After bouncing back from a brutal stretch of 9 games in 12 days after the All-Star break with an easy 107-98 win over the hapless Washington Wizards on Tuesday, the Dallas Mavericks get another get well gift from the NBA when the hopeless Charlotte Bobcats come to town Thursday.
It's hard to overemphasize how inept the Bobcats have been this season, the end result of a decision to blow up a 44-win team that made the playoffs in 2009 and start over.
They're 6-31 with a -13.4 point differential, one of the worst in NBA history. They've lost by over by over 40 points multiple times and are coming off a 107-87 loss to the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night.
With former Maverick DeSagana Diop joining Boris Diaw as part of an out-of-shape and unmotivated Charlotte front-court, the Bobcats only bright spots have been their talented but inconsistent lottery picks: Kemba Walker from UConn and Bismack Biyombo from the Republic of Congo.
For the Mavericks, the biggest concern is letting a young Charlotte team gain confidence by staying in the game against the defending NBA champions. On the last day of a four games in six days road trip, the Bobcats are likely thinking of returning home and may fold early if Dallas comes out strong.
For the latest news and notes on Mavericks, head to Mavs Moneyball while Rufus On Fire has you covered for all the pregame angles from Charlotte.