Post by Charlotte Bobcats on Dec 26, 2008 12:49:19 GMT -5
Charlotte Observer
Big things have been happening in North Carolina recently, as the lowly Bobcats have jumped started themselves into the thick of the Eastern Playoff Race. The Bobcats at one point were 10-13 and appear to be slipping out of contention. Since then have gone an impressive 5-2 to be at 15-15. overall. One of those loses came before Ben Wallace came to town against a very good Miami Heat team, in the game Juwan Howard started at center and was ABUSED by the Heat Bigs. "We played tough in the game, just had no answer for Chandler and Boozer down low" said Bobcats GM Charles Boen "That's why we went out and got Ben, to add some toughness to the team. Other than a few nights ago when we lose to the Wizards in Washington we have been playing good, and even then we had a chance to win the ball game and just shot poorly."
Quality wins over the LA Lakers, Houston Rockets, New York Knicks, and Miami Heat (2 nights after the lose) have pressured the GM to make more moves to win now. "At first this appeared to be a rebuilding job, and it still is to an extent. We are going to get a lot a lot better in the future, don't get me wrong. These trades for older players have not hurt our future very much at all. It's a balancing acting, but I did a good job of acquiring value in my earlier trades and used some of those extra picks/young players to bring in players that can help now. We probably had more picks than we could use anyways." An example of this would be the latest trade where the Bobcats sent IR's Brian Cardinal, Mark Madsen, there own 2009 2nd, and and HOU's 2010 2nd to the Spurs in exchange for guard Cuttino Mobley. Mobley has a heart condition which will make him decline, but is expected to play his contract out for the Bobcats. The Bobcats had 7 picks in 2010 and 5 in 2009 a week ago, they now have 4 in 2010 and 3 in 2009, though they still have the big 1st rounders in there own 09 1st, NYK's 09 1st, and Minny's 2010 1st. "This deal was a no brainier for me the way we have been playing, adding Mobley to our bench makes us a VERY deadly scoring bench. Daniels, Girieck, and Mobley can all put up 20 on any given night, and that is a bonus when you see the guys we have in front of them. We are still thin in the post and if Ford went down we would have to relay on journeymen Tyronne Lue or maybe Mobley, but hopefully I can bring some new blood there."
Cuttino Mobley has played PG his first year in Houston, but since then has been a scoring 2 guard. He has had played for the Rockets, Magic, Kings, Clippers, 76ers, and was actually a Bobcat earlier in the year. He was traded along with Damon Jones, and what turned out to be the draft rights to Darrell Arthur to the Spurs for Chris Webber, Jared Jeffries, and Jason Smith. A career 16.7 PPG scorer and 38% 3PT shooter, Mobley can add life to the Bobcats as a 6th man. When asked if he was going to be used at PG any, Coach Ken Carter said "We'll see." Very exicting day for the Bobcats, if Mobley works out we maybe thinking PLAYOFFFS!!!!!!!