Maybe those days are over now.
The Bobcats aren't having a great year by any means. They're just 19-26 this year and they're in fourth place in the Southeast division. Yet they're only a game-and-a-half out of a playoff spot in the top-heavy Eastern Conference.
Charlotte has won six of its last ten games, and is 13-9 in conference play. However, they haven't learned yet how to defend their home court, as they're just 13-13 at the Time Warner Cable Arena. Furthermore, they really haven't learned to win on the road yet, as they're just 6-13 away from home.
But they're quietly building a decently impressive resume, which includes a win at the Staples Center against the Lakers in double overtime last night. It was only the fourth home loss for the Lake Show this season.
They have also beaten Detroit on the road. They beat Portland at home, and beat Phoenix by a whopping twenty-two in Charlotte. They also beat Boston at home earlier this month. Since a 5-10 start to the season, Charlotte is 14-16 since. It's not earth-shattering by any stretch. But when you consider the team has never won more than 33 games in any season since their inception to the NBA (2004-2005), if they play like this the rest of the way they could make the playoffs.
That would be a huge deal in Charlotte.
Larry Brown is getting a young team to learn to play with one another. They have six players averaging double digit point totals. Gerald Wallace is putting up solid numbers on the wing. The addition of Boris Diaw has added some size and presence down low, and Emeka Okafor continues to be a solid NBA center. Oh, and Raymond Felton is starting to show the promise that he flashed when he came out of North Carolina.
They finally have the pieces in place to be a contending NBA team and no longer a joke. They have compiled a lot of young talent year after year and with the addition of a couple veterans the talent is starting to blossom. They're not good yet, per se, but with the way things are going don't be surprised if Charlotte earns the right to get blown out by Boston or Cleveland in the first round of the playoffs this year.
The Bobcats are no longer a team to take lightly in the NBA.
The Bobcats have beaten the Lakers 4 of their last 5. MJ has the upper hand on Phil.
ReplyDeletei think jordan's right. another team to keep an eye out for...okc thunder...i'm serious. in two years, they're going to be a playoff team or damn close. green/durant/westbrook are all good. who ever they draft this year will likely be as well. and, they lose about 30 million off the cap in worthless NBA-related crap after this year. keep your eyes open
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