Bobcats Set To Tip Off In Rocky Mountain Revue

Joining the Bobcats and Hawks in the Rocky Mountain Revue will be the Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs, Seattle Sonics and Utah Jazz. NBATV will televise a number of games, including three Bobcats appearances on July 20 vs. Indiana, July 22 vs. Chicago and July 24 vs. Utah.

Each team participating in the summer league is allowed to have three players currently under contract on their roster. Those spots on Charlotte's roster will be filled by Jason Kapono and Primoz Brezec, who were chosen in the Expansion Selection, and Melvin Ely, who was acquired in a trade with the Clippers on Wednesday.

General Manager and Head Coach Bernie Bickerstaff believes it's important for the team's core players to get playing time together.

"It's a whole new classroom for us," said Bickerstaff. "We're laying the foundation for our players to familiarize themselves with our system. The core has to play together. I think that's how you become a good basketball team. I think it's iimportant to learn where your guy likes the ball, learn a certain weakness so that you can cover for him, learn how not to compromise a teammate. I think all those things are important."

Six other players that participated in the Minnesota Summer League with the Bobcats last week will also travel with the team to Utah -- Corey Benjamin, Keith Carter, Patrick Jackson, Danny Johnson, Bernard Robinson and Loren Woods. Jackson looks for the same kind of effort from the team this week that led them to a 5-0 mark in Minnesota.

"I think we had a good group of guys last week that really jelled together and played well," said Jackson, who finished fourth in the Minnesota Summer League with 4.2 assists per game. "We don’t have that big explosive scorer in Gerald Wallace or Tamar Slay, so this week in Utah is going to be a good opportunity to see some guys step their game up and maybe show a little more offensively. We are a bunch of young guys. I think it’s going to be to our advantage to get out, be full of energy and try to cause havoc on the defensive end and get easy baskets. Hopefully we can bring the same intensity as last week in Utah."

GAME-BY-GAME SCHEDULE
July 16 - Charlotte vs. Atlanta - 4:00 p.m.
July 17 - Charlotte vs. San Antonio - 4:00 p.m.
July 18 - Charlotte vs. Seattle - 8:00 p.m.
July 19 - Bye
July 20 - Charlotte vs. Indiana - 8:00 p.m. (NBATV)
July 21 - Charlotte vs. Dallas - 10:00 p.m.
July 22 - Charlotte vs. Chicago - 8:00 p.m. (NBATV)
July 23 - Charlotte vs. Utah - 10:00 p.m. (NBATV)

CHARLOTTE BOBCATS ROCKY MOUNTAIN REVUE ROSTER