October 15, 2007
Boxscore | Play-By-Play | Recaps

Don’t stop working.

Since he took over as the new Bobcats head coach in the offseason, Sam Vincent has made this evident to veterans, newcomers and rookies alike.

And like the rest of his Charlotte teammates, Jermareo Davidson has heard the message loud and clear.

“I think (the preseason) is going pretty good,” the 36th overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft said. “I’ve been able to come in, get some solid minutes and help my team whichever way possible. There are some things I still need to learn, but I’m working on them.

“I think it’s just timing. I’m getting in and am able to jump into the rhythm and flow of the game. I’m getting more comfortable with my teammates and learning their moves – I’m learning what coach likes and dislikes, too.”

Vincent had to be impressed with what he saw from his 22-year-old forward/center in Monday’s come-from-behind 96-86 win over New Jersey at Charlotte Bobcats Arena. Davidson finished with 14 points on 5-6 shooting with four rebounds, three assists, three steals and one blocked shot in 27 minutes off the bench.

“He has been great all the way through,” Vincent said of Davidson. “Like I have been saying all along, the kid has some real nice skills.”

Those skills were on display as Davidson keyed an 11-2 Bobcats run late in the third quarter that turned an eight-point deficit into a one-point Charlotte lead following consecutive dunks from the Bobcats big man. The second came on a rim-rattling alley-oop from Jeff McInnis that put the home team up 61-60 and it never trailed again.

“I try to bring that energy all the time, and you’ll see more as the year goes along,” Davidson said. “I like making the big play with that burst of energy. It always helps to get the momentum going our way, and that’s a good thing.”

Still, Vincent knows Davidson is still just a rookie learning the ropes early in his first NBA preseason.

“This rookie has a chance with some real hard work to be a pretty good player, but we are going to stay on him real hard to make sure he’s making the right improvement,” Vincent said. “He brings good energy and has a real good presence… as he gets more experience and his body gets more mature, and with a lot of hard work, he is going to become a pretty good player.”

"You have to give (the Bobcats) credit for the way they attacked the basket. They were very aggressive and really turned the game around."
-- Nets Head Coach Lawrence Frank

Davidson seems well aware of this and has found a way to keep learning on the court.

“I always tell somebody on the team just to talk to me,” he said. “I want to be aware if I miss an open pass or I’m not helping on defense, I just want someone to let me know. My teammates know I’m out there learning. I’m not shutting down listening to them, so I think they feel pretty comfortable out there with me as well.”

If he is looking for some helpful advice, Davidson doesn’t need to look far either. Gerald Wallace has taken it upon himself to seek him out whenever they are on the court together.

“He doesn’t even need to look for me, because I’m already looking for him,” Wallace said. “That goes for him and Ryan (Hollins). Those guys are a key part of our season this year, and in order for them to get better, we’re going to have to depend on those guys. It’s our job to get them ready for the season.”

Charlotte took another step toward that goal on Monday, fighting through a 14-point first-half deficit to earn the win led by Wallace’s game-high 20 points. Matt Carroll chipped in with 15 in his second-consecutive start with Jason Richardson still out tending to the birth of his child. Adam Morrison also added 15 off the bench, and Raymond Felton rounded out the Bobcats double-digit scorers with 10 more.

“Preseason is a time when you try to find out what your team is made of – we’re finding out what we’re made of,” Wallace said. “We’re figuring out what style of play our team plays and who fits with who so we can get ready for (the regular season opener on) November 2 against Milwaukee.

NOTES: Bobcats center Primoz Brezec spoke to the media for the first time this season after missing Charlotte's training camp and first two preseason games for personal reasons. "Things are much better. I had some family problems that I really don't want to talk about, but everything is good now. My wife, baby - everything is good. I'm getting back in shape, and I know what I can do, so I'm confident I'll be joining the team as soon as possible on the court." Vincent said he does not expect Brezec to play in Thursday's game against Atlanta, but that he should see time when the team heads to Los Angeles this weekend... If Gerald Wallace keeps this up, all the extra time he has spent shooting free throws in the summer and after practices will prove to be well worth it. In three preseason games, Wallace has played a total of 90 minutes and gone to the line 39 times, connecting on 29 of those shots. Going to the charity stripe once every 2.3 minutes can earn a lot of easy points… Adam Morrison continued his string of being the only Bobcats player to score in double digits in all of Charlotte’s 2007 preseason games. He finished with 15 points on 3-7 shooting from the field and 7-7 from the line… Emeka Okafor had to leave the contest after catching an errant Nets elbow 53 seconds into the fourth quarter that bloodied his lip and required stitches. He did not return, but is expected to play on Thursday against Atlanta. He finished with eight points and a game-high 11 rebounds... Charlotte outscored New Jersey 39-15 in the third quarter to turn the tide in the contest. The Nets outscored the Bobcats 71-57 in the other three frames.