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The Charlotte Bobcats had the eighth worst attendance in basketball last season. Despite a playoff run that ultimately ended up having them face the Orlando Magic in the first round of the playoffs, the Bobcats failed to establish a dedicated fanbase aside from those who showed up for Charlotte’s two home playoff games simply because it was a playoff game.
There was never any buzz around the team unless you count Michael Jordan buying the club as a source of added media attention, but the focus was more on Michael than on the team itself. That being said, could you blame fans for not showing up or being interested? I can, but its a pointless argument. With the way the world is today, offense rules all and speed is starting to take over the game.
“The game period, has sped up,” Team USA veteran Chauncey Billups told me earlier today in the second practice session of the Las Vegas try outs. “These guys are young and they use their athletic ability. There was a point when I was that young, using my speed and stuff like that but its a little different now.”
The Bobcats were the complete opposite. While the Suns kept fans and viewers on the edge of their seats with fast paced and high scoring action, Charlotte played at the fifth slowest pace in the league and posted the number one defensive rating in the NBA at 102.8 points per 100 possessions. A style of play that relied on getting stops and rebounding rather than getting out on the break and producing highlight plays combined with the small market of Charlotte made the Bobcats one of the most overlooked teams in the league last season and the popularity of their players reflect that.
Two of the players that were on the Bobcats roster last season are in Las Vegas, Nevada this week to try out for Team USA and the same things they did in Charlotte, they hope to bring to their country.
Gerald Wallace and Tyson Chandler are almost completely different than any of the 18 players here in Vegas. Nearly every other player is recognized more for their high flying dunks, fancy crossover dribbles or high scoring averages than they are for their defenseless prowess. Not to say that nobody else is committing to playing defense; several guys have made that clear over the past two days. However, only Wallace and Chandler’s greatest asset is what they bring when their team doesn’t have the ball.
At six-foot-seven, Wallace is an athletic small forward that excels on the defensive end thanks to his long arms and defensive instincts. Wallace posted a defensive rating of 99.7 (meaning he gave up just 99.7 points per 100 possessions), which was the third best rating in the league behind only Dwight Howard and Andrew Bogut, two centers, with two other big men (Lamar Odom and Rasheed Wallace) behind him. Gerald also accounted for 6.2 defensive win shares, meaning his defense was a vital and irreplaceable part of six Bobcat wins last season (only Dwight Howard had a higher share at 7.1). Wallace was left off of the First-Team All-Defense team for LeBron James, a move that I will question and disagree with until I die. Wallace had superior statistics and had a greater commitment to the defensive end but he lost out to LeBron simply because he wasn’t chasing down guys for blocks.
“I’m here to help out and do some of the things that they need me to do (defensively), “Wallace told me yesterday at Team USA practice. “We have plenty of scorers here, a lot of guys that know how to put the ball in the basket. So I’m here to enable them to get their shot.”
Though he isn’t one of the bigger names on the roster, Wallace’s abilities should warrant a spot on the 2010 Team USA World Championships roster. If we were to use the 2008 Gold Medal team as a blueprint, Wallace would fit into the Tayshaun Prince role as a back-up small forward relied on for defense and leadership on the floor. Prince did not get a lot of playing time in Beijing but Wallace, at a younger age and with more strength and athleticism that will allow him to play longer and against bigger players, should garner more minutes on the court should he make the team.
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“He can be great for this team,” Chandler said of Wallace, his teammate in Charlotte last season before being dealt to the Dallas Mavericks this off-season. “Especially with the way its going to be in the World European games. A lot of times the four is on the perimeter, so we can have a guy like him at the four position.”
Despite playing the small forward position for the Bobcats, Wallace also emerged as one of the top rebounders in the entire NBA last season. Gerald averaged 10 rebounds a game last season to go with his 18 points per game and was actively competing with Dwight Howard for the rebounding title for the majority of the season before regressing a bit towards the end of the year. The funny thing is that he regressed down to 10 rebounds a game, a number that we haven’t seen from a small forward in a while, so his production was still excellent. In this sense, Wallace can fill the role of LeBron James from 2008 as a guy who rebounds the basketball from the small forward spot while starting and finishing on the break.
“(Gerald) thinks defense, thinks rebounding. He thinks of all of the little things that a lot of teams lack and they will help us out big time,” Chandler added.
With the large number of point guards and lack of true shooting guards and big men, Wallace could play a very versatile role with Team USA. Whether its playing shooting guard with Durant playing the three, his natural position at small forward, or even some power forward in a small ball line-up, Gerald would not be at a disadvantage because of his size and tremendous defensive prowess. With so many talented offensive players, a stopper on the wing and in the paint is a pivotal role that often goes unnoticed and isn’t sexy, but its absolutely necessary to produce championship caliber team.
Just look at the past few NBA champions as well as the 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist squads. In 2008, Kobe Bryant anchored Team USA on the defensive end, and guys like James Posey, Trevor Ariza and Ron Artest have all helped their teams come away with a ring at the end of the NBA seasons. Wallace can be that kind of guy for Team USA.
Chandler, on the other hand, has similar value to Team USA, more so than most believed even just days ago. With Amare Stoudemire withdrawing from competition due to contractual issues with the New York Knicks, Robin Lopez withdrawing due to injury and David Lee going down with a “mallet finger” during the first day of practice, the United States are suddenly short on big men. This wouldn’t be as big of an issue if Dwight Howard was committed to playing this summer, as he is someone that has proven they are capable of playing big minutes on the big stage. As it stands now, Chandler and Robin Lopez are the only centers on the roster with Lamar Odom and Kevin Love being the only other players capable of playing the position though they are both better suited as forwards.
“I think (I can bring) a lot of defense. Rebounding. Getting out on fastbreaks. Being able to anchor this team defensively,” Chandler said of his abilities and what he can offer Team USA.
Defense has always been Chandler’s calling card as one of the few true seven footers left in the NBA. When he wasn’t suffering from health issues that have popped up over the past few years, Tyson has been one of the most stout defenders in the league. In 80 games during the 2004-2005 season, Chandler put together a defensive rating of 94, one of the best numbers you will see in the present day. Despite injuries that have shortened his past two seasons, Chandler has managed to average 10 points and 10 rebounds per 36 minutes, good numbers for a player without consistent minutes or a 100% healthy body.
“(There’s) been a lot of commitment (to the defensive end from the coaching staff),” the 27-year old center said. “The coaches are preaching defense. We know we have offensive players out, we know we got scorers, defense is gonna have to be what it is. I think the more that we are out here, the more we come together, the more we focus on it as a team.”
If Dwight Howard and Chris Bosh were already on the roster, Chandler would obviously be an underdog to make the roster. However, with a blank roster that has 12 spaces to fill for the 2010 World Championships, Tyson has a shot. Even though the international game is played at a faster pace and the size of a true center isn’t required, something proven by the Howard/Bosh combo in 2010, defense is a requirement. And right now, Chandler is the top option available for Jerry Colangelo and the Team USA coaching staff when it comes anchoring the paint with a defensive presence.
Jordan Opening Up To Charlotte’s Players
As the majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, Michael Jordan already has an impact on the team. However, more so than any other owner in the sport, Jordan also has the credentials and background that enables him to effect the Bobcats’ players by giving them advice and tips on their games. With the greatest player in NBA history acting as the owner of his team, Gerald Wallace has taken advantage of the situation.
“(Michael’s given me) a lot of direction,’ Wallace told But The Game Is On at USA Basketball practice on Tuesday. “Not only me but my teammates also. He’s tried to guide us and turn us into a championship caliber team. He’s given us advice as far as individual players and what we need to do to be successful.”
