The Charlotte Bobcats will receive a much-needed shot in the arm on Wednesday when Stephen Jackson and Tyrus Thomas return to the line-up against the Chicago Bulls. Even though Jackson only has missed two games with a nagging hamstring injury, Thomas continues to be out since January 18th with a torn meniscus in his left knee.
Since the Gerald Wallace trade, the Bobcats have struggled mightily, winning just one of the six games they've played. That lone win was the first game without having Wallace against Sacramento both at home and because then, Charlotte has lost five consecutively by an average of over 18 points per game.
Gerald Henderson, who took Wallace's place, has filled in nicely at times, averaging nearly 13 points per game, but his inconsistency and insufficient rebounding prowess has cost the Bobcats dearly. Wallace was averaging approximately eight rebounds per game in Charlotte, whilst Henderson has averaged just below 3. That may well not seem like a massive difference, but Henderson does not command the continual body contact that Wallace did, allowing far more defenders to crash it's on a typical basis.
Stephen Jackson has all the tools needed to accept a tougher work load on the offensive side of the ball in Wallace's absence, but without him healthy, the Bobcats lack a go-to scorer, which has been painfully evident in the two games Jackson has missed.
Thomas' return has been highly anticipated because the time of his injury. A fan favorite off the bench, Thomas injects the Bobcats' reserves having a high level of intensity with his knack for blocking shots and emphatic rebounding. It will be interesting to see what kind of minutes, and where, he plays down the stretch this year, as he is undoubtedly the team's smartest choice off the bench at both power forward and center positions. Chances are that Thomas will see a lot more than the 21-plus minutes he was logging prior to the injury.
The Bobcats host the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday sometimes Warner Cable Arena, a team they have beat twice this season. With Thomas and Jackson back for Charlotte, there is a fighting chance to knock off the streaking Bulls and regain some momentum with what has become a stalled chase to have an Eastern Conference playoff spot.
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