More thoughts on Bobcats scrimmages from Bonnell

[Dead_Real]

http://blogs.charlotte.com/inside_the_nba/2008/09/what-i-learned.html

What I saw and heard at the Charlotte Bobcats’ informal scrimmages Thursday morning:


1. You can see new coach Larry Brown’s defensive focus in the team signing Shannon Brown and Donell Taylor, at least for training camp. They’re guards with the tools to be rugged defenders if they apply themselves on that end. Brown has traditionally found roster spots for guys willing to raise defensive intensity.

2. The Bobcats’ preseason exhibition against the Los Angeles Lakers in Anaheim, Calif., might be televised nationally on TNT. There are talks about making that happen.

3. The way Gerald Wallace is blocking shots and driving to the rim, it’s clear he’s regained his explosiveness after a nasty groin pull late last season. Best way to keep that body healthy is minimize Wallace’s minutes at power forward.

4. Emeka Okafor says he gained a few pounds this summer, but he looks lighter and more flexible, as he was his rookie season. Okafor said he focused on specific muscle groups this offseason to become stronger and more explosive without growing bulky, as he was his second NBA season.

5. Best training-camp competition should be between point guards Raymond Felton and D.J. Augustin. Rookie Augustin has a great handle, but Felton had the best pass of the day Thursday: A one-handed, off-the-dribble bounce pass through traffic, setting up a Ryan Hollins dunk.
I really hope we get that preseason game on TNT sounds good overall though Felts/DJ competition is going to be excellent.

[MattD]

looks like we got the tnt game... im very excited

[Ghost Kat]

That TNT game would start the Bobcats Band Wagon

[TheBeagle]

Don't see how a preseason game on TNT will do much good for us, but it's better than nothing, and can't do any harm. Other than that, I'm getting more and more stoked for the season as the days roll by (and my Astros sink farther and farther from the wildcard:() Love to hear Gerald is back to normal; love that Mek has rededicated himself; love our PG situation; love the overall vibe I'm getting from the team.

Oh, and the Ben Folds Five reunion special in Chapel Hill tonight was the fucking bomb!!!!!!!!! Ahhhhhh, it just doesn't get much better....:cool:

[dav7z]

Hope we get the game. Any exposure helps AND if we beat the Lakers that would help to get more exposure.
Brown and Taylor ,Don't expect to much hear . If those guys was that good they would have been on another roster.
Another thing why are we looking at so many points, and shooting guards, combos.
Knowing the whole time we crowded on the wings .
Could Wallace or Felton still be on the trading block for a p/f. Bringing in combos kinda makes it look that way. With Hammer , Morrison , Brown or Taylor makes Wallace look expendable.

[spectre]

Brown or Taylor makes Wallace look expendable.

Dav you can't be serious? Neither of those are even close enough skill wise to hold Crash's jock strap, much less replace him.

Besides, Crash isn't a SG; his best ball comes near/around the basket.

[dav7z]

Just trying to make this dead part of the season lively..... lol

[spectre]

Dav you know I love ya...and I didn't mean to sound so confrontational in that last post.

I just think folks have taken that stretch where we played decent while Crash was out last year waaaaaaaaaayyyyy too far. He's absolutely our best defender AND he's a "go to" guy. We've depended on him countless times to "make something happen" when nothing else was working...and at least half the time he's delivered.

Swish is our best offensive player hands down...but IMO Crash is our best overall player.

[dav7z]

[Swish being our best offensive player . But crash is our best player over all ].
That could make quite a good debate. I don't think in all truth i could go that far .
Who in you guys eyes is the Bobcats best all around player. It's a good question and im very instrested in who you pick and the reason you picked one over the other?/?

Oh yea Spectre , I took no offensive at all MAN WE ALL WAYS GOOD . You have allways been a great help and good poster . Now tell me why you think Wallace is a better all around player ? LOL

[spectre]

Simply put...he's above average (to say the least; IMO he's WAY above average a lot of the time) on both sides of the ball. It's kind of hard for any of the other guys to say that. When I say above average on offense I'm talking more of his taking it to the rack and not being stopped vs. 3 pt shooting.

Mek - STRONG D...mediocre O.
Swish - STRONG O...borderline D
Felton - mediocre O...slightly above average D
May - above average O...average D (height hurts him against bigger opposition and the knee will probably limit him against faster opponents)

I won't bother with the non starters.

[WAM9]

I think the debate should first be about the difference between the best player and best overall player. I think you can certainly argue that they are not always the same guy.

On our team, I think Richardson is the best player and Wallace is the best overall (because of his defensive stats) but that Okafor may just be the hardest to replace.

Utah comes to mind as well. Many would argue that either Boozer or Williams is their best player but AK47 is clearly their best overall player.

[ziggy]

I'll throw in my 2 cents.
J-Rich is undoubtably the best offensive player. Once he tightens up his midrange game, he shall not be stopped.
Best defensive player: #50. Emeka has pretty much held down the interior defense on his own for 4 years. Without him, we have no interior D. None.
Best all-around... I'd like to say Dudley, but thats a big stretch. I'll agree that it has to be Crash because of his impact on both sides of the floor

[dav7z]

I tend to think we give Crash to much cradit on the defencive side of the ball . Yes hes is the best playing the passing lanes . But tends to get burnt if he don't get the steal . Mek is our best defencive presence and by far best on that side of the ball.
I think Felton plays better straight up man to man [staying at home] than Crash all so. Crash makes the big noticed play or is out of position.
Swish his defensive game has inproved last year and i think he will be better than a average defender this year. That to go along with the best ofensive game on the team . That to me gives him the edge as the best player on the team .

[Slam]

I tend to think we give Crash to much cradit on the defencive side of the ball . Yes hes is the best playing the passing lanes . But tends to get burnt if he don't get the steal . Mek is our best defencive presence and by far best on that side of the ball.
I think Felton plays better straight up man to man [staying at home] than Crash all so. Crash makes the big noticed play or is out of position.
Swish his defensive game has inproved last year and i think he will be better than a average defender this year. That to go along with the best ofensive game on the team . That to me gives him the edge as the best player on the team .
I 100% agree dav. I love Crash, but I'm not sure why so many teams other fans think that he is such a great on ball defender. I think he is a lazy on ball defender and gets burt a lot. He's a much better "cheat" defender and help defender.

Felts is MUCH better at keeping his man honest - and if he had the athletic ability, Hammer would be great as well.

I also agree that Swish's D wasn't nearly as bad as advertised when we got him. He makes some silly reaching and slapping fouls, but I think he has good enough lateral movement to become a very good defensive player.

BTW - Fabio was the best Bobcat in the history of the club at denying the entry pass. His only problem was that if his man did get the ball, he'd get blown off the court.

[ziggy]

I 100% agree dav. I love Crash, but I'm not sure why so many teams other fans think that he is such a great on ball defender. I think he is a lazy on ball defender and gets burt a lot. He's a much better "cheat" defender and help defender.

Felts is MUCH better at keeping his man honest - and if he had the athletic ability, Hammer would be great as well.

I also agree that Swish's D wasn't nearly as bad as advertised when we got him. He makes some silly reaching and slapping fouls, but I think he has good enough lateral movement to become a very good defensive player.

BTW - Fabio was the best Bobcat in the history of the club at denying the entry pass. His only problem was that if his man did get the ball, he'd get blown off the court.
Big Slam,
I'm curious, Would you consider Crash as the Bobcats best all-around player? Or do you have someone else in mind?

[spectre]

I 100% agree dav. I love Crash, but I'm not sure why so many teams other fans think that he is such a great on ball defender. I think he is a lazy on ball defender and gets burt a lot. He's a much better "cheat" defender and help defender.


Hey, I'll definitely agree that Crash on average is not our best "on man" defender. When he's motivated (and that's not always) he can be above average. The only guy that comes to mind that really wore him out when he was motivated was Artest. Felton probably is our best perimeter man defender, and there's NO doubt who owns the paint and as WAM said is the guy hardest to replace...Emeka Okafor.

But I said overall. If you take into account his off ball defense and his quicks in getting those steals along the perimeter (who can forget that "2" and "2" season?) then he's definitely above average defensively.

And we have no one who can at times score at will inside the paint like he can. Swish comes mighty close, but so far his game has been all outside. Maybe as time goes on and he gets more comfortable with that knee he'll play more inside and challenge Crash for best overall.

And Zig you have a point throwing in Duds. If the guy could only jump (LOL CJ!) he'd be giving Crash a run for his money too. No doubt he's got him in durability.

No crapping on the players, just arguing who's our "best of the best"...this is a good discussion!

[WAM9]

I also clearly agree that Wallace is only slightly above average at his perimeter, on-ball defense but he disrupts everything with his passing lane defense and extremely quick movement. Another great thing about Crash is that he routinely scores his points in the flow of the game without having many plays called with him as the first option. He gets more breakaway layup/dunks than anyone in the league it seems like. His steals always seem to turn into points. Some of his highlight blocks prove that his timing around the rim is great as well. Again, when you consider all facets of the game, even without on-ball defense being his specialty, I still think he is the best all around player.

By the way, we have all talked about Larry Brown improving everyone but I haven't really thought about Wallace defensively. LB should be able to develop some serious defense with a piece like Wallace to work with. His speed and knack to get in the passing lanes will make him huge in LB's system. I'm really looking forward to seeing LB's effect on everything!

[lancer]

ops,

i don't think that Crash is good defender.

I'll predict LBJ score 20+pts 15+ reb 11 asst. against him on October 28. Again please dump him for stud PF and excellent wing/perimeter defender.


Crash the Trash.


smile

[Muttley]

If the guy could only jump (LOL CJ!)

The Reverend Henry Williams approves this message.

I'm intrigued by the Dudley mention, though. He always finds a way to positively effect the game through his shooting, positioning and/or hustle.

[dav7z]

I also clearly agree that Wallace is only slightly above average at his perimeter, on-ball defense but he disrupts everything with his passing lane defense and extremely quick movement. Another great thing about Crash is that he routinely scores his points in the flow of the game without having many plays called with him as the first option. He gets more breakaway layup/dunks than anyone in the league it seems like. His steals always seem to turn into points. Some of his highlight blocks prove that his timing around the rim is great as well. Again, when you consider all facets of the game, even without on-ball defense being his specialty, I still think he is the best all around player.

By the way, we have all talked about Larry Brown improving everyone but I haven't really thought about Wallace defensively. LB should be able to develop some serious defense with a piece like Wallace to work with. His speed and knack to get in the passing lanes will make him huge in LB's system. I'm really looking forward to seeing LB's effect on everything!

This depends either Brown is going to love his defence or hate it.
If i remember right Brown is a stay at home coach who likes help on the weak side . Wallace wiil be great on the weak side but very bad staying at home.
After three years with Bernie and one with Biscuit it will be hard for Crash to adjust to staying at home . It should really be interesting. If Wallace buys in he could be lock down.
I to have to give props to Dudley . You guys know he does NOTHING real good. But all ways seems to be in the right place at the right time . And has a great noze for the ball.
I consider him a fundamental freak whitch i love.

Slam agreeded Hammers defence is underated.

[Dead_Real]

Larry Brown will obviously stress D so I expect every player to up there intensity level on that end or he probably wont play them much. If Crash can return to his 05/06 form of 2 blocks, 2 steals a game I'd be estactic. The same goes for Ray Felton I want to see the same commitment to playing steller defense like he showed at UNC this upcoming year.

On Hammer's defense though to be honest I don't ever remember seeing him look good on that end of the floor. When he started during our 5 win run the idiot had him guarding the opposing teams best wing player which ended up with him getting abused from what I remember.

As far as the "best overall player" debate I think I'll have to say it's a tie between JSwish and Crash can't really decide. Both are very similar but Jason is obviously the more reliant shooter and Crash gets the advantage on the D because of blocks and on the ball steals. If one of them had a superb handle it would be an easier choice.

[davcbow]

When he started during our 5 win run the idiot had him guarding the opposing teams best wing player which ended up with him getting abused from what I remember.

Ham Biscuit anybody????? :p