Charlotte Bobcats vs. New York Knickerbockers preview -- Game 18
by Ben Swanson on Jan 24, 2012 4:16 AM EST
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"Recommendation" - Little Dragon
Game Overview: So far this season, Bobcats-Knicks matches have been hotly-contested battles. Part of this is because the Knicks are just not very good at this whole basketball thing, and part of it is that the Bobcats just play the Knicks really well. Last time they played, the Knicks seemed to be on the mend, getting Iman Shumpert back in the rotation at starting point guard. After defeating the Bobcats and the 76ers, the Knicks free-falled and seem to be approaching rock bottom for their team. New York is in the midst of a six-game losing streak, including a gut-wrenching double-overtime loss to the Denver Nuggets that effectively validated the Nugget's success in the Carmelo Anthony trade, which I'm sure makes Knicks fans feel quite pleasant.
That's not to say Carmelo isn't a problem here. Personally, I don't think an Anthony-Stoudemire combination coalesces into a great duo for the reasons most don't: they occupy similar spaces on the court and require a lot of touches on offense and are weak defenders, etc. Against Denver, Carmelo had 25 points on 30 shots while Amar'e took only nine field goal attempts on the night. Stoudemire didn't even get a shot in the fourth quarter. Or in the first overtime. And he only got one in the second overtime, after the game was already decided.
That said, they can be a good squad, but the team flat out isn't built for it. It takes a good night for their perimeter shooters to knock down shots. There is no true point guard court general to facilitate ball movement. The bench just can't get things done. Maybe once Baron Davis is healthy they become a much better team. He certainly has the ability to change things; I just hope he isn't going to be rushed back too soon.
Key Matchup: Kemba Walker vs. Iman Shumpert -- in the past, Kemba has had trouble with Shumpert's defense. He's quick and just gets how to position himself on defense to help stymie penetrating guards. And he has quick hands on defense, which couple with his pressure to force steals and turnovers. That could be pretty doggone important considering Augustin's out with his big toe injury, which effectively makes Walker one of the very few scoring threats for the Bobcats.
Links From Around The NBA:
Quarterly Report Team Grades: Deep teams thriving - CBSSports.com
The Gothic’s 1st Quarter All-Stars: Eastern Edition | The Gothic Ginobili
Bobcats rookie Kemba Walker to take over point | CharlotteObserver.com
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I doubt if Walker even plays 30 minutes tonight.
Silas, the great mastermind coach he is, will insert Higgins at some point to take over and get the majority of the minutes. Also, he will probably stick Carroll, Diaw, and Najera in to get a lot of minutes, even if they keep missing shots and are ineffective on defense.
I wish they would just trade Walker. Maybe he can go somewhere that will appreciate the intangibles he can bring if given a chance. Thanks a lot Silas for once again stifling the development of a young player.
And I see he continues to start Mullens, even though his defense is terrible, his post game is non existant, he plays away from the basket at 7 feet tall, and he jacks up threes and bricks. lol.
"You ain't supposed to be smiling and giggling after we lose. I've never had the mentality of losing in my whole life and for a person to tell me you can't win them all, that's a loser's mentality." - Cam Newton
Who's development has Silas hindered?
I agree that some of his rotation choices have been questionable, but give the man time. Trade Kemba? You serious?
I'm gonna live forever, I'm never gonna die. The only thing I fear is I'm never gonna fly.
by Charlotte Bobcat on Jan 24, 2012 7:54 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Wait just a frost brewed minute, here...
(I love that Ditka/Coors Light commercial)
Your hatred of Silas has been palpable. Mullens won the starting role over Diop by default, and he has been getting benched earlier and earlier in favor of Biyombo as of late. Walker has started the last few games in spite of being out of position. He will start at point guard tonight, and Higgins is our only other healthy point guard, so he will get minutes…just not as much as Walker.
Let’s not forget the “minor” detail that we have FOUR injured players that would all be starters for us on most nights. So yeah, we’re probably going to see more than our share of Carroll/Diaw/Najera.
It’s just all too convenient that every single one of our problems this season falls on Silas’ shoulders. If only that were true.
"People are gonna respect the Panthers, and I want what I do as a quarterback to be scary. I want people to be in fear. I want it, and I’m gonna get it."
- Carolina Panthers Franchise Quarterback
We can't get bogged down around here with what is true
We need to be angry, dangit.
by djwilliams11 on Jan 24, 2012 8:36 AM EST up reply actions
Silas?
You’ve stooped to slamming Silas?
Bobcats Basketball is my only pro sports passion...
by andrewlail76 on Jan 24, 2012 12:07 PM EST up reply actions
Phil Jackson and 1,000lbs of books about Buddhism couldn't coach this team above .300
Lets just be honest here.
I get it about the 1,000lbs of books on Buddhism
but how in the heck could Phil Jackson possibly get us up to .300?
by Tim Rudisill on Jan 24, 2012 2:47 PM EST up reply actions
Well, he would be reunited with MJ.
Anything is possible.
But I still don’t think that makes us any better.
Just to recap:
1. We started the season with Boris Diaw as our “Point Center.” Aw, poop.
2. Maggette was supposed to be a veteran leader. Double Poop.
3. Cory Higgins is our spark off the bench. Love ya kid, but poop.
4. We got blown out by the Cavs. Triple poop.
Francesco is...triple poop?
"People are gonna respect the Panthers, and I want what I do as a quarterback to be scary. I want people to be in fear. I want it, and I’m gonna get it."
- Carolina Panthers Franchise Quarterback
thank you
For reiterating this as I made this point in a different thread. :)
People bashing Silas for the team’s performance is ridiculous and then to add that our young players aren’t developing is even more laughable.
What are you expecting after Kemba’s first 15 or so games – that he becomes an bonafide all star? He’s shown flashes of really good play but like a lot of the rookies this year, he’s has stretches of uneven play and inconsistency. That’s to be expected! He’s getting PT and he’ll continue to get better. Biz when he’s gotten time has produced and he’s improved so much in just a quarter of a season so far I’m really excited.
It’s not like Henderson or DJ have regressed either since Silas has taken over last season – in fact quite the contrary.
Silas is doing what he needs to in a rebuilding year
Trying combinations…playing rookies…spotting team needs…
That’s what you do in a rebuild year.
No mention of removing Silas should be made for at least another 2 years. I just hope that his health will allow it. My guess is that if his health starts failing, he and Stephen will switch spots to finish the rebuild. My good friend Ourdaywill come made a very compelling argument as to why the Silas era has to stay in place until the rebuild is complete or right at complete.
We’re doing it the right way, and stopping now with having the most player-friendly coach in the NBA not leading the drive would be a travesty.
Bobcats Basketball is my only pro sports passion...
by andrewlail76 on Jan 25, 2012 12:43 PM EST up reply actions
We are terrible
But seeing superstar driven teams like the Knicks fail puts things in a great perspective. It’ll take a TEAM to win a title. And though we will never be a great free agent destination, we are all still on even ground as far as having the ability to put players together who actually fit. Like Focus always says, it’s a better strategy for us to try to emulate deep teams like the Nuggets or Blazers than to try chasing superstars who are crap anyway.
I'm gonna live forever, I'm never gonna die. The only thing I fear is I'm never gonna fly.
by Charlotte Bobcat on Jan 24, 2012 7:52 AM EST via mobile reply actions
Well...
Of course if takes a team, but NBA history, with the sole exception of the 2004 Pistons, tells us that the team needs to be built around a super star, preferably one who operates out of the post and has a nice wing or point.
True
Enough, we will need a star player coming out of the draft next year. But the difference is out team will already have young players who can continue growing with said star giving us a deep, young, and talented team. Just saying that a title isn’t out of the question for small market teams who don’t have the luxury of having a current star bitch their way into playing for them. Other than Miami, I don’t see these star driven teams built through those methods winning a title. The Clippers, Knicks, and possibly Nets if they got Howard being the others. Yeah, we will need a star player, but with how our team is positioned currently, I don’t think we will need someone on the level of Lebron or Durant to compete one day. Maybe even a wing like Melo is what we need. I don’t consider him a superstar though. Just a star.
I'm gonna live forever, I'm never gonna die. The only thing I fear is I'm never gonna fly.
by Charlotte Bobcat on Jan 24, 2012 9:15 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Pt gd play
Higgins deserves to play. Once he warms up , he capably runs the point and does the things a pt gd has to do to get this team going. He plays within the system ,passes and distribures the ball,doesnt jack shots, is a bigger defender at pt gd so he doesnt get posted and scores and dishes well on fastbreaks. No hes not a starter, but is efficient. A few times he looked weak but is improving .
If kemba would stop jacking shots and learn to create ,whc he has to admmittedly on the fly, he will be valued much more. Mj green liighted him w no regard for developing his dish n create n the paint pt gd skills whc is ridiculous ..no one developed dj and hes on the block now for shooting first and never learning to create like kyrie,paul,nash ,kidd ,wall or rhondo. …real deal true pt gds whom are treasured ,very rare and make over 45 to 80 million instead of being on the trading block.
and darn that DRose and Westbrook!!
Garbage, “score-first” PG’s!!! Learn to pass you idiots! Or find a new postition. When you score 30, you suck like Kemba! Pass the ball! God, just think Rose/Westbrook, if you just learned to pass first, you would be a legit PG and might get a good contract like $45-80 mil (you know, like he $80 mil ‘Brook just got 2 days ago). Your theory….while somewhat correct…is also HIGHLY flawed. DJ Augustiin IS gonna get some big $$$. That is the reason he is on the block!!! Right?!?! Comprende?? We don’t want to pay big $ like you talk to 2 PG’s. Someone will pay DJ nicely, probably not us (can’t afford it). He’s not on the trade block because he’s trash.
That’s Boris.
D. Rose is not a score first point guard by any stretch of the imagination
Yes he takes over games late, but that’s because he’s a phenom at the position. D. Rose is a unselfish player and teamate. Westbrook is a SG who is still trying to learn the point guard role. He tends to shoot way too much because he doesn’t know how to run a team unlike Rose who basically put Chicago on his back. Our Point guards aren’t in the same league with the likes of Rose or Westbrook even on a talent level. Our PG’s are small, aren’t playmakers, aren’t great at running the team, and look to score to much. Granted, we do need their scoring, but that’s what DJ and Kemba were in college, undersized scorers from the guard position, Kemba was more of a shooting guard than point guard, even though he won the point guard award.
by Mr Goodlove on Jan 24, 2012 11:53 AM EST up reply actions
He played PG
He averaged more assists the Westbrook an alot of good PG,s in the league. He played PG on college please shut up.
Agree on some
Our PG’s are not in the same class as Rose and Westbrook (not many are), but some thins I will differ.
I see your point about Rose. The guy is a great passer. 8.6 assists per game confirms that. But DRose is 2nd in FGA per game amoungst PG’s with 16.3 FGA per (behind only Westbrook at 17.5). DWill and Wall are the only other PGs in the running down at 15.7 and 14.3 attempts per, respectively.
When you add in that he is toeards the top of the league (especially for guards) in FTA per at 5.4….guys scores in bunches, lots of ways. Great passer and all around player, but a scorer for sure.
He’s what I’m preaching. A legit great scoring PG.
by mives36 on Jan 24, 2012 3:19 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
I think this is a good point.
And to dovetail off of it….
I think the NBA has moved in a direction over a period of time whereby players do not need to play specific, restrictive, and defined offensive roles. The old paradigm that “Point Guards Distribute”, “Shooting Guards Shoot”, “Small Forwards play in the mid-range”, “Power Forwards play in the High Post”, and “Centers play in the Low Post” is no longer valid. Players have such a mix of talents and abilities that I think as long ass ball movement is crisp and players are able to execute offensive sets, there isn’t a need on every team for a “pure” point guard, i.e. a guard that only distributes the ball.
I see a lot of comments about Kemba Walker needing to learn how to pass. I think we’ve seen some evidence that he is learning what it means to distribute the ball on an NBA level, though that should not be his only pursuit.
We’ve seen that Kemba’s strengths are shooting off the bounce and getting into the paint for a shot/lay-up/floater. I think he’ll need to continue to develop ways to make those elements of his game fit well with the size, length, and athleticism of NBA defenders. I think part of his learning will involve figuring out when to give the ball up for easy points and when to pick his spots. Because he’s not going to get the same looks he got at UConn.
But for all this talk of needing a 100% pure point guard seems to miss the mark. Kemba is not Chris Paul. Hell no one is Chris Paul but Chris Paul. Rondo is another example of a guy that got killed for not being a “pure” enough PG for his first 2-3 years in the league. But what he brought to that team worked, and other player around him were able to help move the ball in such a way that he didn’t need to Avg 8 assists early on. But since those first few years, he has rounded into a great passer and a decent scorer.
I’m getting into the weeds here, but the point is this: Kemba Walker has a variety of skills that he is continuing to adapt to the NBA game. He doesn’t need to learn how to pass, he needs to learn what passes he can get away with in the NBA vs. what he did in college. Same goes for his scoring. Same goes for his defense (well actually he might need to learn how to defend certain plays better).
Like Russell Westbrook who just got an $80 million contract
For his pure point guard abilities and fantastic distribution skills. And Rose and his $100 million contract.
And watch shumpert tonight, he was drafted 17th. Not a lotto pick . The knicks released billups bc of his potential. They play him at pt gd and hes way ahead of kemba in doing what should be done by a pt gd for his team . Barron davis is teaching him the correct way. Distribute first . Whos here teaching kemba. Stop ruining this kid. Teach him to create . He can get to the rack , thus anytime in the paint and get teamates tons of easy buckets all game , not just here and there.
Shumpert: 20.4 AST%
Walker: 22.5 AST%
Lemonade was a popular drink and it still is,
I get more props and stunts than Bruce Willis
- Guru, of Gangstarr
by Ben Swanson on Jan 24, 2012 10:59 AM EST up reply actions
What, no citation?
But then how will people be able to trust your data? Wait, do other people actually like data?
How about this
Let Kemba play basketball the best way he knows how, the way he’s most effective. I don’t think Kemba’s job is to distribute first, score second. I think his job is to do his best to help the team win games. If he takes 40 shots and gets 0 assists and we win every game, then by all means he should continue doing that. If setting up his teammates is more successful in a particular game, then it should be done.
I hate people trying to fit people into certain roles based on position. They’re basketball players. Don’t confine them to a particular role if they are good at other things at well.
And just for your Shumpert comparison, here’s some per 36 comparisons:
Category:__Pts____Ast___Reb__Stls__Blks
Kemba: _ _ 16.5 _ _ 4.6___4.8___1.6___0.4
Shumpert:_ 13.6___4.0___4.0___2.9___0.3
Their FG percentages are pretty even. And remember, Kemba has been spending a lot of time at 2-guard, so naturally his assist totals will be down a little bit. And Kemba has the advantage in PER at 15.22 to Shumpert’s 12.61.
+1
What’s not to love about Kemba Walker? There is no doubt he knows what his team needs to win. Last year’s NCAA Tourney is proof of that. He is a champion!!
Let's Go Cats!!!
What's not love about Kemba Walker?
He’s on our team and for some reason that makes people whine and moan about every imperfection in his game.
Tank I say, Just F'n Tank
We need high picks in this draft !
by chris in union county on Jan 24, 2012 10:52 AM EST reply actions
We don't need to tank
We can give it our heart and soul every night and still end up a bottom 3 team. We’re not tanking, we’re just not very good right now.
We just need the young guys to get time to develop
We do not need to kill their confidence by losing on purpose. We need them to learn, and develop. We have 3-5 guys who have potential to be some very good players. (Hendo, Bismack, Kemba, DJ White, and Mullens.) I did not include DJ because I think he will be traded. And two of those players I think will be very good role players. The other three I feel as though the sky is the limit. :) In my humble opinion.
Let's Go Cats!!!
I can't argue on behalf of our young guys
but I will argue based on myself.
Me? If I’m losing because I suck but I’m trying really, really hard to win? That’s when I lose confidence. But if I lose on purpose? I’m able to think, “we could win a lot more if the coach would just let us play.” That, to me, would allow them to maintain their confidence.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I am not arguing that we should tank based on this. I’m just saying that “we will kill their confidence by losing on purpose” is not a solid argument.
by Tim Rudisill on Jan 24, 2012 2:56 PM EST up reply actions
If our starting frontcourt ever consists of Carroll, Najera, and Diop...
I will hold you fully responsible.
"People are gonna respect the Panthers, and I want what I do as a quarterback to be scary. I want people to be in fear. I want it, and I’m gonna get it."
- Carolina Panthers Franchise Quarterback
my only thing with Kemba
And it’s not a big big deal as I’m sure he’ll learn it with more experience is just to show better shot selection. He can get to the bucket and create for himself – I’d like to see him get into the paint more. The talk coming in was that his mid-range game is his bread and butter but he seems to be settling for more long 2’s.
I’d say think more Tony Parker and try to just continue to shoot high % shots. Kemba will get it though.
I think Tony Parker is a good comparison
But Kemba’s already a better outside shooter and rebounder than Parker. So I think he might develop into a Tony Parker+ and I’d be just fine with that.
I'm hoping he develops like Kyle Lowry.
Kemba has a knack for rebounding and once he’s got some shooters to pass to his assists will go up. Maybe Reggie Williams can be our poor man’s Kevin Martin.
The decision making and shot selection will take some time, but he seems like a hard worker and is hopefully bright and coachable. Lowry’s about his size and is averaging close to a triple double this year. It just took him seven years in the league for him to get there. I think Kemba can be as good with a little patience.
I like that
And Kemba has shown a knack for getting steals like Lowry does. I don’t think it’ll take him 7 years, but I think he can put up those kinds of numbers. He’s playing PG on a new team after being the man at UConn. I’m sure in time he’ll learn how to pick his spots better.
all things considered,
The only legitimate scale by which we can measure success THIS season, is the progress of our rookies. We are lottery bound, our rooms need all the time on court to develop that they can get. Hell, Biyombo is still learning the game. I’m excited to see Kemba start at the point, its a glimpse into the future, and there’s no reason Bismack shouldn’t start as well.
by OnefacedTommy on Jan 24, 2012 5:37 PM EST via mobile reply actions
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