April 17, 2013; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Bobcats guard Kemba Walker (15) drives past Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving (2) during the game at Time Warner Cable Arena. Bobcats win 105-98. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports

After finishing with the league’s worst record at 7-59 a season ago, the Charlotte Bobcats avoided reclaiming that title this season. Instead, the Charlotte Bobcats finished this season with a three-game winning streak, that culminated with a 105-98 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers Wednesday. The Bobcats finished with a 21-61 record, which triples their win total from a season ago.

Kemba Walker had 24 points and seven assists, while Josh McRoberts chipped in 20 points and eight rebounds. McRoberts, acquired by the Bobcats at the NBA Trade Deadline, will become an unrestricted free agent in the offseason. McRoberts started 19 of 26 games for the Bobcats, averaging 9.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 30.6 minutes. In his last nine games, McRoberts averaged 11.9 points, 9.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists on 52% shooting.

Gerald Henderson will also become a free agent, but will be likely be restricted. Henderson, the longest-tenured Bobcat on the roster, had 15 points in what could be his final game with the team. Henderson stepped up his play after the all-star break, averaging 18.9 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists on 46.2% shooting. Henderson’s improvement is leaving a lot wondering whether he can maintain his play next season and form a young and productive backcourt with Walker.

Entering Wednesday’s game, the Bobcats were tied with the Orlando Magic for the worst record in basketball. The Magic lost their final game to the Heat to finish dead last in the NBA. In some years, a finishing last gives a team the brightside of adding more ping pong balls to their chances in the NBA Draft Lottery. This season, it didn’t seem to be as big a deal as it has been in the past. The Bobcats instead will have the second-worst record in the league and another top-5 draft pick this summer.

With over $21 million in cap space available to the Bobcats, next year’s team could look a lot different than the team that closed the season out in Time Warner Cable Arena. Owner Michael Jordan has already said that the each role on the team will be carefully evaluated. He was non-commmital when asked about the future of head coach Mike Dunlap. Dunlap, who struggled most of the season getting the team on the same page, got the team to finish strong in March and April. Nonetheless, the team didn’t show much progress for a good bulk of the season, including another long losing streak earlier in the year.

The Bobcats though were able to put any talk of next year’s team behind them and win three in a row at Time Warner Cable Arena to end the ninth season in franchise history.

Apr 15, 2013; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Bobcats shooting guard Gerald Henderson (9) controls the ball against New York Knicks point guard Pablo Prigioni (9) and small forward Iman Shumpert (21) during the first half at Time Warner Arena. Mandatory Credit: Curtis Wilson-USA TODAY Sports

Kemba Walker had 23 points and a career-high 13 assists and Gerald Henderson had 27 points, as the Charlotte Bobcats defeated the New York Knicks 106-95. Walker and Henderson combined to go 20-31 from the field with 18 assists.

The Bobcats entered tonight’s game with the league’s worst record at 19-61. With the Orlando Magic losing their game to the Chicago Bulls, Wednesday’s season finale could decide which team will finish with the worse record. Both teams are now 20-61.

Bismack Biyombo reached double-digits in rebounding for the fifth time this month. Biyombo had 10 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks in 43 minutes. Josh McRoberts continued his stat-filling ways, with 10 points, seven rebounds and eight assists. The Bobcats outrebounded a diminished Knicks frontcourt by 12 and had 48 points in the paint. The Bobcats shot 58.1% from the field, which obviously hasn’t happened much this season.

The Knicks were without a number of key players, most notably their leading scorer Carmelo Anthony. Anthony, who’s just a game away from winning his first NBA scoring title, is expected to sit out the Knicks season finale to rest up for the postseason. J.R. Smith and former Bobcats Raymond Felton and Tyson Chandler also sat out today’s game. The Knicks were already without Amar’e Stoudemire and Kenyon Martin. Marcus Camby was dressed, but did not play. Rasheed Wallace returned to the Knicks lineup, but left the game early with a sore left foot.

The Bobcats will close the season at Time Warner Cable Arena Wednesday, when they take on the Cleveland Cavaliers. As mentioned, the game could be a big game in terms of determing draft lottery probability. Otherwise, it’s the last chance for the Bobcats to try to do something that can possibly carry over into next season.

Apr 9, 2013; Memphis, TN, USA; Charlotte Bobcats head coach Mike Dunlap reacts during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedEx Forum. Memphis Grizzlies defeat the Charlotte Bobcats 94-75. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden–USA TODAY Sports

Surprise, surprise, the Charlotte Bobcats lost again.

As depressing as that may be to fans of the ‘Cats, it’s reassuring to know that the season is almost over, and focuses can turn to the 2013/14 season when I (seriously) belive the Bobcats will actually play competitive basketball.

For now though, we must look into why Charlotte lost for the 61st time this season.

Kemba Walker dropped 28 points, six assists and five rebounds, and Josh McRoberts added 17 points and seven rebounds. No other Bobcat topped 15, though, and only four Charlotte players scored in double digits.

They were outscored in the paint by 30, outrebounded by 12, out-assisted by 13, out-shot by seven percent and outscored by 20.

It wasn’t pretty, and there’s really no way to sugar coat this loss…

Jonas Jerebko scored 21 freaking points. If that happens for the Pistons, they’re probably not going to lose.

Every Detroit starter but one scored in double figures, and five Pistons grabbed five+ rebounds.

Honestly, it was an embarrassing showing for Charlotte.

The Bobcats could’ve won this game. Detroit is not that much more talented than the ‘Cats.

Sadly, just about the only stat Charlotte showed out in for this game was free-throw percentage, where they won that battle by 10 percentage points.

The ‘Cats have three games left, and, honestly, even though this isn’t as bad as last year, they can’t end soon enough.

Apr 9, 2013; Memphis, TN, USA; Memphis Grizzlies power forward Ed Davis (32) goes up to block a shot by Charlotte Bobcats power forward Tyrus Thomas (12) during the game at FedEx Forum. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden–USA TODAY Sports

The Memphis Grizzlies won their 53rd game of the season following a 94-75 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats. Mike Conley led all scorers with 20 points and dished out seven assists. Zach Randolph had 11 points and 13 rebounds in 26 minutes. Memphis shot 47.6% from the field held the Bobcats to 37.5% shooting and 14% from three. Memphis remains the fifth seed in the Western Conference.

Kemba Walker led the Bobcats with 19 points and Gerald Henderson had 13 points. It wasn’t the production we’ve been expecting out of the Bobcats backcourt. Walker and Henderson combined for just two free throw attempts in 75 total minutes. Henderson went 6-16 from the field while Walker was 9-17. A big part of this backcourt’s success recently has been their ability to penetrate and get to the line. Credit the Grizzlies for limiting that part of their game tonight.

Bismack Biyombo collected 12 rebounds to lead the frontcourt. Biyombo also went 1-7 from the field. Josh McRoberts had eight points and eight rebounds, while shooting 3-11. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has six points and six rebounds. In short, it was another lackluster night from Charlotte’s dreaded frontcourt.

In the meeting earlier in the season between the two teams, Memphis was able to put a clamp on the Bobcats struggling offense. As we saw this past Friday against Miami, the Bobcats have not been too encouraging offensively when put in front of a quality NBA defense. Memphis is peaking at the right time with just 12 days until the postseason, while the Bobcats are still figuring out the same questions they had two and three months ago.

One of the main things to take away from today’s game is identity. Memphis is all about smash-mouth, in-your-face defense. They play as a team, they communicate and they don’t stop coming at you. The Bobcats are a young team, still searching for an identity. Whether it’s a team that’s going to go at you with smallball guards to run up the scoreboard, or a team that’s going to grind you into a half-court setting, the Bobcats need to pinpoint an identity. Doing so goes a long way in to how you construct your team. Memphis has structured their team around their defense and their big men, which has really helped turn around the franchise.

April 5, 2013; Charlotte, NC, USA; Miami Heat guard Mario Chalmers (15) prepares to drive past Charlotte Bobcats guard Gerald Henderson (9) during the game at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports

With LeBron James and Dwyane Wade rooting from the bench, the Miami Heat defeated the Charlotte Bobcats 89-79 Friday. Mike Miller scored a season-high 26 points on seven three-pointers and Chris Bosh had 18 points and eight rebounds. The Heat shot 45% from the field and Miller had more three-point makes than the Bobcats.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist led a low-scoring Bobcats attack with 18 points and 14 rebounds. Kemba Walker and Gerald Henderson combined for 5-31 from the field, in one of their worst offensive nights in some time. Despite Miami missing their superstar players, their team defense was at a high level all night. The Bobcats had trouble finding good shots in the offense, and there was no rhyme or reason at all. The team looked a lot different from their past homes, after winning five of their previous six in Time Warner Cable Arena.

Josh McRoberts was 4-12 from the field. He finished with eight points, 11 rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Tyrus Thomas was in the rotation for the second straight game after not playing in over a month. Thomas had six points and two rebounds in 17 minutes. Bismack Biyombo had four points and eight rebounds in 27 minutes.

The Bobcats were able to cut Miami’s led to six with a little over two minutes left in the game. However, Miami scored seven of their final nine points at the free throw line to put the game out of reach. It’s impressive that Miami is able to convincingly beat teams without their star players and still play great defense. They also still had similar offensive philosphies without the players who break down defenses and create open shots.

Despite the loss, there isn’t a whole lot to take away from this game for the Bobcats. As mentioned, they have been playing very well at home recently, and most of it was due to their scoring attack. That scoring was led by Walker and Henderson, who both had one of their worst games of the season tonight. The only thing it re-emphasized was the Bobcats difficulty getting quality shots against top-notch defenses. The Heat did a great job of turning each possession into a difficult shot, or forcing Charlotte to put the ball on the floor and make a play. The Bobcats shot 32% from the field and 18% from three. They did get to the line 22 times and hit 90% of their free throws. However, you’ll still need a lot more to beat a quality team like Miami, even without their box-office players.

Feb 09, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Evan Turner (12) is defended by Charlotte Bobcats guard Ben Gordon (8) during the fourth quarter at the Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers defeated the Bobcats 87-76. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

The Charlotte Bobcats are starting to develop a rhythm at home as the regular season winds down. The Bobcats defeated the Philadelphia Sixers 88-83 Wednesday behind Gerald Henderson’s 24 points. Charlotte has now won five of their last six games at home and ended the Sixers three-game win streak. The Bobcats avoided the season sweep of the Sixers, whose playoff chances for the last spot in the Eastern Conference continued to fade. Henderson had a big steal for the Bobcats down the stretch that sealed the victory for Charlotte. Henderson scored the Bobcats last four points.

Josh McRoberts had 12 points, 16 rebounds and 4 assists in 43 minutes for Charlotte. McRoberts, who was acquired by the Bobcats from Orlando at the NBA’s trade deadline, is averaging 9.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.2 steals in his last 10 games. McRoberts continues to give the Bobcats starting lineup a much needed effort and energy level. McRoberts is making a strong case for the Bobcats to consider bringing him back in the offseason.

Swapping Hakim Warrick for McRoberts was considered by most to rightfully be a non-impact move. However, McRoberts has slid into the Bobcats lineup and done a tremendous job. McRoberts glass-crashing was contagious in this game, as Bismack Biyombo also reached double-digits in rebounds, with 11 of his own and three blocks.

Kemba Walker had 17 points, 10 assists, 5 steals and 5 rebounds. Walker and Henderson continue to give the Bobcats a welcome 1-2 punch in the backcourt with their play since the all-star break. Walker again matched up with Sixers point guard Jrue Holiday, who had one of his worst outings of the season. Holiday finished 2-24 and missed a big shot late in the game. Holiday had five points, which was his second lowest scoring total of the season. Damien Wilkins led the Sixers with 20 points, while Evan Turner had 14.

Jeffrey Taylor sat out tonight’s game with a sore plantar fascia in his right foot. The Bobcats second round pick has played in 71 games for the team this season and started 29. Ramon Sessions and Byron Mullens were both once again out with their respective injuries. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist returned to the Bobcats starting lineup after missing Monday’s game with a family matter. Kidd-Gilchrist had 4 points and 7 rebounds in 17 minutes.

The Sixers shot 35% from the field and 25% from three. Their offense continues to be a struggle for the team as they search for where points are going to come from every night. While the Bobcats have struggled scoring most of the season as well, they’ve been consistently getting production from Henderson and Walker, as well as their bench guards recently. The Sixers offensive woes were a fresh sight for the Bobcats, coming off the heels of giving up 131 points to the Milwaukee Bucks Monday.

Charlotte will have another chance to continue their winning ways at home, when they host the Miami Heat Friday. It’s unclear whether LeBron James and Dwyane Wade will be playing that game, as the Heat look to rest their key players approaching the postseason. The Bobcats played the Heat close a few times this season and have given them some fun games recently. The hope is that Miami plays their full team and gives the Bobcats a challenging, entertaining game to play in front of Bobcats fans.

Mar 23, 2013; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Bobcats point guard Kemba Walker (15) goes up for a shot over Detroit Pistons power forward Charlie Villanueva (31) during the second half at Time Warner Cable Arena. Detroit defeated Charlotte 92-91. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

Charlie Villanueva scored on a driving layup with 15 seconds left, as the Detroit Pistons ended their 10-game losing streak with a 92-91 win over the Charlotte Bobcats. Villanueva had 14 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter and Jason Maxiel added 14 points. Villanueva answered every run made by the Bobcats and had one of his better outings of the year.

The Bobcats had a chance to win the game, but Kemba Walker missed his shot. Josh McRoberts recovered the miss, but couldn’t put it back before time expired. Walker led the Bobcats with 25 points. McRoberts suffered a shoulder injury earlier in the game, but returned and finished with four points, nine rebounds and two steals in 25 minutes. Jannero Pargo had 16 points off the bench and Bismack Biyombo finished with a double double.

Charlotte shot 42.7% from the field and just above 23% from three. Gerald Henderson had 15 points, scoring only two points in the second half. Henderson came into the game averaging just under 23 points in his last seven games and showing a full arsenal of offensive moves in his hot stretch.

Despite the game not being as good as his past games during his stretch, Henderson continues to look very confident and he and Walker have become a very productive backcourt. One of the big questions that will come at the end of the season is whether Walker and Henderson is a backcourt the Bobcats can build around. It’s still young enough, athletic enough and now potent offensively to work.

The Bobcats won two games a row coming into tonight against the struggling Pistons. The Pistons beat the Bobcats in Charlotte in their last meeting, and have matched up well with the Bobcats in the season series. Detroit shot 45.6% from the field and 38.5% from three on 26 attempts. Jose Calderon continued his sharpshooting in the Motor City, making three of five attempts and finishing with 11 points.

It’s a tough loss for the Bobcats, who’ve struggled in fourth quarter situations all year. While it’s easy to blame Charlotte for the loss, the Pistons just as easily earned this win themselves, especially coming off a back-to-back against Miami. The Bobcats will make their own visit to Miami tomorrow when they face the defending NBA Champion Miami Heat. The Heat have won 25 games in a row and are a large overdog going into tomorrow’s game. While it would certainly be a thriller for the Bobcats to end Miami’s historical run, it’s going to be an extremely difficult task on the road.

Mar 12, 2013; Charlotte, NC, USA; Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo (9) dunks during the second half against the Boston Celtics at Time Warner Arena. Mandatory Credit: Curtis Wilson-USA TODAY Sports

While wins have been difficult to accumulate for Charlotte this season, back-to-back victories have been even harder to come by, which is why the Bobcats’ 107-101 triumph over the Toronto Raptors at the Time Warner Cable Arena Wednesday night was a diamond in the rough.

After suffering for just under four months, the Bobcats won their second game in a row for the first time since November 21 when they also beat the Raptors on their home court, 98-97.  Wednesday’s game, however, provided a few less grey hairs for Cats fans.  Charlotte was able to hold off repeated Toronto runs in the fourth quarter, and Byron Mullens was able to sink four free-throws in the final 11 seconds to seal the victory.  For a while, though, it seemed as though Charlotte was planning on giving the game to Toronto.

The Raptors pulled the score to within one, 94-93, with only 3:18 left to go in the contest after a pair of Jonas Valanciunas free-throws.  Charlotte abruptly turned the ball over on the following possession, giving Toronto a perfect opportunity to seize momentum and the lead with just less than three minutes to play.  Yet a stingy defensive series by the Cats resulting in a steal by Mullens allowed Charlotte to regroup before quickly expanding their lead back to six.

While Mullens and Ben Gordon closed the game out at the free-throw line for Charlotte, the two were far from the only contributors on the Bobcats roster tonight.  Six Cats players scored in double digits, led by Mullens with 25 off the bench.

While the man who replaced Mullens in the starting lineup didn’t score as much, it was Josh McRoberts’ play on both ends of the floor (12 points, 12 rebounds) that allowed Charlotte to clean up so well on the defensive glass and get out into transition, much to Gerald Henderson’s pleasure; Hendo repeatedly drove the lane during transition plays and found himself with easy layups and dunks.  He finished the game with a stat line of 21 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks.

Not to be outdone by his fellow backcourt starter, Kemba Walker also contributed greatly with a near triple-double of 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists (as well as 4 steals) before fouling out with just under two minutes to play in the fourth quarter.

Yet while Walker wasn’t on the court to end the game, he was one of the primary reasons the Cats got into the game in the first place.  While Charlotte was down big early in the first quarter, Walker could be seen on the court pushing the tempo and trying to make something happen, and make something happen he did.  Every time Toronto seemed poised to run away with the game, Walker made some sort of play to keep Charlotte in the game long enough before the shots started falling for the Bobcats.  He finished the quarter with 8 points, 2 assists, 2 rebounds, and 3 steals, pulling the Cats to within four, 26-22.

Charlotte took its first lead of the game at the 8:40 mark in the second quarter on a pair of Henderson free-throws, and consistently outplayed Toronto for the rest of the half.  The Cats went into the break with a five point lead that took Toronto much of the third quarter to chip away at.  Yet Charlotte was ready for them, pushing the lead back out to nine points early in the fourth quarter before the Raptors made their final run of the game.

With the win, the Cats split the season series with the Raptors, as both teams won each of the games they hosted throughout the season.  The Raptors have also been held winless in their last five trips to Charlotte.

Charlotte will look to make it three wins in a row on Saturday as the Pistons come to Time Warner Cable Arena, and while it wouldn’t be the first three-game winning streak of the season, it would be just as nice.

Nov 24, 2012; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards small forward Martell Webster (9) is fouled by Charlotte Bobcats small forward Jeffery Taylor (44) during the first half at the Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

The Charlotte Bobcats defeated the Washington Wizards 119-114 Monday night to end Washington’s three-game winning streak. Gerald Henderson continued his hot play with 27 points and Kemba Walker scored nine of his 18 points in the fourth quarter. It was another consecutive game where the backcourt of Henderson and Walker were the bright spots of Charlotte’s offense.

Henderson came into tonight’s game averaging a little over 22 points in his previous five games. Henderson, who will be a restricted free agent in the summer, is showing a lot of improvement in his offensive game and jumpshot.

Drafted four seasons ago, Henderson is starting to turn into an offensive weapon and has given the Bobcats an added dimension late in the season. Henderson got to the line 11 times and shot 50% from the field tonight against the Wizards. The Bobcats fielded trade calls for Henderson at the NBA’s Trade Deadline, but his recent stretch of play could make the team re-consider his long-term future in Charlotte.

Josh McRoberts started his fifth straight game for the Bobcats and finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and three assists. McRoberts, who was acquired at the NBA’s Trade Deadline from the Orlando Magic, has been a bright spot for Charlotte in 12 games with his activity on both sides of the ball.

Ben Gordon chipped in 19 points off the bench, while Jannero Pargo and Byron Mullens combined for 23.

John Wall led the Wizards with 25 points. Wall came into the game averaging a little over 22 points and 10 assists in his last five games. Former Bobcat Emeka Okafor had 17 points and nine rebounds, while NeNe had 21 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Martell Webster, who entered the game shooting the ball well, was held to just 12 points on 3-7 from the field.

Both the Bobcats and Wizards shot over 50% from the field in what was an entertaining shootout between two young teams. The Bobcats victory clinches the season series between the two teams.

Mar 12, 2013; Charlotte, NC, USA; Boston Celtics power forward Brandon Bass (30) dribbles on Charlotte Bobcats small forward Jeff Adrien (4) and point guard Kemba Walker (15)during the second half at Time Warner Arena. Mandatory Credit: Curtis Wilson-USA TODAY Sports

Without Kevin Garnett in the lineup, the Boston Celtics cruised to a 105-88 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats Saturday. Six Celtics scored in double figures and the team shot over 60% from three to tie the season series with the Bobcats. The Bobcats have now lost 12 of their last 13 games in addition to their league leading 28th road loss.

Different from Tuesday’s game against the Bobcats, the Celtics had Paul Pierce in the lineup. Pierce had 14 points, eight assists and six rebounds in 23 minutes. Jason Terry led the Celtics in scoring with 15 off the bench. With their win the Celtics have forced a three-way tie for the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference with the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks. If the season ended today, the Celtics would claim the sixth seed.

The Bobcats shot 45% from the field and 35% from three. Newcomer Jannero Pargo led the team in scoring with 18 points off the bench. Gerald Henderson had 16 points and Kemba Walker reached double figures with 14. While Henderson didn’t have as good a game as he has recently, his confidence and shooting touch still remained on display.

Josh McRoberts started his fourth consecutive game for the Bobcats and came close to a double double. McRoberts had 9 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks. McRoberts energy level around the rim continues to be a surprising bright spot for the Bobcats. Byron Mullens played just 17 minutes off the bench in comparison to 38 minutes for McRoberts.

The game was close during the first half, but the Celtics were able to pull away in the second half thanks to their defense and sharpshooting from distance. The Bobcats couldn’t match shots and their lazy defensive habits continued to show. The Bobcats will head back to Charlotte for a Monday game against John Wall and the Washington Wizards, before another meeting with the Toronto Raptors Wednesday.