Archive for the ‘Charlotte Bobcats’ Category

Ben Gordon thinks his time in Detroit was ‘a failure,’ is right

Posted by Trey Kerby under Charlotte Bobcats, Detroit Pistons on Jan 09, 2013

Ben Gordon in 2009, courtesy of the Daily Mail:

‘I don’t have any regrets, and I don’t have any bitter feelings for the Bulls,’ Gordon said. ‘Business is business. I’m going to a situation now where winning is the number one priority. I’m happy with my decision.

Ben Gordon in 2013, courtesy of the Detroit News:

Gordon, 29, didn’t shy away from assessing his three years as a Piston, terming it “a failure.”

“Yeah, because when I came here, it was — is — a great, storied organization,” he said. “I had visions of going to the playoffs and things of that nature.

“We didn’t make it while I was here and that was disappointing to me. We had the talent, but for some reason we were never able to reach that goal of being one of the better teams in the East.”

In the three years that Ben Gordon spent with the Detroit Pistons, his team won 52 games. During those same three seasons, the Chicago Bulls won 153. That’s a one Pistons win every Bulls three wins average, to paraphrase Jay-Z in the most awkward and useless way possible.

Not to mention, Gordon’s three years in Detroit double as his three worst seasons in terms of points per 36 minutes average, PER and usage rate. Basically, that means he played the worst he ever has while getting fewer opportunities than he ever has, all while functioning as one of his team’s three highest paid players. In other words, very cool for everyone involved.

Of course, now that he’s a Bobcat, Ben Gordon probably looks back on his Detroit days with longing in his heart. Can’t wait to read his quotes in three years.

7 Comments

Video: Bobcats miss four shots in final eight seconds to lose to Lakers

Posted by Trey Kerby under Charlotte Bobcats, Score Video on Dec 19, 2012

Or as one announcer put it, “How did Henderson miss the layup?” And really — pretty good question.

Whoops. That’s how you lose 12 straight games.

4 Comments

Video: Michael Jordan practicing with the Bobcats

Posted by Trey Kerby under Charlotte Bobcats, Michael Jordan, Score Video on Dec 12, 2012

“He’s pretty good.” — Bismack Biyombo on Michael Jordan

11 Comments

Video: Brendan Haywood makes a buzzer-beating jumper

Posted by Trey Kerby under Charlotte Bobcats, Score Video on Nov 20, 2012

Some day, when future humans discover our primitive internet buried under the Earth’s crust, they’ll find this post and have their space minds blown by the idea of something called “Brendan Haywood” making a buzzer-beating 15-foot jump shot during an NBA basketball game in the year 2012. That’s why you need to see this now, so that we can pass this classic moment down to our grandchildren’s grandchildren.

3 Comments

The TBJ 2012-13 NBA season prediction countdown: 30-28

Posted by Scott Carefoot under 2012-13 NBA Previews, Charlotte Bobcats, Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic on Oct 15, 2012

Join me as I count down my predictions of the regular season finishes for the 2012-13 NBA season, at a rate of three teams per day. Tell me why I’m wrong in the comments.

30. Orlando Magic
If you’re a Magic fan, you should not be upset by my forecast that your team will finish with the worst record in the NBA next season. When your best player is Arron Afflalo and your second-best player is a toss-up between Al Harrington and Gustavo Ayon, you have to know you’re going to be terrible. So why not go completely in the tank and root for your team to put itself in the best possible position to win the 2013 draft lottery?

Typically, a team this bad is populated with young players still trying to find their way in the pros, but the Magic roster consists mostly of veterans who would be useful pieces on a good team if they were required to play roughly half as many minutes as they’ll be expected to play this season. As for Hedo Turkoglu, this is the last fully guaranteed year on his contract so I expect he’ll head back to Turkey after this season to play out his remaining basketball days smoking Marlboro Reds as a player/coach for Anadolu Efes S.K.

29. Charlotte Bobcats
Why do I think the Bobcats will finish ahead of the Magic in the standings? Because it’s a potential contract year for Ben Gordon (next season is a player option), that’s why. It’s going to be fun to try to figure out which GM is going to witness Gordon scoring 18 points per game off the bench this season and subsequently talk himself into signing Gordon to a four-year, $40 million deal.

I expect Michael Kidd-Gilchrist to be a boxscore slut and I assume Kemba Walker and Bismack Biyombo will make noticeable improvements in their sophomore seasons. Underrated Bobcats storyline: Will DeSagana Diop’s 12th NBA season be his last? With the expiration of his contract, he will have earned $47 million while averaging around two points per game over his career. Size matters, y’all.

28. Houston Rockets
After years of stagnation, Rockets GM Daryl Morey has finally put this team in a position to “bottom out” this season and try to land a future superstar in the draft. That certainly seems to be where this team is headed after shedding four of its five best 2011-12 players in Luis Scola, Kyle Lowry, Goran Dragic and Samuel Dalembert. After finishing 42-40, 43-39 and 34-32 over the last three seasons, the Rockets need to break out of their cycle of mediocrity and start trying to build a real contender.

It remains to be seen how the Jeremy Lin signing will turn out, but I’m convinced that Morey’s signing of Omer Asik will pay huge dividends for this team in the future. He’s one of the best defensive and rebounding centers in the league, and if he can raise his offensive game to something approaching decent, the Rockets will be paying just over $8 million per season for a top 10 center. I expect his emergence to be a rare highlight for this team as they settle into the Western Conference basement.

Next in the countdown: 27-25

48 Comments

Breaking down Jordan Brand’s new ‘Rise Above’ ad

Posted by Dennis Velasco under Charlotte Bobcats, Dallas Mavericks, Score Video on Aug 06, 2012

There’s a lot to like here in Jordan Brand’s new “Rise Above” commercial that features two ballers finding their inspiration by watching this summer’s current Olympics. Of course, Carmelo Anthony is the Team USA player featured at the beginning of the commercial, which makes sense for the brand, as he’s the main NBA hooper on both the Jordan and Olympic rosters. However, basketball-wise, it’s questionable. If Melo were a real team player, he would have passed the honor to fellow Jordan Brand and Team USA teammate, Chris Paul. However, we all know how Melo’s hates to pass.

In any case, we see the two kids, one from the US and the other in China, go from watching the Olympics to playing the game, practicing, and getting better. The kid in China begins his path by crumpling up a piece paper and shooting it in a garbage can. The kid in the US does the same thing except on an iPhone. Kidding, but there is an app for that. No, the kid in the States does it up Nerf-style, and like most of us that did it the same way, he misses because one needs to be a physicist to figure out the right angle, speed, and trajectory to make those weightless balls go in the hoop.

Next, both kids are hooping it up at the playground with the Chinese baller even trash-talking. Cocky little mother. Anyway, they both do well against older and taller opponents. Right there it insinuates that if you want to be better, play against better. Afterward, we switch to dribbling drills because we all know that if you got handle, you can do a lot of things. You know, because you can’t just carry the ball like a football and move down the court.

And then the Jordan staple: dunks. I’m talking about the two hoopsters tomahawking the rock! Yeah, that’s more Dominique Wilkins’ stylo than Jordan’s, but it’s all good. Maybe it’s an homage to ‘Nique and Jordan is admitting he stole the slam dunk title in 1988 from The Human Highlight Film. Probably not.

Read the rest of this entry »

10 Comments

Ben Gordon looks thrilled to be a Bobcat

Posted by Trey Kerby under Charlotte Bobcats on Jul 03, 2012

Theoretically, the introductory press conference for a traded player should be a joyous moment. The team is stoked to have acquired the player, having turned the page on their past and seeking to get better. The player is getting a chance to start over, to remake himself on his new team. The fans can enjoy their favorite team making a move before anything bad can happen. It should be great.

But if you’re Ben Gordon, apparently, you’re not happy. At least judging by these five pictures, which are the only ones available in the extensive Getty Images database. He’s not all those Clippers being traded to the Hornets, but he’s also not Johnny Smiles O’Face. But look at this guy, not getting super smiley about being a Bobcat, despite the fact Charlotte has won three more games than Detroit since Gordon left the Bulls because Detroit was a situation “where winning is the number one priority.” You’d think he’d be pumped to go to a team that wins more, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Wonder if it has to do with those seven wins last season.

Whatever the case, let’s look at this face and try to figure out what is running through Ben Gordon’s head.

Read the rest of this entry »

17 Comments
« Older Entries