But when all is said and done — when the percentages are calculated and the comparisons are made — the team owned by Michael Jordan might just wind up

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http://www.independentmail.com/news/2012/feb/19/bobcats-make-losing-look-easy/?print=1

Bobcats make losing look easy
By Scott Adamson

Sunday, February 19, 2012

If you've followed any team in any sport for any length of time, chances are you've had to endure some lean years.

The New York Yankees weren't always a perennial playoff team, and there was a time when the mere thought of the Atlanta Falcons becoming postseason regulars was laughable.

But every dog has his day, so to speak, and if you hang around long enough even your dog of a team will show some bite to go along with its bark.

Unless you're a fan of the Charlotte Bobcats.

And if that's the case, there's not much hope I can offer you.

I can't remember the last time I used the words "astonishingly" and "awful," but I can say without hesitation that the Bobcats are astonishingly awful — Friday's 98-91 win over Toronto notwithstanding.

Charlotte goes into today's game against Indiana with a 4-26 record, losers of 16 of its last 17, and is already generating buzz as the team that could be the worst in NBA history.

The franchise's tough times aren't that hard to fathom, considering that the front office loves to conduct fire sales and send quality players packing.

Cleaning house was never designed to burn the house down, though.

Yes, the Bobcats are a relatively young team in the old world of the NBA, and I doubt anyone was predicting they would become a threat to the legacies of the Celtics and Lakers, but good grief. You have to work at being this bad.

The poster children of futility in the Association remains the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers, a team that lost 72 games.

That can't happen to the Bobcats, but only because the lockout has shortened the 2011-12 campaign to 66 contests.

But when all is said and done — when the percentages are calculated and the comparisons are made — the team owned by Michael Jordan might just wind up the least of the least.

Jordan, in fact, is so disgusted by the situation he's not even talking to reporters.

If you want to hear MJ speak, you'll have to listen to him sell underwear on TV.

On the plus side the Bobcats do have six players averaging double figures.

Gerald Henderson, in fact, leads the way with 15 points per game.

D.J. Augustin and Kemba Walker combine for 26 points per outing.

And even though you couldn't blame them if they did, fans have not abandoned the Felines. Attendance is up more than 10 percent over this time last season - and you don't have to get into a bidding war with a scalper to get a ticket.

On the minus side, however, is pretty much everything else.

Not only do the Bobcats lose with alarming regularity, oftentimes they aren't even competitive. They have the worst offense in the league and are 27th out of 30 teams in total defense.

It's as though they're an NBADL team that —through some cruel joke — wound up with an NBA schedule.

And there's no relief in sight.

Charlotte might get some good lottery picks down the road, Jordan might decide to sign off on some solid trades, and in the future — far, far into the future — the Bobcats might be a team capable of winning more than they lose.

But they aren't capable of doing that right now.

And they aren't even close.


**© 2012 Scripps Newspaper Group — Online
 

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