Gameday Preview: Dallas Mavericks at Charlotte Bobcats

It’s hell week!  Rage!  Cue the death metal music.  Last night the Bobcats faced and were defeated by the Miami Heat.  Tonight, they face the Mavericks.  The gauntlet continues Monday night against Boston.  Miami, we all know what they bring.  3 bloated overboard superstars that try to get along and a smörgåsbord (thank you cut and paste for the accent marks etc) of “role” players and coaches that attempt to appease those stars and make it to the end of the season intact for a playoff run.  So yes, the Bobcats lost last night.  They hardly seemed over matched.  Gerald Wallace was himself with cuts and drives to the basket early,  he finished with 25 points, 10 rebounds and a solid defensive effort against “King” James.

Stephen Jackson matched Wallace’s offensive production with 25 of his own.  DJ Augustin was the one head-scratcher that I took away. Having only 4 points on the night and while 8 assists is nothing to sneeze at, he had 5 turnovers and never got his game on track.  The highlights and pre-game packages showed team owner Michael Jordan participating in shootaround and he was in his usual spot at the end of the bench for the game.  While the game was close throughout, until the fourth, the Heat will remember the game.  It got a bit chippy between Dwayne Wade, Gerald Henderson, Gerald Wallace and of course Stephen Jackson. Jackson had a flagrant one on Wade, who cares?  He wasn’t going to let him just dunk.  Then Wade bows up and tries to be a big boy…cmon.  Later in the game, Wade drove on young Gerald Henderson, who had been guarding him well throughout his time on the court, Hendo drew an offensive foul.  Wade picked up the ball, decided against arguing the call, got that “Don’t you know who I am?” look on his face and Gerald Wallace went to take the ball back.  Just chippy, entitled, superstar bad attitude.

Erik Spolestra, whose name sounds like a made up fat or sugar replacement, got a technical for arguing a call against “King” James. If you read his lips you can actually see him say “THAT’S THREE!” As in, “Don’t you know?!  Lebron isn’t supposed to get three fouls especially one being an offensive foul.  Don’t you know who he is?!”  Just ridiculous.  Bottom line, the ‘Cats lost.  Hate to see it but at least they didn’t roll over and take it and the “Big 3” only combined for 5 more points than Charlotte’s “Good-Sized 2.”

So what can we expect tonight?  A worn-out Bobcats team, from the road, from the shootaround staring MJ, from the Heat and The Mavs.  The Mavericks are on a road trip, I’d assume because of the Super Bowl and their biggest star, their owner, will likely stay home.  They played last night as well, beating the Bobcats next opponent, the Celtics 101-97.  No big deal, but it was also their 7th straight win.  Oh and also, the Bobcats have never beaten the Mavericks, home nor away or on a neutral court.  So it’s streaks, as most things in the NBA come down to.

If you have to look at the matchups, I don’t like it.  Dirk Nowitski always presents anyone an issue, he scored 29 last night against the league’s best defense and possibly one of its best defenders in Kevin Garnett.  Jason Kidd hit the game winner last night, he’s no slouch while he’s not as big of a scoring threat, he still gets his 8-9 assists.  Tyson Chandler, fresh off his one year stint with the Bobcats, is his usual defensive anchor self.  He’s also in a  contract year, as a player who loves money, he’s trying to get one more big contract and hopes his play this year alone will be looked at.  He’s only missed 3 of the Mav’s games so far.  He’s only 5 games short of playing in as many games as he did for the Bobcats last year!  Did I mention we’re just past the midway point in the season?  Listen, I’m not bitter about Tyson, he is what he is and will be, that is to say an on-again-off-again solid player at the center position.

Jason Terry, the ageless one, is coming off the bench and contributing in a big way for the Mavs.  He has lit up the Bobcats in the past.  No question is this a tough game that the Bobcats will have to man up and win if they intend on making any waves in the league this year.  It’s daunting.  Kwame will have to prove he was worth the gamble of ditching the heavy contract of Chandler for his second, third or whatever number you want to pin on his chances at becoming a contributor on an NBA team.  DJ Augustin will have to shake off his cold shooting and poor passes from last night.  He’s got to beat Jason Kidd with his quickness and shooting.  I look for Jackson and Wallace to have yet another dueling star showdown tonight.

Tipoff in an hour, check back here after the game for all your analysis and opinion!  Go Bobcats!