The Calm Before the Storm

Brethren: The Bobcats are not unlike Fievel at the beginning of his American Tail sequel, all anxious and ablaze about following the setting sun for the first time in the 2007-2008 NBA season. After taking care of the Bulls last night in Chicago (who were without their top two scorers), the Cats have pulled over .500 in their last 11 gaves, at a cool 6-5. The five losses came to teams at the top of league: New Orleans, San Antonio, Dallas, and bonus-basketball losses to Detroit and Cleveland.

The wins were of note, too. At Boston. Home versus Denver. Home versus Orlando. The other three were against teams they should be beating: New Jersey, Memphis, at Chicago.

So while I am enjoying the baby-steps success, and we're seeing some good things like quality wins at home, pulling out games on the road, the thing is I just think we've put ourselves in too deep a hole. We can dig ourselves out, we just have to prove that our recent stretch of play is more indicative than our season road record, a not-so-cool, 3-13.

A more in-depth look at the upcoming scheduel, and some Nacho toppings, desde

Brethren (cont'd): So while I'm uber-excited to see the ACC Tournament in its rightful home of Charlotte, NC, all the college basketball events we've got going on that take up Charlotte Bobcats Arena, it puts the team on the road for the majority of the rest of the season.

Of course, we start out tonight with a very winnable game at home versus Philly. The Sixers are actually worse than the Bobcats, sitting at 16-28 (versus the Cats' 17-26 record). Of course, winnable games and real wins are two different things, as if Philly hadn't played Charlotte this year, they'd only be 14-28 (clever way of saying the Bobcats haven't beaten the Sixers this year).

So after that, we have nine games before the All-Star break, six of them on the road (at Clips, Sacto, GS, PHO, Denver, and Detroit). And at the end of the day, we're 1 game out of the 8th spot in the Leastern Conference. So as we trek westward like young Fievel, which Bobcats team will we be bringing? The surging Cats, winners of 6 of their last 11, with wins over some quality opponents? Or the young team on the road who has amassed 3 road wins in 16 games away from home this year?

Nacho: I'm agree and empathize with Brethren: while our Cats are improving at the usual incremental place, I still don't see any leaps and bounds being taken any time soon. They've put together some impressive wins, but I don' have the confidence in them night after night. They're Jekyll and Hyde, and only one of those personalities wins games.

I will go out on a limb and gaurantee a Bobcats victory this upcoming Monday against the Clippers. The reason: I will be intimidating the eff out of every Clippers player. Riddle me this: the Bobcats are an even .500 when I witness games, and with that kind of science and statistics behind, they're sure to win. Take it to the bank.

As for the Bobcats, don't expect any post-season action any time soon, but as Simmons perpetually prophesizes, one of the years, the Bobcats are going to be a team to be reckoned with.