Bobcats cool off the Heat

11/13/2007

...or how about "Bobcats turn up the heat on the Heat"? No? You do not like cheesy sports headlines either? I could not resist indulging this time, but I promise to not make a habit of it.

The title is quite apt for this post, though; the Bobcats held the Heat to only 38.5% from the field and 0.86 ppp (a new season best for the defense). Granted, the Heat currently look like a combination D-League/Old-Timers team, but they still play in the NBA and the Bobcats made them look bad tonight. And no player was more involved in that then...
Gerald Wallace - Crash had a solid all-around stat line, with 19 points on 8 of 11 shooting, 7 boards, 3 assists, a block and a steal. Even better were the team's efficiency numbers with him on the court: 1.13 ppp on offense and an amazing 0.66 ppp on defense. The Heat scored only 40 points on 61 possessions while Crash was roaming the court.

That is not to say other players did not have an impact - Emeka had nearly as gaudy numbers, at 1.10 ppp and 0.76 ppp respectively. For the game, the Bobcats were at 1.046 ppp on offense: Jason Richardson was a part of an above average group for the first time as a Bobcat, at 1.07 ppp for the game. How did he do it? He shot a solid percentage from the field (7 of 15, 4 of 5 on 3's) and only turned the ball over once.

Another point of note: The team protected the ball, turning it over only 8 times for the game. A quick check of the Stats Page shows that forcing turnovers is not one of Miami's strong suits, but it was a commendable effort nonetheless.

It was another big win for the team, knocking out a division rival, while also pushing themselves back above .500 the latest in a season in franchise history (I did not verify that assertion, but it seems like a safe bet). With a quick trip down I-85 to play the Hawks tomorrow, the Cats have a solid chance at building another winning streak (hopefully, it will not be too long before we can stop referring to 2 wins as a streak).

Quick thoughts on the Hawks game tomorrow: They rebound well. They turn the ball over a good bit and do not force their opponents into turnovers very often. The Hawks are not a great offensive team, scoring at 0.97ppp for the season. It should be a battle and will probably come down to whether Okafor can win the battle with Horford. In the preseason games against the Hawks, that matchup dictated the beatings the Bobcats took. Limiting them to fewer than 40 free throw attempts would also be a good start, a number they eclipsed in both practice season contests. Winnable, but Hawks fans are saying the same thing right now.
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