Felton Running With Recent Opportunity

Rookie guard Raymond Felton has been making the most of his as of late.

General Manager and Head Coach Bernie Bickerstaff has been willing to give his players the chance to show what they can do, and it’s how they respond that determines how much more they will be depended on as the season progresses.

In the Bobcats first 24 games of the season, Felton was getting his chances, averaging 6.3 points, 3.7 assists, 2.2 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 18.4 minutes off the bench for Charlotte.

Still, Bickerstaff seemed to be wishing he could get the No. 5 overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft more time on the court. Following a 91-83 victory at New Jersey on December 14 in which Felton played a season-low seven minutes, Bickerstaff made mention that he wasn’t getting as many minutes as some of the other rookies in the league.

“It’s tough, especially in situations like last night where Brevin (Knight) just had it going,” Bickerstaff said. “Those kids are pulling for each other in that situation. But it is important that (Felton) gets minutes in those situations, too.”

With the Bobcats recent rash of injuries, it didn’t take long for Felton to start getting more minutes, and he has taken full advantage of his latest opportunity.

When Knight suffered a right forearm contusion on Saturday against the Pistons, Felton was called on to make his second start of the season against Sacramento on Monday. He responded by scoring 14 points with nine assists, six rebounds and four steals in nearly 40 minutes as the Bobcats edged the Kings, 106-103, in overtime.

“I thought he did well,” Bickerstaff said after Monday’s win. “It’s a learning experience for the young guys. You don’t get better through osmosis. You just have to get out there and play through mistakes. The one thing I don’t want him doing, and I stay on him about it, is I don’t want him settling for jumpshots because he can get in the paint anytime he wants to. He got real good looks when he got in the paint.”

Felton obviously made a lasting impression on the Bobcats coaching staff, because when Knight returned Tuesday night in Chicago, Felton remained in the starting lineup – this time as Charlotte’s starting shooting guard alongside Knight.

The pairing worked to perfection as Felton had the best game of his young NBA career, scoring a career-high 21 points with six assists and five rebounds. He teamed with Knight to score 41 points and dish out 16 assists in the 105-92 Bobcats victory and might have earned himself a spot in the starting lineup while Rush is sidelined.

Felton has made three starts for the Bobcats this season -- helping lead Charlotte to a 3-0 record in those games. He averages 17.7 points, 8.3 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 3.0 steals in those games and continues to show he’s ready to run with the opportunity he's been given.