CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -The extra practice didn’t help the Bobcats. Coach Larry Brown’s motivational speech on Orlando taking a day off while they worked failed, too.
So maybe it was a good idea Charlotte took the day off Thursday. Perhaps some time away will help the Bobcats solve the riddle of putting the ball through the hoop when they return home for Game 3 on Saturday.
For all the talk of how Charlotte would attempt to contain Dwight Howard and Orlando’s 3-point shooters, the major reason the Bobcats are down 0-2 in the best-of-seven playoff series is the Magic have exposed their turnover-filled, dysfunctional offense.
“You can’t afford on the road to take bad shots and turn the ball over,” Brown said.
han Charlotte’s 15.7 per game.
The Bobcats’ limitations have been magnified playing against NBA defensive player of the year Howard and the Magic, who allowed teams to shoot an NBA-low 43.8 percent from the field during the regular season.
Charlotte fell behind big early and committed 16 turnovers in a 98-89 series-opening loss Sunday. While the Bobcats practiced the next day, coach Stan Van Gundy gave the Magic the day off, prompting Brown to tell his players, “That’s how (expletive) seriously they’re taking us.”
Trouble is, the Bobcats were even worse in Game 2 on Wednesday. Getting off to another tentative start, they had 30 points at halftime, 77 for the game and committed 21 turnovers in a 15-point loss.
So while the Bobcats have limited Howard to 20 points amid foul trouble in the first two games, the Bobcats are in desperation mode despite holding the Magic to an average of 95 points.
“We really didn’t get much ball movement,” center Tyson Chandler said. “In order for us to the keep Magic on their heels, we have to move the ball and get good shots at the basket. We can’t just come off looking for our jump shots. We are not a jump-shooting team.”
g the regular season, and its stout defense set up easy baskets.
But the Bobcats went to the line just 18 times on Wednesday while the Magic shot 35 free throws. Howard’s presence in the lane – he had six blocks in the first quarter of Game 1 – has paralyzed Charlotte.
“We’re having a hard time getting to the free throw line,” Brown said. “I thought we were doing some pretty good things to fight back from down 22 (in Game 1). But again, you make those mistakes early you’ve got to play perfect late. And you’re playing against a quality, quality team.”
There are many culprits for Charlotte’s plight. Jackson scored 27 points on Wednesday, but had seven turnovers. All-Star Gerald Wallace, struggling to drive with Howard clogging the middle, managed one point in the first half.
Point guard Raymond Felton was torched by Jameer Nelson in the opening game, then got off to a poor start Wednesday, too. Boris Diaw had as many points as turnovers (five) in Game 2, while Chandler fouled out in just over 13 minutes.
Larry Hughes (2 of 7 from the field) showed he’s not instant offense off the bench like Flip Murray was before he was traded to Chicago.
Tyrus Thomas’ most memorable moment of the series is an outrageous acting job that drew a foul near the Orlando bench on Wednesday.
ot a one-on-one team. If we start playing one-one-one, we are not going to have a shot.”
The good news is the Bobcats will play the next two games at home, where they went 31-10 in the regular season. No NBA team had a bigger home-road discrepancy than Charlotte, which is 13-30 on the road counting the last two games.
“As a young team, our guys are more comfortable playing at home,” Jackson said. “We have to stay positive. It does take four wins to win the series. It is good that we are going home and playing in front of our crowd in our arena.”
Don’t expect Orlando to be too worried, though. The defending Eastern Conference champions, with far more weapons than Charlotte, are 2-0 in the Queen City this season.
“You don’t get to the finals in the NBA unless you can defend and rebound,” Brown said. “I think one of the most important stats in the league is field-goal percentage defense. And if you have shot blocking and rebounding, it certainly helps.”
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Associated Press Writer Antonio Gonzalez in Orlando, Fla., contributed to this report.
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