Offensive woes put Bobcats in 0-2 hole
April 22, 2010
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP)—The extra practice didn’t help the Bobcats. Coach LarryBrown’s motivational speech on Orlando taking a day off while they workedfailed, too.
So maybe it was a good idea Charlotte took the day off Thursday. Perhapssome time away will help the Bobcats solve the riddle of putting the ballthrough the hoop when they return home for Game 3 on Saturday.
For all the talk of how Charlotte would attempt to contain Dwight Howard(notes) andOrlando’s 3-point shooters, the major reason the Bobcats are down 0-2 in thebest-of-seven playoff series is the Magic have exposed their turnover-filled,dysfunctional offense.
“You can’t afford on the road to take bad shots and turn the ball over,”Brown said.
The Bobcats have struggled offensively all season, ranking 28th out of 30teams in scoring (95.28 points per game) and 22nd in field goal percentage(45.3). Only woeful Minnesota averaged more turnovers than Charlotte’s 15.7 pergame.
The Bobcats’ limitations have been magnified playing against NBA defensiveplayer of the year Howard and the Magic, who allowed teams to shoot an NBA-low43.8 percent from the field during the regular season.
Charlotte fell behind big early and committed 16 turnovers in a 98-89series-opening loss Sunday. While the Bobcats practiced the next day, coach StanVan Gundy gave the Magic the day off, prompting Brown to tell his players,“That’s how (expletive) seriously they’re taking us.”
Trouble is, the Bobcats were even worse in Game 2 on Wednesday. Getting offto another tentative start, they had 30 points at halftime, 77 for the game andcommitted 21 turnovers in a 15-point loss.
So while the Bobcats have limited Howard to 20 points amid foul trouble inthe first two games, the Bobcats are in desperation mode despite holding theMagic to an average of 95 points.
“We really didn’t get much ball movement,” center Tyson Chandler(notes) said.“In order for us to the keep Magic on their heels, we have to move the ball andget good shots at the basket. We can’t just come off looking for our jump shots.We are not a jump-shooting team.”
The Bobcats were able to make it to the playoffs for the first time on thestrength of Stephen Jackson’s(notes) acquisition and their aggressiveness in taking itto the basket. Charlotte attempted 470 more free throws than its opponentsduring the regular season, and its stout defense set up easy baskets.
But the Bobcats went to the line just 18 times on Wednesday while the Magicshot 35 free throws. Howard’s presence in the lane—he had six blocks in thefirst quarter of Game 1—has paralyzed Charlotte.
“We’re having a hard time getting to the free throw line,” Brown said. “Ithought we were doing some pretty good things to fight back from down 22 (inGame 1). But again, you make those mistakes early you’ve got to play perfectlate. And you’re playing against a quality, quality team.”
There are many culprits for Charlotte’s plight. Jackson scored 27 points onWednesday, but had seven turnovers. All-Star Gerald Wallace(notes), struggling to drivewith Howard clogging the middle, managed one point in the first half.
Point guard Raymond Felton(notes) was torched by Jameer Nelson(notes) in the opening game,then got off to a poor start Wednesday, too. Boris Diaw(notes) had as many points asturnovers (five) in Game 2, while Chandler fouled out in just over 13 minutes.
Larry Hughes(notes) (2 of 7 from the field) showed he’s not instant offense off thebench like Flip Murray(notes) was before he was traded to Chicago.
Tyrus Thomas’(notes) most memorable moment of the series is an outrageous actingjob that drew a foul near the Orlando bench on Wednesday.
“We have to play unselfish and get everybody involved,” Chandler said.“That is the only way we are going to keep that team on their heels. We are nota one-on-one team. If we start playing one-one-one, we are not going to have ashot.”
The good news is the Bobcats will play the next two games at home, wherethey went 31-10 in the regular season. No NBA team had a bigger home-roaddiscrepancy than Charlotte, which is 13-30 on the road counting the last twogames.
“As a young team, our guys are more comfortable playing at home,” Jacksonsaid. “We have to stay positive. It does take four wins to win the series. Itis good that we are going home and playing in front of our crowd in our arena.”
Don’t expect Orlando to be too worried, though. The defending EasternConference champions, with far more weapons than Charlotte, are 2-0 in the QueenCity this season.
“You don’t get to the finals in the NBA unless you can defend andrebound,” Brown said. “I think one of the most important stats in the leagueis field-goal percentage defense. And if you have shot blocking and rebounding,it certainly helps.”
Associated Press Writer Antonio Gonzalez in Orlando, Fla., contributed tothis report.
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