After watching the second half of yet another New Jersey Nets debacle, I feel I should turn my attention to happier things. And by that, I mean the team in my own backyard these days, the Charlotte Bobcats.

Charlotte has been one of the league's worst teams since coming into the league as an expansion franchise three years back. None of that was a surprise, since most expansion franchises struggle. However a couple of bad picks by the name of Sean May and Adam Morrison, combined with the questionable productivity for a variety of reasons from other high lottery selections Raymond Felton and Emeka Okafor left me feeling as though the Bobcats would be terrible once again this year.

That being said, going in for season tickets for 150 bucks with six co-workers was a sweet deal, so who was I to pass it up?

But three weeks into their fourth season, much to my surprise, the Bobcats at 6-4, after a win over the Trailblazers Monday night. They could well be 7-3, but blew a game against the Rockets they should have won. I’m starting to think this team might make the playoffs this year, as crazy as that might have seemed a few weeks ago.

How is this happening? What has changed my viewpoint? Going to all but one game this year, I’ve had a chance to see what this team has on roster. It’s not necessarily deep, but their better players have the potential to be difference makers. Plus, considering I had been to a whopping two NBA games before this season, I feel as though I should take advantage of my situation.

Thus today, we examine the anatomy of the Charlotte Bobcats, the team that, judging by the crowd last night, approximately 4000 people care about:

Emeka Okafor, C/PF Bill Simmons mocked Okafor for turning down Charlotte's 60 million dollar extension in his NBA preview last week, but then he was off about most of what he said about this team. Okafor's health is always a question, but his value on the court does not suffer the same uncertainty. He's not a great offensive player, but as a defender, Okafor has the potential to be one of the best players in the league. He's quick to the ball, good with his hands, avoiding ticky-tack reach in fouls that plague the effectiveness of so many big men. He's a beast in the paint, swatting anything that comes his way while soaking up boards easily. The Bobcats are a different team offensively and defensively when he’s in there because of it; he gives them new life on missed shots and prevents the same for opposing teams.

If Okafor is healthy, he makes life hard for opponents to drive the lane, allowing the Bobcats' guards to focus on guarding the perimeter. Since none of the Bobcats guards are great defenders, this is very important.

If Emeka Okafor isn’t the most important Bobcat, he’s 1A.

Raymond Felton, PG- I admit, when Felton came out after North Carolina's championship season, I wasn't certain what type of player he'd be in the pros. While Sean May looks to be a bust, but Felton could be a budding star.

His handle is one of the best I've seen in recent memory. It's like the ball is on a string when he's got it. He's got a knack of when to pop the three pointer. He dish out assists it, though admittedly that's the weakest part of his offensive game. He’s a liability to make an errant pass; hence the 3 turnover per game that he’s averaging.

Felton’s overall importance to this team cannot be understated. They stink without him. After a bad looking knee injury against the Suns, there was a thought he might be done for the year. The next game, the Bobcats were destroyed by a bad 76’ers team. But since Felton’s return, the team has once again started playing solid ball again. Even if he’s not the greatest point guard at this point, his talents are something the team can not afford to do without. Right next to Okafor, he’s essential to the team’s chances.

Gerald Wallace, SF I compared Wallace to a poor man's Richard Jefferson a few weeks back. Wallace does have some similarities; he runs the break and is an explosive leaper. However Wallace is a better defender, in part because he's such a gamble defender. He goes for blocks and steals and does it fairly effectively, the other good defender outside of Okafor on the team.

Unfortunately, Wallace for all his pluses, has one major minus- teams know (or at least they should) that he cannot hit the three, or any shot outside of fifteen feet with any consistency. He's also extremely aggressive offensively to compensate for no one respecting him from the outside and this results in at least one offensive foul per game.

It's easy to see why Wallace is a popular Bobcat. He's a good player, though overall, I'd say Felton and Okafor are more important to this team's success. I also think Wallace has the athleticism to play the four in a small lineup, and usually is when the Bobcats are playing their best.

Jason Richardson, SG J-Rich isn't worth what Charlotte is paying him, but that doesn't mean he's a bad player. Richardson still runs the break well and can pop from anywhere. When he's hitting, that's great- the guy is nearly unstoppable. On the other hand, when he's laying bricks, he could build an arena in one night.

Richardson is a true x-factor though. When he plays well, he gives the team their best half court player. Richardson can drive past and shoot over anyone from anywhere when he's going. He the three point shot that Wallace does not. Felton might be the guy down the road, but right now, Richardson is the Bobcat who you turn to when the offense is sputtering without direction. In an instant you know if the team can come back or not.

Primoz Brezec, C- I’m going to describe Brezec quickly and succinctly. Just imagine a random stiff who takes up space.

There, I've just described Primoz Brezec.

On the other hand, in the past he outperformed his legendary 30 rating in Live 2004.

Matt Carroll, SF/SG- Probably the most popular Bobcat for reasons unknown to me. (Okay, I know the reason, but I won't say) He's a solid role player that works well on a team that has multiple slashers and is the perfect complimentary to Wallace’s game. Carroll is at his best on the perimeter, making it rain with his set three pointer. He also shows some aggressiveness from time to time and can take it inside on the drive.

Unfortunately, while Carroll is a solid player offensively, he's just not great defensively. Still, he still plays lots of meaningful minutes down the stretch of games, because he is the Bobcats best outside shooter. Off the bench, he’s their only perimeter threat, so he’s an important cog in the rotation.

Ryan Hollins, C- Hollins is a true seven footer who you might remember from UCLA's final four team from two years ago. He's got some potential as a rebounder and maybe a defender. His offensive game is localized to put backs at this time and he still commits his share of dumb fouls that Okafor does not.

All that said, why on earth is Hollins not starting over Brezec? Your guess is as good as mine. My prediction is that Hollins' minor benefits will outweigh Brezec's major negatives in the next month or two and Hollins will find himself in the starting five.


Jeff McInnis, PG- I once claimed McInnis would be key in a Nets playoff run. Then he ate himself off the team. The running joke among people I know is that McInnis is only on the team because Michael Jordan needed to have more Tarheels on the roster.

In all seriousness, McInnis is good for what he does- a backup point guard who maintains tempo and the offensive game plan while not trying to play above himself. He doesn't take shots unless open, doesn't drive unless given room to. As a result it is beneficial for the Bobcats to play him at stretches with Raymond Felton. This allows McInnis to run point and Felton to look for his shot more.

However, if anyone saw what the Bobcats looked like without Felton earlier this year, it should be clear that while McInnis is a good role player, he'd be lost in a starting role.

Jared Dudley, PF- The rookie from Boston College is inexplicably hated at my job for some reason, but that's not my concern. He's well liked by some (myself included) because of a hustle effort in a game against the Suns in which the Bobcats were getting absolutely trashed. He picked up a double/double and was so excited by the end, he shot his headband into the crowd… down by thirty. But hey, he was playing with swagger.

Since then he still tries hard, but he's gradually seeing his playing time once again dry up. In the end, I'm not sure that's a bad decision. At this point Dudley's best attribute is that he has good range for a power forward and he fights hard for boards. But at 6'7, maybe 6'8, that's not good enough for a guy who really only has the speed to play the four at this point.

Walter Hermman, PF- Another popular player, the Argentine forward is versatile, if at times frustrating. He has the range to step outside and hit the three, which is nice from a 6'10 player. However he's not a great defender and has a limited inside game. All and all, he's part of the mish-mosh of forwards that the Bobcats will try to pair with Okafor to give them a solid front court. He brings different skills to the table than the others, but in the end, he's still not good enough to start.

Jemareo Davidson, C- A longer, even skinnier version of Ryan Hollins, Davidson seems as though he might have a decent shot, but it's far from consistent at this stage. Thus, he finds himself relegated to the bench for the most part.

He did have the privilege of tearing up Sean Williams in the preseason, before most people realized how crazy athletic Williams was.

Derek Anderson, PG- He might have played the one because of the early season injury to Raymond Felton, but he's not stopping agents or opposing players at his age. The "One" is self explanatory in that it is singular. So unfortunately for this Derek Anderson, the current Browns QB has already taken that name.

Sean May, PF and Adam Morrison, SF- Alternative ways to spell "Bust". Both out for the year with knee injuries. On the plus side, the Bobcats good start has saved us all the horror of spending our games making jokes about how it sucks to be the kid whose parents bought him the Morrison jersey, or how Sean May looks like he’s the guy who ate the guy who ate Kris Jenkins.

Othella Harrington, PF- He’s on the roster, but I’ve yet to notice him do anything. He’s pretty much the last man on the bench, if he’s active at all on game nights.

Sam Vincent, Head Coach- So far, I haven't found much to complain about with Vincent aside from his decision to play Primoz Brezec. But even that may not last, if talk on the real GM message boards are correct. He's making the most of his limited backcourt options and maximizing the time he gets from the McInnis/Felton/Richardson/Wallace/Okafor combination, by far the Bobcats best line up. He's still feeling out his players, so this rating is a work in progress.

So there you have it, the anatomy of a Bobcats team that I think is good enough to challenge for a playoff spot in the East this year. This weekend we'll see how they fare against the Celtics in a real test, but I'm mildly optimistic, which is better than I can say about the teams I root for these days.