Adam Morrison and J.J. Redick Watch: April 8

It's been a while since I examined the fortunes of Morrison and Redick. In the interim, the Bobcats nearly crept back into the playoff picture, seven games behind the Magic, who cling to the eighth spot despite some tough recent losses.

Morrison dropped 9 in a loss to the Pacers, going 3-3 beyond the arc but missing six other field goal attempts. (He suffered a knee sprain, but should be back today.)

Meanwhile, Redick scored 6 in a win over cellar-dwelling Memphis, proud owners of the worst record in the NBA.

Now, the comparison. Morrison's averages actually are worse than Redick's, given that he's playing roughly double Redick's minutes. Redick's shooting percentage and 3-point percentage (.400 and .375) are better than Morrison's (.376 and .337). Redick, averaging 6 points per game, plays 15 minutes to Morrison's 30, while the Montana Monster scores 11.9 per contest.

The difference, though, is the quality of their playing time. Morrison has started 23 games, while Redick mostly gets the call during junk time. Morrison has also played 77 games to Redick's 38. I wouldn't be surprised to see Redick traded or back in the benchwarming role next year, while Morrison has a decent chance to become a consistent starter.

Update: Because of the sprain, Morrison didn't play, but the 'Cats won. The more I follow them, the more I think that next year, with the right draft choices and a lineup free of injuries, Charlotte could disrupt the balance of power in the Eastern Conference.