I would love to see the Charlotte Bobcats make the playoffs. I don't care if it drops them a few places in the draft. Claiming the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference would validate everything head coach Larry Brown and his players have accomplished this season and give fans an opportunity to get excited.
After their stirring victory against the Los Angeles Lakers Tuesday, the Bobcats are only a game behind eighth-place Chicago. But Charlotte's schedule this month is brutal. It plays two games at home and six on the road.
Four of the eight teams the Bobcats play have winning records -- Boston tonight, Miami Friday, Philadephia Tuesday and Orlando on April 15. Miami and Philadelphia are the home games. Charlotte finishes with four straight games on the road.
The reason Charlotte will be a guest in its own building is the Charlotte Jumper Classic. I have nothing against horses. They look great. They bring joy to a lot of people. They're playful. I like to watch them run. "Seabiscuit" was excellent. I've seen Secretariat's grave.
The problem is that when the Bobcats played so many games at home early this season, they weren't nearly as good as they are now. They weren't going to win. And then a series of deft trades turned them into a team that could.
The scheduling of the Charlotte Jumper Classic really works against them. Instead of seeing Gerald Wallace go to to the basket, we'll see horsies jump over stuff.
It's daunting, the schedule. But if the Bobcats get through the next week -- at Boston, at home against Miami, at Detroit and at home against Philadelphia -- they have a chance to catch Chicago and perhaps the Pistons.
The more you have to get excited about, the more interesting life is. This feels like a bonus. Enjoy it.
