Some highlights from new Charlotte Bobcats coach Mike Dunlap's news conference at media day. Training camp starts Tuesday morning at UNC Asheville:

On his intended style of play: "I hope that we pressure the heck out of the ball. And I hope that when we get deflections or steals, we run. But we have to run smart. We can't turn over the ball after working that hard to get it.''

On mid-range jump shots, which the Bobcats took so often last season, to limited success: "We really want to play off the rim, the paint and the open 3(-pointer). I'm not big on middle jumpers. The Bobcats took more of them last year than anybody in the NBA. They're the least valuable shot you can get, where the most valuable is the free throw.''

"You need to attack the rim in one manner or another. Getting to the free throw line says that you're doing a lot right.''

On Tyrus Thomas: "Defensively he's a tremendous rotator. He knows how to put people in traps. Secondly, he gets a lot of deflections off the ball: He's long and he's athletic. Offensively, he has some wonderful 18-foot kill spots (i.e. optimum shots). You give him the ball in transition, and he finishes well around the rim because he's so long.''

On new Bobcats guard Ben Gordon: "He's an absolute killer when it comes to that last shot to get you a win.''

On who starts: "Over the next month we're going to have an open competition for all spots. There's nobody who has their spot locked down going into training camp. We'll try a lot of different (combinations).''

On the high level of conditioning he expects, to run and press: "We have a couple of guys we have to work on in terms of fitness, but the majority are at a high-high level.''

On whether the Bobcats have sufficient talent: "Absolutely we have the talent to be competitive. But we have to be competitive in a way that we're a hard (team to) scout.

"We have to go into the pick-and-roll game on the move - keep the defense moving. A lot of times older players in the NBA don't like (guarding) a cutting offense. ...Our talent is good enough to be competitive offensively and defensively. But we have to bring a different package to the NBA because we don't have (such) talent that we can just sit them on their spots and allow our opponent to rest. We have to go after them in a fitness way.''