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Great defense and fortuitous scheduling were the only things that kept the Charlotte Bobcats .500 Monday.
The defense was superb - the New Jersey Nets went 10 minutes of the second half without a point. And the opponent is deservedly winless. That added up to a 79-68 escape at Time Warner Cable Arena.
The offense continues to be dysfunctional. The Bobcats (2-2) set a team record for worst shooting in a half (19 percent) to open the third quarter down eight. They managed to shoot 50 percent in the second half and played the best defense coach Larry Brown has seen from this team.
"I told them, 'We don't defend and we lose by 40,'" Brown said of his halftime message.
Even with great defense, this was a long walk through a dark night. The Bobcats finished up shooting 32 percent and committing 21 turnovers. How many teams could they have beaten like this?
"Not many," said shooting guard Raja Bell, playing his first regular-season game since tearing a ligament in his left wrist. "We did not play well. But we fought and stuck through it, and there's something to be said for that."
Forward Gerald Wallace (24 points and 20 rebounds) was even blunter:
" Very fortunate," he said. "We played like (expletive) in front of our home fans and they were missing two of their best players."
That would be point guard Devin Harris, out with a groin strain, and forward Yi Jianlian, who suffered a knee injury when Wallace tumbled into him midway through the third quarter.
That roughly coincided with the Nets' 10-minute scoreless span, when they missed 11 straight shots.
By the time the Nets (0-4) scored again, with 81/2 minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Bobcats were up 13.
With three days off from games, the Bobcats have plenty to address before playing the Atlanta Hawks at home: They shot 1-of-15 from 3-point range, point guards Raymond Felton and D.J. Augustin combined for nine turnovers (to five assists) and Brown said he's got three starters in lacking condition.
Brown wouldn't specify who he meant, but based on other comments, he was referring to center Tyson Chandler, power forward Boris Diaw and possibly Felton. Those three shot a combined 10-of-27 Monday.
"When guys are pulling their shorts," Brown said of the body language that says fatigue, "it's an issue."
