Charlotte Bobcats at New Orleans Hornets 1/18

[ziggy]

Friday night we have to face these dudes:

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w301/bobcatsplanet/mandarinia2.jpg

We've been on a roll these last 6 games and are playing our best ball of the season.
Gentlemen & Melanie :biggrin: Can we keep it going?

[MattD]

If I am watching the game at my house... I will be there from start to finish, last time was fun. We can do this, and I am really excited to watching a great basketball team continue to get their chance to shine... lets do it

scary picture

[Wallace15]

I can't wait until tomorrow. We're playing great basketball and we've beaten some damn good teams as of late. NO's playing good this year so lets add them to the "damn good team we've beaten" list.

[Muttley]

I can't wait until tomorrow. We're playing great basketball and we've beaten some damn good teams as of late. NO's playing good this year so lets add them to the "damn good team we've beaten" list.


Well put, W15. I'll be watching from the safety of the couch, or maybe a bar in Raleigh.

So, Ziggy, is that a really large hornet or a smallish hand? (or an illusion?)

[davcbow]

We lost in our house to these Hornets back during our slump. Since that game we have gone 5-6 and the Hornets have gone 8-2 but we have played tougher teams than they have. Man I really want us to to beat them in their house. The Hornets are burning it up right now and so are we but we will have to play solid 4 quarter basketball to defeat them. We wont be able to afford to do what we did in last nights game, we will have to come out on fire and keep it going and play solid defence all game. We can win this but we can not fall behind on them..... :g:

[ziggy]

So, Ziggy, is that a really large hornet or a smallish hand? (or an illusion?)

Its a giant japanese hornet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_hornet). They grow to over 2 inches long, and their stingers can be 1/4 of an inch long. Thank goodness they don't have them over here in the U.S.

[davcbow]

So, Ziggy, is that a really large hornet or a smallish hand? (or an illusion?)

Its a giant japanese hornet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_hornet). They grow to over 2 inches long, and their stingers can be 1/4 of an inch long. Thank goodness they don't have them over here in the U.S.



Now that would hurt to get stung by that, Im allergic to bees, that thing would kill me more than likely..... :g:

[Muttley]

So, Ziggy, is that a really large hornet or a smallish hand? (or an illusion?)

Its a giant japanese hornet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_hornet). They grow to over 2 inches long, and their stingers can be 1/4 of an inch long. Thank goodness they don't have them over here in the U.S.



Wow, it's a good thing we're playing Chris Paul tomorrow night and not that thing!

[123together]

New Orleans has got a solid squad this year. however, felton will raise his game against CP3 and wallace and ricahrdson will combine for 55 points in a bobcats win

Cats 99
Whorenets 91

[WarioVsMooChicken]

Hopefully a Bobcat win can cure my depression. Streaks of 3 wins tend to do that.

[TheBeagle]

It's time to get a streak of more than 2 going. I'm feeling okay about this game. It's going to take all-our effort, but we've been getting that for a while now, so let's just hope the shots fall for us. There's no homecourt advantage for those guys, and they don't have that great of a homecourt record, taking into account their overall record. Let's keep it going.....

[timang]

LET'S WIN THIS! go bobcats! :biggrin:


anyone on the chatroom tom? i'm in.

[Dead_Real]

Our defensive play tonight will be a key factor in if we'll go 16-23 or 15-24 tonight I hope to God that we don't have Mcinnis trying to guard CP3 tonight our we screwed. Out best chance is to put Ray on him and HOPE he brings his A game on defense like he did against Iverson the other night. Would be great to see the bigger line up early tonight with Nazr and Okafor starting to match up with the duo of West and Chandler but I doubt that will happen. Another thing we need to draw some early fouls on West and Chandler so a lot of attacking the rim from Crash, Ray and JSwish seem very likely.

[Melanie]

Gentlemen & Melanie :biggrin: Can we keep it going?


What's with that?? Where are all the other female bobcats fans!? Come on girls, show some love to your team!

We're on a big roll right now, so I think we'll get the win! Plus they really need to get some road wins, I'm getting tired of hearing about the Bobcat's horrible road record.

They should be pumped up tonight!

[ohara831]

We dont seem to match up well with the Hornets when we play them. We can win this tonight, but it will take more that the usual Crash great night and J-Rich being hot. Ray has to be on top of his game and so does Okafor. IF Ray and Okafor bring their A games tonight, and J-Rich and Crash perform as they have of late, we WILL win this game. Let's see if they can rise to the occasion.

[davcbow]

Gentlemen & Melanie :biggrin: Can we keep it going?


What's with that?? Where are all the other female bobcats fans!? Come on girls, show some love to your team!

We're on a big roll right now, so I think we'll get the win! Plus they really need to get some road wins, I'm getting tired of hearing about the Bobcat's horrible road record.

They should be pumped up tonight!


Just think Melanie you are the "1st lady" of BobcatsPlanet..... :g:

[dav7z]

In the first game OK50 got flat out killed by Chandler. Felton got three nick nack touch fouls called on him guarding CP3. That can't happen tonight if we expect to win.
OK50 Has to show up and show up big.
Felton has to stay in the game and be competive against Paul.
All Rich and Wallace have to do is what they have been doing
Agreed NAZR should start on west and help on the boards.
We can beat them but our A game has to come with us.

This team is solid , I wouldn't be suprized to see them win the WEST.

[ALong13]

I have a good feeling about tonight, and for some reason I think Okafor has a big night...21 points...I usually don't think that, even when he does, but for some reason I think he will and I think he'll help the cats win...I also see JRich outscorig Wallace tonight

JRich: 29 points
Wallace: 26 points
Okafor: 21 points
Carroll: 16
Felton: 14 & 9 assist...

In the long run I see us winning 114-109

[BIGCatBobcat]

hard to say here, real hard to say. i think the Whorenets have been beating people by an average of 15 points. That's tough. I'd like to see the Bobcats really whoop them but don't know what it takes. I know the refs better call this one right, CP3 better not get all the calls and we'd resort to McInthegametoolong guarding him. He is the master of ole defense.

[davcbow]

Im nervous about this game because I want us to win it so bad. Its like dav7z says and Ive said earlier we have to bring the A Team and everybody has to be on their best game. We have to play all 4 quarters and be dominate on defence.... :g:

Go Bobcats!!!!

[CMc$]

I love all of your optimism about tonight's game. They have been playing great lately.

I can't help but remember the last game they played. Lost by 14. The game wasn't near that close. New Orleans flat out embarassed us. Ran a clinic that night. It was a wide open dunkathon.

If the guys beat the hornets tonight I'll be more impressed than the Boston game. Go Cats!

[ohara831]

You know what shocks me so much? That New Orleans has such a great young team, they ae exciting and winning and are contending for the Western title - yet they have as much of a problem drawing fans as any of the lower tiered losing teams. When we had the Hornets, until Shinn started screwing us, we supported the hell out of them, especially when they were winning. It just surprises me that they are having that bad a time drawing fans. I guess it could be the Katrina hangover and folks do not have the $ to spend, but from what I have read and heard, it is more apathy than anything else. Guess winning is not the cure for every city.

[MattD]

lets get the chat started, im taking a shower, then I will be in there for go time

[Bobcat4Ever]

Everybody get in chat!

[ALong13]

Beautiful bank shot by JRich to beat the buzzard...Chandler and West are killing us again though...

[timang]

Beautiful bank shot by JRich to beat the buzzard...Chandler and West are killing us again though...


yes we're having problems with their frontcourt players. *sighs*

[Dead_Real]

Crash on West is not a good match up for us and it didn't help that Mek had to sit because of two early fouls.

About time somebody blocked Jackson dude was getting whatever he wanted in the paint.

[Dead_Real]

I'm honestly shocked Dudley is getting some early burn tonight.

[timang]

they're leading by 6. bad bad match-ups so far. adjust radio adjust!

[ALong13]

We have got to stop settling for jumpers...drive guys! Down by 11...come on Cats!

[davcbow]

We have got to STOP settling for jumpers...drive to the damn paint guys! Down by 19 at halftime...come on Cats!

[ohara831]

I mentioned at the beginning of this Thread that we always have match up problems with N.O. We just have no real answers for Chandler, West or Paul. We jsut cannot stop their offense, and we cannot maintain our offense. That all adds up to a bad loss unless a miracle occurs.

Watch CP3 play and then watch Ray. Do you see the difference between average and greatness? Pretty obvious. Even fans of Ray can see the difference. It does not stand out so bad when he is playing an average PG like himself, but when he is on the court with the really good ones, it shows.

[Melanie]

Come on guys! Pull it together here!

[Alex]

The Hornets are stealing our souls.

[Dead_Real]

Hornets stepped it up huge on D and they were just dominate all around on offense (especially West) while our O was stagnant and stuck on shooting J's instead of trying to get points in the paint.

[Melanie]

Gross! Looks like Vincent's got the bench playing to save the starters energy for a WIN tomorrow!

[timang]

Gross! Looks like Vincent's got the bench playing to save the starters energy for a WIN tomorrow!


we should have been playing for win NOW. :(

[Melanie]

Gross! Looks like Vincent's got the bench playing to save the starters energy for a WIN tomorrow!


we should have been playing for win NOW. :(


Yeah, but if it's pretty obvious that they're not going to pull it off, might as well make it to where we have a better chance at winning the next game!

Which they will win! :biggrin:

[ohara831]

No one showed up for us tonight. They just crushed us! We just cannot match up with them right now. No one can guard CP3, West kills us and Chandler is really becoming a strong young center and neither Okafor nor Nazr can match up with him. With how we played, we were lucky to keep it under 30.

I hate to beat a dead horse, but did you see how CP3 just dominates as a PG. He killed us in only 3 qtrs. That is what a great PG can do for you, and why I harp so much on needing one. I think this season, Ray has played probably 6 games which compare favorably with CP3. That's not going to get it done on a night in night out basis. Once every six games is not going to do the job. And McInnis has never played one game which compared favorably to CP3. Nazr is a very solid back up Center or a starter if he is playing alongside another great post player. And Okafor has shown he is not that type of player. He played 2 great games back to back this past week, and that makes no more than 10 games this yr where he played like we want him to play, by my count at least.

[Wallace15]

In the 1st quarter we'd played pretty good, but after that everything just went downhill. They got dunks at will. They probably had at least 15 dunks if not more. Tonight, we couldn't do anything against them. They basically showed why they're a top team in the West.

[CMc$]

Being a fan of Ray I have to agree that CP3 is an elite point guard compared to Ray. I've always enjoyed Paul as a player and as a person. He is a good guy.

What sucks is that this year there has been a greater gap than in years before. In the two years before this one Felts would put on a show when it was time to play New Orleans. Chris Paul was also just a hint of what he would do once he was in the NBA when he was at Wake, which brings me to the point that I feel sums about all of our players . . .

You play good ball when your coach plays you to the best of your ability. All of our young players are great players. Emeka, Ray, etc would benefit from a system in which they could play to their strengths. There is no rhyme or reason to our team. No structure. No roles. No gelling. The only games in which we play well and win are when our guys are just completely on and win despite the coach. Chris Paul, and his teammates have found something. Each time one of them steps up their game, it opens up the door for the rest to excel.

Oh, and complaining that Ray isn't Paul is like complaining that Crash isn't LeBron, or that Hammer isn't Stackhouse. In my opinion Paul is, at the moment, the best PG in the league.

[ohara831]

CMc$ : I agree with you. My point of comparing the two is that the difference between them is much greater than we would have liked to admit. But we cannot just fool ourselves here. Ray, at best, is an avg PG in the NBA. If we have a chance to do better, I would not pass on it at all. You can see how the teams with a great PG always seem to be rising to the top of the standings. That is the straw that stirs the drink, and right now, our straw is not so strong as to be able to stir the drink on a nightly basis.
Just a much a difficlut pill to swallow is our averageness on the front line. Okafor is not one of the elite, and neither is Nazr. We have only one truly elite player, and that is Crash. J-Rich is next closest, but not quite in that league. No one else on the team even warrants comparison. We have to get our hands on the players who can become elite.

[TheBeagle]

Eh, this game is meaningless if we win tomorrow night. We were due for a stinker after playing so incredibly well, as was GW. The best of teams and the best of players have these nights, so let's make sure it doesn't happen again for another couple weeks.

For whatever reason, it's not mean for us to win more than 2 games in a row. That's fine as long as we follow up every loss with another 2 wins.

Not trying to make excuses for the guys, but it is really just one loss in the overall picture. I didn't get to see the game, but judging from the stats, even if we had been on, we probably couldn't have done anything against a team that shoots 60+% for the whole damn game. They were on; we were off; I actually don't mind that combo; beats losing a heartbreaker...

****************

As for CP3: like another guy posted a month or so ago, Hornets better enjoy it while it lasts, because once he is unrestricted (summer '09, I think), it's goodbye time. As Mayor of Winston Salem, he is a politician, so he says all the right things, and smiles when the camera is on, but the apathy of New Orleans for the Hornets (just like the Jazz before them) is wearing, and will continue to wear on him and the team for that matter. They are tops in the west, and last in attendance...by a lot! If he doesn't sign with his homestate Bobcats, hopefully he stays out west, because we have nothing to stop him with our current roster as it is. (Poor, Raymond, how you've fallen since the glory days in Chapel Hill :( )

[Keetch]

I appreciate what Chris Paul can do; he's a great player.

I also appreciate watching Raymond Felton play for the Bobcats. I'm pretty happy that he is our point guard. When I watch a game either live or on the TV I look forward to Felton playing and hope for the day when he is our starting PG and running the offense. I root for him pretty hard to do well and create plays for himself and the team. And no I'm not a Tar Heel homer; I'm a Bobcat homer.

There are other PG's in the league who are all-stars; Paul, Nash, Deron Williams, Baron Davis; but they don't play for the Bobcats. Raymond Felton does; and he's plenty good enough for me.

Rather than constantly comparing him to others; I'll rest on watching Felton as he is and as he gets better.

I might even buy a Felton shirt.

[Keetch]

I stay away from posting pre-game; speculating how much we will win by....because I truly never have any idea what this team will do; particularly with Sam playing small so much.

Having said that; it seemed pretty sure to me that tonite was trouble, as it proved to be. The Hornets run a clinic with great balance of inside and outside play. Good combination of technical play, good shooting and creativity at PG.

But who really can be sure about the outcome with the way we've been playing?

Anyways...the Hornets high FG% was partly due to all the free dunks they found and made. It was embarrassing. The Cats were staying in the game early on pure hustle and some good shooting while the Hornets were getting open slams on simple plays.

I blame Sam. I'm sorry, but we need 2 bigs in the lineup.

[davcbow]

I could tell by tonights game that we are still lacking in some very key positions, mainly the bigs and we have got to do something about this 2 pt gaurd line up..... :g:

[Muttley]

Yeah, they started the game wearing us down inside, and then Peja hit some threes to put them way up and we couldn't claw back into it (Hooray Jumpshots!). Hate to see us lose to the freaking Ho-nets, but like Beagle said, it's erased if they win tonight.

On the subject of how awesome the small line-up is, who saw Jeff McInthegamefortoomanyminutes cross the ball over right into Paul's breadbasket? I was laughing my ass off. I look forward to next season when that guy is hopefully no longer on the roster. I'm no fan of Paul at all, but he's no doubt an elite point guard.

I don't think you can compare him and Ray. Paul's proven he's better. But, that doesn't mean that Felton's not a good point guard. Obviously if we could upgrade that position without losing too much, then we should. Whatever helps the team, but elite PGs don't just grow on trees. Now, O'Hara, I assume that you would find one in the draft? I would have no problem doing that, but we've gotta play with the team we've got now (barring some trade).

[ohara831]

You are right Muttley. As far as the draft, I think Rose and Augustine are the only 2 who I think would walk onto an NBA team and compete for the starting PG job. Depending where we fall in the draft, and any unforseen trades, we will just have to see where we finish and who is there for us. At this stage, I would take the very best player, regardless of position.

[CMc$]

I appreciate what Chris Paul can do; he's a great player.

I also appreciate watching Raymond Felton play for the Bobcats. I'm pretty happy that he is our point guard. When I watch a game either live or on the TV I look forward to Felton playing and hope for the day when he is our starting PG and running the offense. I root for him pretty hard to do well and create plays for himself and the team. And no I'm not a Tar Heel homer; I'm a Bobcat homer.

There are other PG's in the league who are all-stars; Paul, Nash, Deron Williams, Baron Davis; but they don't play for the Bobcats. Raymond Felton does; and he's plenty good enough for me.

Rather than constantly comparing him to others; I'll rest on watching Felton as he is and as he gets better.

I might even buy a Felton shirt.


Very, very well said Keetch. Let's root for every one of our players. Who cares about Dwight Howard? Who cares about CP3? We didn't even get the chance to draft them. No point in speculating or complaining about it.