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By Matt Rochinski
bobcats.com
October 20, 2007
Boxscore | Play-By-Play | Recaps
Throughout training camp and the preseason, any NBA head coach or general manager will probably say the same two things if asked what is most important heading into the regular season – showing improvement and staying healthy.
Bobcats Head Coach Sam Vincent spoke often about this in training camp and into Charlotte’s first handful of preseason games, noting how fortune his team was to be relatively injury free. With the exception of Sean May (microfracture surgery on his knee) and Othella Harrington (knee), neither of whom suffered their injuries in training camp, Charlotte seemed in relatively good health as the November 2 season opener against Milwaukee at Charlotte Bobcats Arena crept closer.
Hopefully that will still be the case for Vincent and the Bobcats following Saturday’s 113-93 loss to the Lakers at the Los Angeles Shootout.
Trailing 77-61 with 5:26 remaining in the third quarter, Bobcats guard/forward Adam Morrison stepped out onto the left baseline in an attempt to guard Luke Walton, but when Walton made a quick jab step, Morrison quickly tried to change direction and his left knee seemed to give way.
The extent of Morrison’s injury is not yet known, but it is currently being treated as a left knee sprain. Morrison cried out in obvious pain when he hit the floor and had to be carried off the court, but X-rays taken Saturday night were negative. He is expected to have an MRI on Sunday, so Charlotte should know more before the weekend is out.
“Hopefully it’s something minor but I felt a pop, so I’m worried right now,” Morrison said. “Hopefully, I’m lucky or something – we’ll see (Sunday).”
While Morrison’s injury was obviously Saturday’s focal point for Bobcats fans, Gerald Wallace continued to be the running story on the court the past couple of weeks. Coming off a 34-point, 10-rebound performance against Atlanta on Thursday, Wallace finished with a game-high 28 points on 8-13 shooting from the field, 2-5 from long range and 10-11 from the free-throw line. He also added four assists and three steals to go with one rebound.
"We had some good stretches, we had some bad stretches, that’s what we are trying to work on…becoming more consistent and playing a more efficient game from start to finish."
-- Matt Carroll
Wallace got some needed help from Jason Richardson (18 points, four rebounds, three assists and one block) and Walter Herrmann (12 points in 18 minutes as a reserve), but it wasn’t enough to counter the Lakers four players scoring in double digits.
“It was a tough game, it’s preseason we are still learning each other and the system,” Richardson said. “But, it was fun, anytime you get to go on the court and play the game it’s fun, it’s what you do, it’s your job and what you love to do.”
Vladimir Radmanovic paced Los Angeles with 14 points, followed by Derrick Fisher and Maurice Evans with 13 apiece. Ronny Turiaf chipped in with 10 points and five other Lakers finished with at least seven points.
For now though, Saturday’s loss is put on the backburner as Charlotte players, coaches, front office personnel and fans await word on Morrison, who has looked solid this preseason.
NOTES: The Lakers outscored the Bobcats 38-24 in the third quarter, pushing a 10-point halftime lead to 24 points heading into the final 12 minutes of play… Los Angeles shot 73 percent from the field in the decisive third quarter, connecting on 14-19 field goals… Emeka Okafor and the rest of the Bobcats big men struggled to find their rhythm against the Lakers. Okafor finished with no points and four rebounds in 14 minutes of play. Charlotte was outrebounded 48-32 in the contest and saw Los Angeles score 42 points in the paint… Primoz Brezec saw his first action of the preseason and did not score in 12 minutes of action. He did haul down two rebounds ad get whistled for four personal fouls in his stint… Charlotte held Kobe Bryant to just six points in 20 minutes. He also turned the ball over four times… With the loss, the Bobcats will now play the Suns – 110-103 losers to the L.A. Clippers on Saturday – at 7:30 p.m. on the second day of the L.A. Shootout.
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