Since their expansion 2003-04 season, the Charlotte Bobcats have been nothing short of a laughingstock. In their first five full years of existence, the Bobcats did more than 35 games and never reached the playoffs. After purchasing the team in 2004, owner Bob Johnson has had tremendous difficulty recruiting quality talent and selling tickets. In fact, the Bobcats ranked 22nd or worse in every year in attendance and had not had an all-star player through the 2008-09 season. However, one simple move has quickly turned around the franchise.
In the middle of the 2009-10 season, Bob Johnson decided to sell the team amid financial struggles. The Bobcats got off to another slow start this year, as they started the season 12-18 and headed toward another lottery pick. Then, minority owner Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest basketball player of all-time, purchased majority ownership of the franchise in the beginning of March. The Bobcats have absolutely taken off since this change.
They have made some prudent moves throughout the course of this season and as a result, have won seven of their last eight games. They have now elevated from 11th to 6th in the Eastern Conference standings, with a current record of 35-32. Two primary things have contributed to the resurgent play: exceptional defense and outstanding perimeter play.
First, over the past eight games, the Bobcats have held opponents to under 100 points. They held arguably the most talented offensive team in the NBA, the Los Angeles Lakers, to 83 points, 2009 NBA Finals runner-up Orlando Magic to 89 points, and the Oklahoma City Thunder to 92 points. During this eight game span, they have forced an average of 16 turnovers, six steals, and have recorded an average of eight blocks. In fact, during their last game against the Thunder, they recorded an astounding 12 blocks and five steals.
Part of their reason for the defensive turnaround has been the play of shooting guard Stephen Jackson, who was acquired in a midseason trade from the Golden State Warriors. After he expressed his frustrations about playing for the Warriors, Jordan decided to take a chance on Jackson, with the hope he could provide a spark on offense. He has does much more than that, as he has been an absolute all-around force for the Bobcats.
Jackson has led the team in scoring in six out of these past eight games, including a 28 point outburst in Charlotte’s victory at Orlando. He has also been the go-to-scorer for this team, as he even scored 18 second-half points in Wednesday’s victory over Oklahoma City. In addition to his offensive prowess, he has shown tremendous leadership and defensive capabilities as well. He has been a vocal leader on the court, especially on defense, which has contributed to the improved team defensive play.
Stephen Jackson’s play has eased the pressure off of all-star small forward Gerald Wallace and point guard Raymond Felton, who have both had their best seasons as professionals. Wallace has averaged a double-double of 18.5 points and 10.4 rebounds, while additionally guarding the opponent’s best perimeter scorer. Felton has done an outstanding job of orchestrating the Charlotte offense, as he has averaged 7.8 assists during the past eight games and a career-best 11.8 points this season overall.
In all, the Bobcats are poised to make their first postseason appearance in franchise history, as they have shown the ability to beat the elite teams in the NBA. They will definitely be a tough out in the playoffs, especially with their tough defense and excellent perimeter play.
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