There's no use looking for a scapegoat. The Bobcats' loss to the Spurs in San Antonio, 100-86, was more a function of Spurs superiority than it was Bobcats inferiority, if that makes sense.

It comes down to this: Raymond Felton shot the ball 17 times from the field, and made only 5 attempts, one on a spinning desperation shot launched at the end of the third quarter. That's just not a good enough shooting night, and the Bobcats can't afford to have a mediocre game from any starter, because they're simply not good enough to hang with the league's elite while one of their core struggles mightily. But it's also what Felton does on a semi-regular basis. It's why his career stats are so utterly uninspiring. Some days he's on. Others, he's not.

Duncan did what he does. Parker did what he does, making Felton look lead-footed in the process. And Roger Mason, Jr., stepped in for Manu and nailed his threes. Game over. It wasn't enough that Okafor and Diop gave Duncan problems all night. It wasn't enough that Boris kept finding guys for baskets, leading the game with 8 assists. They had no one who could guard Parker--even Augustin--and Mr. Longoria took full advantage, scooting here and there as the Bobcats' guards tried to keep up, often ending up on an island, guarding a big man, while Parker sized up the situation.

It's okay. As Douglas Adams might have suggested, Don't Panic. 12-6 the rest of the way to get to 40 wins would be no small feat, but it's certainly within reach. We were supposed to lose this game. That it was a lively affair well into the fourth quarter, until the Spurs pulled away for good, speaks volumes to the improvement the Bobcats have achieved over the past year.