RealGM

Ask any casual NBA fan (weekend warriors who get their basketball news from Gametime) to name the top three defenses in the League and you’ll usually get some combination of the Boston Celtics, the San Antonio Spurs, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Orlando Magic and the Los Angeles Lakers. How many people mention the Charlotte Bobcats? Well, only those with their finger on the pulse of the Association, as the Bobcats have clawed their way to the the top of the defensive food chain under the guidance of hall of fame head coach Larry Brown.

Last season, Charlotte finished the season as the seventh best defense overall and finished outside the playoffs after being very much in the hunt with a few weeks left in the season. They ended up 35-47 with the tenth best record in the Eastern Conference after losing seven of their last eight games of the season. If the playoffs were to start today, the Bobcats would be the sixth seed in the East after their victory over the Sacramento Kings on MLK Jr. Day.

Oh, and did I mention that it would mark the first time in franchise history that the Bobcats made the playoffs?

This season is shaping up to be a truly historic one for the Bobcats, who have undergone dramatic changes since joining the League in 2004 as an expansion team. Only Gerald Wallace remains from the original roster. As presently constructed, Crash is the heart and soul of the entire Bobcats franchise and will be representing the Bobcats at ASG weekend in Dallas. As of now, he is only participating in the Slam Dunk Contest but will most likely be a coach’s selection as a reserve (overdue). The co-leader of Charlotte is the newly-acquired Stephen Jackson, who plays the role of complementary star very well, playing physical defense in Coach Brown’s system alongside Gerald.

fatlever wrote:great article. thanks for the positive buzz.