- Team Pages
- Charlotte Bobcats
- Carolina Panthers
- Charlotte Checkers
- Charlotte Knights
- Charlotte 49ers
- Davidson Wildcats
BOBCATS 110, HAWKS 93
Count it! That's 4 consecutive wins for Bobcats
Felton, Carroll lead Charlotte over Atlanta
RICK BONNELL
rbonnell@charlotteobserver.com
Related Content
Charlotte Bobcats coach Sam Vincent called it a "gamble," and how else can you describe cutting a veteran -- a starter -- with under 30 games left?
But it's hard to argue with what's followed the Bobcats' waiving Jeff McInnis eight days ago.
They won again Friday, 110-93 against the Atlanta Hawks, which pushes the win streak to four games, matching a franchise record. All this started when McInnis' departure stabilized Raymond Felton's role as playmaker and upped Matt Carroll's minutes as shooting guard.
Those two combined Friday for 44 points off 15-of-25 shooting from the field and 7-of-8 from 3-point range. The Bobcats are in a comfort zone that didn't exist previously this season.
"We release Jeff and Ray gets the ball. And it creates more minutes" for Carroll, Vincent said. "It was a gamble, but we felt there was a possibility that could happen."
These moves firmed up roles and freed Felton to be the player he envisioned himself.
"Just running the team," Felton said. "Showing people I want to be the leader of this team, I am the leader of this team."
It sure looked that way at the end of the first half, when Felton (23 points, 11 assists) scored eight points in 75 seconds and blocked Hawks guard Salim Stoudamire's half-court attempt at the buzzer.
What Felton started Carroll completed, making five of six 3-pointers in the second half to finish with 21 points.
"Like Ray says, we have some swagger right now," Carroll said. "I feel like everyone knows their roles."
That's because the constant confusion about roles has been cleared up. Between McInnis' departure and forward Gerald Wallace's concussion, it's become relatively simple to work out a rotation. Felton and Carroll get a steady dose of minutes and whatever is left in the backcourt goes to Earl Boykins (4-of-7 for eight points Friday.)
Wallace's absence means rookie Dudley is featured off the bench. He responded Friday with 13 points, eight rebounds and four steals.
The Bobcats (23-39) looked as refreshed Friday as the Hawks (24-36) (look exhausted. Atlanta hoped to rekindle their playoff chances by acquiring Sacramento point guard Mike Bibby before the trade deadline. But Bibby couldn't keep up with Felton's speed and Hawks star Joe Johnson looked worn out.
"That's how we should be playing," Carroll said of the week that was. "How we know how to play."
| Atlanta | MIN | FG-A | FT-A | OR-T | A | F | Pt |
| Williams | 34:26 | 8-14 | 1-2 | 1-8 | 1 | 0 | 17 |
| Smith | 41:06 | 2-6 | 1-2 | 1-7 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Horford | 30:37 | 8-11 | 2-2 | 6-11 | 1 | 5 | 18 |
| Bibby | 39:41 | 4-15 | 2-2 | 0-2 | 10 | 2 | 11 |
| Johnson | 39:22 | 6-16 | 7-10 | 0-2 | 7 | 2 | 20 |
| Pachulia | 16:49 | 1-1 | 4-5 | 2-6 | 0 | 2 | 6 |
| Childress | 22:23 | 3-7 | 1-2 | 2-4 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| West | 5:21 | 0-1 | 2-2 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Stoudamire | 8:15 | 3-9 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| Jones | 2:00 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 240:00 | 35-80 | 20-27 | 12-40 | 21 | 17 | 93 |
Percentages: FG .438, FT .741. Three-Point Goals: 3-11, .273 (Stoudamire 1-2, Johnson 1-4, Bibby 1-5). Team Rebounds: 10. Team Turnovers: 15 (16 PTS). Blocked Shots: 6 (Smith 5, Childress). Turnovers: 15 (Bibby 4, Johnson 3, Smith 3, Horford 2, Williams 2, Stoudamire). Steals: 7 (Bibby 2, Childress 2, Johnson 2, West).
| Charlotte | MIN | FG-A | FT-A | OR-T | A | F | Pt |
| JaRichardson | 37:20 | 6-14 | 0-1 | 1-3 | 1 | 2 | 13 |
| Okafor | 36:52 | 6-13 | 4-7 | 2-15 | 0 | 4 | 16 |
| Mohammed | 12:26 | 4-5 | 0-0 | 2-3 | 0 | 4 | 8 |
| Felton | 38:17 | 8-13 | 5-8 | 1-2 | 11 | 3 | 23 |
| Carroll | 40:49 | 7-12 | 2-2 | 0-3 | 0 | 4 | 21 |
| Dudley | 39:16 | 5-13 | 2-2 | 3-8 | 3 | 4 | 13 |
| Davidson | 5:23 | 1-3 | 0-0 | 0-3 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Harrington | 9:43 | 0-1 | 2-2 | 0-2 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Boykins | 18:29 | 4-7 | 0-0 | 0-2 | 6 | 1 | 8 |
| Hollins | 1:25 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Totals | 240:00 | 42-82 | 15-22 | 9-41 | 21 | 25 | 108 |
Percentages: FG .512, FT .682. Three-Point Goals: 9-17, .529 (Carroll 5-6, Felton 2-2, Dudley 1-3, Ja.Richardson 1-6). Team Rebounds: 8. Team Turnovers: 14 (15 PTS). Blocked Shots: 6 (Okafor 2, Felton, Harrington, Hollins, Ja.Richardson). Turnovers: 13 (Felton 4, Boykins 2, Mohammed 2, Ja.Richardson 2, Dudley, Harrington, Okafor). Steals: 9 (Dudley 4, Carroll 2, Boykins, Felton, Ja.Richardson).
| Atlanta | 24 | 23 | 22 | 24 | -- | 93 |
| Charlotte | 16 | 34 | 28 | 30 | -- | 108 |
Att.--15,203 (19,201). T--2:14.
Officials--Bob Delaney, Sean Wright, Marc Davis.
