A Bobcats Prediction
Ray FeltonAn unnamed member of the extended Dime family made a prediction that is still written on the walls of our office.
“The Bobcats will go 41-41 this year.”
At the time, I was among the many who cackled like Dave Chappelle at him, stomping and throwing things in the air. And I wasn’t alone. The last time we saw him, Larry Brown had come into New York on a white horse as the anointed savior, and then left the team worse than when he arrived. So wouldn’t he just quit on the Bobcats once he realized that they didn’t have what it takes?
But an interesting thing happened at the outset of the season. Brown seemed to go back on his defining rule right off the bat: he played a rookie. Not only was he giving D.J. Augustin valuable minutes, but he was even starting him at the point. D.J.’s been up and down this year, but he’s definitely deserving of some burn. But most importantly, giving Augustin that early-season nod seemed to do something for Ray Felton.
As we wrote yesterday about the game’s clutch performers, it was kind of shocking to see Felton’s name mentioned in the same sentence as the best late-game shooters this season. (He’s 3-8 in “game winning shot opportunities.” Read THIS for a full explanation.) A little bit of competition can go a long way.
Now I still think that 41-41 is a far cry from reality. But if I was forced to write my Bobcats prediction on the walls of the Dime office, it would have looked a whole lot more like 20-62. They won their 20th game of the season last night against the Clippers to put a stop to a five-game skid.
Are you impressed/unimpressed by Charlotte this season?
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February 10th, 2009 at 8:39 am
dk says:
Man, I really wish I cared…
February 10th, 2009 at 8:40 am
dk says:
second…
February 10th, 2009 at 8:49 am
Yoooo says:
Me and my boy were just talking about how well they’re doing putting pieces together. They got a solid team. Bench isn’t that deep tho
February 10th, 2009 at 9:12 am
Celts Fan says:
Step in the right direction
February 10th, 2009 at 9:50 am
Mamba says:
Lots of good individual talent, not sure how sold I am on them as a team quite yet,
Agreed on the point though that LB is looking to give the young cats some run finally – I just really am not sold on an MJ led ball club quite yet,
Time will tell – but I dont see 41-41, thats not happening
February 10th, 2009 at 11:33 am
Bron42 aka Is like a good guiness cuz the boyz brilliant says:
put blake griffin beside emeka and crash
February 10th, 2009 at 11:42 am
SteveNash says:
the machine is coming to town
February 10th, 2009 at 11:42 am
doc (i like kobe AND bron) says:
neither.They got some nice pieces to add around though.
February 10th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
loganlight says:
Charlotte is one of the those teams that I never really realistically see winning it all. I throw them together with the Bucks, the Grizzlies, and the Wizards, to name a few. just bottom dwellers that will never really get a handle on things.
LL
February 10th, 2009 at 8:23 pm
2 Easy says:
If Bynum hadnt levelled Crash like a WR gettin smoked comin across the middle that 41-41 prediction cud hav conceivably happened simply because the rest of the east is awful other than the super powers its WIDE OPEN. The teams fighting for 4th are the Miami Wades and the Detroit Dissarays. Then Atlanta who seems to be regressing this conference is so open
February 11th, 2009 at 2:00 am
dagwaller says:
I don’t see why it couldn’t happen. Gilbert Arenas isn’t going to come back (I don’t think), so the Wizards will lose to them. Vlad was a good pickup for them (talent wise, a good trade). Brand is out…Bosh is out…Orlando loses Jameer…it’s not like the rest of the bottom feeders in the East are getting any better…