worse than normal.
And even if we traded them, what kind of players would we be getting in return? Since the season started I've heard this team linked to Al Harrington, Eddy Curry, and yesterday Jamaal Tinsley. Those guys might all make the Bobcats better, but how much better? Good enough to be a playoff team? Doubt it. This team needs a star, period.
It sucks pinning your hopes on lottery balls, but we may be doing that (again) this year. Just hope that if the cats do get a good pick they don't blow it (again) on another useless role player.
Posted by: Dave | Nov 19, 2008 1:31:52 AM
I am a bobcats fan. I hate my life.
Posted by: luhrsmani | Nov 19, 2008 10:00:55 AM
Is it me or are the Bobcats worst this year than they were year one? Pathetic performance by the starters, but the second team looked scrappy and brought energy to the floor. They will only be able to build through the draft because no free agent worth a damn would come here and no team worth a damn would want to trade with us.
Posted by: Chris G. | Nov 19, 2008 10:21:34 AM
Utterly pathetic. What's most discouraging for me this year is Mek. I'm sorry but 5 and 9 just aint gonna cut it. Cut Butterball, trade Crash, Felts, Hammer, and whatever it takes to get a 4. We're stuck with Mr. 70mil, so hopefully he'll break out of his slump.
Posted by: apauldds | Nov 19, 2008 12:26:40 PM
Okafor, as usual, is shooting over 50%, but because nobody will give him the ball, he's averaging only 6 shots a game. Funny, Felton has no problem giving the ball to May to let him jack up a 20 footer...once he lumbers back up to the offensive end, that is.
Posted by: Michael Procton | Nov 19, 2008 1:08:26 PM
Last night in that terrible first quarter, I thought Felton took a quick jumper on two possessions. He also hit Okafor square in the hands and Okafor proceeded to drop the ball. On a second possession, the ball was thrown down low to Okafor only to have him stripped as he went to make his move. He regained possession and had his shot blocked, luckily they called a foul. Okafor went to the line and missed both free throws. Felton also hit Carrol with passes for two wide open jumpers and he missed both shots. On the high screens Okafor set he never once rolled hard to the basket nor did he ever roll out for a mid range jump shot.
Procton buddy, have you not noticed that DJ does not get the ball to Okafor as well. DJ actually played more minutes last night than Felton, and ran the point when they were in together, yet I don't hear you complaining about him not getting Okafor the ball. Okafor does nothing on the offensive end to warrant touches besides garbage baskets and dunks created by penetration.
Isn't Felton our second leading FG% shooter and doesn't Augustin average the same amount of shots per minute?
Posted by: Mason | Nov 19, 2008 3:31:19 PM
Procton,
You have to admit that Okafor looks awful/awkward in the offensive post this year. No, he isn't getting a ton of touches on the block. But when he does get them he offers very little. His high FG% is merely coming from dunks and layups. Something is up with the guy. Is he "fat and happy" with his new contract? Is he just worn down because we expect him to be ALL of our interior defense and rebounding? I think it has something to do with the latter.
Posted by: DeLaQuest | Nov 19, 2008 5:54:04 PM
Post a comment
Advertisements
