| 2004–05 Charlotte Bobcats season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Head coach | Bernie Bickerstaff | ||
| General manager | Bernie Bickerstaff | ||
| Owner | Robert L. Johnson | ||
| Arena | Charlotte Coliseum | ||
| Results | |||
| Record | 18–64 (.220) | ||
| Place | Division: 4th (Southeast) Conference: 14th (Eastern) | ||
| Playoff finish | Did not qualify | ||
Stats atBasketball Reference | |||
| Local media | |||
| Television | C-SET,WJZY | ||
| Radio | WOLS | ||
| |||
The2004–05 Charlotte Bobcats season was the first season for theCharlotte Bobcats in theNational Basketball Association. This season marked the return of NBA basketball toCharlotte after a two-year hiatus.[1] The original Hornets had moved toNew Orleans after the 2001–02 season to become theNew Orleans Hornets, now theNew Orleans Pelicans.[2] The Bobcats had the second overall pick in the2004 NBA draft, which they used to selectEmeka Okafor out of theUniversity of Connecticut. The team hiredBernie Bickerstaff as head coach during the offseason, and added veteran players likeGerald Wallace,Primož Brezec,Brevin Knight,Jason Hart,Jason Kapono,Melvin Ely andSteve Smith to their roster. The Bobcats played their first game at theCharlotte Coliseum on November 4, which was a 103–96 loss to theWashington Wizards. They would win their first game defeating theOrlando Magic 111–100 at home on November 6. However, the expansion team struggled, losing ten straight games in January and March, finishing fourth in the Southeast Division with an 18–64 record. Okafor averaged 15.1 points, 10.9 rebounds, 1.7 blocks per game and was named Rookie of The Year, and selected to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. Unable to improve on their 44–38 record from 2002, the Bobcats failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since1999 when they were the Charlotte Hornets, and instead went 18–64, which was at the time, the worst record posted by a Hornet/Bobcat team.
At the time, this was reckoned as the inaugural season of the Bobcats. However, after the 2013–14 season, the Bobcats reclaimed the Hornets name and pre-2002 history after the original Hornets team changed its name to the Pelicans.[3] As a result, this is now considered the 15th season of the Hornets/Bobcats franchise, the team having returned after suspending operations from 2002 to 2004.
As an expansion franchise, the team unveiled their new logo and uniforms, which added dark navy blue, grey, and orange to their color scheme and added side panels to their jerseys and shorts, which remained in use until2008.
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Emeka Okafor | PF/C | Connecticut | |
| 2 | 45 | Bernard Robinson | SF | Michigan |
The team debuted in the draft as the Bobcats with one first-round pick and one second-round pick, both of which were acquired via trades in the preceding days. They had also traded their two original selections to theLos Angeles Clippers in exchange for that first-round pick.
| Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head coach Assistant(s) Legend
Roster |

| W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| y-Miami Heat | 59 | 23 | .720 | – | 35–6 | 24–17 | 15–1 |
| x-Washington Wizards | 45 | 37 | .549 | 14 | 29–12 | 16–25 | 10–6 |
| e-Orlando Magic | 36 | 46 | .439 | 23 | 24–17 | 12–29 | 6–10 |
| e-Charlotte Bobcats | 18 | 64 | .220 | 41 | 14–27 | 4–37 | 7–9 |
| e-Atlanta Hawks | 13 | 69 | .159 | 46 | 9–32 | 4–37 | 2–14 |
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | c-Miami Heat | 59 | 23 | .720 | – |
| 2 | y-Detroit Pistons | 54 | 28 | .659 | 5 |
| 3 | y-Boston Celtics | 45 | 37 | .549 | 14 |
| 4 | x-Chicago Bulls | 47 | 35 | .573 | 12 |
| 5 | x-Washington Wizards | 45 | 37 | .549 | 14 |
| 6 | x-Indiana Pacers | 44 | 38 | .537 | 15 |
| 7 | x-Philadelphia 76ers | 43 | 39 | .524 | 16 |
| 8 | x-New Jersey Nets | 42 | 40 | .512 | 17 |
| 9 | e-Cleveland Cavaliers | 42 | 40 | .512 | 17 |
| 10 | e-Orlando Magic | 36 | 46 | .439 | 23 |
| 11 | e-New York Knicks | 33 | 49 | .402 | 26 |
| 12 | e-Toronto Raptors | 33 | 49 | .402 | 26 |
| 13 | e-Milwaukee Bucks | 30 | 52 | .366 | 29 |
| 14 | e-Charlotte Bobcats | 18 | 64 | .220 | 41 |
| 15 | e-Atlanta Hawks | 13 | 69 | .159 | 46 |
| 2004-05 NBA Records | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | ATL | BOS | CHA | CHI | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | LAC | LAL | MEM | MIA | MIL | MIN | NJN | NOH | NYK | ORL | PHI | PHO | POR | SAC | SAS | SEA | TOR | UTA | WAS |
| Atlanta | — | 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 0–4 |
| Boston | 3–1 | — | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 |
| Charlotte | 3–1 | 0–4 | — | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–4 |
| Chicago | 4–0 | 2–2 | 4–0 | — | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–2 |
| Cleveland | 4–0 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 2–2 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 |
| Dallas | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 |
| Denver | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | — | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 |
| Detroit | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 4–0 |
| Golden State | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–2 | — | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 0–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 |
| Houston | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 2–1 | — | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 |
| Indiana | 3–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 |
| L.A. Clippers | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 0–3 | 2–0 | — | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 |
| L.A. Lakers | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | — | 0–3 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 |
| Memphis | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 3–0 | — | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 0–3 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 0–2 |
| Miami | 4–0 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | — | 4–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 |
| Milwaukee | 2–1 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–4 | — | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 |
| Minnesota | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | 2–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 |
| New Jersey | 3–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 0–2 | — | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 |
| New Orleans | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–3 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 0–2 | — | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–4 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 |
| New York | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | — | 1–2 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 2–1 |
| Orlando | 3–1 | 0–3 | 1–3 | 0–3 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | — | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 |
| Philadelphia | 3–1 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | — | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 |
| Phoenix | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | — | 3–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 |
| Portland | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–3 | — | 1–3 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 |
| Sacramento | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | — | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 |
| San Antonio | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | — | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 |
| Seattle | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | — | 2–0 | 3–1 | 0–2 |
| Toronto | 2–1 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | — | 2–0 | 1–3 |
| Utah | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 0–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | — | 0–2 |
| Washington | 4–0 | 1–3 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | — |
| Player | POS | GP | GS | MP | REB | AST | STL | BLK | PTS | MPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jason Kapono | SF | 81 | 14 | 1,491 | 164 | 61 | 40 | 6 | 688 | 18.4 | 2.0 | .8 | .5 | .1 | 8.5 |
| Melvin Ely | PF | 79 | 17 | 1,649 | 326 | 76 | 32 | 69 | 576 | 20.9 | 4.1 | 1.0 | .4 | .9 | 7.3 |
| Keith Bogans | SG | 74 | 42 | 1,791 | 226 | 135 | 68 | 8 | 714 | 24.2 | 3.1 | 1.8 | .9 | .1 | 9.6 |
| Jason Hart | PG | 74 | 27 | 1,887 | 203 | 367 | 99 | 14 | 706 | 25.5 | 2.7 | 5.0 | 1.3 | .2 | 9.5 |
| Emeka Okafor | PF | 73 | 73 | 2,600 | 795 | 64 | 62 | 125 | 1,105 | 35.6 | 10.9 | .9 | .8 | 1.7 | 15.1 |
| Primož Brezec | C | 72 | 72 | 2,276 | 531 | 86 | 33 | 55 | 938 | 31.6 | 7.4 | 1.2 | .5 | .8 | 13.0 |
| Gerald Wallace | SF | 70 | 68 | 2,147 | 386 | 137 | 117 | 91 | 780 | 30.7 | 5.5 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 11.1 |
| Brevin Knight | PG | 66 | 61 | 1,944 | 170 | 591 | 131 | 5 | 666 | 29.5 | 2.6 | 9.0 | 2.0 | .1 | 10.1 |
| Steve Smith† | SG | 37 | 1 | 636 | 49 | 57 | 12 | 7 | 291 | 17.2 | 1.3 | 1.5 | .3 | .2 | 7.9 |
| Kareem Rush† | SG | 34 | 22 | 877 | 79 | 65 | 18 | 6 | 390 | 25.8 | 2.3 | 1.9 | .5 | .2 | 11.5 |
| Theron Smith | SF | 33 | 5 | 510 | 116 | 28 | 6 | 4 | 105 | 15.5 | 3.5 | .8 | .2 | .1 | 3.2 |
| Bernard Robinson | SG | 31 | 1 | 328 | 48 | 30 | 11 | 4 | 93 | 10.6 | 1.5 | 1.0 | .4 | .1 | 3.0 |
| Matt Carroll | SG | 25 | 0 | 430 | 60 | 17 | 17 | 2 | 224 | 17.2 | 2.4 | .7 | .7 | .1 | 9.0 |
| Jamal Sampson | PF | 23 | 0 | 329 | 122 | 8 | 4 | 17 | 79 | 14.3 | 5.3 | .3 | .2 | .7 | 3.4 |
| Malik Allen† | PF | 22 | 1 | 271 | 47 | 7 | 5 | 11 | 111 | 12.3 | 2.1 | .3 | .2 | .5 | 5.0 |
| Jahidi White | C | 17 | 0 | 135 | 34 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 42 | 7.9 | 2.0 | .1 | .1 | .7 | 2.5 |
| Cory Alexander | SG | 16 | 1 | 201 | 29 | 37 | 9 | 1 | 49 | 12.6 | 1.8 | 2.3 | .6 | .1 | 3.1 |
| Eddie House† | SG | 13 | 5 | 300 | 19 | 24 | 24 | 3 | 144 | 23.1 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 1.8 | .2 | 11.1 |
| Tamar Slay | SG | 8 | 0 | 78 | 14 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 28 | 9.8 | 1.8 | .4 | .6 | .0 | 3.5 |