Apr 9, 2013; Memphis, TN, USA; Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol (33) sets the play against Charlotte Bobcats power forward Bismack Biyombo (0) during the game at FedEx Forum. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden–USA TODAY Sports

The Charlotte Bobcats have rounded the corner and are on their last lap of the regular season. Before they cleared the corner, the Bobcats went to Memphis to visit the smash-mouth defense of the Memphis Grizzlies. Predictably, the Grizzlies defense was overwhelming for the Bobcats, and held the team in check offensively to cruise to a 94-75 victory.

Friday, the Bobcats rolled into the Motor City to do battle with the Detroit Pistons. The Pistons had a sharp night from the perimeter, shooting over 50% from three to roll to a 20-point route of the Bobcats. The Bobcats are used to seeing three-pointers rained on them this season. They rank 30th in opponents three-point field goals and 29th in opponents three-point percentage. It’s one of the main problems defensively the team is going to have to work on for next season.

The Bobcats showed some life in their three-point defense Saturday when they took on the Milwaukee Bucks. They held the Bucks to 9-29 from behind the three-point line. They also got a big night from Bismack Biyombo. Biz’ is taking advantage of April and capped his week with a 13 point, 17 rebound night in a 95-85 win over the Bucks.

Biyombo has been an easy target for criticism here on Roberto Gato this season, but the center is showing the flashes that so many of us have been pleading to see all season. In February and March, Biyombo had just five combined double-digit rebounding games. So far in April Biyombo has four of them. Biyombo is averaging 6.6 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in 33.3 minutes this month. His fouls are also down to 2.3 with the increased minutes.

While his FG% is still disappointing at 42.4%, it’s been very encouraging to see Biyombo as active as he has been. If Biyombo can manage to take this month’s play into next season to further improve his game, it will be a welcome sight to a Bobcats team that will definitely need to take some big steps in 2013-14.

Biyombo isn’t alone in cooking up a hot April. Josh McRoberts has continued his surprising play too. This month McRoberts is averaging 11 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 3.9 assists in over 39 minutes per game. Against Milwaukee Saturday, McRoberts was close to a triple-double.

The former Duke Bluedevil has given the Bobcats a presence similar to what Boris Diaw gave the team before his play trended down. He gives activity on both sides of the ball, he’s one of the league’s most underrated passers, and he’s a terrific rebounder as well. Athletically, McRoberts is very gifted too. McRoberts has made a great case to the Charlotte brass to be re-signed for next season.

This week also saw a lot of draft-related content. We had an update on the Charlotte Bobcats big board for the 2013 NBA Draft. We explained why the the Bobcats should be thankful they won’t get the Portland Trail Blazers draft pick for this year’s draft, even though Michigan center Mitch McGary is intriguing us here at Roberto Gato. The NBA Draft wasn’t the only thing on our minds, as we wondered whether or not Bobcats guard Ben Gordon should opt out of his contract with Charlotte in the offseason. Next week promises to bring no shortage of news and material as the Bobcats look to close the books on the ninth season in franchise history.

February 11, 2013; Charlotte, NC, USA; Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce (34) drives to the basket as he is fouled by Charlotte Bobcats center Brendan Haywood (33) during the game at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports

Two streaks were snapped when the Charlotte Bobcats beat the Boston Celtics Monday night.

First off, the ‘Cats hadn’t won a game since January 26.

The Celtics hadn’t lost since January 25.

Something had to give, and it was the C’s winning streak.

Enough praise cannot be heaped on Byron Mullens tonight.

Seven-feet-of-smooth shot 10-16 and 4-5 from three to score 25 points. Oh, yeah. He also grabbed 18 rebounds.

His counterpart, Kevin Garnett had a solid game, but couldn’t out-duel Mullens in the PF/C battle. He finished with 16 points and 13 boards.

That one four-letter 24 hour sports network has been debating whether or not the Celtics need Rajon Rondo… Well…

Avery Bradley scored eight points to go along with three assists, while Kemba Walker dropped 18 points and six dimes.

Sure, the Celtics were coming off a triple-overtime thriller, but if Bradley can’t handle Walker in the middle of February, I have a hard time believing Boston is better off with him over Rondo come playoff time.

Other standouts for the ‘Cats included Gerald Henderson, who dropped 16 points and four assists, and Ramon Sessions who poured in 19 points.

Charlotte shot 44 percent from three, and won the rebounding battle by three boards, but missed 10 free-throws.

That last stat didn’t come back to bite them, but it has in the past, and it’s something the team really needs to get better at.

But, right now, who really cares?

BOBCATS WIN! BOBCATS WIN!

Jan 19, 2013; Charlotte, NC, USA Sacramento Kings power forward Chuck Hayes (42) goes up for a shot against the Charlotte Bobcats during the first half at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

There have been few times this season where the Charlotte Bobcats have executed well in the last seconds of a game. Saturday night’s home game against the Sacramento Kings was no different.

The Kings beat the Bobcats 97-93 in a game between two evenly matched teams. The Bobcats were down by three with 18 seconds left, but Kemba Walker missed a three-point shot to tie the game. The Kings were able to put the game away with one free throw from Isaiah Thomas.

DeMarcus Cousins, who’s been at the center of trade rumors this season, had 17 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. Cousins showed his full display of talent tonight, and likely furthered the stance of many Bobcats fans who wish to see him play in Charlotte for 82 games, instead of one.

Sacramento was led by 18 points from Marcus Thornton off the bench. Tyreke Evans chipped in 16. The Kings backcourt was just as good as the Bobcats backcourt tonight. While the Kings haven’t been very good, they certainly have some talent on their team, though many question how well they’re used.

The Bobcats got double digit scoring nights from all four of their guards. Ramon Sessions had 16, Kemba Walker had 14 points and ten assists.

In the frontcourt, Hakim Warrick had 12 points, and Brendan Haywood and Jeff Adrien both had nine off the bench. Bismack Biyombo went scoreless in 19 minutes. None of their performances were uncharacteristic, which is what I wrote in the preview that the team needed to have the best shot at winning. Surprisingly enough though they didn’t need a balanced attack to win.

Games like these are some of the most winnable games the Bobcats will get all season.

While the team hasn’t been any good at home this season, they just didn’t get the job done when it came to executing in the last seconds of the game. Whether that’s a coaching problem or playing problem is up for the fans to judge. Personally I’d like to see better plays being drawn up in the 4th, and don’t think we’ve had a lot of good calls in the clutch. I’d also like to see better time management from Dunlap.

Dunlap’s done his fair share of experimenting this season, which is expected considering he’s an experiment as a head coach. Nobody expected the Bobcats to be playoff contenders this season, but when you watch games you want to see growth as a head coach from Dunlap and progress and development made by the players.

Have we seen a lot of the former? It’s certainly fair to question whether Mike Dunlap is the guy for this team in the long-term, as much as it is to question whether any of the players here are right for the long haul as well.

Tonight was another heartbreaker, which many fans have grown accustomed to over the past couple of seasons. This young team just lacks the veteran experience on the court and at coaching right now to consistently pick up wins in the clutch.

Dec. 19, 2012; Phoenix, AZ, USA: Charlotte Bobcats guard Kemba Walker (15) controls the ball under pressure from Phoenix Suns guard Sebastian Telfair in the first half at the US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Suns ball movement, three-point shooting and spread attack gave the Bobcats trouble when they defeated them in November. In Phoenix, the story was much of the same.

Phoenix shot 61% from three, and finished with a season high 121 points to defeat the Bobcats 121-104. Six Suns players hit double digits, including Shannon Brown, who continued his torture of the Bobcats with 26 points tonight.

The Suns don’t have a #1 option on their team, and with Steve Nash gone, they’ve been going with an offense by committee. Each night they feed the hot hand, and tonight Brown had it going. Other teams that play a similar style have given the Bobcats trouble with their ball movement, spacing, and shooting ability.

Goran Dragic and Jared Dudley combined for 41 points, as the Suns shot 55% from the field and had 31 assists. Dudley was the player to watch for the Suns, and continued his hot shooting month, going 4-8 from three as the Suns their win streak to four.

Entering tonight’s game the Bobcats were 30th in points allowed, and quickly lived up to the billing against Phoenix. The Bobcats defense had trouble stopping penetration and again did a poor job of rotating to shooters. The team is now 1-15 when giving up 100 points or more and just doesn’t look like they have a clue on defense.

Kemba Walker was the Bobcats player to watch for tonight. He once again led the Bobcats in scoring, with 27 points on 9-14 shooting. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had one of his best games of the season, finishing with 25 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals and a block.

The big question going into the game was whether the Bobcats could play effectively after an emotional loss last night to the Lakers. The team played well in the first quarter, but the Suns dominated the rest of the way and never looked back. It’s a tough test to ask for any young team like the Bobcats, but playing against a team in Phoenix that isn’t equipped with many veterans either should’ve been more of a winnable game.

Some might attribute this loss to this being a tough back-to-back, but the Bobcats defense just hasn’t done any favors whether it’s been on a back-to-back or three days off. The team frankly isn’t committed to that side of the ball. I’m not sure if it will change at all this season, but the habits, effort and body language just look very poor. If it wasn’t, each team the Bobcats face wouldn’t be getting clean looks each possession and outworking them on both sides of the ball.

Kemba Walker’s scoring has been entertaining to watch on top of that, as well as Kidd-Gilchrist’s development, but the main goal this season was to show signs of putting together a defensive culture. 25 games in…it hasn’t happened.

Friday, the Bobcats will head to the Bay Area to play one of the NBA’s most surprising teams in the Golden State Warriors.

The Warriors defeated the Bobcats on December 10, with the strong play of David Lee and Stephen Curry. The Warriors are 7-3 at home this season, and will look to use their three-point shooting and spacing in a similar way as the Suns did tonight. The Warriors though will defend much better than the Suns, especially at home where they’re giving up just 96.8ppg.

Dec 8, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA; San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker (9) drives on Charlotte Bobcats small forward Jeffery Taylor (44) during the first half at Time Warner Arena. Mandatory Credit: Curtis Wilson-USA TODAY Sports

When it rains, it pours in Charlotte. The Bobcats are losers of seven straight, after the Spurs routed them Saturday night 132-102. The Spurs were led by 23 points from former Tarheel Danny Green and 22 from Tony Parker.

Green hit seven of San Antonio’s 18 three pointers, as the Spurs shot 56% from distance. The loss makes it the 11th time this season that the Bobcats have given up 100 points or more, where their record is a blistering 1-10.

The Bobcats were led by 23 points from Kemba Walker, who gets tonight’s award for being the lipstick on a pig. Walker shot 50% from the field, but had just three assists.

The Bobcats late starting  lineup changes of Bismack Biyombo and DeSagana Diop didn’t help the team defensively, as Diop was a non-factor and Biyombo in 33 minutes didn’t have much of an impact either.

Overall the Bobcats offensive numbers weren’t that bad tonight. 46% from the field, 42% from three, 11 turnovers, The Bobcats were even +16 in free throw attempts for tonight. However, the Spurs outrebounded the team and had a field day with their ball movement and perimeter shooting as the Bobcats defense continued its downward spiral.

The excitement around this team that was felt a month ago seems to be fading, while the opponents only get tougher from here on out. The team is having trouble cementing an identity on both sides of the ball, and have lost any progress made in the first nine to ten games.

It’s not helping matters when you’re ranked in the bottom 10 in points scored and opponents PPG, as well as defensive and offensive rating. There’s a lot this team can do better, that’s the cut/dry statement. But how can they do it? Do they have the personel to get it done? It might be time to do an early season assessment of this team soon, because the list of concerns is endless right now. I’m interested in hearing what Bobcats fans think about this team’s recent play and any possible solutions.

The Bobcats will look to snap their seven-game skid against the Golden State Warriors Monday.

Nov 24, 2012; Washington, DC, USA; Charlotte Bobcats center Byron Mullens (22) shoots a jump shot against the Washington Wizards during the second half at the Verizon Center. The Bobcats defeated the Wizards 108 – 106 in double overtime. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-US PRESSWIRE

If there’s one thing the Bobcats have improved on this season, it’s their composure. Rich Cho’s offseason acquisitions and Mike Dunlap’s head coaching have put this team in the right position to make better decisions in close games. That improvement showed tonight, as the Charlotte Bobcats defeated the Washington Wizards, 108-106 in double overtime. The Bobcats improve to 7-5, matching their win total from last season, while the Wizards fell to 0-11.

In today’s game preview we posted keys to the game on both sides of the ball. Let’s see how each one went:

Offense:

1. Do not understimate the Wizards. The Bobcats didn’t take this take this team lightly at all, and played a tough, competitive game in the nations capital. Sometimes fans see that a team is struggling or in the Wizards case, winless, and assume it’s an easy victory. The Wizards though have been competing hard.
2. The Wizards defense will surprise you. It took overtime for the Wizards to give up 100 points. The Bobcats shot just 41% from the field, though they did shoot well from distance.
3. Keep getting to the line. Ramon Sessions once again led the team in free throw attempts, getting 11 of them. A lot of players followed behind him, as the Bobcats finished with 36 free throw attempts on the night. This was three less than Washington’s attempts, but this certainly helped the Bobcats offensively.
4. Byron Mullens. Mullens played one of his best games this season. 27 points, 8 rebounds, 5-10 from three, 9-15 from the field in 41 minutes. Mullens led the team in scoring and showed why the team is going to need his offense to stay in games. He’s our best offensive weapon in the frontcourt for better or worse. Tonight was evidence of the former.
5. Bench scoring. The Bobcats bench was led by 40 combined points from Sessions and Ben Gordon. For the game, the bench had 45 points. It was a solid performance from the two leaders in the second unit, but Washington still outscored them with their first-ranked bench scoring. The Wizards bench had 68 points.

Defense:

1. Consistency. There were a few slip ups, but overall the Bobcats played well defensively. They held a terrible Wizards offense to  36% shooting and 22% from three. The Bobcats forced 20 turnovers and scored 24 points off it.
2. Defend the three point line. The Bobcats shot 22% from three, big check here. The Wizards aren’t a good three-point shooting team, but they aren’t afraid to take the shots.
3. Rebounding. The Bobcats were outrebounded big tonight, mainly on the offensive glass. The Wizards were +13 with their offensive rebounding which was the difference in the total rebounding battle. Neither the Bobcats or Wizards are strong rebounding squads so something had to give, and unfortunately it wasn’t in the Bobcats favor.
4. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Another pretty good night from MKG defensively.
5. Close the game out. It took two overtimes, but the Bobcats got the job done, held their composure, and were able to keep the Wizards winless. Clearly there are things that still need work, but winning close games like these will definitely help this young team in the long-term.

Overall, I’m very pleased with the win for the Bobcats. It’s good to know that you can win a game like this, especially when your best player so far this season in Kemba Walker went 3-17. Next up the Bobcats will go on the road for a tough test against the Oklahoma City Thunder Monday.

November 23, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Devin Harris (34) drives past Charlotte Bobcats forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (14) and guard Ramon Sessions (7)during the game at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-US PRESSWIRE

The Atlanta Hawks aren’t getting much attention on TV or NBA circles, but might be content sneaking under the radar. The Charlotte Bobcats looked to continue their surge against a division rival, but were met by a stifling Hawks defense.

Atlanta defeated the Bobcats 101-91 behind Al Horford’s 26 points, 13 rebounds and 2 blocks. Horford shot 13-17 from the field. Coming into the game the Hawks ranked first in defensive rating and quickly showed why as they held the Bobcats to 37% shooting.

Earlier in the game preview, I gave a lot of stats to backup how terrific the Hawks have been defensively, and it’s another thing to actually see it unfold. Larry Drew has done a stellar job getting that team to continue committing defensively without their leader of several seasons in Joe Johnson.

The Bobcats at times played well against the Hawks and brought the game close, but the defense, which has looked good lately, was ineffective against Atlanta. The Hawks shot 54% from the field and 50% from deep, behind ten combined threes from Kyle Korver, Jeff Teague and DeShawn Stevenson.

There were a few bright spots about the defense, particularly Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Coach Dunlap gave MKG the opportunity to guard Josh Smith and he made the most of it. As I wrote in today’s preview, Smith is the type of power forward that MKG will be able to guard in the NBA because of his athleticism and quickness. MKG did a solid job on Smith tonight, and made the most of the opportunity. The Bobcats forced 21 turnovers and had 15 steals tonight against Atlanta.

The Hawks ranked 13th in threes made coming into tonight, and gave the Bobcats trouble with the spacing provided by the shooters in the open floor and half court. The Hawks haven’t been a good offensive team so far this season, but showed the type of gameplan Larry Drew wants from them. They moved the ball, kept a balanced pace and spread the floor with all of their shooters. The Hawks were +10 in fastbreak points and +12 in assists tonight.

Charlotte was led by 22 points from Ramon Sessions off the bench, who continued his stellar play so far this season. Sessions had 11 free throw attempts, 4 rebounds and 4 assists in 29 minutes. Atlanta’s defense has done a great job so far this season not allowing their opponents to get to the line, but Sessions led a Bobcats attack that was +15 in free throws made. Kemba Walker and Jeffery Taylor both had 16 points. Byron Mullens and Ben Gordon both struggled offensively, combining for 5-22.

The Hawks move to 7-4 on the season while the Bobcats fall to 6-5. While we’re all excited about the Bobcats start, games like tonight still show that there’s a lot for the team to pick up. The Bobcats didn’t manage to be consistent on both sides of the ball tonight and paid for it. They won’t have long though to think about the loss, as they head to the nation’s capital to face the winless Washington Wizards tomorrow.

November 7, 2012; Charlotte, NC, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Michael Beasley (0) passes the ball while being defended by Charlotte Bobcats forward Tyrus Thomas (12) and Bismack Biyombo (0) during the game at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-US PRESSWIRE

Do you remember Shannon Brown’s run with the Charlotte Bobcats? No? Well, Brown played 30 games for the Bobcats in 2008-2009 before being dealt to the Lakers. There, Brown won NBA championship and saw his career take a huge turn, after it looked like he was approaching bench fodder status.

To show his appreciation for that, Brown hit all six of his three pointers in the 4th quarter of Phoenix’s 117-110 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats. Brown finished with 24 points off the bench.

The Bobcats kept the game close, and were down by just 4 at the end of the third quarter. They were led by 24 points from Byron Mullens who hit six threes in the game, after struggling from downtown in the first two games. Mullens spearheaded a Bobcats rally, where they traded buckets with the Suns. Kemba Walker finished with 17 points and 8 assists, while Ramon Sessions added 17 of his own off the bench, making 12 free throws.

Rookie Jeffery Taylor filling in for the injured Gerald Henderson finished with zero points in 10 minutes in his first NBA start. It was a bit shocking to see Dunlap go with the rook tonight. I figured Gordon would be used to continue gelling with the second unit, and gave Reggie Williams the best chance to start after that. This will definitely be a developing storyline for the next few weeks as the Bobcats look to fill in Henderson’s production.

Mullens was the big story for the Bobcats on the night. 10 of his 16 shots were three point attempts, and he made 60% from downtown. While some, including me are worried about Mullens and his shot selection with the addition of his three point shot, there are going to be some games like this where it seems he can’t miss.

Regardless, it’d be nice to see Mullens balance out his jumpshooting and play inside. More times than not, Mullens was always behind the three-point line instead of looking to use his size advantage. As a result, he didn’t get a single free throw attempt. Mullens had a big third quarter, but in the 4th the Suns defended the pick/pop plays better and gave him no room to get off a shot. He didn’t score a single point in the 4th.

With neither team being particularly great defensively, the game quickly turned into a shootout. Shannon Brown made multiple bailout threes for the Suns near the end of shotclocks. The Suns energy level on both sides became more obvious and theywere able to pull away to claim victory.

When Phoenix couldn’t convert they were able to secure offensive rebounds to get second and third chance opportunities. The Bobcats had a tough time matching the energy level of the Suns, as well as their shotmaking down the stretch. Ball movement was stagnant, it was hard to convert at the rim, and as usual the team struggled creating easy buckets.

The Suns, while not the most talented offensive team, did a terrific job of moving the ball, getting each player a touch and finding the open man. Michael Beasley finished with 21 points, 15 rebounds and 7 assists, playing a very well-rounded game offensively. Marcin Gortat carried the defensive load, finishing with seven blocks and frequently altering shots at the rim. He also had 23 points and 10 rebounds as well.

If I have to wager, if the Bobcats give up 100 or more during most of their games this season, they’ll likely lose. This team can’t afford to get in offensive duels with teams and really need to tighten up defensively and put most of their energy on that side. Otherwise we’re going to see a lot of what we saw last season.

The Bobcats next game will be at New Orleans on Friday.