CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP)—Stephen Jackson(notes) can’t move. Without him, the
Charlotte Bobcats are moving rapidly—backward in the Eastern Conference
standings.
A frustrating, off-and-on again left hamstring injury has the team’s top
scorer sidelined again at the most inopportune time. Charlotte trailed Indiana
by 1 1/2 games for the final playoff spot before the Pacers’ game in New Jersey
Monday night.
“I need to be out there playing because it’s a crucial time of the
season,” Jackson said Monday after sitting out the majority of practice.
“That’s what’s more frustrating to me, that I can’t go out there and be myself
at a time when my team needs me.”
Since the Bobcats traded former All-Star Gerald Wallace(notes) to Portland last
month, they’ve leaned on Jackson even more to be the primary scorer. But a left
hamstring strain has left him either on the bench or ineffective on the floor.
“I can’t be as aggressive on defense because I know I can’t move and stay
in front of guys like I want to because of it,” Jackson said. “My shot, I have
to compensate my right leg with my left leg. It’s kind of throwing my game off.
… I’m thinking too much and it’s definitely affecting my play.”
Jackson first tried playing through the injury when it popped up last month
before sitting out three games. He returned to play in four—shooting 22-of-71
from the field—only to sit out Saturday’s game at San Antonio.
It was the Bobcats’ third straight loss and ninth in 11 games. Charlotte
(28-41) has tumbled into a tie for ninth in the East with Milwaukee.
“You can’t move. You can’t change speeds and be as aggressive as you want
to, especially driving to the cup because it’s a sharp pain that I can’t really
deal with,” Jackson said. “But I’ve got to find a way to get it well enough to
play Wednesday because it’s a big game.”
That’s when the Bobcats host the Pacers, made even more crucial because
Indiana has already clinched the potential tiebreaker.
“It’s probably the most important game of the season. We have to have that
game,” coach Paul Silas said. “If we get it, then it gives us a good chance.
If we don’t get it, it’s going to be tough.”
Silas acknowledged that Jackson, averaging 18.9 points, hasn’t been himself
lately.
“Mainly getting back on defense, things of that nature,” Silas said. “He
wasn’t sprinting back. But he was saying he was OK.”
Jackson indicated Monday he’s been playing at somewhere between 55-60
percent. With the Bobcats offensively challenged, that likely won’t cut with 13
games remaining and little margin for error.
Jackson is hoping intense treatment will alleviate the pain so he won’t have
to play on one leg for the final month of the season.
“That’s what I’m the most afraid of,” he said. “Even when I took games
off it didn’t go away and it’s been lingering. It got bad again against Oklahoma
(City) when I tried to close out on somebody. I’m praying it doesn’t go that
route.”
Notes: Bobcats assistant coach Charles Oakley missed practice Monday and was
scheduled to undergo an MRI for a painful sciatic nerve problem that forced him
from the bench Saturday in San Antonio. Silas called it a scary incident because
of the pain Oakley was in. “I didn’t know what was wrong,” Silas said. “I
look up and there’s two guys helping him to the locker room.” … C Joel
Przybilla(notes) (knee) and G Garrett Temple(notes) (ankle) also sat out practice.
Excerpt from:
Bobcats struggling in playoff race (AP)