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NBAE / Getty Images
Emeka Okafor has 32 double-doubles this season.
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By MATT ROCHINSKI
bobcats.com
March 6, 2009
CHARLOTTE - Following a convincing 96-80 win over Chicago in Charlotte on Tuesday, the Bobcats will look to extend their season-long winning streak to five games and beyond with back-to-back games against Atlanta on Friday and in New York on Saturday. Charlotte tips off against the Hawks at 7 p.m. at Time Warner Cable Arena, while it's a 7:30 p.m. tipoff at Madison Square Garden against the Knicks.
Buy your tickets for Friday's game now.
FOLLOWING THE BOBCATS
Fans can catch all the action against both the Hawks and Knicks on SportsSouth and listen on WOLS 106.1 FM
BOBCATS (26-35)
The playoff race in the Eastern Conference is heating up and the Bobcats are right in the thick of it. Now just 1 1/2 games out of the No. 8 spot, these two games give the opportunity to show they've turned a corner sparked by their four-game winning streak. The Bobcats are a combined 0-5 against the Hawks and Knicks this season, so two wins this weekend would not only help Charlotte's playoff chances but provide an even bigger confidence boost heading into the final stretch.
The only team in the East as hot as the Bobcats right now is the Cleveland Cavaliers, as both teams are currently riding the conferences longest active winning streak at four games. Charlotte's 6-4 record over the last 10 games is second only to Cleveland's 9-1 record in the East. The Bobcats winning streak is tied for the second-longest in franchise history, trailing only a five-game streak set March 2-8, 2008.
Every starter stepped up for the Bobcats last time out, with all five scoring in double-digits in the win over the Bulls. It was the sixth time this season this has happened and the fourth time with the current lineup of Raymond Felton, Raja Bell, Gerald Wallace, Boris Diaw and Emeka Okafor.
Though they are playing well, the Bobcats are ailing, with Raja Bell (shoulder), Emeka Okafor (ankle) and Gerald Wallace (everywhere) missing some time at practice this week to rest some nagging injuries. Hopefully the three-day break will be enough to get all three back on the court.
BOBCATS PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP
G Raymond Felton
G Raja Bell
F Gerald Wallace
F Boris Diaw
C Emeka Okafor
SEASON SERIES AGAINST ATLANTA (HAWKS LEAD 3-0)
The Bobcats haven't been able to get over the hump against the Hawks, dropping all three contests by an average of 4.7 points this season.
D.J. Augustin scored 26 points, including a career-best seven 3-pointers off the bench on November 21 at Phillips Arena, but the Bobcats were edged, 88-83. Gerald Wallace was the only other Charlotte player who scored in double digits with 17 points.
Charlotte held the lead for the first three quarters in its return trip to Atlanta on December 15 but went cold in the final stanza on the way to a 83-79 loss. Boris Diaw led the Bobcats with 25 points, followed by Raymond Felton with 15.
The Bobcats built a 55-43 halftime lead on February 6 at Time Warner Cable Arena but were outscored 35-22 in the third quarter as Atlanta came away with a 102-97 victory. Raja Bell led Charlotte with 17 points before leaving in the third quarter with a groin injury, while Boris Diaw added 16.
HAWKS (34-27)
BIBBY
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After getting back to the playoffs as the eighth seed in 2008, the Hawks are shooting for home court advantage in 2009. They are currently 1 1/2 games ahead of Miami for the fourth seed but have been struggling on the road as of late. Atlanta has dropped four of its last five away from Phillips Arena, including a 109-105 loss in New York on Wednesday.
Six players scored in double digits for Atlanta against the Knicks, led by 20 points on 9-14 shooting from center Al Horford but it wasn't enough to get the road win.
Joe Johnson leads Atlanta with 21.2 points and 6.1 assists per game, while Mike Bibby (15.2 points), Josh Smith (15.1 points), Marvin Williams (14.2) and Horford (11.2) make up a high-octane offense.
HAWKS PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP
G Mike Bibby
G Joe Johnson
F Marvin Williams
F Josh Smith
C Al Horford
SEASON SERIES AGAINST NEW YORK (KNICKS LEAD 2-0)
While two wins this weekend would be ideal, if the Bobcats have to get a split, they would probably put more weight in Saturday's matchup in New York. Charlotte trails 0-2 in the season series with two to play this month, but much like the series with the Hawks, each game has been close between the squads.
The Bobcats dropped their second road game of the season, 101-98, on November 5 in New York. Raymond Felton scored 18 points and Jason Richardson added 17 for a Bobcats team still searching to find its identity under new Head Coach Larry Brown.
Charlotte had two 20+ point performances on December 30 at Time Warner Cable Arena - Gerald Wallace with 21 points and Boris Diaw with 20 - but Wilson Chandler took over for the Knicks late in the fourth quarter to give New York the 93-89 win.
KNICKS (25-35)
LEE
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New York is one of six teams grouped in the "Race for Eight" in the East and is currently two games behind the Milwaukee Bucks and Chicago Bulls for the final playoff spot.
But while the Bobcats have been coming on, the Knicks have been slipping, dropping 10 of their last 14 contests. However, they did end a three-game losing streak on Wednesday against Atlanta with a 109-105 victory. They've also been solid at the hallowed halls of Madison Square Garden recently, posting a 4-2 record in their last six home games.
Al Harrington has proven to be a valuable addition to the Knicks since coming to New York in a trade with Golden State on November 21 for Jamal Crawford. In 47 games with the Knicks, he leads the team in scoring with 21.3 points and adds 6.6 rebounds. Nate Robinson (17.6 points) and David Lee (16.5 points, 11.9 rebounds) are having career years in New York, as well.
The Knicks have also received a boost from the addition of Larry Hughes from Chicago at the trade deadline. He's played just six games with New York but scored 23 as a starter against the Hawks on Wednesday.
KNICKS PROBABLE STARTING LINEUP
G Chris Duhon
G Larry Hughes
F Wilson Chandler
F Al Harrington
C David Lee
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