I haven't watched the Bobcats play since...

[SZ James (banned)]

Well... Like forever.

Reading the gamethreads and recaps has gotten me curious. I'm really desperate for any excitement in regards to sports in NC.

So catch me up on the state of the Charlotte Bobcats. Where we are now, how we got to this point, and where it looks like we are heading. I'm completely clueless.

Hopefully this can aid other newfags such as myself.

[Implied Volatility]

What the hell is a newfag? Did you just come out of the closet or something?

[Herbert The Love Bug]

We are second in the southeast division trailing Miami by 2 games.

We are 6th in the Eastern conference. Only 2.5 games behind the top team. (Knicks)

Time to hop on and go along for the ride

[Eazy-E]

Seems like we made the right hire at head coach. Our draft picks this year and last year are probably the best in team history. All in all this team looks to be on the right track. (5-4 speaks for itself) When you watch them play you can see the intensity and the amount of potential this team has. Add another draft and offseason and we will be a solid team for years to come.

[Herbert The Love Bug]

We have gotten to this point by drafting great young building blocks, great new coaching, high energy, smart veteran free agent signings, good trades, and a no quit attitude. We have done this with our captain and probably our best player out most of the season. Rich Cho, and Mike Dunlap are turning this organization around and it is just going to get better and better.

[SZ James (banned)]

I don't know any of the players on the roster currently.

can someone give me a brief rundown of who's good and who's bad and why? at least so I can have some superficial understanding.

[cavic7585]

The great thing about all of this is that we are nowhere near a finished product. We still have TT and Diop on the team. The resurgance can be attributed to many things imo.

1. Good draft picks since cho. Now the jury is still out on biz but kemba, mkg, and jeff taylor have been homerun picks. Kemba is second in scoring in the nba...well i dont know what it is after tonight. You really just cant describe MKG, just watch him play and you know that he makes the entire team better. Jeff taylor has came out of nowhere with his play the last couple of games improving every chance he gets. Of course the players themselves are working hard also.

2. Dunlap was a great hire, no other way to cut it. We are improving everygame it seems like, and the intesity is just great. We still have a ways to go but he has created a winning enviroment. Sessions said something at the end of his interview that resonated. "We are playing toronto next, a game we should win." No way something like that is even echoed in last years locker room.

3. Cho has taken a lineup of overpaid bums and in 2 short years has a exciting young core with solid veterans. Cho is the oposite of hurney. Look at our most recent trades and tell me they werent wins. We just pawned of a 3 point specialist who struggles fomr the outside(Carroll) into getting hakim warrick.

4. Finally give Jordan credit, he has learned fomr his mistakes. Also the colors, uniforms, logo etc. look great now( to me atleast) Look back at our old style where the home cour looks like clown puke.

.........GO BOBCATS!

[SZ James (banned)]

Awesome

(feel free to add .02)

[HeatCheck]

I don't know any of the players on the roster currently.

can someone give me a brief rundown of who's good and who's bad and why? at least so I can have some superficial understanding.

1st Tier Players

PG Kemba Walker: After inconsistent shooting his rookie year, he has really stepped it up in that department this year. He is also a great play maker and creates space in his shots. Good finisher at the rim as well. He is the guy we go to in the clutch.

PG Ramon Sessions: Our backup point could be starting if it wasn't for the youth movement. Great play maker and shooter as well. Smart player that can also finish at the rack.

SF Michael Kidd-Gilchrist: Just a rookie but brings a lot to this team. He is a good teammate that plays hard on defense, can rebound, and gets tough buckets. Could improve his shot but he is only 19.

SG Gerald Henderson: Currently injured but solid player on both ends. Great when coming off screens.

2nd Tier

SG Ben Gordon: Streaky shooter and doesn't offer much on the defensive end. He can get hot quickly and when he does it's great to have him on the court. But he slows down the offense too much.

PF/C Byron Mullen: Versatile big that likes to spend his time around the perimeter. He is an above average shooter for a big but gets in the habit of staying around the outside too much for a 7 footer. When he does switch it and plays in the paint it's often effective.

SF Jeff Taylor: Just a rookie but seems to be a solid player. He is our defensive stopper and can shoot the 3 ball well.

3rd Tier

C Brendan Haywood: Starting Center but inconsistent on the offensive end. Good presence down low and good leadership but doesn't offer too much outside of that.

PF Tyrus Thomas: Good player when his mind is right, but thats hard to come by these days. He is very athletic and gets up and down the court. Good defender at the rim and can step out and shoot the mid range shot. His shot used to be consistent but some days he just doesn't have it. Makes a lot of head scratching plays.

PF Hakim Warrick: Just traded to us and hasn't seen much play time. Athletic guy that can dunk. Could be used to spark some momentum swings but not getting enough court time to make a full judgment on how he fits with this team.

4th Tier

SG/SF Reggie Williams: Good shooter and ball handler. That's really about it. He is solid at times and can get hot but he is too far down the depth chart to make that much of an impact.

C Bismack Biyombo: See decent amount of play time but extremely raw. He is a beast defensively but very shaky offensively. He has no confidence in what he is doing down low. He is only good for dunks as of now.

5th Tier

C DeSagana Diop: Lanky player that doesn't do much. Good defender that will be blocks every now and again. Takes some unwarranted shots.

PF Cory Higgins: Only on team because of father. Just an insurance player really.

[cavic7585]

I don't know any of the players on the roster currently.

can someone give me a brief rundown of who's good and who's bad and why? at least so I can have some superficial understanding.

Diop and Tyrus thomas were from the old "regime" and are basically waiting to get rid of them. We picked up sessions and haywood in free agency. Haywood is steping up but sessions is balling night and night out. Easily the most underated. We got ben gordon from detroit after a maggete trade(WE ALSO GOT A FUTURE FIRST!) Ben is scorer, nothing spectacular but he get some good offense.

Kemba is a steaky fast PG (last years draft pick)that is finally starting to get consitent. He has improved his shots and seems like at will he can take to the whole. He also has nasty crossover and can break defenders ankles.

MKG is very intense and can play out of this worlf defense at times. He threw back a Roy Hibbert dunk in his first game. Not some weakside BS either, 7'1 hibbert tried to dunk on him and he got punked by MKG. He also is a good slasher but strugles with his outside shot. Also plays alot bigger than what he is. He is going to be real good......he already is but is going to get better.

Jeff Taylor isanother defensive specialist who can stroke it. Biz is a work in progress,(last years draft pick) has shown flashes at times and others your like "wtf" very athletic has a 7'7 wingspan.

Mullens is another young PF that has just steped up from last year. He has gone fomr soft to a force in rebounding and challenger at the rim. Gerald henderson(hendo) is a good SG that plays solid D and has serviceble to good offense. We drafted him like3-5 seasons ago.

Think thats it could do more but I have class tomorow.

sry for spelling and bad grammer im tired :P

[cavic7585]

1st Tier Players

PG Kemba Walker: After inconsistent shooting his rookie year, he has really stepped it up in that department this year. He is also a great play maker and creates space in his shots. Good finisher at the rim as well. He is the guy we go to in the clutch.

PG Ramon Sessions: Our backup point could be starting if it wasn't for the youth movement. Great play maker and shooter as well. Smart player that can also finish at the rack.

SF Michael Kidd-Gilchrist: Just a rookie but brings a lot to this team. He is a good teammate that plays hard on defense, can rebound, and gets tough buckets. Could improve his shot but he is only 19.

SG Gerald Henderson: Currently injured but solid player on both ends. Great when coming off screens.

2nd Tier

SG Ben Gordon: Streaky shooter and doesn't offer much on the defensive end. He can get hot quickly and when he does it's great to have him on the court. But he slows down the offense too much.

PF/C Byron Mullen: Versatile big that likes to spend his time around the perimeter. He is an above average shooter for a big but gets in the habit of staying around the outside too much for a 7 footer. When he does switch it and plays in the paint it's often effective.

SF Jeff Taylor: Just a rookie but seems to be a solid player. He is our defensive stopper and can shoot the 3 ball well.

3rd Tier

C Brendan Haywood: Starting Center but inconsistent on the offensive end. Good presence down low and good leadership but doesn't offer too much outside of that.

PF Tyrus Thomas: Good player when his mind is right, but thats hard to come by these days. He is very athletic and gets up and down the court. Good defender at the rim and can step out and shoot the mid range shot. His shot used to be consistent but some days he just doesn't have it. Makes a lot of head scratching plays.

PF Hakim Warrick: Just traded to us and hasn't seen much play time. Athletic guy that can dunk. Could be used to spark some momentum swings but not getting enough court time to make a full judgment on how he fits with this team.

4th Tier

SG/SF Reggie Williams: Good shooter and ball handler. That's really about it. He is solid at times and can get hot but he is too far down the depth chart to make that much of an impact.

C Bismack Biyombo: See decent amount of play time but extremely raw. He is a beast defensively but very shaky offensively. He has no confidence in what he is doing down low. He is only good for dunks as of now.

5th Tier

C DeSagana Diop: Lanky player that doesn't do much. Good defender that will be blocks every now and again. Takes some unwarranted shots.

PF Cory Higgins: Only on team because of father. Just an insurance player really.

lol you beat me by 1 min.

[SZ James (banned)]

Sweet Jesus.

I'll have to come back to this thread sometime tomorrow. Nicely done.

[YoungPanthers89]

They real good, bruh.

[koolkatluke]

JK that was a excellent breakdown.

Well done.