Gerald Wallace on Bobcats’ Lack of Focus

According to Wallace — and this isn’t the first time this season he’s voiced displeasure — the Bobcats aren’t playing with a sense of urgency every night. The Observer has the quotes: “Wallace expressed concern Tuesday that his team can’t act like it’s clinched something that is still hypothetical. As inconsistent as this team has been – three victories over the Cleveland Cavaliers, yet two losses to the New Jersey Nets – it’s a mistake to presume anything about reaching the postseason. ‘With this team, we’re so up-and-down, we’re so inconsistent,’ Wallace described. ‘In a four-game week, if we play Cleveland, Boston, L.A. (Lakers) and maybe San Antonio, we might look like the No. 1 seed in the playoffs. If we play somebody like New Jersey or Washington – some under-.500 teams – we might look like we don’t even belong in the playoffs. That’s one of the bad habits we have as a team – we tend to play down to our competition. We’re not good enough to do that. We get away from our principles, and then it goes all individual. Everybody is selfish when we do that.’ When Wallace said ‘selfish’ he’s referring to both ends of the court. Obviously shot selection can be an issue, particularly when the Bobcats stop driving to the rim. But it’s also defense. Wallace believes the Bobcats are among the best defensive teams in the NBA, but only when they’re rotating and helping each other alertly. On Monday, they gave up 51 percent shooting to the Raptors.”