"Roarin With The Cats"---BIG 3!!!(4-8)

[Masterdiezal]

IT'S A NEW ERA!!!

LUCKY LOTTERY


In an upset that would seem extremely unlikely to any NBA fan, the Raptors selected HARRISON BARNES as the number one pick in the 2012 draft, allowing Charlotte to pick up Anthony Davis!!!!



When asked about his decision, Toronto General Manager Bryan Colangelo told reporters that he saw "more polish and poise" in HARRISON BARNES and wasn't prepared to "waste" the first round pick on "an undersized post player with limited offensive skill away from the basket". Hmmmm....Maybe he has a point, but allowing Anthony Davis to slip through his fingers could be a MAJOR MISTAKE, something that the Bobcats plan to prove.

When being asked for comments, General Manager Rich Cho stated, "After Toronto made their decision I almost had a heart-attack! For me and Mike(Michael Jordan, or course) picking Davis was a no-brainer!"

There's no man alive who can't see the tremendous defensive ability possessed by this young man, as he has topped EVERY MOCK DRAFT AVAILABLE! With coaches and analysts alike praising him as the power-forward of the future, it's safe to say that drafting him at number two is a bonafide STEAL!!! And with so much scrutiny surrounding the lottery placements, Charlotte fans were happy to finally get what they "deserve". One Carolina native stole Lebron James signature Finals remark, telling the world, "Its about damn time". We'll see if Davis can live up to the hype in due time...

And in another turn events, Cho made a critical "game-time" decision that may have been the best move in Bobcats management history!(which isn't saying much) Realizing that Tyrus Thomas' time was up, due to major social media groups, including the popular Facebook Group "Roar of the Cats", calling for the use of the Amnesty Clause, Cho made a power move. Pairing Tyrus with injury-prone,high-flier Corey Maggete, Cho made a trade with New Orleans for the #3 pick in the 2012 draft! And after nearly 10 minutes of serious deliberation Michael gave a memorable thumbs up, as another Kentucky superstar crossed the stage, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist!!!

Hailed for his freakish athleticism and reckless driving ability, "The Brow's" partner-in-crime was the best option from a SF need and a chemistry perspective.

Robbie Hummel was also chosen during the second round.


With two amazing players headed to what everybody is calling "the worst team in the league" it's a good day to be a 'Cats fan! Hopefully these players can become the stars we need to usher Charlotte into a new era!!!

GROWING PAINS

In the midst of all the excitement caused by our lottery picks in Davis and Gilchrist, I just want to note the departure of five Bobcats this offseason:




Whether it was due to their decisions or in the best interest of the franchise, I want to pay my respects to these players, knowing how hard it is to compete in the NBA and believing they all gave us their best effort.

I believe that Thomas and Maggete will excel in their new environments(Maggete just got waived and then signed by the Nuggets), even Najera might make an impact, but Moon and Diop might have seen their last days on an NBA court, so regardless of how they performed, thank you.

POST PRESENCE

Soon after the draft, Rich was already back in the office preparing for another key move. Noticing the Cats lack in post presence, Omer Asik was offered a three year contract in order to compliment Davis in the front court and give Bismack more time to develop.

While most people might belittle this maneuver, Asik is a serious defensive threat, and being paired with Anthony Davis, can lead the Cats to a serious run at leading the league in blocked shots, creating an atmosphere of sheer terror for opponents who are used to getting easy baskets in the paint. I might even go out on a limb and say that, David and Asik are the best "upcoming" post-duo in the Eastern Conference. And with BB and Mullens coming off the bench, that size and defensive ability puts us in great position once we break back into playoff contention!

Cho did a great job ignoring Greg Oden and other big names in free agency, and focusing on the needs of the organization and the development of this young roster. It's no wonder why OKC made its way to the NBA finals, all because of our mastermind of a GM!!!

TRUE LOYALTY

Most starting players in this league, would skip town once they realize another player has been drafted for their position. Most of them wouldn't even look at the qualifying offer! But DJ Augustine is different, he realized that this team is actually making strides in a positive direction, and agreed to stay another season, supporting the growth of Kemba Walker and chasing after the sixth man of the year award!

Now if only he can share that devotion to DJ White, due to reports stating an altercation between White and Cho shortly after his acceptance of the qualifying offer...

whether he'll be traded or not remains to be seen, hopefully the situation fixes itself naturally...

BOOT CAMP

With one year left on Silas' contract and his son already removed, we knew we'd see the coach make a Power Push in order to convince Jordan and Cho HE wasn't the reason for the worst season ever!

"Its time to get down to business", said Silas as he and his players returned from a 3-week long military camp and headed right into the practice gym. Coach Si is trying to get this team in tip-top shape in order to prepare them for the rigorous 82 game season.

"This is a young team...", said Silas,"They're capable of a lot more than they know, it's MY job to push that potential out of them. I'm glad to see them taking it so well, it's good to know that we're all dedicated to significant improvement."

Training camp will last 3 weeks, giving the players a chance to break in August, before they return late September in preparation for their opening night(now that that the preseason has been removed and is being recreated for next season in order to decrease injury and early fatigue before the official season begins)

THE PATH HAS BEEN LAID

Through key decisions, focused changes, and a little luck, the Charlotte Bobcats look to have a solid young squad this season. And with Kemba, Davis, and Gilchrist leading the helm, the 'Cats seem to have the blueprint laid out for a "Big 3" of their own.

The team is predicted to win 20 or so games, but if these guys can gel and realize the defensive nightmare they can become early on in the season.I'm betting on a chance to win 35+. There's so much upside to this team that it's ridiculous and with another strong draft class next year, this team is in position to make headway into the playoffs in the 2013-2014 season.

Don't get me wrong, this process won't be easy and it's gonna take a lot of patience and support from the Charlotte fan-base(which means no more name change polls!!!), but we're on the right track. It would've been easy for them to scrap the team and go crazy in the free agency, but they believe in our core and in our draft picks. They know that we are only a few moves away from being in a position to grow into an elite team in the NBA. Now that we, as fans, have seen the worst of the storm, it's time to look ahead to brighter days!!

"I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed"- Michael Jordan

Its time to follow the mentality of our owner...

Now let me hear you 'Cats roar!!!!!

[rise]

I will probably die of excitement if the Hornets pass on Davis in real life.

[Masterdiezal]

Freakish Accident!!!

During the final practice before opening day of the 2012-2013 season, #2 pick Anthony Davis had a horrible accident where he slipped on a wet patch during scrimmage, landing on his upper back.

It's confirmed that he'll miss the first week of competition, leaving the bobcats to fend for themselves in their first four games of the season where they'll be facing the Wizards, Pacers, Mavericks, and Knicks.
Stephen A Smith has predicted they'll begin the season with a record of 0-4, and predicts that Davis could miss a few more games as well...

More info on this matter will be given as soon as possible....please pray for a speedy recovery

[Masterdiezal]

0-4??? NO WAY!!!

As a Bobcats fan, I've never been more engaged and excited than I've been THIS WEEK!
It's as if last season NEVER happened, as if they weren't ranked dead last in the power rankings for the start of this season, almost as if they're not missing their STAR PLAYER! The 'Cats are on a roll!!!



PERFECT BEGINNING!!!

First off they blowout the Wizards, an opponent who looked confident in their ability to cruise to a win(think again!!!), in what seemed like a perfect way to usher in the new era. Henderson must've really worked hard in the off-season, because he was an offensive nightmare Friday night(28Points,6Rebounds,4Assists)! From the paint to fa behind the arc, it seemed like he couldn't miss! Jordan Crawford scored almost as many points, and that wouldcall Henderson's defense in too question, if he didn't shoot 15-45(yeah...that bad -_-). On top of that Gilchrist had an amazing opening night, looking like HE was the #2 pick in the draft(23Points,7Rebounds,3Assists,2Steals)!!! Pair that with 18Points from Augustin and 10Assists from Kemba and well...you have a 112-88 BLOWOUT over the Washington Wizards!!!

"We took them lightly...", admitted Wall(18Points,8Assists),"That's something that won't happen the next time we meet...I guarantee it"


It's All Good...



After a stellar game in Washington, the 'Cats return home to give Henderson a four-year extension and face the Indian Pacers(5th in Power Rankings)!
This game was absolutely thrilling from start to finish, beginning with a major battle between Kemba Walker and Danny Granger, who each scored the first 8 points for their teams. The game was neck and neck until the second half of the fourth quarter where Paul George hit a MONSTER DUNK and the Pacers never looked back finishing off the cats 118-107. This would be disappointing if it wasn't for the amazing effort AND NUMBERS put up that night:

Henderson: 32Points,3Rebounds
Walker: 31Points,6Assists,10Steals(Team Record)
Gilchrist: 19Points,4Rebounds,3Assists, 5Steals,1Block
Asik: 9Rebounds, 4Blocks

If you would've told me last year that KEMBA WALKER and GERALD HENDERSON could put up 30 a piece against a playoff team, I would've laughed, but after watching this game I'm not even surprised! Don't get me wrong, there were a lot of factors behind these stats and I don't really expect to see them again for quite sometime, but now we see the potential within the Charlotte Roster. Good Effort Team!

UNBELIEVABLE

Two years ago the Dallas Mavericks won the NBA Championship...This year?...They allow the Bobcats to give them their THIRD STRAIGHT LOSS THIS SEASON!!!
How?...Two Words...Kemba Walker!!!

After his "breakout" performance against Indiana, I was sure we'd see the old Kemba Walker on Tuesday Night in Dallas. Oh boy was I wrong....

Not Only Did He Carry The Team To Hold A Lead Of 3 Points Or Less for 65% of the game, he also hit the game winning shot over DIRK NOWITSKI, to save his team from facing overtime...

This reporter would love to rant on and on about Kemba's play, but I'm actually amazed myself. I mean nobody saw this coming, and maybe it sows just how good he could've been if he had been able to go through an appropriate training camp last season or maybe it's his determination to win more games than last year, either way he's played as if he''s the second coming of Jordan in these last two games, and due to my assumptions of him slowing down last time were inaccurate, I'm just going to enjoy the moment as a fan and hope for the best!!!

When Kemba was asked about his recent play, his only reply was, "I'm doing whatever I need to, in order to get us the win, that's all"

In Other News...

-Bobcats decline trade offer from Miami heat, involving Chalmers and DJ Augustine(whose averaging 16 Points off the bench, mind you)
-Mullens has opted to test out free agency this summer due to Asik's new contract and the organization's plans for Biyombo and Davis(Meaning we wouldn't want to keep his contract anyway unfortunately)
-Anthony Davis has practiced with the team and he says that he's ready to start next game, against the Knicks in Madison Square Garden!!!(I can't wait to cover his first game completely!!)

[rise]

Nice job going 4-0! Can't wait til Anthony Davis makes his debut.

[Masterdiezal]

BACK 2 REALITY...

After coming off a solid opening, going 2-1, I was ready to see the 'Cats continue winning with the return of Anthony Davis on Friday Night....unfortunately that wasn't the case. Knowing the Knicks were a solid playoff team AND that the team was still putting up numbers similar to the first three nights I wasn't worried.




But then came the Jazz....



(104-108LOSS)

And then the Trailblazers...



(121-114LOSS)

Soon enough there were reports that DJ Augustine had been expecting a sign a trade and no longer wanted to come off of the bench(so much for loyalty -_-). Which is a big deal seeing that he's averaging 17Points and 5Assists off the bench. Those are stats we really need, but an angry "superstar" is the LAST thing we need to happen during our move towards a new era and it seems like Cho agrees.
As quickly as the rumors had surfaced, Augustin was already on his way to Phoenix in a risky trade for AUSTIN RIVERS.
I actually understand the trade, seeing that we need an efficient SG, but also a player that can play point guard in the absence of Kemba. Rivers can fit that mold, and since Henderson has expressed his want to play Sixth Man for the team in order to make up for the loss of Augustine and make an impact off the bench, he's already a sure starter.

MAKING A POINT!!!



The thing about Rivers is he's know as more of a jacker, a player that doesn't make the wisest decision in game, and can either lead a team to a BIG victory, or drag them through the mud. This is a major reason why the Suns treated him a s a project more so than an immediate role player. If only they knew...



Going into his first game as Bobcat(Dawning our new uniforms!!!), Rivers hit his first 3 three-pointers(ending the game 4-6 from the arc), and absolutely commanding the first quarter through his tenacious defense and offensive hustle.
He didn't stop there though, as he put-up 13Points in the 4th to end the game with 30!!!(In Addition to 10Assists)



Absolutely Amazing, and paired with a 27Point outing from Davis(though he only had 2Rebounds!!!) and a solid game from Gilchrist, it's no surprise that we came away with the win over a a Pistons team, that's only bright spot was Brandon Knight!!!




Let's not get overly excited though, the pistons are no where near a great team, and I would say that this is an "expected win", from a team with 3 2012 First-Round draft picks in the starting lineup!!! Time will tell if they can properly gel together and consistently win in the NBA. I'm still only predicting 35 wins this season, but like ANY FAN, hopefully I'm wrong!!!

[SuperHueyNewton]

Lovin this! Actually glad someone has put so much enthusiasm in using the Bobcats! Following bro nice work

[rise]

Great to see AD in beast mode for Charlotte (or anyone in beast mode for Charlotte for that matter). Those jerseys are really sick.

[Masterdiezal]

MAJOR UPDATE!!!!!!



Goin' Downhill...

After what seemed to be a hopeful start, the 'Cats found themselves reliving last season, losing three straight games the the Nuggets,Celtics, and Pistons!!!
All due to three massive games from...

Corey Brewer(22Points off Bench)


Greg Monroe(15Rebounds,5Blocks)


Rajon Rondo(17Assists,25Points)


The crazy thing was that the bobcats were playing at a high level and found themselves losing each of these games by small margins:
Celtics: Game winning shot by Pierce
Nuggets: Late game run to win by 5
Pistons: Dominated most of the game, but slacked off enough for us to catch up at the end, Davis just couldn't pull through in the clutch!

Good Win!!!


It seems like, no matter how bad we're doing, we'll ALWAYS be better than the Wizards!!!
With matching records of 3-8, the Cat's and Wizards faced off in ANOTHER lop-sided affair, where Austin Rivers and Anthony Davis had a repeat of their visit to Detroit!!


Hopefully this win will give the players enough confidence to pull out a few more W's before the end of November!!!

Star-Player Evaluations:


Kemba Walker:

We all knew Kemba was drafted to be the face of the franchise last year and he hasn't disappointed in the slightest!!! In actuality he's overplayed and is well on his way to becoming the MOST IMPROVED PLAYER IN THE NBA!!!
Averaging 22Points and 6 Assists looks good on the stat sheet, but even better in games where it's obvious that he's no longer afraid to take needed shots. From dunks, to heavily contested fade-away jumpers(which he makes on a regular basis), Walker is playing a lot more efficiently. He'll probably end the season off averaging around 18Points a game, since the current statistic is weighted by his first 2 games where he scored 33 and 31 respectively.
He's been a great leader for this extremely young team and has taken well to the recent acquisition of popular rookies, Davis and Rivers.
"I want to win, and I know we can, so I put my heart into every possession" - Kemba Walker

Austin Rivers:


Sensational!!!
Who new that a player the Suns(who just finally snapped their 10 game losing streak) labeled as a PROJECT, would emerge as arguably the best shooter in the NBA!!!
He drains 3's, passes accurately, finishes at the rim, and limit's his opponent's offensive production through terrific perimeter defense!!
To be honest, he reminds me of Ray Allen in almost every way possible(minus the age), and if he can continue this productivity through a long a productive career, he'll easily pass him as the greatest 3Point shooter of all time!!!
I know, I know, I'm getting ahead of myself, but this kid's game is unparalleled! He must've gotten some great help from Dad(Celtics Head Coach,Doc Rivers) this offseason, because he's no longer exhibiting the recklessness and bad decision-making that plagued him throughout his college season. He's playing so well, that fans are clamoring for A Kemba Walker trade!!, stating that Austin Rivers is so efficient at the point, it would be wise to pass Kemba off for a legitimate Center...I disagree.
Though Rivers plays well at the point guard position, his offensive prowess as a guy who can get into great position and nail down open and contested 3's is a role he's best suited for, and giving up Kemba's offensive and play-making ability, would be a bone-headed maneuver!!!

Anthony Davis:


Wow!!!
All the predictions were right!!!
Anthony Davis can change the tide of any team!!!
I mean, yes, we still have a losing record(4-8), but his 22Points and 3Blocks per game are definitely felt. Every team we've faced has had to fight to win, minus the Knicks, because Davis is a monster in the paint, offensively and defensively. He's even stepped back and drained the 3Ball more than a few times, reminding me of Chris Bosh at times!
My only complaint at the moment is his rebounding, he's just no pulling enough boards down, though that could be due to Omer Asik averaging 10Rebounds a game!!!
Bottom-line is Davis has produced and his game has been unstoppable!


This core trio is extremely young, yet already playing a a HIGH LEVEL, and win or lose this season they will grow into the next San Antonio as long we can keep them together.
After all this is Kemba's last year, and he'll be looking for a major pay-off elsewhere with the stats he's putting up lately.


As a long-time fan I would LOVE for him to stay, but what do you guys think?
Should we take the risks and keep him all season long even is he may leave, or should we trade him now in order to get a superstar who will be around for a few more years??

[SuperHueyNewton]

Uh... Keep Kemba. Duh!
nice write-up though it was very interesting.
MY REVIEW:
Austin Rivers=Beast
Kemba Walker= Beast²
Anthony Davis= Beast³

[Woogie98]

Great man.. I envy you rite now..mIf only Davis would rebound some