GT: @ Atlanta Thurs Dec 13 7:30PM

[Diop]

nope, these guards want to show of their 'skills' and fling poo at the backboard.

[Liver_Pooty]

I think this has been said 35,000 times. But Dunlap needs to start playing ALOT more man to man and making players accountable for their defense. These gimmicky schemes don't work in the NBA. He will either have to adapt or go back to college with his tail between his legs like Rick Pitino did.

[Liver_Pooty]

Steve Kerr stating that Eddie Jordan got neutered in the offseason by the Lakers, and then immediately apologized.

Humored me.

[Diop]

i agree, but it hasn't been all dunlap's schemes today. there have been plenty of teams where its just been crap effort by our players. Harris has been defended man to man, but they don't bother defending him until the shot has left his hand

[mrknowitall215]

i agree, but it hasn't been all dunlap's schemes today. there have been plenty of teams where its just been crap effort by our players. Harris has been defended man to man, but they don't bother defending him until the shot has left his hand

What about Korver, LouWill, & Stevenson 3s? They accounted for 8 of the 12.

[Diop]

I was just giving an example, the point I was trying to make was that the players effort wasn't there tonight.

But I also agreed that he needs to get change his defence. Its been scouted and now its getting killed.

[mrknowitall215]

The difference from this Bobcats team & last year's 7-59 team is that they can score. Last year's team barely seen 80 points a night, while the current team go over 90 points on the regular. The defensive scheme is what is putting this team in holes that they have to dig out of, along with a couple of mental lapses by players (ahem...Mullens). The substitution patterns can tighten up too, but that wasn't really the case tonight.

[LamarMatic7]

horrible game. I don't even want to comment on this. If the Hawks have mediocre announcers, at least they got one thing right - we looked like a completely different team the time we had that heart-breaker lose at Atlanta. What the **** have some of those guys done not to hustle?? Have they really got overly satisfied with the start to the season we had?? Yeah, we do give up plenty of points just because we're not good enough defensively - the more passes teams make, the harder it is for our guys to rotate. Teams usually are able to find open three pointers after four, five passes against us. But there were too many uncontested baskets due to brain-farts and lack of urgency from our guys. Disgusting loss..

Only positives from the game:

Money Man Diop

A beautiful outlet pass by Biz with 6:00 left in the 3rd quarter to Sessions. You might have not noticed it...


This here fact tells it all - this was the first Bobcats game of the season from which I didn't need to cut out a single play. I usually have a piece of paper to make notes for highlights to cut out later on or if I watch the game the next day I write down some stuff so I'd remember what to talk about on the game thread. Not a single note was made during this game...

[catch20two]

If it isn't the substitutions/rotations/lineups, it's the defense. First it was the zone defense that NBA teams exposed us on, and now it's the strongside overloading defense that teams are exposing us on. Dunlap has to get away from the gimmicks and realize that this is the big leagues. It's not like we are going against one of LeBron, Carmelo, or Kobe every night where help defense is needed because they are on pace for 40 points. We are shading our defense to role players like Anthony Morrow just because he has the ball on the wing. It's costing for teams to set backdoor screens as well as backdoor cuts on us or penetration before rotating the ball for a open 3. It's getting annoying now.

[fatlever]

not sure i can add anything to what has been said already. that game last night was pathetic, probably the worst performance of the year after the thunder game and for me, the least entertaining game of the year. there was nothing, absolutely nothing to enjoy watching that game - not a single impressive performance, no amazing plays, no spectacular dunks. this was the first time all season where i got really mad watching the game. i cut it off about 2 minutes into the 3rd quarter. i was not going to waste any more of my time watching that crap. i am still annoyed that i wasted an hour watching the 1st half.

we are dangerously close to slipping back to that team from last season.

if we dont see a lineup change and/or a rotation change for the game tomorrow vs orlando i am going to be pretty upset with dunlap. taylor needs to go back to the bench, henderson needs to come back to the starting lineup.

[HornetJail]

we are dangerously close to slipping back to that team from last season.

I honestly think we already have. We're on a ten game losing streak.

I think we should attempt playing MKG off the bench for a game or two and tomorrow would be a great time to try it. He is getting into foul trouble before the 6-minute mark of the 1st quarter EVERY GAME. Let him play 30 or so minutes, like usual, but let him come on about 8 minutes into the game so he doesn't burn two fouls in the first quarter. It's worth a try.

You could tell he was visibly frustrated after his 2nd foul last night. He's been struggling lately and something's got to change.

[catch20two]

I think we should attempt playing MKG off the bench for a game or two and tomorrow would be a great time to try it.

No. Let him play through his struggles. Bringing him off the bench will only put him where he would be with foul trouble. I don't think that will help.

[Bassman]

As pleasantly surprised as I was with the team's competitiveness early on, I predicted this issue to occur before the quarter pole of the season. Why? It is the N B A, the absolutely pinnacle of basketball. These players and teams are total pros, and they will pick you apart. Dunlap's strategy and the energy of this young team gained some early wins, but teams learn what you can and cannot do, adjust, and punish your weaknesses. THIS is the result.

That's not a dump on the Cats...it is just the harsh reality of the game and the league. Our lack of post production is killing us. Our players are being exposed defensively (too many weak players in the mix). The post defense Haywood gave us early faded, as has Mullen's effort on D, so we now play an energetic but undersized Biz, with the predictable results (both good and bad). Henderson is a good defender but not great; still he needs to get minutes over Taylor. Kemba has his moments but he also has difficulty manning up many 1's in this league.

So, Dunlap is struggling as the team also is. Even if we lose nearly all the other games remaining, we need to see development and progress. Mullens is so up and down it is maddening. He really needs to be developed for a role as a 5/4 guy off the bench. He seemed to be making progress rebounding and getting more physical, but that requires tying him to the lane or sitting his butt down (if he roams too much outside). Sessions and Gordon are key contributors (especially Ramon) but they also struggle with consistency. Our record says who we are. It's time to see if Kemba can step up and lead this team back to playing competitive basketball. it is a tall task.

[Eoghan]

Something I've been noticing all season is that this team does not ride a hot hand very well. I only saw a quarter of this game so I'm not speaking specifically about it but especially lately I've noticed that Kemba will be feeling it early and they just hardly ever go back to the well enough. Mostly, I think they play a little too unselfishly and are just too young to understand the game at that level, thinking "Oh, Kemba just hit a couple shots in a row, I need to help contribute." Vets understand that when a guy is feeling it your role becomes "get that guy as many good shots as you can." That's a big reason why NYK is so hot right now, guys like Kidd and Sheed are feeding their scorers like Melo just with that veteran presence and ball movement. I think Dunlap is a little to blame, mostly for allowing it to happen repeatedly, but to a lesser extent b/c he'll occasionally sub in BenGo, Gerald or Ramon who require a lot of touches to get going, and then sub them out just as they start heating up for a now cold Kemba or Mully or whomever.

[JT2006]

I think Dunlap is a little to blame, mostly for allowing it to happen repeatedly, but to a lesser extent b/c he'll occasionally sub in BenGo, Gerald or Ramon who require a lot of touches to get going, and then sub them out just as they start heating up for a now cold Kemba or Mully or whomever.

I agree for the most part. Mullens and Gordon both need a lot of touches to get going. Guys like Henderson and Kemba are capable of turning it on right away, and turning it back off again (scoring pressure, that is). Not sure about MKG, he doesn't often go on scoring runs.

[Diop]

not a single impressive performance, no amazing plays, no spectacular dunks.

Did you miss Diop's dazzling shooting display?