Will Charlotte finally start caring about the Bobcats?

The Charlotte Bobcats have never really drawn much buzz in their home city. I've lived in Charlotte all my life, and if people are talking about feline pro sports teams, they're talking NFL, not NBA. Well, sometimes people talk about the Bobcats, but only to say how bad they are. And this is understandable to a degree. The team has never posted a winning record or earned a playoff berth. The passion for NCAA powerhouses like UNC and Duke seems to detract from interest in professional basketball. And I think the city is still wounded from the debacle with the Hornets leaving and George Shinn's shenanigans.

But I still feel bad for the Bobcats. It's not their fault that they have to play in a state that houses some of the best college teams in the nation. It's not their fault that the Hornets' owner alienated the city to the point where even playoff teams weren't drawing fans. Watching Bobcats games and seeing thousands of empty seats is just depressing. So I'm here to say "take notice." The Bobcats are good this year!

Charlotte has won 9 of its last 10 games, including 6 straight and counting. They've dominated two playoff teams from the superior Western Conference - the 4th place Spurs by 16 and the 6th place Suns by 26. And last night, the Bobcats jumped ahead of the now 6th place Heat by an embarrassing 39 points. Charlotte is 2 games over .500 (which is saying something in the East, where only 6 out of 15 teams have winning records) and right in the middle of the playoff picture at No. 5. Folks, this means we need to start paying attention.

I've caught several games this year on TV (I've sadly yet to make it to the Arena), and this Bobcats team is exciting. Guys like Gerald Wallace and Stephen Jackson are dynamic players who are extremely fun to watch. This team plays with an intensity that's palpable even on television. I can't wait to catch these guys live in action.

Did you know the Bobcats have won 2 of 3 against the East-leading Cavaliers? That includes going into Cleveland and snapping a Cavs 11-game home winning streak on January 3rd with a dramatic 91-88 win.

Or, are you aware that Charlotte allows the fewest points per game in the entire NBA? That's right. Basketball-Reference.com ranks them 1st in the NBA in Defensive Rating. And their offense, although only 28th in points per game for the season, has shown more life of late. They're averaging over 111 points for their last three games, better than the NBA-best season mark of nearly 110 for the Suns. And with the league's best defense and a dominating 18-4 mark at home, the offense doesn't seem to be hindering the 'Cats too much.

This Charlotte team is for real. They have a real shot at making the playoffs in an Eastern Conference with two playoff spots being held by losing teams. And if they do continue their success, they've shown they can hang with the big boys. So support them! Go to games, watch away games on TV, get pumped about this team that is delivering solid, dynamic, exciting basketball to the Queen City.