Well this game was pretty much the Byron Mullens show.  You can’t really have a coming out party during the summer league, as there have been plenty of other high scoring games by summer scrubs you never hear from again.  But in this instance, we started to see many different looks from Mullens that aren’t too familiar to us, outside of when he gets into “Pop-A-Shot” mode from the 3-point line.

I think this was a perfect example of seeing Mike Dunlap’s coaching influence on the players.  Whereas the previous games may have been less structured in order for the team to get their feet wet, this game seemed to rein in Mullens deep-heaving propensity, and started to reveal a more versatile repertoire that we’ve all been begging for since the Bobcats acquired him.

Mullens started out shooting from deep a couple times, but was able to hit early on.  But instead of being satisfied and settling to keep shooting outside, he started to become more aggressive.  After faking a pass on the perimeter, he drove hard to the basket, drew a foul, and hit a 15 foot floater.  Then he started to post up on the block, where he showed nice footwork and the ability to get a couple hook shots off.  He also received the ball at the medium post, and was able to maneuver his way into scoring position for another and 1 basket.

Another aspect of Mullens’ aggressiveness was his work on the offensive boards.  He was able to beat his man to position several times, and used some strength and athleticism to gather the boards and finish through contact for a couple buckets.   He also was able to tip the ball a couple times when he couldn’t corral it himself, keeping some plays alive for others to finish.  This shows that he wasn’t just lazily standing around the perimeter waiting for the chance to launch another three, but that he was actually aware of what was happening on offense and figured out how to get the right spots.  Very promising.

Another criticism of Mullens’ game in the past was him not running the floor hard in transition.  He often was seen just trotting down the court, or trailing the ball handler and spotting up at the top of the key for a three.  But tonight, I saw several times where he made it a point just to get down the floor into the lane, and on one such occasion, he was rewarded with a nice bounce pass from Jeff Taylor for a slam.

Wow! It’s been a long time coming.  That’s probably the most excited I’ve been watching a Bobcat’s game in like 2-3 years.  And to think it was for a late night, Friday the 13th summer league game.

Wait, we don't cut the nets for Summer League?

First, I do realize its just summer league, and any great performances you see here by either a player or team don’t normally translate to the regular season.  Who knows, maybe next game they get throttled by 30 and we go back to our nice warm spot as the league’s laughingstock.  But I do believe there are bits and pieces, signs and symptoms here which definitely are cause for hope.

Here’s what I took from the main cast of characters tonight.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist – What a start!! I loved how he had that slight injury/tweak to his knee at the beginning of the game and didn’t require a wheelchair, he just brushed it off like nothing happened. As advertised, he relentlessly attacked on offense and defense. I noticed on a couple of his power drives that he jumped off the wrong foot, to maybe throw off the defender’s timing and avoid the block. Definitely a veteran move. As for his handle, while it seemed a little loose at times, you could obviously tell he knows how to make a move off the dribble to beat his man.  Natural instincts are good to see more than technique right now.  Just tighten that up, and nobody will be able to stay in front of him with his incredible first step.

Also showed good court vision and passing. Defensively, he is afraid of nothing, even taking on big burly Thomas Robinson head-to-head a couple times – and winning! He played free safety perfectly in the middle, collecting any and every loose ball that traversed his path.  And maybe most impressive, besides scoring 18 points, grabbing 8 boards, dishing 5 assists, and gathering 4 steals in about 20 minutes, was that none of his offense was forced, as most rookies do when trying to make an impression. Everything came within the flow of the game, and yet he still had a tremendous impact on both sides of the ball. Can’t wait to see more.

Seven. Fifty-Nine. One Hundred and Six. Twenty-Three. To most people, these numbers have no meaning, just random digits that could stand for anything – a weather report, bingo numbers, answers to a child’s math quiz. To those that can decipher these numbers, they create a more visceral reaction, as they stand for shame and humiliation, a permanent stain forever associated with part of their identity. Or, for those outside its sphere of relevance, as a source for ridicule, derision, and perhaps misguided feelings of superiority.

I don’t expect or seek any sympathy. In fact, I choose not to look at these numbers negatively. I can’t allow myself to. With the national media continuously hammering on the Charlotte Bobcats, and commentators in the social media universe having fun at our expense, it can take a toll, and may even force the less hardened and resilient among us to just walk away from the catastrophe.

But here is where I flip it on them – I’m taking ownership of the numbers. I look at those numbers as a source of pride, not because of any hidden accomplishment or a sudden adoption of a masochistic lifestyle. For me, they stand as an affirmation of my loyalty and devotion to the team, however blind it may seem to outsiders.