{"id":327840,"date":"2011-03-21T19:59:17","date_gmt":"2011-03-21T19:59:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/03\/21\/bobcats-struggling-in-playoff-race-ap\/"},"modified":"2011-03-21T19:59:17","modified_gmt":"2011-03-21T19:59:17","slug":"bobcats-struggling-in-playoff-race-ap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/03\/21\/bobcats-struggling-in-playoff-race-ap\/","title":{"rendered":"Bobcats struggling in playoff race (AP)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP)\u2014Stephen Jackson<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> can\u2019t move. Without him, the
\nCharlotte Bobcats<\/a> are moving rapidly\u2014backward in the Eastern Conference
\nstandings.<\/p>\n

A frustrating, off-and-on again left hamstring injury has the team\u2019s top
\nscorer sidelined again at the most inopportune time. Charlotte trailed Indiana
\nby 1 1\/2 games for the final playoff spot before the Pacers\u2019 game in New Jersey
\nMonday night.<\/p>\n

\u201cI need to be out there playing because it\u2019s a crucial time of the
\nseason,\u201d Jackson said Monday after sitting out the majority of practice.
\n\u201cThat\u2019s what\u2019s more frustrating to me, that I can\u2019t go out there and be myself
\nat a time when my team needs me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since the Bobcats traded former All-Star Gerald Wallace<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> to Portland last
\nmonth, they\u2019ve leaned on Jackson even more to be the primary scorer. But a left
\nhamstring strain has left him either on the bench or ineffective on the floor.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t be as aggressive on defense because I know I can\u2019t move and stay
\nin front of guys like I want to because of it,\u201d Jackson said. \u201cMy shot, I have
\nto compensate my right leg with my left leg. It\u2019s kind of throwing my game off.
\n\u2026 I\u2019m thinking too much and it\u2019s definitely affecting my play.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jackson first tried playing through the injury when it popped up last month
\nbefore sitting out three games. He returned to play in four\u2014shooting 22-of-71
\nfrom the field\u2014only to sit out Saturday\u2019s game at San Antonio.<\/p>\n

It was the Bobcats\u2019 third straight loss and ninth in 11 games. Charlotte
\n(28-41) has tumbled into a tie for ninth in the East with Milwaukee.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t move. You can\u2019t change speeds and be as aggressive as you want
\nto, especially driving to the cup because it\u2019s a sharp pain that I can\u2019t really
\ndeal with,\u201d Jackson said. \u201cBut I\u2019ve got to find a way to get it well enough to
\nplay Wednesday because it\u2019s a big game.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s when the Bobcats host the Pacers, made even more crucial because
\nIndiana has already clinched the potential tiebreaker.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s probably the most important game of the season. We have to have that
\ngame,\u201d coach Paul Silas said. \u201cIf we get it, then it gives us a good chance.
\nIf we don\u2019t get it, it\u2019s going to be tough.\u201d<\/p>\n

Silas acknowledged that Jackson, averaging 18.9 points, hasn\u2019t been himself
\nlately.<\/p>\n

\u201cMainly getting back on defense, things of that nature,\u201d Silas said. \u201cHe
\nwasn\u2019t sprinting back. But he was saying he was OK.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jackson indicated Monday he\u2019s been playing at somewhere between 55-60
\npercent. With the Bobcats offensively challenged, that likely won\u2019t cut with 13
\ngames remaining and little margin for error.<\/p>\n

Jackson is hoping intense treatment will alleviate the pain so he won\u2019t have
\nto play on one leg for the final month of the season.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what I\u2019m the most afraid of,\u201d he said. \u201cEven when I took games
\noff it didn\u2019t go away and it\u2019s been lingering. It got bad again against Oklahoma
\n(City) when I tried to close out on somebody. I\u2019m praying it doesn\u2019t go that
\nroute.\u201d<\/p>\n

Notes: Bobcats assistant coach Charles Oakley missed practice Monday and was
\nscheduled to undergo an MRI for a painful sciatic nerve problem that forced him
\nfrom the bench Saturday in San Antonio. Silas called it a scary incident because
\nof the pain Oakley was in. \u201cI didn\u2019t know what was wrong,\u201d Silas said. \u201cI
\nlook up and there\u2019s two guys helping him to the locker room.\u201d \u2026 C Joel
\nPrzybilla<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> (knee) and G Garrett Temple<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> (ankle) also sat out practice.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Excerpt from:
\nBobcats struggling in playoff race (AP)<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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