After pulling out a much needed road win against Charlotte on Monday can the Raptors repeat their luck tonight? Raptors fans sure hope so as the team is currently in a three-way tie for fifth place and every game is huge as Toronto doesn’t want to face Detroit in the first round of the playoffs.

To get Raptors fans ready for this game we chatted with George Washington III from Bobcats Bonfire. What’s that you say? Where’s Serena Hays? While we usually get Serena to step in for all Bobcats stuff she’s going to be stepping away from the site after this season so we had the other writer of Bobcats Bonfire step in for a change of pace. George did a great job with these quetions and he’s someone you’ll be hearing from whenever the Raptors and Bobcats meet up in the future.

1. Heading into the season a lot of people that follow the NBA (myself include) felt your team would be in the playoffs. Due to injuries to key players like Adam Morrison and Sean May the playoffs aren’t looking likely this season. Do you view this season as a success because of your increase in the win column or a disappointment because the team didn’t make the playoffs?

Without a doubt, this season is a disappointment. If the Bobcats can’t go 5-3 in their last 8 games, they will actually have a worse record than last season, which would clearly be a step backwards. The injuries to Sean May and Adam Morrison were definitely a factor, but more May than Ammo. Without May, the frontcourt depth of the ‘Cats was compromised, and forced the maneuvering that brought in Nazr Mohammed at a high price tag and the loss of cap space. While most people have forgotten, Sean May sported a PER of 19.22 in the last season he played. He can score in the post and rebound, something neither Mohammed nor Emeka Okafor can do with any consistency. If he can come back from the microfracture surgery (and I think he can; he’s never been an above the rim player), he adds a big weapon on the offensive end. Defense? Well…that’s what Okafor is there for.

2. Speaking of Morrison, what kind of role will he have with this team next season? What areas will he need to improve upon from his rookie season to earn significant minutes with Gerald Wallace and Jason Richardson ahead of him on the depth chart?

Adam Morrison really struggled in his rookie season, because he was asked to do far too much in a league that was faster, bigger, and much more athletic than his college opponents. He isn’t quick enough to get his own shot consistently, or strong enough to get his own position on the floor. This left him trying to loft threes as a spot up shooter, and he just is not a shooter. That being said, the Bobcats have to get something out of him next season, most likely as a scorer off the bench. Even so, he has to add some deception to his game; changing speeds, head and up fakes, something. With the Richardson, Wallace, Matt Carroll, and Jared Dudley in front of him, he’s going to have to show an awful lot in the summer leagues to earn minutes next season. I wouldn’t be surprised, however, if the Bobcats will cut ties with him as soon as they are able.

3. There’s been a lot of talk about Gerald Wallace moving to small forward next season. Does he have the ball handling abilities to be a successful small forward in the NBA?

After Gerald Wallace took that shot to the dome from Mikki Moore, it was a done deal from both Wallace and Sam Vincent that he was moving back to the three permanently. I talked about the hazards of him playing power forward at the Bonfire back in February.

That “permanent” change lasted until I believe the third game back.

Vincent has been using Mohammed and Dudley as well as Wallace at power forward depending on the match-up. Charlotte may not have any choice but to play Wallace at small forward based on the concussion concerns. Four concussions in four years is unheard of for a basketball player. That being said, his effectiveness does go up when he’s at the 4, in the way Shawn Marion is effective not having to put the ball on the floor and drive. Wallace is better than Marion on the dribble drive, but he tends to lose control a fair amount too. He’s likely to be at the small forward spot out of necessity more than anything.

4. Raymond Felton is leading the team in assists (7.2) but from what I’ve heard he’s more of a shooting guard trapped in a point guards body. Do you think Felton is a good distributor? Do you feel confident with Felton as your point guard of the future? Also, while watching the game on Monday I noticed Felton’s outside game was suspect. Was this a bad game for Felton shooting the rock or is outside shooting something he needs to spend a lot of time on this summer?

No, Raymond Felton really is that bad a shooter. That was the knock on him coming out of North Carolina, and it has held up. He’s been better this season, but he’s averaging a career high .412 from the field (dragged down by his career low from three). And it’s not just that he doesn’t shoot well from the outside; he’s not as good a finisher as he needs to be. He is by no means a shooting guard; I think playing him at the 2 for large portions of last season and this one by both Bernie Bickerstaff and Sam Vincent have held back his development. A lot of his problem is mental; when the Bobcats released Jeff McInnis and named Felton his full-time point guard, Ray went on a tear with good shooting and excellent passing. He then slipped back into a funk of bad shooting and decision making. Still, he has the potential to be a decent NBA point guard, if a distant third behind his draft brethren Chris Paul and Deron Williams.

If the Bobcats choose to part ways with Felton, it will be a clear signal that they are going to start over.

5. I think Emeka Okafur is one of the more under-rated players in the NBA. he’s averaging 10.6 rebounds, 13.3 points and 1.64 blocks, yet he doesn’t get talked about as being one of the top young bigs in the NBA. Will that help this summer when it comes time to sign him to a new contract? What do you think about his chances of re-signing with Charlotte after turning down a large contract extension last summer?

The main reason no one talks about Emeka Okafor is that he rarely has a breakout scoring game; though he has played in every game for the Bobcats this season, he has only cracked 20 points 9 times. A few weeks ago I also found a very unpleasant statistic; only Al Jefferson for the Minnesota Timberwolves has had his shot blocked more often than Okafor this season. I find that just appalling for a man 6′ 10″, 255 pounds. He’s another Bobcat with little guile in his game, and is often blocked without an attempted head fake. He also has a limited offensive arsenal on the block, opting almost exclusively for left and right handed hooks. None of that means he won’t be the target of aggressive free agent offers at the end of the season; he’s one of only 13 players in the league averaging a points-rebounds double double, and he is in the top 20 in blocks (though of his last year’s pace). I think he still has some lingering effects from the repeated ankle injuries of last season; others have suggested he wasn’t playing hard to express his displeasure with how he was being used this season. Still, I expect that he will be back next year, though there will be hard feelings all around.

Again, a big thank you goes out to George Washington III for stepping up and providing Raptors fans with a great glimpse into the Bobcats. Make sure you check out Bobcats Bonfire for a great game recap and a different perspective on the game.