Charlotte Bobcats 2009-2010 Season Preview, Picks & Odds

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Charlotte Bobcats 2008-2009 NBA Record: 35-47, 4th in Southeast Division.

Charlotte Bobcats 2008-2009 ATS (Against The Spread): 47-35

Charlotte Bobcats Betting Trends & Betting Angles:

• 11-3 ATS past 14 Jan home games

• OVER is 164 past 20 Feb road games

• 15-5 ATS past 20 at home in March

• 13-6 ATS past 19 vs Southeast foes

• UNDER is 7-1 past 8 vs Magic

• 2-8 SU career on road at Miami

• 8-2 SU and ATS at home to Hawks

Charlotte Bobcats 2009-2010 Preview & Prediction

The Bobcats know they are making progress and know they came together as last season progressed. So confidence is something that they have never previously known. They continue to improve at home (franchise-best 23-18 last year) and won four straight on the road during their franchise best six-game winning streak.

As with most Brown teams, the sum of the parts is greater than the individual talent. With limited depth, injuries will be a concern as always. Wallace and Bell are so aggressive they’re bound to get hurt at some point, and Chandler comes with questions.

It will be interesting to see what, if any, impact there is with the roster when and if owner Bob Johnson sells the team, as he hopes.

Charlotte Bobcats Coach: Larry Brown (2nd season)

Charlotte Bobcats Returning Players: Centers Alexis Ajinca, DeSagana Diop, Nazr Mohammed; guards D.J. Augustin, Raja Bell, Raymond Felton, Dontell Jefferson; forwards Boris Diaw, Vladimir Radmanovic, Gerald Wallace.

Charlotte Bobcats Key Additions: Center Tyson Chandler (trade from Hornets), guard Ronald Murray (free agent), forward Gerald Henderson (draft), forward Stephen Graham (free agent).

Charlotte Bobcats Key Subtractions: Center Emeka Okafor (traded to Hornets), forward Juwan Howard (signed with Trail Blazers), guard Cartier Martin (signed to play in Italy), forward Sean May (signed with Kings), guard Sean Singletary (signed with 76ers).

2009-2010 Charlotte Bobcats Point Guards:

After three seasons of so-so progress and debate about whether he could be a true point guard, Felton elevated his game and won the confidence of Brown. He averaged 14.2 points, 6.7 assists, and ranked 11th in the league in steals. His shooting percentage rose significantly after Diaw came, and the offense started running more through Diaw, because he could spot up instead of constantly having to create his own shot.

Augustin averaged 11.8 points and 3.5 assists as a rookie. Those numbers fell in the second half, after he missed 10 games in January with an abdominal strain. Brown would like to add to the point guard depth so that he can play Felton and Augustin in tandem at times. But Sean Singletary, who also came from Phoenix, probably isn’t the guy.

2009-2010 Charlotte Bobcats Off Guards:

Bell averaged 13 points and 4 rebounds in 45 games after being acquired, and he was the defensive stopper. He ranked 15th in the NBA in 3-point percentage. He’s Brown’s kind of player, for sure. Bell strengthened the chemistry and his toughness helped change the team’s collective mind set.

But Bell missed 14 games over three different stretches, including the last six when the playoff run fizzled. So at age 33, durability issues become a concern.

Henderson provides athleticism as Bell’s backup, and will play the high-intensity defense that Brown demands. The Bobcats aren’t counting on much outside scoring yet.

2009-2010 Charlotte Bobcats Small Forwards:

Wallace averaged a team-high 16.6 points and a career-high 7.8 rebounds, which led all NBA small forwards. He got to settle in at small forward again after mixing between small and power forward. Wallace missed seven games in mid season after suffering a
collapsed lung in a horrific tumble, but he still went on to play 71 games, his second most in five seasons in Charlotte.

Radmanovic averaged 8.3 points and 3.3 rebounds in 32 games after joining the Bobcats on Feb. 7, playing 21 minutes a night off the bench. He loves to stay out on me 3-point line and hit 105 last season, shooting 40.1 percent.

Cartier Martin came on a 10-day contract and stuck, eventually playing 33 games. He could return.

2009-2010 Charlotte Bobcats Power Forwards:

Diaw got a career boost with the trade, after playing behind Amare Stoudemire in Phoenix. He turned out to be better than the Bobcats hoped. He averaged 15.1 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 59 games, and had the versatility to defend on the perimeter. The Bobcats went 28-31 after he arrived.

The offense was much more fluid and cohesive after Diaw arrived, and because he’s such a good passer much of the offense will continue to run through him. The Bobcats are trying yo get him yo take more shots, and cut down the turnovers (215 last season) by taking fewer chances.

The Bobcats loved the work of veteran Juwan Howard off the bench after they signed him as a free agent in mid-December. But he was unsigned as of late summer. Since the Bobcats lost out on backup power forwards in summer free agency, the only depth for sure comes in the form of Derrick Brown, the second-round pick from Xavier.

2009-2010 Charlotte Bobcats Centers:

Chandler gives the Bobcats more size (7-1), length and mobility than they had with Okafor, and Brown believes Chandler will be a better fit in the system offensively and defensively. Okafor posted nice numbers – 13.2 points, 10.1 rebounds and 136 blocked shots last season – but was too passive and inconsistent for Brown’s liking. Chandler, who averaged 11.8 points and 11.8 rebounds two years ago before slipping to 8.8 points and 7.8 rebounds last season, will clearly be more active and aggressive.

The question is Chandler’s health, he played in just 45 games last season and is coming off ankle surgery. A trade to Oklahoma City was nixed last winter because he failed the physical. Okafor played in all 82 games in each of the last two seasons. DeSagana Diop, acquired from Dallas last January, gives me Bobcats size and experience as the backup. Nazr Mohammad fell out of favor once Diop arrived and didn’t play in 27 of the last 34 games. His only impact is on the salary cap, with $13.2 million due over the next two years. Alexis Ajinca remains raw, but Brown still likes his long-term potential.

Charlotte Bobcats 2009-2010 Season Predictions

We predict that the Charlotte Bobcats will finish 5th in the NBA Southeast Division .

Charlotte Bobcats Betting

Charlotte Bobcats NBA Championship Odds: +3500

Charlotte Bobcats Eastern Conference Odds: +10000

Charlotte Bobcats 2008-2009 Betting Stats

Charlotte Bobcats Straight Up: 35-47

Charlotte Bobcats ATS: 47-35

Charlotte Bobcats Home ATS: 24-17

Charlotte Bobcats Away ATS: 23-18

Charlotte Bobcats Record As Favorite: 16-10

Charlotte Bobcats Record As Dog: 18+37

Charlotte Bobcats Over/Under: 38-43-1

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