Charlotte
Philip Maymin
Basketball News Services
Has Emeka Okafor hit the much-dreaded rookie wall? His string of 19 straight double-doubles made him the only player in the league to have a double-double in every game in December. It looked like he was going to continue the streak with a 17 and 10 outing against the Heat on New Year's Day, but he managed only 12 and 6 on Monday against the Cavaliers. If this is a wall, then throw me at it. Okafor is all but guaranteed to have a double-double tonight against the Wolves and restart his streak.
Coincidentally enough, the last time he played the Cavaliers, back on November 20, was the last game before his streak started. In that game, he got 13 and 7, then went on to win Rookie of the Month two months in a row. Now he gets 12 and 6 and suddenly it's a problem? Please.
The mere fact that the word "wall" is being thrown around, or that 12 and 6 are below expectations for Okafor, simply highlight what an amazing player he is that he has already made a stellar night the typical and expected night for himself.
He's got a very good chance at getting another double-double tonight against Kevin Garnett and the Minnesota Timberwolves. Garnett is the league's rebounding leader but Okafor is not easily intimidated. He'll get his points (he's had double-digit points for 21 games in a row now) and with enough Wolves misses, he'll get his rebounds.
NEXT GAME
TONIGHT! The Bobcats (7-21, fourth in the Southeast) host the Minnesota Timberwolves (16-13, second in the Northwest). Kevin Garnett is coming off a career-high 47 points in a loss to the Suns and will be even hungrier than ever for a win, but Emeka Okafor will be looking to restart a new string of double-doubles, ended abruptly on Monday in a loss to the Cavaliers. The game starts at 7:00pm Eastern and will be broadcast on C-SET and NBA League Pass.
TEAM NOTES
Kareem Rush is settling into the Bobcats rotation after being acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Lakers on December 6. The third-year guard from Missouri has raised his scoring average to 14.7 points over the last three games. BobcatsBasketball.com went one-on-one with Rushafter a recent practice.
INJURY UPDATE
Bernard Robinson(knee),Tamar Slay(foot), andJamal Sampson (ankle) are parked on the injured list.
Rick Bonnell ofThe Charlotte Observerwrites: "Dang" might be Emeka Okafor's favorite word, as in "Dang, he's fast," or "Dang, I've got that appointment," or "Dang, 50-some games left in the season?"That last comment was roughly what Okafor said before Monday night's loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Clearly fatigued, Okafor broke a streak of 19 double-doubles with 12 points and six rebounds.
PA International writes: Charlotte Bobcats rookie forward Emeka Okafor, the only NBA player with a double-double in every game in December, was named Rookie of the Month on Monday.Okafor won his second straight Eastern Conference honour while San Antonio Spurs guard Beno Udrih was the Western Conference winner. The second overall pick in the draft, Okafor has registered 19 straight double-doubles dating to November 21.
Rick Bonnell ofThe Charlotte Observerwrites: Remember when power forwards did all the grunt work?They once were the basketball equivalent of offensive linemen -- bulky, rugged guys whose primary tasks were setting picks, bumping cutters off their paths and grabbing rebounds. Now they're as likely to lead their teams in scoring as rebounding. They make 20-footers, direct traffic in the offense and occasionally dribble from baseline to baseline. Emeka Okafor's position is actually sexy now because of how Minnesota's Kevin Garnett and San Antonio's Tim Duncan have changed the game.
David Cloninger ofThe Heraldwrites: The Charlotte Bobcats didn't realize tonight's game is the third out of the past five featuring a South Carolina native in the opponent's starting lineup.The way they figured it, Indiana's Jermaine O'Neal, Seattle's Ray Allen and Minnesota's Kevin Garnett were just three of the NBA's best players, and two of them have already ripped Charlotte this season. Finding a way to stop the third, Garnett, is top priority. "He's Kevin Garnett," guard Kareem Rush said. "That's all you got to say." .