The overtime against New Orleans revealed the possibilities – just how good the Charlotte Bobcats defense could be with all those long arms and quick feet.

The Bobcats closed out the Hornets by holding them to 2-of-8 shooting, forcing two turnovers and outrebounding New Orleans 7-1.

The group on the floor – Stephen Jackson, Gerald Wallace, Tyrus Thomas and Boris Diaw (plus either D.J. Augustin or Matt Carroll) – constantly switched defensively, cutting off driving and passing lanes. Those four guys are all roughly the same size and virtually interchangeable.

That’s the unit most likely to finish games and the one coach Larry Brown prefers to play, so long as Diaw and Thomas can match up with opposing big men.

"We have that length, and they can all move their feet," said Brown. "So many teams in our league basically play zone principles and switch a lot. I only want them to switch if they can take something away or get back to their own man."

Brown’s point: Switch, but do it judiciously. That’s what happened in the overtime.

This started with the acquisition of Jackson early last season. That gave the Bobcats two long, athletic wings and was a factor in their unlikely success against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Wallace and Jackson could share responsibility for limiting LeBron James, which meant they didn’t need so much help from other players.

Then Thomas was added at the trade deadline. He’s the longest of the four and the best shot-blocker, but he moves like a small forward. Diaw isn’t as quick as the other three, but he’s efficient enough defensively to guard all over the court.

Now those four have the benefit of a training camp together and the overtime against the Hornets suggested they’re learning how to defend as a group.

"Speaking on me, Jack and Gerald, it’s almost a given what we’re going to do on defense with each other," said Thomas. "As far as a good point guard like Chris Paul, we did a good job of corralling him, as opposed to letting him do whatever he wants to do.

Wallace said refining this has been a major agenda.

"We can be a really athletic, aggressive team. We want to be up-tempo and pressing – that's kind of our motto," Wallace said. "With that lineup, we can attack at all five positions."

NOTES; The Bobcats cut forward Darius Miles and undrafted rookie center Matt Rogers Thursday. That trims the roster to 15 – the NBA maximum – but Brown cautioned it’s not automatic the current 15 will all be Bobcats by Wednesday’s season-opener in Dallas.

The Bobcats have injury concerns at point guard, with Shaun Livingston and rookie Sherron Collins both hurting. Livingston (sore left knee) said Thursday he still hopes to play against the Mavericks.

"Darius just got caught up in numbers – guaranteed contracts. Rod (Higgins, the general manager) and I made it clear he didn’t do anything to cause us to let him go," Brown said.

Brown has no doubt Rogers will eventually be an NBA player.

"He has some future," Brown said. "Everybody loved him. Coming off major knee surgery, it’s a miracle he’s out there. He got better by the minute."

Rogers said recently he had prospects in the Development League or Europe, should the Bobcats cut him.