Charlotte
Philip Maymin
Basketball News Services
Two games in a row this weekend, the Bobcats failed to score more than 84 points, and this is after they scored 85 against the Hornets last Wednesday and lost by nine points. Friday's game against the Celtics turned into a 104-84blowout after Brevin Knight severely sprained his ankle and left the game, but Saturday's game was much closer. The 86-84loss hurt as it came at the hands of the previously invisible Wizards Laron Profit on a follow-up shot with three seconds left.
Brevin Knight did not play in last night's game either as he is rehabilitating his sprained ankle. The Bobcats really struggled to hit a shot. Jason Hart had the best percentage of anyone taking more than one shot, as he hit 8 of his 12 attempts for 20 points, filling the scoring void left in Knight's absence, but not quite living up to Knight's lofty assists numbers. Hart did have four assists but he also had four turnovers.
Hart would have been the hero of the game if not for Profit's tip-in at the end. Hart scored 18 of his career-high 20 in the fourth quarter. He scored the last 16 Charlotte points.
Sometimes it's the sixth-men and bench players who are more aggressive. As head coach/GM Bernie Bickerstaff said, ""(Profit) wanted it more on that last possession." Was this a small dig at the exhausted Emeka Okafor?
NEXT GAME
The Bobcats (12-45, fourth in the Southeast) travel to Minnesota to take on Kevin McHale's Timberwolves (30-30, third in the Northwest) tomorrow night, Tuesday, March 8th. The game starts at 8:00pm Eastern and will be broadcast on C-SET and NBA League Pass.
TEAM NOTES
Bobcats Majority Owner Robert L. Johnson is inviting fans to experience Bobcats basketballin the New Charlotte Arena by offering a Season Ticket Guarantee to all non-premium season ticket holders for the 2005-06 season in the team's new arena in Uptown Charlotte.
INJURY UPDATE
Kareem Rush(knee),Bernard Robinson(foot), andTamar Slay(foot) are on the injured list.Brevin Knight(knee, ankle) is questionable for tomorrow night's game.
SportsNetworkwrites inChannelOklahoma.com: Laron Profit's putback of a Juan Dixon miss with 3.1 seconds remaining lifted the Washington Wizards over the Charlotte Bobcats, 86-84, at Charlotte Coliseum.Brendan Haywood had a season-high 22 points, eight rebounds and four blocks for the Wizards, who won for just the third time in nine games. Gilbert Arenas added 21 points for Washington, which ended a six-game road slide. Jason Hart had a career-high 20 points for the Bobcats, who couldn't hold on down the stretch and fell for the third straight time. Hart scored 18 of his points in the final quarter, registering the final 16 points for Charlotte.
Rick Bonnell ofThe Charlotte Observerwrites: Remember the Hornets' pregame prayer from the Charlotte days?They still do it in New Orleans, and Wednesday, it was a bit over the top. A woman preached, "Satan, take your hands off of these boys (the Hornets). They're good boys. Let them win tonight." The Bobcats wondered when God started taking sides in a basketball game.
Rick Bonnell ofThe Charlotte Observerwrites: The Bobcats expect point guard Brevin Knight to miss three to five games with his sprained left ankle.If he doesn't improve soon, the Bobcats might consider putting Knight on the injured list... Emeka Okafor looked exhausted Saturday, particularly on defense. When he has more fouls (five) than baskets (three), you know he's off his game.