Feb. 19, 2012; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Charlotte Bobcats small forward Corey Maggette (50) shoots the ball against Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert (55) at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory credit: Michael Hickey-US PRESSWIRE
Bad, bad loss here. I mean, it was 40+ throughout most of the third and fourth quarter. Early on it was 2-18 or something ridiculous. I’d look it up but I don’t want to see it.
All you need to know about this game from a Bobcats perspective is, it was a complete and total loss. Nothing redeeming about this game whatsoever. Player of the game on tv was Kemba Walker with 15 points and that’s because he would hit threes in transition for no real reason when it was absolutely useless.
The Pacers didn’t dismantle the Bobcats or dominate or anything that made them seem all that much better. The Bobcats have a horrible habit of letting other teams do whatever they want. Defensively, they stop the ball, break up passes or make players go against their instinctive side or whatever the Bobcats normally try to do. Nothing works for the Bobcats but everything works for the other team. Offensively, the Pacers for example were able to go to Hibbert whenever and however they wanted and Danny Granger and David West were able to hit their shots mostly uncontested.
It’s horrible, hard to watch and extremely frustrating. I had a post about how the win worked against Toronto but this horrible game has made me want to dump that one. Everyone around this team has to be concerned for their job. No matter how great your future may look, being part of a run this bad and a loss in particular, this devastating, you have to be on the chopping block.
Well, see you on Wednesday against this same Pacers team! Whooo hooo!
February 13, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Bobcats guard Kemba Walker (1) celebrates with forward Boris Diaw (32) hduring the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Time Warner Cable Arena. 76ers win 98-89. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-US PRESSWIRE
The Charlotte Bobcats still haven’t won in the United States in quite some time but in Canada, they’re 1-0!
Toronto will never be the same after the trouncing, nay the humiliation at the hands of the mighty Bobcats.
That last line was messed up. You know why? You know why? Because….I don’t know how to write after a win. I am trying to celebrate, quietly and with restraint, but it’s like being in debt for 2o years and finally, your student loans are paid off. But much like that situation, you’d still be at basically zero and then you’d remember your car and house and those payments are still on the books. So yeah, it’s just like that.
Bismack Biyombo had career highs of 13 rebounds and 7 blocks. Reggie Williams had season high of 22 points. D.J. Augustin had a double double in the first start for him back from toe inflammation. The bench put up 35 points to Toronto’s 27. 50% FG overall and 40% on 15 attempts from behind the arc. It was a complete, fine feeling victory for Michael Jordan’s team.
The recap I read mentioned MJ’s birthday several times, and it was a trending topic on twitter for most of the evening. I’m happy for him to get a victory. I’m with Doug Collins, that the losses had to be killing him and to get a victory on his birthday to break a streak of 16 straight losses, had to be great.
My sister asked me at the end “Umm, how bad is Toronto?” They’re pretty bad right now. No stars, Demar Derozan is pretty good but not great, scored 23 but no rebounds or assists and his cover, Williams led the Bobcats and was one short of Derozan’s total in a minute less playing time. They have key injuries, and I’m not putting salt in their wound here but I’m also tempering the Bobcats glee with their victory
Still, it’s a big damn deal. 16 straight losses hurt. One win doesn’t mean anything unless there are others coming behind it. You can have all the hope you want in the young talent, but rarely do teams with this many young players, playing this poorly come around to be good. Even Cleveland, doing so poorly they won out in drafting Lebron James, the last sure thing in the draft, even the Cavs had a hard time being relevant, even the Eastern Conference Championship didn’t fully redeem them.
That said, a win, is afterall, a win. Difficult times with a bright spot, even against the Raptors, in Canada of all places, feels good.
Feb 15, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Charlotte Bobcats point guard Kemba Walker (1) drives to the basket past Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio (9) in the first quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Greg Smith-US PRESSWIRE
The clowns on TNT, good for a laugh and a general barometer on the NBA, picked their teams for the newly structured BBVA Rising Stars Challenge tonight. As the lone entry in All-Star weekend for the Bobcats, Kemba Walker was selected 11th overall to compete on Team Shaq.
If you didn’t know, they did away with the old Rookies vs. Sophomores structure and remade the game into school yard picks with Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal as captains. Blake Griffin went first overall, to Team Shaq. Barkley took Kyrie Irving. I don’t know if either player will be available to play, as Griffin will be in the All-Star game itself as a first time starter and Irving has been injured. Irving is like a ghost. Scary to those who have seen him, but I haven’t seen him so I don’t know if he’s actually all that scary or some old guy in a sheet that’ll call me a meddling kid. I watch wayyyy too much Scoobie Doo.
Jeremy Lin was added, aparently to the proceedings and was taken third, followed by Demarcus “Boogie (don’t call me Boogie)” Cousins. Shaq then took Ricky Rubio and then the power forwards and small forwards and big men got off the board and Shaq took Kemba Walker.
This makes Kemba the 4th best point guard, behind Irving, Lin and Rubio and ahead of John Wall, Norris Cole and Brandon Knight. I mean if you want to make up rankings, what better to go by than Shaq vs Chuck in a pick-em for “bragging rights.”
I don’t get how NBA just turns All-Star weekend over to TNT every year. Things like this, the announcers, the Chuck vs. Dick Bavetta race/kiss, hype, hype, hype and jokes and jokes and jokes; it just sort of cheapens the experience for me. Great personalities, don’t get me wrong. But the league isn’t about Kerr, Reggie Miller, Barkley, Shaq and all the rest of their assorted involvement and cast of characters. Let the players shine on their own, have vanilla Breen and whoever else call the game. Set the grandstanding and sideshows aside for the weekend. But hey, who am I to judge?
Kemba should do well with a team of Greg Monroe, Markieff Morris and a bunch of PGs….actually, yikes Shaq. Seriously, quit playing jokes, you’re gonna get smoked in this one.
The Charlotte Bobcats are obliterating their previous record of 14 straight losses. If you only watched the first half, as I did, you saw a Bobcats team who had it together. Boris Diaw looked like the best player on the court. He was the Bobcats’ version of Jeremy Lin. There, got his name in a post, let’s see if google brings some folks our way with that one.
Seriously though, Boris Diaw stuffed the stat sheet in the first half with 9 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists, or something. I don’t remember because I started drooling on my chest sitting in front of the TV around the point where Stephanie Ready said “Alright, guys,” for the 400th time in the halftime show, that is to say 2 minutes in. In my mind, what I’m saying, is the Bobcats looked good and somehow, mysteriously, the final score when I woke up this morning didn’t reflect it.
Back to Boris, as I try to complete that thought for the 3rd time. Boris Diaw, who Steve Martin accidentally refered to as “Doris” in the first half, dunked. That says it all right there. Boris Diaw got his hand high enough above the rim to slam it home. He was on fire. It’s strange when it happens, but once in a while, he decides he’s played enough of that pump-fake, jump-pass, hover, pass up the shot style and let’s folks know, he can play well when he wants to.
Last night, we also saw the return of D.J. Augustin. D.J. played mostly beside Kemba Walker, in the set commonly referred to as “Tiny Time.” Until Gerald Henderson comes back, those two are the only regular scoring options. Corey Maggette is a scorer, but irregularly. He’s got to find his shot, or more aptly, happen upon it. Whereas Augustin and Walker make shots happen, and Henderson is learning to do that as a wing player. But either way, the Bobcats lost.
We can talk strategy all day but until the Bobcats get a win, there is nothing that truly matters. Minnesota was coming off their own losing streak, and much like I heard Mick Mixon refer to the Panthers, they have become NBA penacillin; meaning they are good for whatever ails a losing team. Ricky Rubio didn’t impress me. Kevin Love quietly, consistently plays the way players used to but nothing shocking.
You’ll hear about Derrick Williams’ dunk over D.J. White but White rotated over late, no big deal. He didn’t make the poster, just photobombed it.
Losing blows, but the Bobcats showed signs of life last night. No moral victories, but if that sort of game came against a New Orleans or Washington, they might have pulled out the win. That’s a huge “might” there, by the way.
Feb 15, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Charlotte Bobcats power forward Boris Diaw (32) shoots as Minnesota Timberwolves forward Derrick Williams (7) and power forward Kevin Love (42) defend in the second quarter at the Target Center. Timberwolves won 102-90. Mandatory Credit: Greg Smith-US PRESSWIRE
Incredibly Disappointing and Confusing, the Charlotte Bobcats Bench Credit: Sam Sharpe-US PRESSWIRE
Does everyone know what the term “Code Brown” means? Alright, now we’re all on the same page. It’s freak out time. I totally understand the stance “hey, who cares? We’re freakin’ tankin’! No… sleep…. ’til…. lotto!,” said in your best Beastie Boy-voice. Or there’s the depression laden, “Oh, who the hell cares anymore? They don’t, I don’t, forget it.” So many ways to look at it, but I think 15 straight in a season of only 66 games, it’s panic time. Code BROWN, folks! Code Larry Brown, Code Derrick Brown, Code Shannon Brown, Code D.J. Whi….sorry, Code Kwame Brown, you get it. It’s seriously bad up in here. You could even say it stinks.
Losing happens when you have young, unproven talent mixed with old unproven “talent” and no pre-season, sprinkle in some injuries, lots of injuries actually and a pretty tough early schedule. That schedule thing is a little tough to swallow, seeing as how the Bobcats actually have the 15th toughest schedule in the league but much like in their games, when the ‘Cats get on a bit of a roll, things look up but no, the schedule throws someone tough at you. This run however, the last 7 games especially have been losses by an average of 25 or so, so there hasn’t been that ramping up. Continue reading this post »
February 10, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Bobcats forward Derrick Brown (4) drives past Chicago Bulls forward Kyle Korver (26) during the game at Time Warner Cable Arena. Bulls win 95-64. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-US PRESSWIRE
Derrick Rose wasn’t even there. The high scorer for the Bulls had 17 and the Bobcats got behind by about 30 early and never really closed the gap. This is what misery feels like, this is what it sounds like, and as a fan, this is when you start to question if your time and effort are really worth it.
I was actually in the building last night, for a rare appearance in the Queen City. Other than seeing a few old friends and hoisting some beverage, there was very little that made me glad I made the 2 and a half hour drive. There was no player in double figures for the Bobcats until the final minutes, when Derrick Brown completed his ten point effort.
As Ricky B! Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer put it, the Bobcats had more air-balls at the free throw line than double-digit scorers. Desagana Diop followed up his horrible attempt that has been labelled the worst attempt ever, with another air ball that didn’t touch any part of the basket. Bismack Biyombo had one as well, but his don’t seem epidemic.
The Bulls weren’t all that impressive, which is what makes Derrick Rose so impressive. While they won’t lose many games without him, they don’t look that great. It’s possible that they’re an incredibly deep team, therefore with their superstar and newly minted All-Star Luol Deng, with the deep bench and fundamental strength and defense, they could be legit come playoff time. There was even scoring from top to bottom for the Bulls, with Boozer, Noah, Deng and John Lucas III the only players in double figures, Noah topping out at 17.
I’m not quite ready to say no one knows what they’re doing at 333 E. Trade, because there are still injuries, and the team does rely on inexperienced players. It’s very bad. Very, very bad and hard to watch.
After the last few games, I don’t know if I want to know what Blake Griffin, Chris Paul and the rest of the Clippers intend to do to the Bobcats. Paul isn’t far from where he grew up, and I’m sure it will be a full house tonight. Blake Griffin hopefully won’t dominate in a way that embarrasses the Bobcats further on SportsCenter.
I don’t know what to expect. 31 point loss to the Rose-Less, Bulls, embarrassing losses galore in this League worst 13 straight losses. The Clippers are third in the west, and a very good team this season.
Could get ugly but it is bound to be entertaining.
Jan 31, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Charlotte Bobcats point guard Kemba Walker (1) makes a pass as Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum (17) looks on in the first quarter of the game at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE
Kemba Walker will be the lone participant, at present time, for the Charlotte Bobcats in All-Star Weekend in Orlando later this month. I say “at the present time” there because it is unclear whether Boris Diaw will be invited to participate in the Three Point Contest. I don’t know if we’ve ever seen anyone pump fake a ball-rack before, but if Boris was invited, he might not clear the first station.
The “Rising Stars Challenge” sounds like an event for middle school kids, who might actually have real life challenges. What they really mean is, it’s a game between the rookies and the sophomores, that used to be Rookies vs. Sophomores but now will be a pool of players with Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal picking teams from their TNT Atlanta Studio.
The game is a good showcase for guys like Kemba Walker, who people know of from college, but may not have seen them on national TV. It’s also pretty much the least likely place you’ll find defense in any basketball game outside of one-on-none games. MVP’s of this game have actually all gone on to be All-Stars, except Jason Richardson, John Wall (last year), Demarcus Cousins and Daniel Gibson, but all of them have had great careers and the last two guys are likely to get there one day.
Kemba deserves the recognition. He’s definitely one of the top rookies this season and he’s one of only five players this year to have a triple-double in the entire NBA.
I don’t fully understand why Bismack Biyombo didn’t get an invitation. If you asked me to rank the rookies in the NBA right now, I’d have to do it like this:
And I’m not even exaggerating. Markieff Morris and Tristan Thompson made the team over Bismack, but hey, I don’t make these rules and dude doesn’t have gaudy numbers or get much attention. I can’t be mad about it, because Morris and Thompson are no slouches. I just want as much attention for these Bobcats rookies as we can get.
Jan 22, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Workers walk with a photo of Los Angeles Clippers power forward Blake Griffin (not pictured) on a pole to encourage All-Star Game voting during the game at the Staples Center. Clippers won 103-91. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE
There are 7 first timers, many of whom you could have made arguments for before this season (NBA.com’s release says 5 are first timers, but the roster page notes 7, maybe some were selected but couldn’t participate before?). It was my contention, in a previous post, that you could almost work your way through the standings from the previous year and fill out your All-Star roster without putting much thought into it. My theoretical roster looked something like this: Continue reading this post »
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