2008 Charlotte Bobcats NBA Predictions & Season Preview

Written October 7, 2008 by Luke Knight

Michael Jordan brought in fellow North Carolina standout and Dean Smith Disciple Larry Brown to help turn the Charlotte Bobcats into a winning team. Larry Brown’s last coaching job was in New York, where despite Brown’s claims that he was a bad coach and did a bad job, the Knicks’ players didn’t buy into Brown’s system and griped to Isiah Thomas. Other than the Knicks, Brown has taken every team he’s coached to the postseason. To find out if we think Larry Brown will lead the Bobcats to their first ever postseason keep reading our preview. BetUS has the Bobcats as one of the longest shots to win the east at +5000. For each game though, see what the NBA odds have for the team right here at our site.

Raymond Felton has raised his scoring and assist averages each season and should flourish with Brown leading the team. Like Felton, Larry Brown was a point guard at North Carolina, and Brown has traditionally been extremely hard on point guards, but also other than at the Knick has gotten the most out of the point position. Felton knows the system and should thrive this season under Brown. The Bobcats also picked up D.J. Augustin out of Texas, who is a pure point guard and can run a team and make plays for his teammates, but also has the ability to score in the lane. Felton and Augustin both need to improve their defense, and with Brown stressing defense that should happen.

Jason Richardson, acquired in a trade from Golden State, came to the East coast and showed fans he is more than just a dunker. Richardson established 10 single-season franchise records and nine single-season career highs. Richardson has never played for a coach that is such a disciplinarian, but he is a tremendous athlete on both ends of the court, so it would be a real surprise if he does not excel. Matt Carroll will get minutes when Richardson is off the court. Carroll is a pure shooter, whose 43.6% accuracy from the three point line was 9th in the NBA and a franchise record. Carroll is very effective coming off screens, and since Brown’s motion offense is predicated on screening and moving the ball, Carroll should fit right in to Brown’s system.

Gerald Wallace plays fearless, all-out attacking basketball, which can cause him to get out of position, but he had his best season scoring, averaging 19.4 points, and dishing, averaging 3.5 assists. Wallace’s defensive disposition allows him to effectively guard three if not four positions. Wallace is versatile enough to play three positions on the offensive end, but the Bobcats would like to keep him at the small forward position. Jared Dudley is a productive player off the bench and will be relied upon more this season. Also, the Bobcats are hoping for a big bounce-back from Adam Morrison, who missed last season with a torn ACL. Morrison averaged 11.8 points as a rookie and should be back to top form by opening night.

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It looks like to start the season, Emeka Okafor will be the starter here. Okafor is a double-double machine. He and Dwight Howard are the only East big men to average double-doubles over the past 4 years. What the Bobcats are looking for is Sean May to recover from his knee surgery and emerge as the starting power forward, with Okafor starting at center. Sean May has missed 188 of 246 games since being drafted, and many top players never recover from the type of knee surgery May had. Players have come back from it to be all-stars again though, and May is only 24. If his knee can take the pounding of day to day workouts then May will eventually become the starter here.

Okafor is the dream starter for Brown and the Bobcats here, but most likely Nazr Mohammed will be the starter. Mohammed is a better player off the bench, averaging almost as many points off the bench as he did as a starter. Ryan Hollins will be the backup until if and when May returns to top form. Hollins did not make the jump from year one to year two, so will need to take a huge leap to be where the Bobcats need him to be. Brown should help him make that leap. The Bobcats also picked up Alexis Ajinca from France, but as a rookie, it might be too soon to count on much contribution.

Final Analysis

The Bobcats are hungry to win, and excited to play for a winner. Larry Brown has a team that by all accounts will buy into his system. If Sean May gets healthy enough to start at power forward and Emeka Okafor can move to center the Bobcats will be that much better. Last season the Bobcats were hurt by injuries also. If they can stay healthy and buy into the system like I think they will, the Bobcats are going to compete for a playoff spot. Larry Brown’s time in New York was an anomaly, so expect this job to be like that one. We have the Bobcats finishing 3rd in the Southeast Division behind the Hawks and Magic and ahead of the Wizards and Heat. We have the Bobcats competing for the playoffs for the first time in their young existence. While we don’t have them factoring into the Eastern Conference championship, they could be a dangerous team if they get lucky and things fall into place for them. You can collect $10,000 for every $100 you bet at BetUS if Charlotte wins the NBA title.

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