Earlier, in David’s preview thread for the game I said that the Magic would come out storming in the first quarter and the game could well be ours if we weathered that blow. We didn’t. So instead of breaking away at the end we “came back” to within 6. I said it would be a big chance for our frontcourt to get into the action. As the game progressed we took fewer and fewer inside shots until we barely penetrated the paint in the fourth.

Why? It wasn’t Vince Carter’s return. It wasn’t anything new. It wasn’t because we got outclassed. We played tough for almost three full quarters. It was what is becoming the same old crap.

We’re all getting sick to death of watching Henderson ride the pine. But at least LB used his bench better than he has thus far this season. The reason for this was largely because of what I believe is the single deadliest problem on the team and I’m sick to puke of it.

You Tyson Chandler lovers might as well skip to the next paragraph. Funny thing about basketball – even street games; you can’t score from the bench. You can’t defend from the bench either. The only thing you can do from the bench is suck – especially if you’re a starter. I’ve had it. Tyson Chandler sucks and I’m sorry David, it’s not Larry Brown to blame for it. Chandler is the worst thing to happen to the Charlotte Bobcats since inception. He sucks up a full 20 percent of our salary cap and will be doing so again next season as well. For that kind of imput, we should get 20 percent of our production value from the man – either in points, boards, assists, defense, leadership, or some combination thereof. Thus far all he’s managed to do is suck up fouls. He’s the Hoover of fouls. Tonight, once again, he was in foul trouble in the first 5 minutes of the game, came back in the second half, got 2 more along with a technical in less than 25 seconds, and wound up once again with total of 5. Once again, his foul stat exceeded his point production. He has more than twice the fouls of anyone else on the roster and is averaging over 4 fouls per game. No, that isn’t a joke. 29 personal fouls and 2 technicals in 7 games. THIS is our starting center? There isn’t a single positive stat anyone can pull out on this man that will in my mind negate this massive negative. Every time he walks off the court for an extended break due to foul trouble it throws our entire team off our game. He can’t play without jacking his lip at either opposing players or the refs. We can’t take any team out of THEIR game when we can’t play our own for more than 2 minues at a stretch. We can play well without Okafor, that’s not what’s hurting us. What’s hurting us on almost every level of the game, from the stat sheet to the balance sheet, is the gaping hole in the roster where a professional basketplayer is supposed to stand. His play is hurting this team like tetanus. Either he gets his poop in one bowl in a hurry, or we won’t have to worry about lottery purgatory at the end of the year because he’ll ensure us plenty of balls in the bucket.

Augustin has been off is game badly almost since the moment Flip and Raja came back and if he doesn’t want to find himself as a big ol’ chunk of trade chum in a hurry he needs to adlust to his role. Perhaps he could chat with Del Curry. Talk about a 6th man to learn from! I loved DJ last year and think this is just a temporary speed bump, but the dude needs to work this stuff out.

So now it’s off to Detroit. We can still win this road game and I believe we will. At least we know Tyson will be well rested!