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The Bobcats downed the Pistons Tuesday night, 88-76. Those of you able to watch might be able to offer some more detailed analysis, but here are my snap judgments based on the box score:

-- It's fantastic to have Gerald Wallace back. He scored 29 points on 18 attempts from the field and grabbed 12 boards. He can't fall into a trap of thinking he can shoot threes effectively, though. As with most of the other guys on this team, he should only shoot from that distance to show the other team he might and can't rely on it as a real weapon.

-- Stephen Jackson's line looks like Stephen Jackson's line. His scoring was on the poor side of inefficient, with 13 points on 15 attempts and 5 turnovers, but he also grabbed 8 rebounds, a big plus from a guard spot.

-- Nazr Mohammed's scoring jumps out. Dude played only 18 minutes, but he scored 12 points on 9 attempts and grabbed an impressive 9 rebounds in that time.

-- Maybe we need to rethink Boris Diaw. Just as with Raymond Felton, instead of despairing that he doesn't step up on offense and hoping that he changes his stripes, maybe we should be glad his defense has been consistently solid all year. This game, in particular, Charlie Villanueva only managed 4 points on 2-8 shooting in 22 minutes.

-- The Stephen Graham menace continues to plague us.

What else did you see?

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SB Nation Pistons Blog: Motown String Music

Look. If you had one shot -- or one opportunity -- to seize everything you ever wanted, one moment, would you capture it or just let it slip?

Pump Up Music: Third Eye Blind -- "Semi-Charmed Life"

The Big Picture: The Detroit Pistons have been doing something I love. They bring Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva off the bench, even though Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince have been out with injuries. Gordon has missed a few games due to injury, though, and both he and Hamilton are questionable for tonight's game.

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We're about to enter a tough period for the Bobcats. They're suffering their first major injuries of the season proper, after wading through Tyson Chandler's and Flip Murray's preseason lower body issues.

Anything involving Gerald Wallace and headaches is scary news, but Stephen Jackson's back injury is also a tough pill to swallow. Especially with Crash's concussion history, they've got to be careful about sending him out there too quickly. However, he's come back and played fairly well after previous head injuries. He and doctors have to worry about long term effects, since he'll probably be able to play through short term symptoms.

As for Jackson, though, a bad back injury is a nightmare scenario for the Cats, given Larry Brown's total opposition to playing rookies. It could be a chance to give Gerald Henderson big minutes with the starting lineup, but more likely, we'll end up seeing Stephen Graham getting 15+ minutes per night, Flip Murray getting a few more minutes, and D.J. Augustin miscast as Felton's back court mate, a situation where both guys' skills aren't exactly complementary.

Get well soon, Jack.

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The Knicks beat the Bobcats at Madison Square Garden, 98-94.

However, the major story of this game was Gerald Wallace's absence due to headaches, and Stephen Jackson leaving during the third quarter due to back spasms. Those two are the Bobcats' best defenders, along with Raymond Felton, and just like that, our wing situation is in flux.

If either of those players are out for an extended period of time, we're looking at big minutes for Ronald Murray and (gulp) Stephen Graham, because Larry Brown can't see past his preconceived notions of rookies' talent levels and can't be expected to play Gerald Henderson or Derrick Brown in the starters' places, as any other rational coach would do. Here's hoping Crash 'n Jax come back, healthy, quickly.

Highlights and lowlights after the jump.

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SB Nation Knicks Blog: Posting and Toasting

I lived in Manhattan for three years, but never made it to the Garden. Craziness, I know.

Pump Up Music: Me First and the Gimme Gimmes -- "Wild World"

The Big Picture: Didn't the Bobcats just play these guys? Why, yes. Yes they did. Only one aspect of the big picture has changed since then, and that's the conspiracy theory that D.J. Augustin is on the Knicks' Christmas wish list and this is the weekend a transaction might get done.

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More photos » by Chuck Burton - AP

Raymond looks personally hurt by the tech called on him.

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The Bobcats lost to the Jazz 110-102 Saturday night. Coach Larry Brown pulled the starters with more than six minutes to go in the fourth quarter, save Gerald Wallace, probably figuring the game was headed for garbage time. However, the reserves mounted a comeback, led by D.J. Augustin, getting within six. There just weren't enough possessions, though, and Utah's crunch time lineup managed to hold on for the victory.

Highlights and lowlights after the jump.

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