Charlotte Bobcats News

Bobcats rally, hand Jordan first win as owner
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March 18
Gaston Gazette
 
"With Michael Jordan officially being approved by the NBA as the Charlotte Bobcats' majority owner earlier Wednesday, the last thing coach Larry Brown wanted to see was another sloppy performance. Brown got one, but only for a half as the Bobcats tied a franchise record for comebacks by rallying from a 19-point deficit to beat Oklahoma City 100-92 in front of 16,179 fans at Time Warner Cable Arena. "After a loss like we had in Indiana and getting down 19, this is about as good as it gets," said Brown, whose team lost 99-94 at Indiana on Tuesday night. The comeback matched two other 19-point rallies in the franchise's six-year-old history – at Miami earlier this season (Jan. 2) and at home ..."
Bobcats tear into Thunder
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March 18
The Oklahoman
 
"An encouraging first quarter in Charlotte on Wednesday night ended up as an embarrassing defeat. Oklahoma City's five-game winning streak came to a screeching halt at the hands of the short-handed but scrappy Bobcats, all because of a forgettable 10-minute stretch that squandered a 19-point, first-half lead and led to a lopsided 100-92 loss inside Time Warner Cable Arena. The Thunder became careless after building a 49-30 lead with 3:33 remaining in the second quarter. What came next was a collapse unlike anything the Thunder has exhibited this season. And from it, Oklahoma City could never recover. Charlotte, playing without leading rebounder and second-leading scorer Gerald Wallace, ..."
Charlotte Bobcats rally to defeat Oklahoma City
Comment
March 18
Charlotte Observer
 
"In a game like this, he was a Golden Graham. Stevie Graham will never get a maximum contract, might never make "Top 10 Plays'' and may never have more impact than Wednesday. But he's that smart, selfless player Charlotte Bobcats coach Larry Brown loves, and that showed in the 19 points he scored and defense he played on Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant in a 100-92 comeback against the Thunder. Sometimes Graham doesn't play at all. Wednesday he started, filling in for an injured Gerald Wallace. He generated those 19 points off just nine shots and he challenged Durant continuously. Yes, Durant had 26 points, but it took 26 shots to get there. A viable Most Valuable Player candidate, Durant was ..."
N.B.A. Board Approves Jordan's Purchase of the Bobcats
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March 18
New York Times
 
"The N.B.A. board of governors on Wednesday unanimously approved Michael Jordan's purchase of the money-losing Charlotte Bobcats from Robert L. Johnson. The acquisition placed a $275 million value on the team, and Jordan is increasing his small stake to a majority one. Johnson became the first African-American to own a controlling interest of a sports team when he paid $300 million for the Charlotte expansion franchise in 2002. He is believed to have financed $80 million in team losses, which he no longer wished to do, and accumulated more than $100 million in debt. "Purchasing the Bobcats is the culmination of my post-playing career goal of becoming the majority owner of an N.B.A. ..."
Perkins: Jordan out to prove himself as owner
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March 17
Gaston Gazette
 
"Former University of North Carolina basketball star Sam Perkins is like a lot of former Tar Heels who are happy that his former teammate Michael Jordan will soon officially become the first former NBA player to become majority owner of a NBA team. "In the NBA, there's a waiting period (for ownership)," Perkins said last weekend during the ACC tournament before he was honored by the league's legends program for North Carolina. "Michael has accomplished so many things off the court that I think now is a time he wants to prove himself as a general manager and basketball owner." Jordan, whose Charlotte Bobcats host the Oklahoma City Thunder Wednesday night at 7, is expected to be approved as ..."
Bobcats' win streak is halted against Pacers
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March 17
Charlotte Observer
 
"Gerald Wallace saw this one coming, even before he stepped into the Charlotte Bobcats' locker room following the upset of the Orlando Magic Sunday, Wallace turned to a reporter and said, "It's Indiana I worry about.'' He had cause to worry. There's a pattern to these things -- beat a great team, lose to a lousy one - and they were true to their history this season in a 99-94 loss to the Indiana Pacers that wasn't as close as the final score suggests. They did themselves in by flubbing the little things, committing 19 turnovers and missing 11 free throws. They were down 15, cut the deficit to three in the final 20 seconds, and then the last of those turnovers - a bad pass by Boris Diaw - ..."
A smart move by Felton
Comment
March 15
Charlotte Observer
 columnist Rick Bonnell
"Smartest basketball play I've seen in a while: Raymond Felton slithering under the basket, spinning toward Magic center Dwight Howard, and lifting himself toward the rim in such a way that Howard had little choice but to commit his third foul late in the first half. Felton probably wouldn't have scored, but that wasn't the point. He recognized Howard's intensity wouldn't allow him to back off defensively, and that foul was the last thing Magic coach Stan Van Gundy wanted at that juncture. At $18 million this season, wouldn't you think Magic forward Rashard Lewis could make at least one of five first-half shots. Lewis was probably the Orlando player most hurt by Hedo Turkoglu's departure ..."
Biggest win of the season
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March 15
Charlotte Observer
 
"Some post-mortem on the victory over the Orlando Magic: Looking back, the Charlotte Bobcats had a pretty productive trade deadline, wouldn't you say? They get a legit former lottery pick at a position where they desperately needed help (Tyrus Thomas at power forward) and then they add a center who ends up starting (Theo Ratliff) for a future second-round pick. It was more complicated than that: Ratliff wasn't playing in San Antonio, so the Spurs -- a luxury tax-payer -- was happy to move his salary without taking back salary. Still, Larry Brown saw this coming, that his other three centers had injury issues that could scuttle the playoff chase. I've been struck by how effective Ratliff ..."
Defense, Jackson's 28 lift Bobcats to 6th straight win
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March 15
Charlotte Observer
 
"It might take several years and a whole new team, but Theo Ratliff makes good on his debts. That's how Ratliff saw the Charlotte Bobcats' 96-89 victory over the Orlando Magic: A debt repaid to coach Larry Brown for seeing what he could be and dragging it out of him. That was with the Philadelphia 76ers, when Ratliff was struggling to evolve from a 7-foot athlete into a refined NBA center. "He's constantly pushed me," said Ratliff, who guarded Magic superstar Dwight Howard through most of this improbable victory. "He's the reason I've stayed in the league as long as I have. He loves the challenge of bringing a team up from the bottom." They're no longer bottom-dwellers. The Bobcats (34-31) ..."
Jordan is Bobcats' last-best hope
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March 14
Charlotte Observer
 columnist Rick Bonnell
"NBA Commissioner David Stern knows how to emote: I've heard him combative, charming, intellectual, dismissive and flippant, and that was all in the same press conference. Over the phone Friday morning, I heard just one mood in Stern's voice - relieved. This Bobcats ownership transfer is nearly complete, and Stern has shepherded it along. He's relieved Michael Jordan stepped up to buy the team because - my words, not Stern's - Jordan is the last-best hope to make Charlotte thrive again as an NBA market. Stern isn't easily defeated; his insistence not to give up on the WNBA demonstrates that. He understands the disconnect between Charlotte and the NBA (yes, this town really did once lead the ..."
Ex-Bulls guard Hughes signs with Bobcats
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March 14
Chicago Tribune
 
"The Charlotte Bobcats have signed veteran guard Larry Hughes to help with depth in the backcourt as they attempt to reach the playoffs for the first time. General manager Rod Higgins, searching for backcourt help since trading Flip Murray to the Bulls last month in the Tyrus Thomas deal, said this month he wouldn't sign Hughes because of Hughes' broken finger. But the injury has healed, and a team spokesman says Hughes passed his physical."
Bobcats' Wallace out at least 2 games; Hughes signed
Comment
March 14
Charlotte Observer
 
"The Charlotte Bobcats added veteran Larry Hughes Saturday, but that won't be immediate help in filling the minutes Gerald Wallace will miss. Wallace sprained his left ankle just before halftime of Friday's victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. While a Magnetic Resonance Imaging Saturday showed no fracture or ligament tear, Wallace figures to miss at least the next two games. Meanwhile, the Bobcats have signed Hughes who, at 6-foot-5, could fill some minutes at either guard spot or small forward. However, Hughes is still recovering from a broken hand and is unlikely to be cleared to play before Friday's game in Atlanta. It was a relief Saturday when Wallace's MRI came back negative. The ..."
Larry Hughes signed by the Bobcats
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March 13
Charlotte Observer
 
"Just confirmed the Charlotte Bobcats have signed combo guard Larry Hughes for the rest of the season. Don't yet know how long it will be before he can play, after breaking a finger. But he's here to pick up some of the scoring load off the bench that left when Flip Murray was traded to Chicago and to serve as a third point guard, when necessary."
Jordan's approval as owner expected soon
Comment
March 13
Gaston Gazette
 
"NBA commissioner David Stern has long offered hope that legendary player Michael Jordan would one day become the first former player to be a majority owner of a team in his league. On Friday, Stern told the Associated Press he expected Jordan's recent purchase of the Charlotte Bobcats to be approved by the league's Board of Governors by end of next week. According to several team sources, Jordan is expected to hold a news conference in Charlotte after approval is granted of his purchase of majority ownership of the team from Bob Johnson. There has been speculation the news conference would take place on Thursday. "He considers himself a North Carolina native and he's quite anxious to make ..."
Bobcats beat Clippers, take 5th straight victory
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March 13
Gaston Gazette
 
"A fifth straight win was the good news for the Charlotte Bobcats Friday night. The bad news? The uncertainty over Gerald Wallace's injured left ankle. Just before halftime of the Bobcats' 106-98 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers, Wallace rolled the ankle after being fouled by Baron Davis on a breakaway slam dunk attempt. Many in the crowd of 15,835 booed Davis lustily, particularly after he was called for a flagrant foul by game officials. But it was a call that seemed based more on the result of the play rather than the intent of the play. Especially since Davis, a former Charlotte Hornets' player, made a play on the ball when he fouled Wallace with 1.5 seconds left in the opening ..."
Clippers lose their sixth consecutive
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March 13
L.A. Daily News
 
"The Clippers might have lost their sixth consecutive game, falling to the Charlotte Bobcats 106-98 on Friday.

But they might have also inadvertently damaged the Bobcats' playoff hopes, thanks to an injury to All-Star forward Gerald Wallace.

Davis scored 24 points for the Clippers, who lost their eighth game in the past nine despite shooting 57.5 percent. The Clippers also are 0-3 since general manager Mike Dunleavy was fired.

"We don't share the ball enough," Clippers coach Kim Hughes said. "I think when they double-teamed us, we held the ball too long. We have to be more unselfish when we get trapped. They scored 32 points off of our turnovers, and you can't win that way." ..."

NBA chief Stern: Michael Jordan will surprise naysayers
Comment
March 13
Charlotte Observer
 
"To seize control of the Charlotte Bobcats, Michael Jordan is taking on a $275 million price tag and a huge rebranding challenge. NBA Commissioner David Stern told the Observer Friday morning that Jordan will likely be approved as majority owner of the Bobcats by late next week. Stern said the price will be $275 million, $25 million less than what Bob Johnson agreed to pay in 2002, as an expansion fee to the NBA. Jordan recently met with Stern, asserting he's prepared to spend the time and focus to fix a franchise that is losing tens of millions annually. "Without question, that is his plan," Stern said, "to do whatever it takes to improve the team as a community asset. "The naysayers will ..."
Charlotte Bobcats extend streak, but Wallace injury a concern
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March 13
Charlotte Observer
 
"They carted Gerald Wallace to his car Friday and as much fun as he made that for his daughter on his lap - think the tram at Disney World - this looked like trouble. Wallace couldn't play in the second half of a 106-98 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. He has a sprained left ankle, a sore left foot and a headache after Baron Davis took out his legs as Wallace attempted to dunk just before halftime. Davis received a flagrant foul, but the consequences could be worse for Charlotte, now on a five-game winning streak. The Bobcats (33-31) couldn't estimate the injury's severity Friday, but any Wallace injury feels like a big deal. "Pray," teammate Stephen Jackson (24 points) said ..."
Clippers lose sixth game in a row
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March 13
Los Angeles Times
 
"In past seasons, when Charlotte Bobcats All-Star forward Gerald Wallace went out because of an injury, the whole team struggled. Teammate Stephen Jackson said this team is different, as shown by the Bobcats' 106-98 victory over the Clippers on Friday night. "This was a game we needed to win," said Jackson, who scored 24 points. "It was ugly, especially after Gerald went down. But we found a way to win ... we had to focus on winning this game. We had guys step up that needed to step up." Boris Diaw added 16 points, Tyson Chandler 13 and Raymond Felton had 10 points and 11 assists for the Bobcats, who won their fifth in a row. They shot 54% from the field and forced the Clippers into 23 ..."
Larry Brown to Philly?
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March 12
Charlotte Observer
 
"It was an odd experience at Bobcats coach Larry Brown's pregame media availability: The Philadelphia Inquirer had just reported 76ers coach Eddie Jordan would be fired by the end of the season, and Brown - the most successful coach in recent Sixers history - was asked to size up that team. "They've had phenomenal drafts and they're in a good situation financially. I don't think they're very far away," Brown said. "I know what kind of owner (they) have, I know the fans are as good as any. I look at their roster and I see the chance for improvement very quickly." Maybe all that was idle reminiscing, but I couldn't help but think how much Brown misses his wife and kids, back in Philadelphia ..."
Why they're on a 4-game win streak
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March 12
Charlotte Observer
 
"Some thoughts on a four-game winning streak: -- This doesn't happen if Gerald Wallace doesn't speak up and that's not easy. Calling out your teammates takes courage. It's not like getting on some messaage board as "Bobfan225'' and griping about Stephen Jackson's shot selection or Raymond Felton missing late free throws. A week ago, Wallace slipped out of the locker room without talking to the media. I can't remember him doing that before. The next day, he didn't speak with my Observer colleague, Ron Green Jr., covering practice. I knew that meant Gerald had a lot on his mind. So after they were blown out by the Celtics, I waited until other reporters had left the locker room, and asked ..."
Bobcats rally past Heat
Comment
March 10
Gaston Gazette
 
"If the Charlotte Bobcats make the playoffs, they may look back on the current three-game winning streak as the reason. Trailing by as many as 15 points in the first half and 13 in the second half, Charlotte rallied for an 83-78 victory over Miami Tuesday night in front of a crowd of 18,646 at Time Warner Cable Arena. The victory pushed Charlotte to back to break-even on the season at 31-31 and meant the Bobcats will win the seasonal series with Heat; They lead 3-0 before the March 20 season series finale in Miami. "This just shows where we are as a team," said Charlotte guard Raymond Felton, who had 15 points and 11 assists and hit a critical 3-pointer with 3:32 to play. "We're maturing ..."
Bobcats overtake Heat, clinch tiebreaker
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March 10
Charlotte Observer
 
"Dwyane Wade was as boorish in the post-game locker room as he was ineffectual in the fourth quarter. Apparently he didn't like the line of questioning, after his Miami Heat blew a nine-point lead in the final quarter of the Charlotte Bobcats' 83-78 victory Tuesday. "The ball wouldn't go in the basket," Wade said of his team's 5-of-17 shooting, including his own 0-of-5. "I ain't giving Charlotte no credit, if that's what you're looking for." What game was he watching? The Bobcats played exceptional defense late, holding Miami without a fast-break or second-chance point in the fourth quarter, to outscore the Heat 21-12. They were switching and doubling efficiently, challenging shots without ..."
Could Bobcats be in Worthy's future?
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March 9
Gaston Gazette
 
"As a basketball player, Gastonia's James Worthy has few peers. As a television analyst and fundraiser for charitable organizations (including his own), Worthy also has received high marks. Can another job be on the horizon for Worthy? With his former University of North Carolina teammate and close friend Michael Jordan recently becoming the majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, Worthy says he has talked with Jordan about just such a possibility. "He's really interested in helping some people I know," Worthy said of Jordan. "He's talked to myself. He's talked to (former UNC teammate) Sam Perkins. When he gets ready to hire, he has our numbers. And I'm sure he'll call people that are ..."
Charlotte Bobcats playoff prospects could hinge on win over Miami
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March 9
Charlotte Observer
 
"You know what the NCAA tournament has on the NBA? Stakes. You know what the final four weekends of the NFL schedule have on the NBA? Stakes. Stakes are what separate sports from theater. I always wondered, if there was some objective way to keep score, what would happen if Robert De Niro had to face off with Jack Nicholson. You tell them both that the better performance - think De Niro in "Casino" vs. Nicholson in "The Departed," - allows one to advance to the next great script, while the loser must play a bit part in "I Dream of Jeannie - the movie." Yeah, then you'd see some acting. Stakes make for drama. And for maybe the first time in their history, the Charlotte Bobcats have some ..."
Charlotte's Curry loses in pro homecoming
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March 7
Gaston Gazette
 
"Stephen Curry has been in the NBA for almost a year now, but he said he felt something late Friday night he hadn't felt before in his rookie season with the Golden State Warriors. "You know, you go to all kinds of cities in the NBA," said Curry, a former Charlotte Christian High School and Davidson College standout. "You get used to that kind of travel. But last night felt different. It was good knowing I was coming home." Curry's homecoming didn't have a successful ending Saturday, as his first professional game in Charlotte ended with a Warriors' 101-90 loss to the Bobcats in front of a sellout crowd of 19,392 at Time Warner Cable Arena. Curry, a first-round pick of the Warriors last ..."
Wallace gets back-to-back charging fouls
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March 7
Charlotte Observer
 
"It's not often Gerald Wallace gets back-to-back charging fouls. That happened during the first quarter, which quickly threw rookie Gerald Henderson into the game. Looks like the Bobcats are heavily discounting tickets to Tuesday's home game against the Miami Heat. This team almost always struggles to draw early in the week, and this game is important; the Bobcats would clinch a tiebreaker against the Heat by winning Tuesday."
Reacting to Wallace's ejection
Comment
March 7
Charlotte Observer
 
"I was pretty shocked an NBA referee would describe what Gerald Wallace did Saturday as "vicious.'' If that's vicious, then there are plenty of vicious plays in an NBA game that should result in ejections. I'm glad lead official Monty McCutchen responded to our question, through a pool reporter, about precisely what Wallace did to be ejected. He's not required to speak to the media in these situations. But I was taken aback by the word "vicious'' in McCutchen's description. I understand why any blow -- or potential blow -- to the head could be a big deal. But I've seen plenty of things happen in an NBA game this season that were more dangerous -- and dramatically more malicious -- than ..."
Will Michael Jordan pay cost to win?
Comment
March 7
Charlotte Observer
 columnist Rick Bonnell
"What happens when Michael Jordan, the compulsive competitor, debates Michael Jordan, the guy unused to risking his own assets? I've thought a lot about that since it was announced about a week ago that Jordan is buying out Bob Johnson's controlling interest in the Charlotte Bobcats. This is new territory for Jordan; he's used to using other people's money, leveraging his fame to do business. This is different – whatever the purchase price, we know Jordan agreed to put up a bundle of his own money to make this happen. He had to, since he hadn't yet lined up a group of investors. Jordan lives to win. He's used to winning. But he's unused to bearing the cost of winning. And that's where this ..."
Stephen Curry gets royal treatment at home against Charlotte
Comment
March 7
Charlotte Observer
 
"Stephen Curry walks into the depths of Time Warner Cable Arena wearing a gray suit. Everybody who knows him says hello, and he appears to know everybody. Every 10 yards there is a handshake or a hug. Before his Golden State Warriors play the Charlotte Bobcats Saturday, he will sit behind a table and talk into the eight microphones. Michael Jordan is not the biggest name in the gym tonight. OK, he is. But Curry is second. Curry is more muscular than he was at Davidson. Yet, he looks younger. He has a goatee so small it could be in the Guinness Book of World Records. Instead of looking edgier, he looks nicer. And he already was nice. "He still can't grow facial hair," his dad, Dell Curry, ..."
Lakers come out flat, lose in Charlotte
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March 6
Orange County Register
 
"Maybe Orlando, the site of the Lakers' NBA championship last June, will get the Lakers' game back to where it needs to be. If not, the Lakers will be saddled with their first three-game losing streak since Pau Gasol was acquired two-plus years ago. The Lakers followed up an uninspired effort in Miami with a loss Friday night to the Charlotte Bobcats, 98-83 - a slow prelude to the NBA Finals reunion with the Orlando Magic on Sunday. Charlotte's active, extended defense was the difference in yet another opponent bringing more energy to a game than the Lakers could. "We were flat," Kobe Bryant said. "We didn't play with enough energy to carry the game." Bryant never got on a consistent roll ..."
Stephen Curry keeps undermanned Warriors in it
Comment
March 6
San Francisco Chronicle
 
"Stephen Curry offered, in the Warriors' 127-122 loss to Atlanta on Friday, what he hopes will be a preamble to tonight's game in Charlotte. In front of about 30 fans who watched him at Davidson College and cheered his every move Friday in Atlanta, Curry had 31 points, 11 assists and five rebounds. He can expect at least 10 times that number of family, friends and college supporters tonight in Charlotte. The twinkle in his eye foreshadows that he might have something even more impressive planned when he plays his first pro game in his hometown. "It's going to be loud, and it's going to be fun to play in that arena," Curry said. "I worked out there all summer, so it's going to feel like ..."
Despite loss, Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry warms up for Charlotte homecoming in style
Comment
March 6
Contra Costa Times
 
"Some 30 fans sat behind the Warriors bench before the game Friday, many donning red and blue gear. They weren't Atlanta Hawks fans getting a closer look at the opponent. They were Davidson fans getting a close-up look at Warriors rookie guard Stephen Curry. "I'm glad they weren't at the Orlando game," coach Don Nelson said through a laugh. Curry put on a show for the crew of Atlanta-area alumna from his alma mater. It was hardly a flawless performance, and it couldn't prevent a 127-122 loss to the Hawks. But 31 points, 11 assists and five rebounds qualify as a big night by most standards. Now Curry is expected to do it again tonight against the Bobcats in Charlotte, his first pro game in ..."
Lakers continue to sputter out on road
Comment
March 6
L.A. Daily News
 
"Andrew Bynum said it looked like the Lakers played five sets of one-on-one games Friday night against the Charlotte Bobcats. They were not in sync after a credible start and paid the price in the form of a dreary 98-83 loss. "What the (heck)?" Bynum said, smiling faintly. "I think that's what everybody's thinking, right? We're just disjointed. We're not playing together. Everybody is a little discombobulated out there, I think is the best way to put it." Kobe Bryant said perhaps it was time for him to stand up and say something to snap his teammates from their funk, which started with a lackluster victory Tuesday over the Indiana Pacers and continued with losses Thursday at Miami and ..."
It's an effortless loss for the Lakers
Comment
March 6
Los Angeles Times
 
"The Lakers lost again to the Charlotte Bobcats, which hardly passes as news any longer, though they continued to earn headlines by putting forth another indescribably uninspired effort. After a long night in Miami, the Lakers showed up in plenty of time to play the Bobcats, as confirmed by a box score that also revealed several other unsettling concepts, starting with the Bobcats' 98-83 victory Friday at Time Warner Cable Arena. Pau Gasol continued to play far below All-Star level, the Lakers kept treating March like exhibition season and Kobe Bryant seemed angry at it all for the first time in recent memory. None of it would be endorsed by Lakers' fans, except perhaps the final part, ..."
Curry excited to play in Charlotte again
Comment
March 6
Charlotte Observer
 
"Stephen Curry will play in Charlotte tonight, just like the Southern Conference organizers who brought their basketball tournament to the Queen City this season had intended. His appearance only comes because of an NBA scheduling twist, however. Curry, an NBA Rookie of the Year candidate for the Golden State Warriors, faces the Charlotte Bobcats at 7 tonight. "It's going to be a huge weekend for me," Curry said by telephone this week. "About 100-plus people that I know are coming. It's going to be really crazy." Curry won't get to pull off the basketball double-header he planned to, though. He had first planned to head to Bojangles' Arena this afternoon to cheer on the Davidson Wildcats in ..."
Kobe holds nothing back after Lakers' latest defeat
Comment
March 6
Charlotte Observer
 columnist Scott Fowler
"Kobe Bryant was angry. He walked into the postgame locker room Friday night after a 98-83 loss to the Charlotte Bobcats with a venomous scowl on his face. He used the word "flat" four times to describe the Lakers' performance, then promised that he was going to be talking to his teammates very soon about why they needed to elevate their energy level. Would this be a nice talk? "What do you think?" Bryant growled. The Bobcats inexplicably have had the Lakers' number for years, no matter who was Charlotte's coach or who was playing. Charlotte is always a worse team than the Lakers overall yet has beaten L.A. seven of the past nine times the teams have played, handing the ultra-competitive ..."
Bobcats dial up Lakers number again
Comment
March 6
Charlotte Observer
 
"To steal a month-old line from Stephen Jackson, they needed this one like they need oxygen. Doesn't matter that the Los Angeles Lakers didn't get to Charlotte until 3:15 a.m. Doesn't matter that Ron Artest shot 1-of-9. What mattered was the Charlotte Bobcats figuring out what has plagued them of late, and that sure seemed to happen in a 98-83 victory Friday night. In a life-is-stranger-than-fiction way, the Lakers continue to be the Bobcats' pawn. They've now won seven of the last nine against the defending NBA champions. Some of that is the match-up, particularly the assortment of athletic wing players the Bobcats can sic on Kobe Bryant (26 points). But it's more than that; the Lakers get ..."
Bobcats' Boston misery continues
Comment
March 5
Charlotte Observer
 
"Charlotte Bobcats captain Gerald Wallace sees the season slipping away, and that's about more than losing five of six or getting thumped Wednesday by the Boston Celtics. It's about body language and tattered communication and selfishness. It's about no longer recognizing that Bobcats squad that won nine of 10 in January. "That was a team,'' Wallace said of the Bobcats' former incarnation, following a 104-80 loss. "This one is just guys out on their own as individuals. Not talking, not communicating on defense.'' And the implications? "Very worried,'' Wallace said of the playoff prospects. "Even if we manage to figure this out and some other team slips up, I don't know what kind of game ..."
It's all Michael, Michael and Julius
Comment
March 5
Charlotte Observer
 columnist Tom Sorensen
"I did an interview with a sports talk radio station in Huntsville, Ala., late Wednesday afternoon and a Chicago sports talk station early Thursday morning. No surprise. People around the country want to talk about Charlotte. Turn on ESPN and there we are. The first story they want to discuss is Julius Peppers, the former Carolina Panther who at midnight Friday became a free agent. The second is Michael Jordan, who late last Friday became the owner of the Charlotte Bobcats. The third is Michael Vick, the Philadelphia quarterback who told an Atlanta radio station that if he could play for any team it would be the Panthers. Walk past a television, there's Julius or one of the Michaels. Talk ..."
Passing on Kobe
Comment
March 5
Charlotte Observer
 
"For 13 days in the summer of 1996, Kobe Bryant's professional basketball future belonged to Charlotte. At the time, Bryant was a 17-year-old prodigy, having decided to jump to the NBA after graduating from Lower Merion High near Philadelphia. When the Charlotte Hornets made Bryant the 13th pick in the 1996 draft, a buzz rippled through the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, N.J., where the event was held. It was an unexpected choice by a team that desperately needed a big man. But Bryant was never going to be a Charlotte Hornet. The Hornets wanted Los Angeles Lakers center Vlade Divac, and to get him they agreed to draft Bryant and trade him for Divac."
Michael Jordan Bought the Bobcats for Only $175 Million
Comment
March 5
SportingNews.com
 
"Pretty much everyone around the league is excited that Michael Jordan now owns the Bobcats. He's still a marketable face, and the franchise clearly needs all the help it can get to draw fans and become financially reputable. Lost in the excitement, though, was the fact that we never heard the sale price. Michael K. Ozanian of Forbes.com has it, and it's not pretty: If NBA owners approve, Michael Jordan is going to buy controlling interest in the Charlotte Bobcats for a price that values the franchise at about $175 million. This is a big blow to the NBA because current owner Robert L. Johnson paid an expansion fee of $300 million seven years ago and the league has several teams hunting for ..."
Doc Rivers on Jordan buying Bobcats
Comment
March 4
Charlotte Observer
 
"Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers didn't exactly use the words "bored to death in retirement,'' but you couldn't help but get his meaning Wednesday when asked about Michael Jordan's plan to buy control of the Charlotte Bobcats from Bob Johnson. "It's his - his legacy. I think he'll put everything into it," Rivers said of Jordan. "He needed this - beating Ray Allen at golf wasn't enough." Looks like Gana Diop (medial collateral sprain in his right knee) might be the first of the three centers to get back on the court. Diop went through all the drills at morning shoot-around, suggesting he's getting close to a return. Tyson Chandler (ankle and foot injuries) wasn't in uniform and Nazr Mohammed ..."
On Wallace and Jackson
Comment
March 4
Charlotte Observer
 
"I can't say I was surprised by what Gerald Wallace told me, following the loss in Boston -- essentially that the Bobcats are in danger of flushing away the season. I anticipated Gerald being troubled. He managed to leave the locker room following the Dallas loss before we got to interview him. Then he declined to talk to my colleague, Ron Green Jr., following practice Tuesday. Gerald is reliably polite and accommodating with the media. For him to duck a couple of interviews said he was worried about how to express what was on his mind. I think Gerald is absolutely right that this team has lost its sense of team. There was a very cool sense of purpose and accountability about this group in ..."
Bobcats' Boston misery continues
Comment
March 4
Charlotte Observer
 
"Charlotte Bobcats captain Gerald Wallace sees the season slipping away, and that's about more than losing five of six or getting thumped Wednesday by the Boston Celtics. It's about body language and tattered communication and selfishness. It's about no longer recognizing that Bobcats squad that won nine of 10 in January. "That was a team,'' Wallace said of the Bobcats' former incarnation, following a 104-80 loss. "This one is just guys out on their own as individuals. Not talking, not communicating on defense.''"
Jackson takes it personally
Comment
March 4
Boston Globe
 
"Stephen Jackson felt the Celtics carried their dominance of the Bobcats to a personal level, and last night's 104-80 Boston win left Jackson seething because of some in-game trash talk. With 7:31 left in the third quarter, Jackson, who attempted just six shots in 33 minutes, raised up for a jumper and was slapped on the right wrist by Ray Allen, who was hit with his fourth foul. Jackson appeared angry Allen was able to get away with such physical play and began barking at no one in particular about the foul. Paul Pierce began talking back at Jackson, telling him he thought it was a clean play by Allen. Jackson continued to scream and walked toward Pierce and the two had to be separated, ..."
Charlotte takes new shot at love, basketball-style
Comment
March 3
Charlotte Observer
 
"Divorces tend to come in two flavors: agonizing and amicable. Now we've had both. With George Shinn, it was a plate-hurling smack-down. We gave him all our love, only to be left feeling bullied and betrayed. At least we got to keep the house. For Bob Johnson, it was just a walkaway - an arranged marriage where despite some initial sparks, the passion never developed. And we still got to keep the house. A better one. Even though it was part of the dowry. Now we move on to Bachelor No. 3: Michael Jordan. Jaded though we may be by the romance of pro sports, this guy has appeal. He knows the game and the territory. And we've known him for years; we watched him grow up. In no way will that ..."
Michael Jordan's business history is no slam dunk
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March 3
Charlotte Observer
 
"Years ago, Michael Jordan called his Durham Nissan dealership to say he was in town and wanted to drop by the morning sales meeting. When Pat Pascarella, who owned Michael Jordan Nissan with the basketball star for a decade, told him the team didn't meet on Tuesdays, Jordan said, "P-Squared, how many times have you seen the Chicago Bulls just come out and play?" Pascarella recalled. "We've got sales meetings every day." Jordan was a fiercely competitive, if hands-off, business owner, his former partner said. He'd review finances carefully and push for specifics on how the company could improve. And he'd stamp the dealership with his Jordan brand, from installing hoops in the showroom to ..."
Fundamental breakdowns plague Bobcats
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March 3
Charlotte Observer
 
"About two months ago, Larry Brown wrote a list of objectives on a board to remind the Charlotte Bobcats what they must do to be successful. The list of those basketball fundamentals is still on the board and the importance of doing those things hasn't changed. In reviewing the multiple breakdowns in the Bobcats' 89-85 loss to Dallas Monday night, Brown needed only to point back to the board as a reference for what his team must do to escape its current slide. The Bobcats play at Boston tonight having lost five of their past seven games. "Even though there were a lot of defensive situations where I thought we could have done better, you hold them to 89 points with 20 off turnovers, I can't ..."