Bobcats Lose to the Bulls

But the score looks worse than it was.  Or does it?

I think I’m going to continue to do those “Or do they?” “Or does it?” or somethings after a statement that I wish was true.  “Or does it?” is a modifier that makes ironic allusions to mystery shows or previews to movies or the back of a crappy book.  When you think you know, but have no idea, this is the blog of Roberto Gato.  Remember when that was cutting edge?  For MTV to be allowed into a celebrity’s life for a period and they do sort of a video diary.  Now they don’t have to sign anybody up, TMZ does the filming and Twitter does the commentary.

Anyway, I digress because I’m avoiding breaking down the Bobcats most recent of a string of losses.  I’m avoiding it because I don’t want to seem redundant.  That’d be the worst thing as a “new” blog I could do.  But, ya know, I can only work with the material I’m given and the Bobcats have basically done the same thing in the last 6 games, save Denver when they totally mixed it up and fell behind by a lot, continued to lose by a lot and finally posted a pathetic score.  That one also had the intrigue of Matt Carroll.  That phrase may have never been spoken before “Intrigue of Matt Carroll.”  I’ll google it later.

No, the Bobcats did it again, similar characters ever since the deadline trades were completed and the new guys took station.  Stephen Jackson sat after thinking he was ready.  He would have technically come back early from the sounds of his interview with Stephanie Ready and her prom hair.  I think the line he used when asked “Why did you not come back tonight?” was:  “Steve Stricker, our (useless – I added that) trainer.  He said that I could re-aggravate it and have to sit longer and if we wait til Friday, at least we could say we waited the proper amount of time.”

Hold on a sec, an aside:  I put quotes around what I think I heard.  Just so you know it’s someone else’s words and I’m paraphrasing.  If they’re not exact quotes, you can blame my laziness, lack of a DVR and recorded broadcast or my inability to be credentialed by the Bobcats communications dept.

So, Steve Sticker said to rest one more game, so no Jack.  What about Tyrus Thomas?  We’ve been eagerly awaiting his return.  Nope, he’s a no-go as well after showing up to shoot-around with swelling and soreness.  Which sucks because….the Bobcats really could have used those guys.

Oh, and another little tid-bit, Joel Przybilla is out as well with severe pain, to the point of not being able to run up and down the court in Tuesday’s practice, sat out as well.  I didn’t see him throughout the broadcast, making me think he didn’t bring the proper attire to sit behind an NBA bench.

Today, the day after, there are 8 guys on the Bobcats injury report.  Kwame Brown and Gerald Henderson sat out due to “General Soreness,” according to Mike Cranston.  Don’t know who General Soreness is, but I certainly hope the President didn’t get offended by Mayor Foxx, Sue Myrick or Mel Watt last night to the point that he sent him to Charlotte to hold Hendo and Kwame out of practice.

My sarcasm brings up 2 points I’d like to explore more:  #1, when did it become news that the President was having people over to watch the game?  and #2, general soreness?  Come on fellas!  This is a long season, you’re gonna be sore.  I heard Silas scoff at the idea that the team was “tired” from a long road trip or that fatigue played a factor in a loss.  There is no telling what he said to those guys, the fun way he pokes fun at young players, after hearing “general soreness.”

Shaun Livingston was also held back or out, according to Cranston.  His knee, or the area around the bionic joint that we’re calling a knee, was sore as well.  DJ White aparently turned an ankle, unsure when or how, but didn’t seem severe from Cranston’s report.  Finally, Matt Carroll practiced in full after turning his ankle the other day.

So if you look at the roster, it sounds like DJ Augustin, Boris Diaw, Dominic McGuire, Eduardo Najera and Garrett Temple are the only guys that could be considered “Fully Healthy.”  It’s an excuse, a valid one and something that shouldn’t be belittled or ignored, especially for a homer-fantasy player like me with 4 Bobcats on his team.  Everyone, everyone in the media offers that up as the first “out” when interviewing these guys after a game, especially a loss.  I’ve been glad to hear guys like Henderson say things like “It’s part of the game, you have to play through it and play harder with people out.”

Last night, even with the letdown of having Jackson, Thomas and Przybilla out, and never forget that Diop is out for the season and still holding a roster spot, even with those guys nicked up, they still made a game of it against an elite team.

Chicago isn’t “built” like Boston or Miami.  They were drafted and signed and kept, and they’ve come together behind first year head coach Thom Thibideau and MVP candidate, Derrick Rose.  The stories you read today in the national media are about the Bobcats losing, the Bulls winning and Bobcats owner Michael Jordan telling a group of reporters ”He’s the MVP for the season,” in regards to Rose.  He was “held,” by my estimation, to 10 first half points.  He finished with 20, tied with Kyle Korver for the Bulls’ team lead.  What’s amazing to me, looking at his box score, is that DRose had 2 steals, 3 blocks to go with his 20 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds.  His scoring wasn’t the defining factor, except when you look at when it came.

The Bobcats kept it close throughout, then Derrick Rose came up with a nice mid-range jumper and a three-pointer, right when the Bobcats had closed within 1 at 40 seconds to go in the third quarter.  His 5 points there, and Korver’s 7 midway through the fourth, were the daggers into the hearts of the Bobcats.

That’s all it really took, 12 points over a period of a combined 1:40 in the game.  Perfect evidence to support the claim that the NBA is nothing but a game of runs.

If you need positives out of the Bobcats, look to Dante Cunningham, who was the first guy off the bench early in relief of Dominic McGuire.  He finished with 33 minutes, 15 points, 6 rebounds and solid defense on Chicago’s Luol Deng.  Next, while I wish this weren’t surprising and was now commonplace, Gerald Henderson scored 20 to lead the Bobcats and had some tremendous plays around the basket and one play where he looked like a horizontal game of Plinko, stealing the ball, beating 3 Bulls to it, for a drive and a dunk.  He also had a sick up and under, cutting along the baseline… Here, just watch the video:

The Kid is a player, he’ll hopefully make us think less of “the other Gerald” in time.

I can’t leave the post about the Bulls game without mentioning Boozer’s injury.  It came at the end of a hard foul, called a flagrant 1, at the hands of Kwame Brown.  Kwame had been guarded by the bulkier Boozer throughout the game, while Noah chased around whoever and let his ponytail flop in the breeze.  I’m sure there was some physicality preceding that play on both parties.  Carlos is tenacious and Kwame is passive to a point.  When Boozer got the ball and Kwame was a bit far to contest the dunk attempt, Kwame simply hacked him.  High, mostly on the arms and with little to no ill intent.  Boozer’s forward motion along with trying to make a bit more of it than it was, put his feet under his body, toe catches on the floor and doesn’t slide and he lands full weight on his left ankle.  Sorry, it’s a product of trying to fall with grace, not the product of Kwame Brown fouling somebody too hard.  I do wish Boozer a speedy recovery, and, in case the Bobcats face the Bulls in the opening round of the playoffs, I hope he harbors no ill will towards Kwame and doesn’t try something dumb like retaliate.

There are some other items of interest that I’d like to cover (like all the love between the Bobcats and Blazers players off the court), we’ll do that tomorrow in the preview of the Blazers game.