What Has Happened?

Did our guys forget how to win? Did they forget how to close games? I'm starting to get that same hopeless feeling we had last year where you feel like you already know what to expect each game versus the beauty of feeling like you have a chance each game.

I just don't know... Is it because we're so young and the guys can't get themselves out of the losing mindset or the "it's happening again" mode?

As I said before, we were not as bad as we appeared to be last year, but through a combination of lack of coaching (although I love Silas) and too much youth, we got in funk and never were able to pull ourselves back out of it. We went from pushing the NBA Champions to the brink early in the season to losing a couple close ones and it was like after that, our guys just expected to lose. I fear they're starting to do the same now... I really hope we get it back together here ASAP.

These are the growing pains of a young team. I think it's reasonable to expect inconsistent play from an inexperienced group.

The main reason, though? The schedule got tougher. Also, teams have a book on the Cats and have a better understanding of how to handle them. Let the schedule ease up (read: Let December end) and things will look a little better, I believe.

At least for the most part we are keeping the games close. We are more competitive than we were last year.

While it sucks to lose and I cheer like hell all the way to the buzzer, if we end up losing and play competitively I don't sweat it.

We don't need win a single game more this season than is necessary to keep the players believing. We are 2 years away and need a another Top 5 pick to keep the rebuild rolling.

It's unfortunate that they weren't able to hang on for a win against either Portland or New York, but a skid like this was inevitable at some point. The team just badly needs two more difference-makers to help Walker and Kidd-Gilchrist. Hopefully this years draft pick is one and they're able to cash in some of their chips for the other in a trade.

We were just lucky to win so many close games at the start of the season. Even when we were winning I never felt like the coaching or the scheme was that great. In the games we play it seems like the other team usually gets more open quality shots. We give up a lot of open threes and if the other team hits them we lose by 30. We also give up a lot of offensive rebounds in the zone. I would like to see a man press instead of a trapping press.

The biggest problem to me is Dunlap's substitution patterns. He rotate players in & out as if the Bobcats were a 16-under AAU team instead of a NBA team. Even though he's had this same flawed coaching habit since the beginning of the season, now it's beginning to bite us because Sessions isn't playing as surprisingly productive as he was in the first 10 or so games. That's not a shot at Sessions because I'm still content with what he's bringing to the table, but his play of late is more so what I expected from him instead of the 20 points & 5 assist he was averaging during the winning streak. Also to mention, I think that Mullens' and Taylor are getting too much lead way to play through mistakes while Kemba, MKG, and Biyombo are getting yanked at the blow of a whistle or turnover. The losses to the Blazers & Knicks are almost horrific in hindsight, but those are also examples of Dunlap not having the right personnel on the floor at the right time. I'm patient enough to expect these type of miscues from Dunlap as a rookie coach and not call for his head, but I hope he improves as the season goes along

What happened?

We came crashing back down to reality.

Hears a old mans take on a few statments. First about Dunlaps sub patterns . Henderson returning is sending chemristy to hell . Either him or Taylor 1 needs to go. Dunlap seems to have a lot of trust in Taylor. Henderson has good value . It might be time to move my favorite player'.
As another said growing pains are expected.
Me i think we should pick up 3/4 court man for 48 mins of hell. With Dunlap playing so many guys it shouldn't be any trubble
Last whats the deal on Haywood and Diops play . Is Haywood in the dog house ? Or is possable we trying to show case Diop

I was at the game and in my opinion there were 2 things that really stood out to me for tonight's game ..1st was during warmups when I noticed a Golden State team that was pumped up and treating warm ups like it was the actual game ..they were also out there having fun and running sprints and just overal looked like a team prepping for a playoff game ..they really looked like a team who really enjoys each other and they were just full of energy ..the Bobcats on the other hand were very flat in warmups and just going thru the motions ..there wasn't much convo between the guys and lots of missed shots ..it may sound stupid but I just got the feeling from watching them shoot around that it wasn't going to be our night

2nd was Dunlap's Rotation and substitutions ..it was extremely puzzling ..Its game 20 and he still seems like he has no clue what he has and no clue what group of guys play well together and who matches up with the opposing team ..I was only a few rows behind the Cats bench and we all know the Cable box can be basically silent at times..there were tons of people ( including me ) screaming at Dunlap on who to sub in and giving him a really hard time ( rightfully so ) about his substitutions ..

Im not sure what's going on with our team but I do know it's not lack of talent and I don't think we were playing above ourselves at the start of the season...I feel we have the talent to match up with most any team ..tonight we were just flat and honestly it felt like the Warriors were the team that was rested up on a homestand ..we were 1 step behind on what seemed like every play ..and our defense was horrible ..I'm not sure what kind of set that Dunlap is running but there is always a guy wide open in the corner which either leads to an open 3 or them moving the ball to get our guys all screwed up ..tonight was 1 of the most frustrating games I have attended..I wish I had the answers to what's wrong with our team right now but I know those 2 I listed above were evident tonight

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SWedd523

What happened?

We came crashing back down to reality.

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Honestly.
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