NBA: Charlotte Bobcats Commentary

2008-11-26T08:26:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving, Bobcat fans.

2008-10-30T11:19:00.001-07:00

Get out there and vote next Tuesday, November 4th, Bobcat fans!

2008-10-16T14:50:00.000-07:00

Too cool for school? Not the Bobcats! This morning, they hosted their annual preseason game for middle school students against the Orlando Magic. Lucky kids!

Olympic Fever

2008-08-15T10:48:00.000-07:00

I don't usually get too into the Olympics, but this year I just can't tear myself away. I'm not really sure why, but I'm enjoying it and staying up way too late watching. I guess it fills my need for sports entertainment while the NBA is off-season.

If you can't make history one way, do it another...

2008-03-16T13:56:00.001-07:00

So it was thanks to us that the Rockets jumped to the second-longest winning streak in NBA history on Friday. Does that mean we've made history? Close enough, I say. Yay us, the history-making Bobcats...

Bobcats give back

2008-02-18T09:18:00.000-08:00

Wow, they've really loosened the dress code in school!

All kidding aside, I love to see sports figures using their fame for something that helps the community. From the article:

“We just wanted to spread a little bit of Valentine’s Day love to the teachers and give back a little bit to them,” said Carroll. “My mom is a middle school teacher and we just wanted to show them how important they are to the future of the world and we just wanted to have some fun with them.”

Everybody all together... awwww...

Welcome back Gerald Wallace

2007-07-25T10:20:00.000-07:00

Gerald Wallace is back!

That's good nes, especially after reading Vice President of Basketball Operations Bernie Bickerstaff's comments about him at nba.com.

"Wallace averaged 18.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.0 blocks in 2006-07. His 18.1 points average also marked a franchise-best for a season, while his 2.0 steals were tied for fourth in the NBA. During the 2005-06 season, Wallace averaged a NBA-best 2.5 steals and 2.1 blocks and joined David Robinson and Hakeem Olajuwon as one of only three players in NBA history to average over 2.0 blocks and 2.0 steals in the same season.

“Gerald is a true difference-maker with his ability to play both ends of the floor with the same energy and desire,” said Bobcats General Manager Rod Higgins. “When you look around the league, there are very few guys who have that type of talent.”"

Jordan to Marshal Nextel All-Star Challenge

2007-05-10T13:33:00.000-07:00

Michael Jordan will be filling in as Grand Marshal for NASCAR's upcoming Nextel All-Star Challenge on May 19th. The man does know a thing or two about being an all-star, having played in 14 NBA All-Star games.

Back in Business

2007-02-14T11:00:00.000-08:00

Gerald Wallace is slowly but surely making his way back up to where he was before his injury. Even though the Charlotte Bobcats lost its third game in a row against the Portland Trailblazers, it's good to know that we will soon see more improvement in the game once Wallace has fully recovered. I'm closing this blog by saying, Good Luck Wallace & wish you get well soon.

2007-01-17T12:53:00.000-08:00

Charlotte Bobcats vs. Nets tonight at 7pm! Thank god--I've been stuck inside due to bad weather, and I'm dying for a game to watch.

A RECOMMITMENT OF EFFORT

2006-12-13T09:51:00.000-08:00

The days of short practices and days off may be over for a while, according to the Charlotte Bobcats coach, Bernie Bickerstaff. To avoid fatigue and injury during recent games, Bickerstaff had been scheduling shorter days, but after 3 losses in a row, it time to get the team to recommit their effort. Coach Bickerstaff has also said that he is comtemplating some lineup changes such as playing Adam Morrison off the bench. Let's hope the Bobcats can turn this losing streak around.

T-MOBILE ROOKIE OF THE MONTH

2006-12-06T09:42:00.000-08:00

Way to go, Adam Morrison! The Charlotte Bobcats guard was named NBA Eastern Conference T-Mobile rookie of the month last Friday. He is the third Bobcat player to win NBA Rookie of the Month in the team's history. I'm sure being the third overall pick as well had some expecting Morrison would be Rookie of the Month early on.

EMEKA OKAFOR'S CHARITY INITIATIVE

2006-12-03T13:22:00.000-08:00

The Charlotte Bobcats 2005 NBA Rookie of the Year, Emeka Okafor announced this last thursday that he has launched his One Million African Lives Initiative with the Safe Blood for Africa. Okafor wanted to partner with them seeing as how they are the leading international non-profit organization in the area. If you didn't know already, this last friday was National Aids Awareness Day. It's nice to see an anthlete get involved with a cause such as this. For someone that is interested in causes, it makes me want to buy a ticket to the Bobcat's games.

Hope you had your tickets to watch Charlotte

2006-11-04T19:50:00.000-08:00

I confess, we probably had the biggest ticket sales the Charlotte Bobcats' arena has ever had (19,147) because lots of those fans wanted to watch LeBron James. But loyal Bobcats fans got a bonus -- our first ever defeat of the Cleveland Cavaliers. As it turned out, Charlotte's Raymond Felton outscored LeBron with 23 points, a total that was higher than any of the Cavs attained.

It wasn't what we were expecting. It was a whole lot better!

I agree with Stephen Colbert

2006-11-04T18:05:00.000-08:00

I hate bears. Bears are evil. Okay, it's actually Grizzlies of the Memphis persuasion that I'm talking about. And taken individually, I guess they're probably decent folks. But what is it with those guys? We were beating them by 12 points in the 4th quarter, and then they remembered that, oh yeah, they (literally) never lose to the Charlotte Bobcats.

Don't get discouraged, Adam Morrison. We Bobcats fans appreciated your 21-point performance. We're gonna get some wins, and some fine day one of them will be against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Hopes for the Bobcats

2006-10-26T16:44:00.000-07:00

ESPN’s website had a collection of predictions about the Charlotte Bobcats, none of them showing us at the top of the heap in 2006-07, of course. But there were some hopeful threads running throughout. Young team. Never a pushover. Michael Jordan. Adam Morrison.

It would be nice to have a few more final scores like our win over Indiana last Tuesday.
For example, tonight against the Milwaukee Bucks. Or better yet, over Indiana again on November 1st, when the real season starts.

Tigers in the World Series

2006-10-15T16:56:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I can't help but cheer for the underdog, and what bigger underdog has there been than the Detroit Tigers? They may not be my favorite team - or sport - but I'll probably be cheering them on this World Series. It's nice to have a long shot make it once in a while.

Bobcats Community Relations!!!

2006-10-05T14:38:00.000-07:00

When it comes to the community,literacy and education seem to be #1 on the Bobcats list.Here are just a few of their areas of focus:

# Building a life-long love of reading in young people.
# Providing greater access to books and technology.
# Encouraging NBA and WNBA family participation in Read to Achieve programming.

Ely signs qualifying offer

2006-10-02T16:40:00.000-07:00

The Bobcats signed Melvin Ely to a $3 million single-year qualifying offer today. The power forward previously turned down bids from the Warriors and the Suns. Ely will have to compete with Okafor and Sean May for playing time, as well as new signee Walter Hermann of Argentina. Ely started in 22 games last season when the Bobcats were riddled with injuries.

Clearing up the mess

2006-07-11T10:47:00.000-07:00

As a long time Charlotte Bobcats follower, I would like to see some major improvements in our team this year. Our point average over the season was way less than the average, with Gerald Wallace picking up an average of 15 points per game. There was a lot of injury and a lot of different players were seen on the court. A lot of these problems seemed organizational, so hopefully with a good draft and a swift kick in the loose-fitting-pants we should continue to grow this season.

Playoffs are a good distraction.

2006-05-29T13:13:00.000-07:00

I have been watching as much Playoff basketball as I can lately. I am cheering for the Dallas Mavericks and I think that Dirk Nowitzki should be honored as MVP of the Playoffs. The Mavs completely shut down the Phoenix Suns last night in a convincing win. Despite a first half deficit, Josh Howard and Dirk came out to dominate in the second half and played practically error free basketball to clinch a 95-88 victory. Go Mavs!

Be careful what you say about Kenyon Martin or he’ll get you!

2006-02-10T15:36:00.000-08:00

Charlotte Bobcats fans are shocked at the news that Kenyon Martin of the Denver Nuggets has been involved in an altercation with some fans. The fans claim they were threatened by friends of Martin’s after he heard them making comments about him not being suited up for the game. No professional basketball player should be terrorizing fans in any way, and especially should not be threatening them for what is simply a freedom of speech issue.

Drafting with Bickerstaff

2005-05-26T13:44:00.000-07:00

I recently came upon an interview with Bernie Bickerstaff on the upcoming draft and the possibilities to the outcome. As of now, Charlotte is looking at two draft picks. Bickerstaff wasn’t extremely pleased with this, but the team is in a building stasis, so we have to look at the positives.

With two draft picks, we have the opportunity to buff up the team and bring players in to help buff up what is already present. Players like Emeka Okafor, Primoz Brezec, and Gerald Wallace are still great. But, they could be a lot better with the right additions.

The Milwaukee Bucks ended up first in the draft lottery. Charlotte’s first choice comes in the fifth spot. This is still a fairly good spot and I believe Bickerstaff will make good choices in this upcoming draft.

NBA Announces Early Entry Candidates For 2005 NBA Draft

2005-05-19T17:14:00.000-07:00

- from NBA.com

The National Basketball Association announced today that 108 players, including 73 college and high school players and 35 international players, have filed as early entry candidates for NBA Draft 2005.

Underclassmen and international players wishing to renounce their remaining intercollegiate eligibility and enter NBA Draft 2005 were required to submit a letter to the NBA postmarked no later than Saturday, May 14. Players who have applied for early entry have the right to withdraw their names from consideration for the Draft by notifying the NBA of their decision in writing no later than 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 21.

Bobcats Have Second-Most Chances In Draft Lottery

2005-05-17T17:17:00.000-07:00

The Bobcats will have the second-most combinations in the 2005 NBA Draft Lottery to be held May 24. Charlotte will have a total of 183 chances out of 1,000 with its two lottery selections.

Searching Europe

2005-05-12T17:48:00.000-07:00

Many coaches are getting together to try to find future draft picks. Possible veteran players and new incoming players of the EuroLeague are under consideration now as the season also is coming to a close. The final four competition featured teams from host CSKA Moscow, Tau Ceramica of Vitoria, Spain, Maccabi Tel Aviv and Panathinaikos of Athens.

"There are so many key people here from the NBA and the European teams, it's a great chance to build relationships. It's almost like an All-Star weekend."
-John Nash, general manager of the Portland Trail Blazers.

Brezec To Participate In Basketball Without Borders

2005-05-06T13:41:00.000-07:00

- from the official site of the Charlotte Bobcats

Primoz Brezec will participate in Basketball without Borders, the league’s premiere international basketball and community relations outreach program, at La Ghirada Sports Facility in Treviso, Italy from July 28-31.

Team Leaders:

2005-05-02T15:18:00.000-07:00

Emeka Okafor: 15.1 points / 10.9 rebounds
Primoz Brezec: 13.0 points / 7.4 rebounds
Gerald Wallace: 11.1 points / 5.5 rebounds

Okafor Wins Third Rookie Of The Month Award

2005-04-26T15:01:00.000-07:00

- from the official site of the Charlotte Bobcats

For the third time this season, Bobcats forward Emeka Okafor earned the NBA’s Eastern Conference got Milk? Rookie of the Month award. Okafor, who also captured the honor in November and December, averaged 16.5 points and 12.4 rebounds in April.

Okafor Injured

2005-04-19T17:25:00.000-07:00

- from FOXSports.com

Emeka Okafor is probably done for the year with his bruised thigh, as he sat out today's close loss to the Wizards. The Bobcats almost beat the Wizards even without Okafor.

Best and Worst

2005-04-17T16:51:00.000-07:00

Heat (53-23)

Vs.

Bobcats (17-63)

The Miami Heat finally ended their longest running losing streak through this season. This was shut against the Indiana Pacers. But, not everything is coming up roses. Shaq, who just came off the IL from a stomach virus, left the court bruised and battered after getting kneed in his side. He did not return from the injury.

Diamond in the Ruff

2005-04-14T17:38:00.000-07:00

So, the two worst teams or at least the two teams with the worst records went up head to head the other day. The Charlotte Bobcats took on the Atlanta Hawks and made sure to impose that they were not the worst team in the league. The Bobcats have many good players, but they need time to develop as a team. It gave the team an opportunity to have a 2-game winning spree.

"I want to thank the guys for allowing us to have one of those. Those young kids play hard. It will pay off next year and down the road because of the opportunities they have been given to play."
- Charlotte coach Bernie Bickerstaff

This also clinched the Hawks as the worst team in the NBA. With a record of 12-66, the Hawks are not going to be able to dig themselves out of this one.

Emeka Okafor

2005-04-10T12:59:00.000-07:00

- by Jason Kidd

Last week, my friend Scottie Pippen came out and said that Ben Gordon should be the Rookie of the Year.

Sorry, but Charlotte's Emeka Okafor is the best choice for this season’s got milk? Rookie of the Year. Take it from me, I’ve won the award before and I know that Emeka’s all-around contributions – not just scoring – are what it takes to win the top honor.

We just played the Bobcats the other night and Emeka wasn’t even supposed to play because he was injured. But at the last minute he played and finished the game with 15 points, 10 rebounds, four blocks and two steals.

When we prepared for the game, Emeka was a main focus and we knew we had to stop him on both ends of the court to be successful. Chicago has several options and Gordon can get his points easier because teams don’t focus only on him because they have some other good young players.

Bobcats Blunder

2005-04-05T14:20:00.000-07:00

The Charlotte Bobcats are about to go against the L.A. Clippers. At a glance, the Clippers are currently 33-41 and the Bobcats are 15-57. The Bobcats have long been eliminated from the Playoff run.

Currently, the Bobcats are on a 4 game losing streak and the streak seems to keep on spreading. Both teams are holding pretty bad road records, so hopefully this will advance the Bobcats enough to grasp victory in this upcoming game.

Nets Halt Bobcats Winning Streak

2005-03-29T16:03:00.000-08:00

- from the official site of the Charlotte Bobcats

The Bobcats led by four at the half, but couldn't hold off Vince Carter and the Nets in the second half of a 95-91 home loss on Monday. Primoz Brezec (20 pts, 12 rebs), Brevin Knight (16 pts, 10 asts) and Emeka Okafor (15 pts, 10 rebs) all registered double-doubles for Charlotte, which had its two-game winning streak snapped.

Charlotte’s Win

2005-03-22T15:04:00.000-08:00

Charlotte has finally been taken off as a possibility for the Playoff race. Along with the Bobcats, the Hawks and the Hornets were put out. The Spurs and the Heat clenched the Playoff berth in the Western Conference.

But moving to a more positive note, Charlotte came in on top against Orlando with a 102-97 home victory. The Bobcats were down 11 points during halftime. Brevin Knight was able to convert a three-point play with only 12 seconds left on the clock. This ends a 10-game losing streak for Charlotte.

"(Brevin) is a stabilizer with the ball in his hands. His teammates have confidence in him. We wanted the ball in his hands. The confidence is that he is going to make a play for his teammates and himself."
- Charlotte coach Bernie Bickerstaff

Charlotte’s Loss

2005-03-15T17:22:00.000-08:00

Going against the raging Celtics, the Bobcats gave a furious battle, but it was not enough in the long run. The score ended at 119-110, giving Antoine Walker a game to take home to mama. Walker ended the game scoring 25 points, making 9 rebounds, and adding 5 assists.

On average, the Bobcats were also shooting a lot poorer than the Celtics and leaving Celtics’ players open to make their shots. Charlotte missed the first nine shots taken in the fourth quarter.

"At the eight-minute mark of the fourth quarter, we had four good shots and they didn't go down. On the other end, they had those shots and they went down. We have to do a better job of guarding the shooter."
- Charlotte coach Bernie Bickerstaff

Webber dodges the boo-birds in Philly

2005-03-12T17:12:00.000-08:00

- from FOXSports.com

Primed to boo C-Webb out of Philly if he failed to deliver again, the Smack Gods hit up the Sixers/ Bobcats game last night and we were pleasantly disappointed. While Webber's play didn't elicit any boos from the crowd, he did help spark the team with likely his best game since joining the squad as he contributed 16 points, 8 boards and 5 dimes.

After a close first quarter in which Philly hosted the expansion Bobcats, the Sixers ran away with the game in the second quarter thanks to the 37-19 period and never looked back. The final score was 112-80, but it wasn't even that close as the Sixers trounced the hapless Bobcats in the game's final three quarters.

Hip Hop, the 76ers rabbit of a mascot, drilled an over-the-head shot from the far foul line on his lone attempt. With his boundless enthusiasm, chiseled physique and deadly shot, he's already more valuable to the team than Kevin Ollie and Josh Davis combined.

Bobcats Host Special Olympics Clinic

2005-03-08T17:46:00.000-08:00

Recently, the Charlotte Bobcats held a clinic for the Special Olympics. With over one hundred special Olympians in attendance from ten different counties, the Bobcats got together (both players and staff) and got on the court to give fundamental instruction on the game. Six different stations were split up to highlight certain aspects of the game. All around the theme of the event was fun.

“This is a fantastic event. It gives our athletes a chance to get instruction from some of the best athletes in the world. It excites them to just be on the same court as the professional athletes. This event helps them improve their skills and also helps build self-confidence in them.”
- Special Olympics’ Bob Bowler, who worked to help set up the clinic

Go Bobcats!!!

Stolen Victory

2005-03-06T12:06:00.000-08:00

With seconds left, Laron Profit scored the winning goal to seal the win against the Charlotte Bobcats. The final score came out to 86-84.

The game stayed fairly even throughout. During the fourth quarter, Washington came back and tied it up with 51 seconds. This really undermined an extreme effort made by Jason Hart of the Bobcats. He made 18 of his 20 points in the second half of the game. This added the last 16 points that the Bobcats scored; also marking a career-best for Hart.

"I was pretty much struggling through the first three quarters. But in the fourth quarter, I wanted to step it up and be more aggressive. Coach (Gary) Brokaw told me to be aggressive and try to score and that's what I did."
- Jason Hart

Bobcats take it from the Nuggets

2005-02-22T17:17:00.000-08:00

After a seven-game losing streak, the Charlotte Bobcats took the victory from the Denver Nuggets. It came through as a very close game; final score 94-88. The game was sealed by Kareem Rush, when he sunk a three-pointer with only seconds to go in the game. This is kind of ironic because Charlotte has lost their last two games on three-pointers at the buzzer.

"A win like this is good for us. Even though we won tonight, this could have easily been a three-game winning streak. Hopefully we can come back during the second half of the season and win some more games. We plan on stepping it up the second half on the season."
- Kareem Rush

The Bobcats were down going into the half, but came back with a storm in the third. Afterwards, Denver could not catch back up. Late in the fourth, the score came as close as 88-84, but Rush put a stop to this.

The Bobcats take on the Bucks next.

Bobcats fall to the Heat

2005-02-13T14:17:00.000-08:00

With a fifth consecutive loss, the Bobcats are growing a very detrimental streak. Not only did they lose (97-87), but this keeps them fourth in their conference standings with the possibility for lowering to fifth. Also, Emeka Okafor was brought off of the injury list only to re-injure his ankle in the fourth quarter. The Bobcats shouldn’t play the guy if he’s not ready to come back. Hopefully, he won’t come back worse.

Shaq had a great game; scoring 32 points and gathering 12 rebounds. Miami is first in standings and a powerhouse of a team. The talent mustered in Miami overlaps that of Charlotte.

"We should all be so fortunate to have a weapon like the big fellow. Not only did he make baskets, but some of the passes he made to teammates were great. He is a guy that makes a difference."
- Charlotte coach Bernie Bickerstaff

Charlotte fought hard, but the effort did not pay off in the long run. Charlotte carried a lead going into the half, but Miami played harder during the second half.

Let’s Hope for the Best

2005-01-30T13:42:00.000-08:00

The Charlotte Bobcats are currently fourth in the Southeast conference. Now they are going up against the LA Lakers. I’m not saying that the Lakers are doing a top notch job right now, but the statistics speak for themselves.

Currently, the Bobcats have won 1 game out of the last 19 on the road; stacking up 18 losses. The Lakers on the other hand will have home advantage. Their record is 15-9 at home and this writer thinks after tonight it will be 16-9.

On the other hand, Kobe Bryant is still out with a sprained ankle and this has been putting a strain onto the Lakers. Having undergone a three game losing streak, they face the Bobcats today at 9:30.

Mavs Hold Back Bobcats

2005-01-22T13:46:00.000-08:00

Jason Terry is comfortable both running the high-powered offense of the Dallas Mavericks and contributing to it.

Terry scored 17 points, including two clutch jumpers in the final 90 seconds, as the Mavericks held on for a 105-99 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats, who have lost seven straight games.

Acquired in an offseason trade with Atlanta, Terry began the season on the bench behind rookie point guard Devin Harris. The sixth-year veteran eventually won the starting job and the trust of his teammates, specifically long-time Mavericks Dirk Nowitzki and Michael Finley.

Eighth in the NBA in shooting at 52 percent, the combo guard is finding the balance between passing and scoring in Dallas' attack. In his previous seven games, Terry was averaging nearly 18 points and six assists.

"He is the key to this team, because he has the ball in hands and he controls the tempo for us," Dallas guard Jerry Stackhouse said. "If he's dragging the ball up the court and it's a slow tempo game, then that's not where we need to be. He started pushing the ball in the second half tonight and got us into the tempo we like and next thing you know it's a 13-point lead."

The Mavericks were in control for most of the second half. They held a 13-point lead entering the final period and still owned a 93-83 advantage after a jumper by Terry with 4:36 to play.

"I'm not doubting that kid anymore," Dallas interim coach Avery Johnson said. "We had a little pep talk at halftime. I won't disclose what I talked to him about and he won't say anything. If he does, I'll kill him. He really got it going tonight.

"We count on Jason. Right now, he is really moving his game up there and the more we win, the more he can silence a lot of the critics."

Terry said the chat with Johnson made him feel better.

"Anytime you get the vote of confidence from your coach it says a lot and it means a lot," he said. "It motivated me to go out there in that second half and just be a general out there on the floor. I'm starting to realize what I was brought here for and that's to come in and play the point guard position and do whatever it takes to win. I've been doing that and now guys are feeling more confident with me, which helps also."

The expansion Bobcats rallied behind Jason Kapono, who scored 13 of his 14 points in the last 4 1/2 minutes. He made a pair of 3-pointers and two free throws to help cut the deficit to 97-96 before Terry drilled a jumper with 1:29 left.

"You shoot the ball; that's what you do," Charlotte coach Bernie Bickerstaff said. "You don't worry about missing. They got him the ball in a rhythm. When you can shoot the ball like that, you space the defense and you can penetrate a few times and to the hole."

"He knows I'm in his corner, even though I like to box with him in that corner a lot, in practice and in film session," Johnson said. "He's getting better and he was huge for us tonight down the stretch."

"I've taken big shots and I've hit big shots," Terry said. "So, I'm not scared at all to step up and do that, but we have plenty of guys that can do that. Tonight, it just fell in my hands, so I took it."

Finley made a jumper with 39 seconds remaining but Kapono answered with a 3-pointer just four seconds later to make it 101-99. On Dallas' next possession, Terry calmly sank a 15-footer from the right baseline to effectively seal the win with 15 seconds to go.

Rookie Emeka Okafor had 24 points and 15 rebounds for the Bobcats, who matched their worst slide of the season. They have won once in 14 games since Christmas.

"We just have to be more consistent," Okafor said. "These past few games we've been pretty good at staying in the game and playing real hard. We played a good game. We just have to pat ourselves on the back and try to win the next one."

Nowitzki and Finley scored 20 points each and Stackhouse added 19 off the bench for Dallas, which has won four in a row and nine of 11. It is 2-0 since Johnson replaced coach Don Nelson, who is sidelined for up to three weeks following shoulder surgery.

"The bar is set so high for this team that we're not even close to reaching our potential," Terry said. "We've shown flashes, but if we can do it on a consistent basis, that's going to tell if we're going to be a good team or not and I know we will be in time and me maturing is a part of that process."

The Mavericks used a 12-2 run to close the first half and take the lead for good at 56-48. A 9-0 burst ended the third quarter and extended the advantage to 79-66 entering the final period.

Rookie of the Year?

2005-01-03T13:56:00.000-08:00

It has 19 strait games that Okafor has a double-double. Which happens to be the longest active streak by any rookie. That boy good!
“Emeka Okafor is a definite star in the making in this league," said Houston's Tracy McGrady, after Okafor averaged 22.0 points and 14.0 rebounds in Charlotte's sweep of the Rockets. "He’s awesome. He’s got game and he’s fundamentally sound. I haven’t played with anyone that plays like him. He’s something special.”

Okafor has now surpassed Tim Duncan's streak of 10 games during 1997-98 and Shaq's 15 game streak during the 1992-93 season by 4 games.

Okafor, Bobcats Notch Their First Road Win

2004-12-23T13:48:00.000-08:00

from NBA.com

Maybe the Houston Rockets should have voted against expansion.

The Rockets lost to the Charlotte Bobcats for the second time in five days, suffering a 90-87 setback to the expansion team, which won its first road game.

"We don't have a routine for when we win on the road," Charlotte coach Bernie Bickerstaff said. "We talked about gorillas and that's what this was becoming, a win on the road. We beat a good basketball team on the road.

The Bobcats, who lost their first 10 road games, knocked off the Rockets 101-100 in overtime in Charlotte on Saturday and became the first expansion team to sweep Houston. Fourteen previous teams had failed.

"We told our players we'd have to make sure we stayed in the game early," Bickerstaff said. "(The Rockets) are vindictive, in a good way. They wanted to send a message to us."

"It's not embarrassing to lose to anybody," Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "I don't care who you play in the NBA. The disappointing part is showing very little care for the result, by how we played."

Charlotte rookie forward Emeka Okafor wouldn't let it happen. Returning to play in his hometown, Okafor put together his 14th consecutive double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds.

"It's probably impossible, because of the environment, to come back to this situation and stay focused," Bickerstaff said. "The cameras come, the newspapers, you've got to be awful strong to eradicate yourself from that environment."

Okafor acted as if it was no distraction at all.

"I just put it in the back of my mind," Okafor said. "It's different, because it's the first time back. But I wasn't going to let my emotions get the better of me. It feels good."

Jason Kapono gave the Bobcats a lift with 16 points on 7-for-12 shooting off the bench.

Kapono put Charlotte ahead to stay with a jumper from the right wing with 2:14 left in the third quarter for a 61-59 lead and followed that with a 3-pointer from the right wing.

"It's good for a young team to get past that hump," Kapono said. "We've been real patient. We've had about five opportunities to win games (on the road). It's a quality win."

Primoz Brezec scored 14 points, including two key baskets in the final minute. Jason Hart came off the bench to add 14 points and give the Bobcats a boost.

Brezec hit a 15-foot jumper from the left side with 34 seconds to go to stretch Charlotte's lead to 87-82. The Rockets left Brezec alone for a layup on a long pass from Brevin Knight with seven seconds left that put away the game.

"He shot it with conviction," Bickerstaff said. "The quickest way to take a seat (on the bench) is to not take open shots."

Brezec also turned in a good defensive effort on Yao Ming, who scored 20 points, half his total in Monday's win over Toronto. Yao also grabbed 14 rebounds and committed 10 turnovers to complete an awkward triple-double.

Tracy McGrady led Houston with 25 points but shot only 6-of-17 and missed 6-of-17 free throws.

"We keep making the same mistakes," Yao said. "We have to learn from these games. It's just not good."

Charlotte forward Gerald Wallace left with 2:39 remaining in the third quarter with an injury to his right wrist. X-rays were negative.

Okafor free throws trurn away Horents

2004-12-16T13:52:00.000-08:00

from ESPN.com
Emeka Okafor went to the free-throw line with a chance to give the city of Charlotte some much-needed closure.

The rookie pushed aside his nerves and calmly sank a pair of free throws with 5 seconds left in overtime to give Charlotte's new NBA team a win over its old -- a 94-93 Bobcats victory over the New Orleans Hornets on Tuesday night.

"Any win is important for us, but this one, you could just sense the fans wanted it," Okafor said. "They wanted us to beat the Hornets and we sensed it meant a lot to the city. So I was a little nervous, but I just went up there and made them."

It was the first meeting between the Hornets -- who called Charlotte home for 14 seasons -- and the expansion Bobcats, the team that replaced them after they fled to New Orleans at the end of the 2001-02 season following a nasty falling out with the city.

The game between two pretty bad teams wasn't very good until the end. After 23 lead changes, Jason Hart put Charlotte on top with an 18-footer that made it 92-90 with 23 seconds to go in overtime.

Then Junior Harrington, who scored a career-high 22 points, made a 3 to put New Orleans up 93-92 with 7 seconds left.

The Hornets had one foul to give, and used it coming out of the timeout. But Okafor beat P.J. Brown under the basket and referee Bennie Adams called Brown for a foul, sending Okafor to the line for the game-winning free throws.

"I thought I knocked the ball away, and I thought it was a bad call," Brown said. "I was very surprised and shocked he called a foul. You don't see too many games end like that, just given to the other team."

Hornets coach Byron Scott was equally upset with the call that gave New Orleans its 11th-straight loss.

"That was the worst call I've seen in about 12 years, period," Scott said. "If (Okafor) makes a play and scores, then that's one thing. You don't bail them out and that's what (Adams) did, he bailed them out."

Harrington missed a shot at the buzzer as New Orleans dropped to an NBA-worst 1-19 on the season. The Bobcats, who are supposed to be worse as the expansion team, are an enviable 5-14.

Okafor finished with 20 points and 12 rebounds, Gerald Wallace had 17 points and 10 rebounds and Keith Bogans had 11 points. Brevin Knight had 11 assists before missing all of overtime with a bruised forearm.

David Wesley, extremely popular during his days in Charlotte, led the Hornets with 23 points. Brown had 17 points and 11 rebounds, George Lynch had 13 points and Matt Freije added 10.

The Bobcats celebrated the meeting of the two teams with a "Conversion Night" that allowed fans to trade in any Hornets gear for an orange Bobcats cap. It didn't deter a smattering of fans to keep their memorabilia, and even wear old jerseys during the game.

The old Hornets gear is rarely seen anymore in Charlotte, where the wounds are still raw from the deterioration of the franchise. Once revered -- fans set an NBA record with 364 straight sellouts from 1989-97 -- the city turned on the Hornets in the final two years over hatred of owner George Shinn.

But if this meeting was supposed to give the city of Charlotte closure, the Hornets wouldn't allow it by fielding a team that hardly resembles the one that left. Only seven former Charlotte players are still on the roster, and four missed the game with injuries.

And just as Wesley predicted, he and the other former Charlotte players received warm welcomes during player introductions from the crowd of 13,589, proving that the fans hated the situation, not the actual Hornets.

Still it had to be weird for Wesley when "The Brick Guy" -- the longtime Charlotte fan who stands behind the basket waving a large brick to distract opponents during free throws -- frantically tried to distract him every time he went to the line.

"There was a lot of love here," Wesley said. "It was real nice to see the fans, the faces. You see them and you remember. It was nice."

Bobcats Slowly Bud into Winner

2004-12-09T13:07:00.000-08:00

Charley Rosen / Special to FOXSports.com

They exist in their original form for only one year, then they evolve into a more advanced life form.

Here's your chance to fire back at Charley Rosen. Got a question or a comment? Submit it below and Charley will respond to the best ones in regular mailbag features.
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Sixteen of the extant NBA franchises first drew breath as expansion teams — Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, L.A. Clippers (whose initial incarnation was the Buffalo Braves), Houston (San Diego Rockets), Memphis (Vancouver Grizzlies), Miami, Milwaukee, Minnesota, New Orleans (Charlotte Hornets), Orlando, Phoenix, Portland, Seattle, Toronto, Utah (New Orleans Jazz), and Washington (Chicago Packers). Most recently, the citizens of Charlotte were given the dubious opportunity of hosting still another expansion team — the Bobcats.

In their brief 12-game life span, the Bobcats have beaten the Hawks, the Magic, and the post-Palace-Pandemonium-Pistons. At their current rate, the Bobcats will finish their inaugural season with 20 victories, which would place them slightly above the average win total (18.9) of their predecessors. Should this, indeed, be the case, then Bernie Bickerstaff would merit serious consideration for Coach of the Year.

On Tuesday, the Bobcats encountered the hapless Nets in New Jersey. This was a contest Charlotte could easily win, so their chops definitely had to be sky-high. It was time, then, for a close perusal of the Bobcats to determine just how good a ball club they really are. Better than the Kidd-less Nets? Better than the woeful Bulls, the depleted Hornets, or the horrendous Hawks?

Also, who are the surprises in Charlotte? Who are the keepers? And who will soon be gone and forgotten?

Offense
On the up-side, the Bobcats' roster includes six double-figure scorers (Emeka Okafor, Gerald Wallace, Keith Bogans, Steve Smith, Primoz Brezec and Eddie House), and two more players (Jason Hart and Jason Kapono) averaging nine-plus. This means that opponents can't point their defenses at one or two Bobcats.

The down-side of this equation is that Charlotte has no go-to scorer: Wallace can certainly find his way to the hoop better than any of his teammates, but he sports a side-winding jumper, and shoots only 65 percent from the free-throw stripe. Jahidi White, at 6 foot 9 inches, and 290 pounds, is a massive presence in the low-post — backing and smacking his way toward the basket — but he makes only 40 percent of his foul shots. Both House and Bogans are erratic and are cable of shooting the Bobcats into, or out of, games. Brezec is 7 foot-1 inch and a fine one-on-none shooter, but plays slow and small. Knight is at least two steps slower than he once was and managed to carry the ball into the paint only once. And the elderly and immobile Smith hardly plays any more.

That leaves Okafor.

For sure, this guy is a special player. He's smooth, quick off his feet, has good hands, and always hustles. Against the Nets, he scored 26 points while showing 20-foot range on his jumpers-proof that he worked hard in the off-season to expand his offense. Next summer, he's advised to work on his handle and his passing.

As it is, Okafor scores on open jumpers and put-backs, and he spins for jump hooks or turnaround-jumpers set up by a single dribble. On those rare occasions when a Net defender was able to crowd Okafor's jumper, the rookie's release was tight and he produced two air-balls and a weak jumper that Alonzo Mourning swatted into the stands.

There were only two times when Okafor attempted to bounce the ball twice in an attempt to maximize his position — once his second dribble was snatched away, and the other occasion resulted in his being so off-balance that he launched another air-ball. There's no doubt that he's a talented rookie, but so far Okafor is a finesse player with no definitive offensive moves.

The Bobcats ran mostly a 1-4 set that featured a big stationed at either box and a pair of wings crossing, popping, curling, and sometimes picking and bouncing. Occasionally one of the bigs would move to the foul line to catch and then reverse the ball. Or sometimes one of the big man would move into a high screen-roll (S/R) alignment — but the screens were soft, the guards couldn't turn the corner, and the Bobcats gained no advantage. Most of the Bobcats' sets, however, lacked continuity and broke down into one-on-one situations.

Likewise are their post-up options extremely limited: There's White, who only played briefly and had to be yanked because of a sore shoulder; Steve Smith, who couldn't beat Methuselah one-on-one; and Okafor, with his restricted handle.

Equally as damaging is the fact that the Bobcats can't (or won't) run. Against New Jersey they netted only five fast break points. Of their four point guards, Bogans, House, and Hart are scorers who can't be trusted to trigger a running game — and although Knight is a trustworthy passer, his jets have turned to propellers. Also, the Bobcats offense is so meager that they can't afford to turn the ball over, so Bickerstaff has wisely decided to slow the pace and try to stay in as many games as possible.

However, teams that play station-to-station must get to the free-throw line-but without the slashing, hard-driving players that can draw fouls, the Bobcats have to work too hard for every score. (The Nets finished with ten more free throws than Charlotte). And even when they managed to get fouled, as a team Charlotte shoots a meager 68 percent from the line. (How is it possible for a team of professional basketball players to be so inept when shooting unguarded from fifteen feet? Many young players simply can't make the adjustment from the slam-bang, high-flying, top-speed action to the quiet, standstill, dead-clock moments at the foul line. So their concentration is impinged and their shots are usually too hurried.)

The Bobcats did play hard from tip to buzzer — but late in the third quarter, when the Nets extended to a double-digit lead, the Bobcats knew that the game was over. (It was, the Nets winning by 99-86.) Their response was to abandon their offensive sets and take quick shots. Like all young players faced with either pressure or hopeless situations, the Bobcats reverted to the same bad habits that Bickerstaff is trying to reform.

Also, because the Bobcats are expected to lose to everybody, the referees don't respect them. Just about every charge-or-block call went against them (one of these backwards calls so infuriated Bickerstaff that he was T'ed).

So far, the on-and-off 3-point shooting of their guards have disguised the fact that the Bobcats simply have trouble scoring enough points to win more than a handful of games.

Defense
On any S/R, the Bobcats' bigs will be extremely aggressive-to the point of switching at every opportunity. Once the Nets got accustomed to this ploy, they took full advantage of the mismatches by clearing enough space to freely send the guard-defended-big-man into the pivot.

Generally, the Bobcats' defensive rotations were either slow or else totally non-existent. Several Nets drove to the basket from twenty feet and beyond without being challenged by a rotating big man.

The Bobcats were also reluctant to double-down whenever a Net player had an obvious advantage in the low-post. Not even when 6-foot-7-inch Richard Jefferson caught 6-foot-1-inchEddie House in a switch and took the smaller man into the paint. On the two or three occasions when the Bobcats did two-time a pivot man (Mourning against Melvin Ely), the Nets zipped the ball inside-out-and-around and came up with wide open shots. Obviously, Bickerstaff has little faith in his team's defensive instincts and quickness.

Indeed, most of his players are so totally mesmerized by the ball that several Nets found themselves alone under the basket-easy passes led to easy scores. And because none of the Bobcats (including Okafor) is in the habit of boxing out, the Nets were able to assault their offensive glass. (The Nets had as many offensive rebounds, 14, as the Bobcats had defensive rebounds.)

So, after losing to the Nets, the Bobcats fell to 3-10. And how do they stack up against the other NBA bottom-feeders?

They're much more unselfish than the Hawks. More athletic and in better physical condition than the Bulls. They play harder than New Orleans. And they're too young to battle the Nets on even terms.

In about three years, Okafor will have a handle, some moves, a modicum of toughness, and (except for Wallace and Hart) a roster full of new teammates. In about five years, the NBA will have added another couple of expansion teams and the Bobcats will be solid (if mediocre) citizens — and finally able to claw their way into the playoffs.

Bobcats’ Bench Leads the Way

2004-11-29T08:08:00.000-08:00

from NBA.com

Eddie House and the rest of the Charlotte Bobcats' reserves were too hot to handle for the Atlanta Hawks.

House scored 17 of Charlotte's 48 bench points and led six players in double figures as the Bobcats posted a 107-92 victory over the Hawks, who have lost six in a row.

"I was just knocking down shots, getting open looks and making them count," said House, who made 6-of-9 shots, including all three 3-pointers. "I give credit to my teammates for getting me open and my big men screening for me and getting me open."

Looking to bounce back after failing to hold a 17-point lead at Indiana on Friday, the Bobcats went on a 13-4 run late in the third quarter to open a 69-59 lead.

After Atlanta scored nine straight points, Charlotte ripped off 10 in a row capped by a no-look pass from Keith Bogans to Gerald Wallace for an easy layup, making it 87-74 with 9:10 to go.

"The fourth quarter was the biggest difference," Hawks coach Mike Woodson said. "That quarter has been atrocious for us. Not being able to step up in the fourth quarter causes us to lose. The Bobcats outworked us tonight."

Bogans came off the bench to score 15 points while rookie Emeka Okafor added 15 and 10 rebounds for the Bobcats, who had lost eight of their last nine games. Atlanta's reserves scored just 19 points. The Hawks committed 22 turnovers, leading to 28 points for the Bobcats.

"I thought we got our hands on a lot of stuff with our big guys," Bobcats coach Bernie Bickerstaff said. "When they would go into the paint area, I thought our rotations were pretty good."

Al Harrington scored 27 points and Antoine Walker added 24 for Atlanta.

The Hawks attempted just 14 free throws, three in the first half. The Bobcats were 27-of-34 from the charity stripe.

"We made free throws and we were still aggressive," said Charlotte guard Brevin Knight, who had 12 points and 11 assists. "In the past, we may have become a little passive and tried not to lose instead of trying to win. Tonight, we didn't do that."

Warriors Earn First Victory

2004-11-14T16:52:00.000-08:00

from NBA.com

The Golden State Warriors finally found someone they can pick on.

Jason Richardson scored 27 points and Troy Murphy had his second straight double-double as the Warriors posted a 103-87 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats, their first this season and coach Mike Montgomery's first in the NBA.

It feels like we won a national championship," said Montgomery, who came to the Warriors after 18 years at Stanford. "There was a huge elephant in the room and the thing was getting bigger by the game. We just needed a win, and I thought the guys came out and focused pretty well."

Golden State entered the game as the worst shooting team in the league at 34.8 percent but shot 52 percent (41-of-78) from the floor vs Charlotte. The Warriors raced to a 51-34 halftime lead in avoiding their first 0-7 start since 1997.

Richardson and Murphy were both signed to multi-year extensions November 1 but have been inconsistent during Golden State's rough start. Richardson was 1-of-9 from the floor in the club's 29-point loss to Memphis on Friday but was 11-of-21 in this one.

"This was a must win for us," Richardson said. "We gave our best and played hard. We played with a sense of urgency. You got to find a way to bring it every night."

Richardson hit a 3-pointer to cap a 15-5 first-half run that gave the Warriors a 32-18 advantage early in the second period. During the run, which lasted nearly eight minutes, the Bobcats did not have a basket.

"I think one of the problems that we've had with our shooting is that they are tight," Montgomery said. "What we did talk about was forgetting about that and trying to win it on defense."

Murphy, who entered the contest shooting just 32 percent (29-of-90), made 9-of-13 shots. He scored 22 points - two shy of his career high - and grabbed 16 rebounds.

"We got some easy ones at the beginning and got a little run and I think that made a difference in settling us down," Murphy said.

"Murphy and those guys were getting out and they wanted the basketball game more than we wanted the basketball game," Bobcats coach Bernie Bickerstaff said.

Charlotte lost rookie Emeka Okafor and fellow starter Jason Hart with sprained ankles. Okafor left in the second quarter and Hart early in the third. Neither returned.

"We looked down the bench at one time and we had two guys," Bickerstaff said. "(Tamar) Slay had to go throw up and Jason Hart, Emeka and Primoz Brezec were gone. We're somewhat decimated."

Brezec was bothered by a sore shoulder that limited him to 29 minutes and a season-low eight points.

Gerald Wallace picked up the slack with a career-high 22 points and 10 rebounds, notching his second double-double of the season. Eddie House scored 20 points for Charlotte, which never got closer than eight points in the second half.

"We started off slow," Wallace said. "Mentally, we weren't in the game. In the second half, we got our confidence up and made a run, but in this league you can't start off games like that."

Bobcats End First Preseason With Second Straight Win

2004-11-01T08:32:00.000-08:00

From NBA.com

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C., Oct. 27 (Ticker) -- Ready or not, the inaugural season is upon the Charlotte Bobcats.

The expansion Bobcats closed the preseason with their second straight win, holding on for a 93-89 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.

Rookie Emeka Okafor scored 15 points to lead a balanced attack for the Bobcats, who had five players in double figures. That is the type of scoring Charlotte needs if it wants to be competitive when it begins its first season Nov. 4 against Washington.

The second overall pick in the draft, the defensive-minded Okafor figures to start at center flanked by forwards Gerald Wallace -- who may be the team's best scoring option -- and Primoz Brezec, both of whom were acquired in the expansion draft.

The starting backcourt is Brevin Knight, who was signed as a free agent, and Jason Kapono, also taken in the expansion draft.

Brezec scored 14 points and reserves Eddie House (13), Steve Smith (12) and Jason Hart (10) and reached double digits.

In winning for the third time in four games, the Bobcats (3-3) grabbed a 53-48 halftime lead and did not trail thereafter.

Antoine Walker scored 31 points and fellow offseason trade acquisition Al Harrington added 17 for the Hawks (1-6), who close their preseason schedule at Cleveland on Thursday.

2004-2005 Bobcats Schedule

2004-09-16T09:16:00.000-07:00

11/4/2004 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. Washington
11/6/2004 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. Orlando
11/10/2004 8:00 PM Bobcats @ Milwaukee
11/12/2004 7:30 PM Bobcats @ Boston
11/13/2004 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. Golden State
11/16/2004 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. Utah
11/18/2004 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. Cleveland
11/20/2004 7:30 PM Bobcats @ Cleveland
11/21/2004 6:00 PM Bobcats @ Detroit
11/23/2004 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. Detroit
11/26/2004 8:00 PM Bobcats @ Indiana
11/27/2004 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. Atlanta
11/30/2004 7:30 PM Bobcats @ New Jersey
12/4/2004 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. New York
12/6/2004 10:30 PM Bobcats @ L.A. Clippers
12/7/2004 10:00 PM Bobcats @ Sacramento
12/10/2004 9:00 PM Bobcats @ Phoenix
12/12/2004 9:00 PM Bobcats @ Golden State
12/14/2004 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. New Orleans
12/18/2004 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. Houston
12/21/2004 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. New Jersey
12/22/2004 8:30 PM Bobcats @ Houston
12/26/2004 1:00 PM Bobcats @ New York
12/27/2004 7:00 PM Bobcats @ Washington
12/29/2004 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. Indiana
12/31/2004 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. Seattle
1/1/2005 7:30 PM Bobcats @ Miami
1/3/2005 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. Cleveland
1/5/2005 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. Minnesota
1/7/2005 7:00 PM Bobcats @ Orlando
1/11/2005 7:00 PM Bobcats @ Cleveland
1/14/2005 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. Memphis
1/15/2005 7:00 PM Bobcats @ Atlanta
1/17/2005 1:00 PM Bobcats vs. Milwaukee
1/19/2005 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. Philadelphia
1/21/2005 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. Dallas
1/23/2005 1:00 PM Bobcats @ Toronto
1/25/2005 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. Boston
1/27/2005 8:30 PM Bobcats @ Chicago
1/28/2005 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. Toronto
1/30/2005 9:30 PM Bobcats @ L.A. Lakers
2/1/2005 9:00 PM Bobcats @ Utah
2/4/2005 10:00 PM Bobcats @ Portland
2/5/2005 10:00 PM Bobcats @ Seattle
2/8/2005 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. San Antonio
2/9/2005 7:00 PM Bobcats @ Indiana
2/11/2005 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. Miami
2/13/2005 6:00 PM Bobcats @ New York
2/14/2005 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. Portland
2/16/2005 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. Denver
2/22/2005 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. Milwaukee
2/25/2005 7:30 PM Bobcats @ New Jersey
2/26/2005 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. Chicago
3/1/2005 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. Sacramento
3/2/2005 9:00 PM Bobcats @ New Orleans
3/4/2005 7:30 PM Bobcats @ Boston
3/5/2005 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. Washington
3/8/2005 8:00 PM Bobcats @ Minnesota
3/11/2005 7:00 PM Bobcats @ Philadelphia
3/12/2005 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. L.A. Lakers
3/14/2005 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. Boston
3/16/2005 9:00 PM Bobcats @ Denver
3/18/2005 8:30 PM Bobcats @ San Antonio
3/19/2005 8:30 PM Bobcats @ Dallas
3/21/2005 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. Orlando
3/23/2005 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. Phoenix
3/24/2005 7:00 PM Bobcats @ Orlando
3/26/2005 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. Miami
3/28/2005 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. New Jersey
3/30/2005 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. Chicago
4/1/2005 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. Toronto
4/2/2005 8:30 PM Bobcats @ Chicago
4/5/2005 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. L.A. Clippers
4/6/2005 7:00 PM Bobcats @ Philadelphia
4/8/2005 8:30 PM Bobcats @ Milwaukee
4/10/2005 8:00 PM Bobcats @ Memphis
4/11/2005 7:30 PM Bobcats @ Atlanta
4/13/2005 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. Atlanta
4/16/2005 1:00 PM Bobcats vs. New York
4/17/2005 1:00 PM Bobcats @ Washington
4/19/2005 7:30 PM Bobcats @ Miami
4/20/2005 7:00 PM Bobcats vs. Detroit