Bloggers Talk: Charlotte Bobcats

The last time the Bobcats came to New Jersey, it was victory number one of the season. Will the Nets be able to close the Meadowlands in style with a victory over the team they’ve already picked off twice? Here to discuss his playoff-bound Charlotte Bobcats is Brett Hainline of Queen City Hoops.

NAS:  The Bobcats are the only above .500 team the Nets have taken down twice this season. Is there something about the Nets that presents a bad match-up for the Bobcats, or is this totally coincidental?

Rather than cop-out and say coincidence, how about this:  The Bobcats struggle with turnovers (1st in turnover rate) but make their living forcing turnovers (4th in the league in forced turnover rate), and despite the Nets being a weak defensive team, New Jersey is 19th in turnover rate and 13th in forced turnover rate – not great by any stretch, but decent.  In their two losses to the Nets, the Bobcats lost the turnover battle 33-27.

NAS:  What are your expectations for the Bobcats headed into the playoffs for the first time? Is their defense capable of giving a scare to the Magic in the first round?

No expectations – I am just looking forward to Charlotte getting to host playoff basketball again.  This is a big step for the Bobcats winning the city back over and if they can win a game or two against the Magic, all the better.  With the center-quad squad healthy again, the Bobcats have a lot of bodies to throw at Dwight Howard and the more single coverage they can use the better.  Between the Cats defense, and Dwight’s occasional foul trouble, I could see Charlotte winning a couple, but not the series.