Inside the Scope: Golden State Warriors x Charlotte Bobcats

Game Info

• Tip Off: 4:00 PM PT
• Television: CSNBayHD

Charlotte Bobcats Team Profile

• Offensive Efficiency: 93.9 (28^th in NBA)
• Defensive Efficiency: 96.9 (3^rd in NBA)

Scope the Opposition: Queen City Hoops.

Preview: The Golden State Warriors finally exorcized some demons. The Dubs had been defeated 11 straight times by the Memphis Grizzlies and convincingly snapped the losing streak in their last game.

The Warriors routed the Grizzlies thanks in large part to great performance by their starting backcourt. The win resonated in the standings and it also helped Golden State regain its footing.

The team had been struggling of late and thus, Mark Jackson’s group had lost some of its contender luster. Perhaps the victory helps them on that front. Mind you, the Dubs must continue to win in order to actually build momentum and make some noise in the Western Conference.

The opportunity to improve continues tonight when they take on a Charlotte Bobcats (9-11) team hit by injuries. Indeed, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist will miss three-to-five weeks due to a broken left hand.

Furthermore, his replacement is now hurt as well. Jeff Taylor is dealing with a heel injury and might miss some time. The health concerns rob Charlotte of some solid perimeter defense, which means that Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes might potentially be in for big nights.

Still, by virtue of geography, Charlotte is right in the thick of the playoff race. The Eastern Conference is quite awful and as a result, every team has a chance at a playoff berth regardless of their record through roughly a quarter of the regular season.

Not so coincidentally, all of the Bobcats’ nine wins this year have come against teams within the conference. More specifically, the victories were obtained at the expense of teams that actually are at the very bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, which is saying something.

This is not to suggest to that there is a clear difference between the Warriors and Bobcats, but rather to illustrate the context of Charlotte’s season. The Bobcats’ defense does a great job of making life difficult for opponents and it stands to reason that will be the case for Golden State tonight.

However, the injuries might in fact take a toll and truly show tonight against a team that is simply difficult to deal with from beyond the arc.

Quick note: Pay attention to Josh McRoberts versus Andrew Bogut and David Lee. McRoberts is like a poor man’s version of Lee. He combines his athleticism with decent passing skills to make plays against opposing frontlines.

Questions or comments? Feel free to leave them in the comments section or you can contact me by email at [email protected].

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