Pivot Points: Charlotte Bobcats Are Showing Merits of Larry Brown's Tutelage

Defense creates offense, and intelligent ball-handling combined with the first wins games. Wise words preached by a wise man who has the Charlotte Bobcats realistically eyeing their first playoff berth in team history.

The hottest team in the Eastern Conference may be the Bobcats who after impressively disposing of the San Antonio Spurs, own a six-game home winning streak and sit firmly entrenched in the seventh spot in the East.

Credit coach Larry Brown who has instilled a purpose and a concept of playing basketball the right way, and credit his team for having the ability and soak up the knowledge and apply their lessons on the court.

Brown is a firm believer in the merits of a tight defense and his team has been playing the best collective defense in their brief history, led by their twin tandem of Stephen Jackson and Gerald Wallace.

The length and athleticism of Wallace and Jackson allows them to cover a variety of players on the court, and their understanding of the scheme allows them to convert numerous steals in the passing lanes.

And as Brown says, they know what to do with the turnovers after they get them as both are more than capable of finishing on the break, or finding trailing teammates for easy buckets.

Against the Spurs' "it" power forward, Boris Diaw, who led the Bobcats' charge by accounting for 26 points and 11 rebounds while playing superb defense on San Antonio star, Tim Duncan.

Diaw stood out but it was the defense of Wallace and Jackson that got Charlotte going as they combined for six steals and Wallace recorded five blocks as they displayed the type of defensive athleticism which changes games.

It helps that Diaw was able to guard Duncan without much help and Bobcat guards only had one turnover during the course of the game, the type ball control which determines the flow of the game.

The fact they believe in the edicts of Brown shows a chemistry which will be useful down the road, and the fact they predicate their scheme on defense gives them a leg up on the other teams they are battling for position.

Toronto and New York seem to be their primary competition for moving up the playoff seedings ladder, and neither team emphasizes defense the way Charlotte does, and neither is capable of locking the opposition down.

Defense becomes paramount in the postseason because the game slows down, and Charlotte's ability to play disciplined defense and rebound is a distinct advantage in the playoffs.

A common theory in basketball is the coaching position is overrated and games are won more by the talents of the players than the musings of the coach, but Brown and the Bobcats challenge that theory.

After all who could argue with the steady play of the Bobcats and the position their belief in Brown's scheme has carried them?

They currently own wins against Cleveland twice, Denver, Miami, and Atlanta to go along with their victory against the Spurs Friday night, and all of the above teams are certain playoff contenders.

The Bobcats are slowly beginning to show they belong in that rare company due to Brown, and if they do make the postseason don't be surprised to see the 'Cats make some noise once they get there.