The first recorded English use of the phrase “adding insult to injury” was in 1748, or shortly after the Charlotte Bobcats last won a game. I feel like the phrase works well for action movies; for example, Arnold Schwarzenegger beats a terrorist into submission (the injury) and then says, “you’re fired,” before launching the terrorist off of a missile that explodes into a helicopter (the insult). But it usually works backward in sports, especially when it comes to the Bobcats. The Bobcats are almost always insulted first and then injured, as was the case on Saturday night, when the Denver Nuggets insulted Charlotte by 22 points and then added an injury to Byron Mullens with about 3 minutes to go. I suppose you could also make the claim that the Nuggets added this insult to the previous injury of Gerald Henderson, who was unable to play due to a bruise, but that injury itself was added to the insult of the previous night’s eye-stabbing blowout to the Golden State Warriors. Injuries and insults: they’re like the chicken and the egg.

Either way, with Mullens’ ankle badly sprained and wrapped tighter than a Dexter victim, the Bobcats need to find someone else with a 46.5 TS%–about 60^th in the league among power forwards—to replace him. The good news is they have such a person: Tyrus Thomas, who’s slowly making his way back from…whatever that injury was that he had. To tell you the truth, it’s been so long ago I can’t even remember (sorry if I’m adding insult to injury here). The Bobcats also have an immediate temp in Hakim Warrick. Warrick’s career TS% is in the upper 50s, which technically makes him overqualified to replace Mullens, but his weak rebounding rate and substandard defensive play make him perfectly qualified. Clearly, one of the Bobcats’ many managerial strengths is their ability to find and then replicate excellence.

I was on the optimistic side before the season began when analyzing the prospects of the Charlotte Bobcats for the first month of the season. I was criticized a bit for predicting a 6-9 November start, and while I freely admit it was a bit of a reach at the time, it turns out my lofty expectations of a young (but talented) team weren’t so far fetched, after all. In fact, the Bobcats topped my prediction, and finished the first month of the season at 7-8.

They kickoff the month of December tonight against the Portland Trail Blazers, so it only made sense to get back to the magic eight ball and try to predict how the team will do over the course of the next month. It’s a month of giving, cheer, and holiday. Let’s see if the Bobcats will be spending it in a good mood or not as we break down and predict each game:

1. 12/3 – vs. Portland Trail Blazers (Loss)

Portland is inconsistent, but they’re bigger and stronger than Charlotte. This one could get messy at home.

2. 12/5 – vs. New York Knicks (Loss)

New York has struggled on the road a bit, but they shouldn’t in this one. They spread out the floor with the best of them and can hurt you inside and out. Their offense will simply be too much for the Bobcats in this one, as they start December 0-2.

3. 12/7 – @ Milwaukee Bucks (Win)

They’ve beaten Milwaukee before and the Bucks are a pretty inconsistent team. Charlotte can bang down low with them and they matchup well at the guard spots. It’ll be close, but I think the Bobcats get their first win of the Christmas season here.

On Friday against the Nuggets, TV commentator Steve Martin announced that it was the 22^nd time that Charlotte had allowed 50 points in the paint.  I was absolutely shocked to hear this—shocked that it had been only 22 times (the following night against the Pistons made it 23).  I could have sworn it was more, because it seems as if everyone from Chris Bosh to Kris Humphries to Kriss Kross has burned the Bobcats down low like a venereal disease.

The Bobcats’ other Achilles heel has been the third quarter, which also reared its ugly, Mickey Rourke-like head again in the Denver game.  The Nuggets went on a 9-0 run about halfway through the period to turn a 2-point lead into an 11-point lead.  During this same stretch, the Bobcats missed 9 shots (including a technical foul free throw and two Bismack Biyombo layups), had 2 other shots blocked (including one by Ty Lawson???), and committed 3 turnovers in a tour-de-force of incompetence.  The Bobcats’ 3-point shooting also burst like the housing bubble (4-for-their-first-5, 1-for-their-last-17).  Not helping was the loss of Corey Maggette, whose own Achilles heel is literally his Achilles heel.  Maggette suffered an Achilles strain, meaning the Bobcats’ will be without their closest resemblance to an offensive force for at least a week.  And to top it all off, JaVale McGee didn’t do anything asinine, which was really one of the few reasons to watch this game.  It was like getting excited to see a Will Ferrell movie, only to have it be Everything Must Go.  Instead of laughs, we got just more of the same sad, typical failure.

You know you have a problem, as an NBA team, when the guy that was your third string shooting guard and could not get on the floor is the high scorer for your team. You know you have a problem when you start a road trip and lose the first game by 25 points. I hope the Bobcats know they have a problem, because anyone watching this team knows they have problems. This team, known for defensive tenacity , does not at the moment appear capable of stopping anyone from scoring. The Nuggets had seven players score in double figures. You know you have a problem, if your calling card is defense, when you lose by 40 points. It is unfortunate that Charlotte fans have another 22 games of this until the season ends, because if this team can’t play any better than this…it will not end soon enough.

To be honest, I had a crappy feeling coming into this Denver game. Perhaps it was that I had work the night before, having only a few hours sleep before dragging myself up for the game, or that I had a dread feeling that we would probably be blown out of the water. However, it was a win, close win but a win nonetheless.

Biggest matchup coming in today was probably who was to match up on Melo. Melo is a brilliant scorer, highly efficient, strong post game and mid range. However the trio of Diaw, Crash and Captain Jack managed to hold him to 8-21. Considering Melo normally scores at will, it was a good job defensively. The other keys were the big man Nene, JR Smith and Chauncey Billups. Nene was well held with 12 points, JR Smith with 14 and Billups was dominant with 25 points and 5 assists. Billups also missed the last shot attempt to draw OT. Poor Steve Martin thought it was going to OT and screamed out ‘And we’re going to Overtimeeee.’ He later corrected himself.

Point Guard School of Larry Brown:

Billups is a graduate of the PGSLB, while DJ is currently undertaking a Bachelor of How-to-Play-The-Right-Larry-Brown-Way. DJ managed to run the offense very efficiently and well, with some great alley-oops, in which Crash posturised McGuire, which I found hilarious. When the ball goes up for the alley, get out of Crash’s way. Mr. Big Shot managed to catch fire also, however it was a 7 point straight run by DJ that helped the Bobcats pull away. Jump shot from deep, no problem. Pure from 3. Didn’t guard him, he had the confidence to jack it up and he scored. Mid range jumper when they don’t guard him? Another swish. Drive to the hole, take contact, bank it high off the rim to dodge the block and score? Not a problem. DJ showed great assertiveness when the Bobcats needed him, but also great shot selection, not forcing anything.

I don’t want to say I’m devastated, but color me disappointed. With a sellout crowd of over 19,200 on hand for the annual Charlotte Bobcats Nascar night, featuring 4-time Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson and Ladycat Jordan’s boyfriend Denny Hamlin, I would’ve hoped for a big win and settled for just a win. I mean, with a crazy home record of 18-4 coming in, what else should I expect? And at the end of regulation, it seemed that was what was going to happen. But instead, the Bobcats came out totally flat for overtime and were outscored 14-3 in the period to lose by a final of 106-95, after coming back from a 16 point deficit in regulation.

The game started off rather tepidly, with Charlotte losing each of the first three quarters and entering the 4th down by 10. About the only bright spots up to that point were Nazr Mohammed (12 points/9 rebounds) and Raymond Felton (14/5/4 assists) playing solidly on both ends of the floor. Soon to be named All-Star Gerald Wallace was held scoreless for much of the game, although he did finish with 9 points and 10 rebounds. In the fourth, along with Wallace, DJ Augustin (22/2/1) and DeSagana Diop (6/4/2 Blocks) asserted themselves as key players in the comeback. Diop would’ve had 8 points, but a jumper from about 10 feet out was called off for a shot clock violation. Down 92-90 with 6.8 seconds left, the ‘Cats came out of the timeout and Stephen Jackson (15/5/4) hit a floater from under the basket to send the game into OT. After that, well, lets just say it wasn’t pretty.

If you want to find places to put the blame, there are plenty. The Bobcats missed 6 free throws in 22 attempts, shot just 39.8 percent from the field (including a combined 10-38 from Boris Diaw, Stephen Jackson, and Gerald Wallace), and outside of DJ Augustin’s 5-9 3 point shooting, the team was 4 of 18, which comes out at an atrocious 22.2 percent. They had their shots blocked 11 times and were outrebounded by 7. And while it appears that the officials cannot count to three when the Magic have possesion, the Bobcats could have won despite bad officiating – which had Stephen Jackson complaining all night long, including him being assessed with the game’s only technical foul – that allowed Howard the freedom to have dinner and dessert in the lane. They had their chances and let it get away.

Charlotte now starts a six game road trip:
Monday in Denver (facing former Bobcat Malik Allen and G/F Stevie Graham’s brother Joey) – Sportsouth 9:00 ET
Tuesday in Pheonix (facing former Bobcats Jason Richardson and Jared Dudley) -FSCR 9:00 ET
Friday in Golden State (facing former Bobcat Vladi Radmanovic and announcer Dell Curry’s son Stephen) – FSCR 10:30 ET
Saturday in Sacramento (facing former Bobcat and tub of lard Sean May) – Sportsouth 10:00 ET
Monday the first in Portland (facing former Bobcat Juwan Howard) – Sportsouth 10:00 ET
Wednesday the third in Los Angeles against the Lakers (facing former Bobcats Shannon Brown and Adam Morrison) – Sportsouth 10:30 ET

Notes: Tyson Chandler missed the game once again, and while he is supposedly “day-to-day” I don’t think we’ll be seeing him anytime soon….DJ Augustin appeared to regain his confidence for at least the fourth quarter, expecting to make shots instead of hoping….Larry Brown played his centers 46 out of a possible 53 minutes, which is one of the highest amounts in a long time….Brandon Bass, the player many Bobcats fans have been clamoring for in a trade, had a DNP-CD, so don’t expect to see him in a Charlotte uniform….Dwight Howard was the only player with a double-double, collecting 10 points and 20 rebounds….The Bobcats wore special NASCAR themed uniforms, with checkered side panels; Jimmie Johnson recieved a special #4 “Johnson” jersey at halftime in honor of his 4 championships….