Charlotte Bobcats at Dallas Mavericks 3/12

[ziggy]

Wednesday night we get the Dallas Mavericks on their home court.

We have a few things in our favor:
* We're playing some of the best basketball in the history of the franchise
* We're riding a 5 game winning streak
* Crash will be back
* Ray is tearing it up as the starting PG
* J-Rich is ON FIRE
* The Biscuit has finally started to listen to his players

The Mavericks have a few things going for them also:
* Exhibits A & B... I mean, honestly If you had these two cheering you on, wouldn't you play your heart out every night.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w301/bobcatsplanet/28ihgk3a.jpg
* Oh yeah, the also have a Hasselhoff loving Dirk Nowitzki and a 51 year old Jason Kidd on their roster too.
* And yeah, yeah they're 41-23 too with a 27-4 home record.

Its a helluva challenge guys, but we can do this. What are your thoughts on the matchup with the Mavs?

[WarioVsMooChicken]

Nope, we're fucked.

[Muttley]

My thoughts:

Bobcats sign me to take the spot vacated by Jeff McInnis. Then, I'll draw the double-team of those two pretty ladies that you've got in the picture there, Zig. That should leave somebody open to score points, right?

Seriously, though. It's all about playing with the same attitude that we've been playing with the past several games. Have our Bigs own the paint, have the Dude stay all over Dirk's grill, and have JRich be his usual scoring self and we got it.

[ammofan]

I am really thinking we are gonna win....the Mavs have not been playing very well since they got J-Kidd.....GO CATS!!!!

[BIGCatBobcat]

I feel like the last game was so long ago and this game is so far away, I mean if the Bobcats win does it count as a 6 game win streak? I think we have a great chance, at this point in the season, teams probably don't know what other teams are really really doing so Dallas might play down and I think the Bobcats will keep playing the way they have been. The only thing going against them: 2-3 days of practice with Biscuit Brains....

[davcbow]

I think when we are at our game and our confidence level is high we can beat any team in the NBA. Exhibit A: Boston Our guys have been playing their hearts out for the team and for (I Think) GW. They are playing great right now on both sides of the ball so you cant take nothing away from them for that. I hope if GW comes back in this game that he should come in off the bench until he gets back to full stride. I think we can give Dallas a run for the win. :g:

[TheBeagle]

Yeah, I'll admit I have no fear of the Mavs. Without Diop they shouldn't have anything for us in the middle defensively, so Raymond should attack attack attack, and eat these guys for supper. Defensively, if Dirk and angry J-Ho are on, we could be in for a double digit loss, I fear. With that said, our fate rests on the defensive end (and as always rebounding and keeping TOs down).

[Wallace15]

Tonight will definitely be a challenge, but if we continue to play the way we've been playing on our winning streak then this game is winnable.

Plus, Crash is back :cheers1:

[Melanie]

The Mavericks have a few things going for them also:
* Exhibits A & B... I mean, honestly If you had these two cheering you on, wouldn't you play your heart out every night.
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w301/bobcatsplanet/28ihgk3a.jpg



LOL, no, I don't think they would do much for me! Maybe because I'm a girl and the one on the left looks like she's getting ready to celebrate her 40th birthday soon.....


Let's go Bobcats! Play your hearts out boys and get this WIN!!!

[dav7z]

First Dudley is a pest , or a bad habit, You just can't get rid of. I even think Dirk might even get a tec because Dudley is glued to his grill.
Kidd i don't is fast enough to keep Felton out or thr lane. Bash me now but that advantage goes to Felton.
Okafor playing the five should have a big advantage.
Rich and Howard avantage all so slight Rick.
Terry could give Carroll a fit but i think not . With Carrolls threes no advantage any where. Ill call that match up even.
Beanch Ill give the advantage to us . After a few days off and Wallace , Nazz and the mighty midget advantage us.
Sixth game in a row dosn't seem to be out of reach with TEAM BALL
In davcows predictions, this is not a winable game so when we kick ass this game is all just gravy.

[davcbow]

I just hope the guys prove my prediction wrong for tonight. Out of the next 3 games, tonights is the most winnable.... :g:

[ammofan]

I just hope the guys prove my prediction wrong for tonight. Out of the next 3 games, tonights is the most winnable.... :g:

yup......We still need to go hard after the Rockets though....that will maybe get us some national attention

[ziggy]

LOL, no, I don't think they would do much for me! Maybe because I'm a girl and the one on the left looks like she's getting ready to celebrate her 40th birthday soon.....

LOL :) Good one Melanie.

[Muttley]

Hey, we're gonna play defense, right?

Where's my Dudley at?

[dnbman]

Gotta like this:


5:20 DAL - Full timeout (Timeout #1)
5:27 CHA - Layup by E. Okafor. Assist: R. Felton
5:39 DAL - D. Nowitzki made an 18-foot jumper from the left wing. Assist: J. Stackhouse
6:03 CHA - Layup by J. Richardson. Assist: R. Felton
6:06 CHA - M. Carroll defensive rebound
6:08 DAL - J. Howard missed an 8-foot jumper in the lane
6:30 CHA - J. Richardson made a 25-foot three-pointer from the right wing. Assist: R. Felton
6:36 CHA - R. Felton steals the ball from J. Stackhouse
6:45 CHA - R. Felton made a 20-foot jumper from the left wing

[Muttley]

Crash comes in and gets a rebound. Goes down court and winds up on the floor.

Down 10. Where's my JD?


Ooops, Ray hit a 3, down 7.

[dnbman]

We're going to get crushed if we keep giving them so many chances.

Although, I'm already impressed that we were getting destroyed, but fought back. It would be nice if we could tie it by half time.

[Chef]

i thought crash wasn't going to play 4 anymore, he comes in for naz at 4. good job ham b.

[spectre]

Getting outrebounded 20 to 6.

[dnbman]

Getting outrebounded 20 to 6.


Yeah. Can't win when that's going on.

[ohara831]

They are out hustling us; they are getting every loose ball. We have to be more alive against a good team from the West or we'll get crushed.

[MattD]

guys I have a bad feeling my worst fears are starting to come true, I know its his first game back, but I think we play better without gerald. The shots have not been equally distributed. Jrich and Matt shoot more! Gerald needs to chill out on the shooting/driving front, he is hurting us I think.

[dnbman]

They are out hustling us; they are getting every loose ball. We have to be more alive against a good team from the West or we'll get crushed.


I don't know. I think that Boykins hand-off to Terry was actually a designed play.

I'm trying to decide what I think of Wallace attacking the rim.

[x2pacalypse]

we are playing like ABSOLUTE FUCKING SHIT

this is the worst play ive seen all season, i could be doing fucking better...fucking boykins doesn't want to protect the ball at all, get his fucking leprechaun ass out of there if he doesn't feel the ball matters enough to protect it

gerald wallace i don't give a shit what happened, stop hogging the fucking ball

emeka okafor stop being a pussy and get a board

jared dudley...the appendix of tonight...as he has done nothing and it really doesn't matter if he's in there or not


if this is how we're gonna play games against tough teams then we don't deserve to be in the NBA

[Melanie]

Yikes, I just start watching the game and that's not the score I was hoping to see.......... Down by 18!

[Muttley]

Another travel! Woo-hoo, that's awesome.

C'mon guys, listen to Tupac.

[dnbman]

HOLY CRAP!!!

Three passes and a dunk by Okafor!



Who knew?

[MattD]

no one is boxing out or doing the little things... ok we got five in a row now lets stop trying? Seriously, were still playing like shit without Gerald in. Richardson should just shoot, hes the only one whos doing anything. Every single one of our players is trying to create on their own, we need to play TEAM BALL

[davcbow]

no one is boxing out or doing the little things... ok we got five in a row now lets stop trying? Seriously, were still playing like shit without Gerald in. Richardson should just shoot, hes the only one whos doing anything. Every single one of our players is trying to create on their own, we need to play TEAM BALL


Agreed....

Let us pray for Team Ball..... down by 22 at the half is bad...

[Dead_Real]

My God our D and rebounding have been terrible tonight and the turnovers aren't helping us either hopefully they can step it up next half.

[davcbow]

J-Rich needs to get it going 4/12 isnt very good.... :g:

[WarioVsMooChicken]

We're being fucked

[MattD]

ahhh what have i been thinking, I was actually optimistic about this team for the past week. Riiiiight they can only play around Sam Vincent for so long, then they get board and stop playing hard for him, terrific.

[Melanie]

Well Carroll's making an effort at least....

[davcbow]

Forget it, Dallas can do no wrong tonight. We are sluggish as hell....We aren't is all I can say........ :g:

[Muttley]

This is crazy.

Where's the movement? Where's the intensity? Where's the shot-making? I could maybe accept a loss (maybe), but this is absurd.

Welcome back, crappy team of old. Welcome back.

[Dead_Real]

This one seems all but over can't find away to cool Dallas down.

[WarioVsMooChicken]

We were fucked

[Wallace15]

J-Rich cooled down BIG TIME tonight.

[Keetch]

I thought Vincent starting Mohammed and Okafor together tonite was really stupid; and Nowitzki goes off right away; putting us at a disadvantage. It took Sam a very long time to sub Nazr out. He was killing us out there in the 1st Quarter.

Sam is so inflexible. It's a little frustrating heh.

Wallace came in and hogged the ball some as he does; and added a little laissez-faire defense as well. Team Ball be damned. He did do the Crash a few times though. Always nice.

Otherwise; it just wasn't going to happen. It doesn't take much to screw up chemistry; and ours is officially and certifiably screwed.

We need more Davidson too; a lot more Davidson.

[TheBeagle]

Good game by Raymond, GW, JD, and Matt for the most part. Mek rebounded well, but his post game is getting atrocious to look at (a fallback mini hook right into Dampier's hands, as opposed to attacking the rim, for example).

Didn't attack the paint nearly enough for me, especially against this team. When we did, generally, good things happened.

For some damn reason, our guys (or "coach") left GW on an island when he was playing in the first half: they'd give him the ball on the perimeter and then just stop moving for some inexplicable reason. Those of you who were bitching and moaning about Crash taking too many shots and not passing enough, what the hell do you want him to do when his teammates are running FROM the ball?? I'd much rather have a Crash shot than him forcing a pass to a immobile teammate. He started finding his groove, and his teammates woke up in the 2nd half and they looked much better as a unit offensively, especially JD and GW on the court at the same time.

Could not get a loose ball or rebound to save our lives early, and that's a combination of luck and and intensity, neither of which we showed early. I hope GW starts soon because we need that speed and hustle, which Matt just can't give, god bless him...

Other than that we ran into a buzzsaw the likes of which haven't been seen since the Warriors game at GS. I didn't see a significant lack of effort tonight, I just saw a hungrier, more talented team that just couldn't miss. Just chalk it up to the vagaries of the NBA and move on......we're not dead yet.

[Keetch]

Aw come on Beagle....players stand around when GW has the ball because they're used to the program of Crash driving into the paint or taking a jumper without looking around. His offensive proforma is isolation; he never has passed the ball much once his nose is set on owning the ball.

If it was me...just me lol...this is what I'd do with Crash back..

Start Okafor, JRich and Felton for sure. Put Crash on the opponents best wing scorer (not a Center, big PF or PG) and tell him to get all over him on D.

Start either Nazr, Davidson, or Dudley at PF based on the opponents skill set. Don't get too rigid at PF as no one player can win the position this year. No one player is skilled enough. Against the Mavs, I would have started Dudley I suppose. Although Davidson is worth a try.

I would craft Wallace into the offense by using his isolation skills periodically in a half court set and at critical opportunities. Of course; he's always excellent on the break, no way I'd mess with that. I would not permit his skill set to diminish the uptempo offense of Felton driving and dishing to Carroll and JRich, nor stymie JRich's interior game; which I think empowers his outside game. I would try to emphasize defense first with Crash; and manage his isolation game, so that his teammates can work better with it.

Of course....THERE ARE games where Crash's isolation can just OWN his defenders. If I saw that opportunity evolve...why I'd just pull old Crash over and I'd say..."Mr. Crash, I believe you can destroy that team out there...DO IT."

[ohara831]

Here's how I feel: We got all high and mighty with our 5 game winning streak, and just got put in our place. We just need to keep honing the skills of our young guys, and hope we land a major player in the Draft. With the road games ahead, we really dont have a good chance at Playoffs. Atlanta has a much easier road. I just want to see us keep playing hard and trying - no quitting.

[Muttley]

Here's how I feel: We got all high and mighty with our 5 game winning streak, and just got put in our place. We just need to keep honing the skills of our young guys, and hope we land a major player in the Draft. With the road games ahead, we really dont have a good chance at Playoffs. Atlanta has a much easier road. I just want to see us keep playing hard and trying - no quitting.


That's all I'm really asking for, but I also feel that we could have put up a MUCH BETTER showing last night. (Though I enjoy watching sports and following teams for the highs and lows they bring, it's never easy to accept the dissapointments.)

[TheBeagle]

Aw come on Beagle....players stand around when GW has the ball because they're used to the program of Crash driving into the paint or taking a jumper without looking around. His offensive proforma is isolation; he never has passed the ball much once his nose is set on owning the ball.

If it was me...just me lol...this is what I'd do with Crash back..

Start Okafor, JRich and Felton for sure. Put Crash on the opponents best wing scorer (not a Center, big PF or PG) and tell him to get all over him on D.

Start either Nazr, Davidson, or Dudley at PF based on the opponents skill set. Don't get too rigid at PF as no one player can win the position this year. No one player is skilled enough. Against the Mavs, I would have started Dudley I suppose. Although Davidson is worth a try.

I would craft Wallace into the offense by using his isolation skills periodically in a half court set and at critical opportunities. Of course; he's always excellent on the break, no way I'd mess with that. I would not permit his skill set to diminish the uptempo offense of Felton driving and dishing to Carroll and JRich, nor stymie JRich's interior game; which I think empowers his outside game. I would try to emphasize defense first with Crash; and manage his isolation game, so that his teammates can work better with it.

Of course....THERE ARE games where Crash's isolation can just OWN his defenders. If I saw that opportunity evolve...why I'd just pull old Crash over and I'd say..."Mr. Crash, I believe you can destroy that team out there...DO IT."


I absolutely love your proposed starting 5, Keetch. I also like the role mapped out for GW. I swear though (and yes, I'm a raging GW homer!!! but still) I think the expect him to just drive to the basket, and don't really give him many other options when they stand around with their thumbs up their.......hind ends :biggrin: When his teammates are navigating the paint, back-door cutting and the like, he finds them, and finds them well. I could be wrong, but I believe he's the 2nd leading assist man on the team. Yes, he gets into his stubborn fits, which we discussed on another thread, and yes, this causes him to force the issue, but that doesn't give his teammtes the excuse of letting grass grow under their feet when he has the ball.

All things being said, I think you've outlined what would be the ideal gameplan for the Bobcats as they are now constituted. Why the hell can't we get Keetch as our coach?!?!? FINE HAM BISCUIT!!!

[timang]

guess i'd have to wait and see that six-game w streak in the future, not now. :(