You know how, sometimes, you have to deal with an itchy tag? One of those labels that digs into you and chafes your hide, an uncomfortable label that you just want to rip off and toss into a shredder somewhere?

Michael Jordan knows just how you feel. Lately, when he hasn’t been pitching tagless underclothes on TV, his endeavor has been to ditch the label of a clueless, overbearing NBA owner. All reports are, so far, it’s starting to pay off. He made the right call to quickly return the Hornets name to Charlotte, tonight’s opponent hosted by the Atlanta Hawks (7:30 PM Eastern, SportSouth, FoxSports Carolinas), and his Bobcats team unveiled teal-and-purple Hornet logos and jerseys for 2014-15 that were a rare and unqualified critical success.

MJ’s also looking less like His Errness after allowing for a sensible selection for their head coaching vacancy. Longtime NBA assistant and Van Gundies disciple Steve Clifford has succeeded thus far in building a sustainable 14-16 record (2.5 games behind 16-13 Atlanta) built heavily on slowing the game down for the Cats (92.3 possessions per 48, 24^th in NBA for pace). Clifford knows Charlotte can’t score in bunches (99.2 points per 100 possessions, 29^th in NBA), but if their opponents don’t have the ball, they can’t score either (100.5 opponent points per 100 possessions, 2^nd best in NBA). He is trying to shed the label of a long-dormant franchise with teams that might start strong but will eventually collapse due to frail defensive effort.

Charlotte’s big free agency acquisition is beginning to pay off as well. Al Jefferson has upped his scoring and rebounding output in December, averaging 17.2 PPG and 10.8 RPG this month. Jefferson’s averaging roughly 19-and-10 both in road contests (just 14.1 PPG when he plays at home) and in games following one or fewer days’ rest, which is the case one night after the Bobcats dropped a close one, 89-85, to Oklahoma City last night.

Jefferson will be licking his mutton chops over the prospect of running the Philips Arena floor without Al Horford bawsing him around. Back on November 11, Horford, who’s out for the foreseeable future with a new pec tear, dropped a game-leading 24 points on 9-for-15 field goal shooting as the Hawks blew past the Cats in the second half to win 103-94. Jefferson could only muster 10 points (5-for-11 FGs) and has been upstaged by Horford during the second half of the past couple matchups.

The only Al on the hardwood tonight, Jefferson will face off at center against Elton Brand instead. Until now, the 34-year old Brand has not been called upon to do much on offense besides clean up on the glass, but he has provided stout defensive presence and leadership in short stints on the floor. His defensive rebounding (27.8 DReb%, 8.8 per 36 minutes) and shotblocking (6.1 Block%, 2.9 per 36 minutes) are at the highest marks, efficiency-wise, in his 15-year career. What remains to be seen is how much additional floor-time he can sustain, especially at the pace Coach Mike Budenholzer desires, and how effective Pero Antić and Gustavo Ayón can be in a supporting role.

Bobcat lottery yung’uns Bismack Biyombo and Cody Zeller could use more impactful floor time, so to make room, look for Clifford to seek a bulk advantage upfront by shifting Jefferson to power forward during the game, spelling Josh McRoberts (13 points, 7 assists, 3 3FGs, 6 rebounds vs. OKC on Friday). That probably won’t happen while Jefferson’s former Jazz teammate Paul Millsap shares the floor. Millsap will have a more vital role in the screen-roll schemes with Jeff Teague and Kyle Korver, the latter going for a Threak of 99 games tonight.

Say hello to starting small forward Anthony Tolliver! The Tolly Follies became a necessity as the Bobcats lost their two most impactful defenders on the wing, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (fractured hand, out 1-3 more weeks) and Jeff Taylor (season-ending Achilles rupture). The former Hawk can still pop the occasional three-pointer (6-for-9 in the past two games), and that’s about it. Yet, since The Man from Kickapoo was given the starting spot and a boost in minutes in the weeks following MKG’s injury, the Bobcats have won four of their six games.

Clifford has tried the mini-Me three-guard lineup of Kemba Walker, Ramon Sessions and Ben Gordon on occasion, but that group struggles defensively along the perimeter, so look for free agent pickup Chris Douglas-Roberts to log minutes at the three. CDR and Gerald Henderson will be on Korver Patrol throughout the game.

Budenholzer’s Bunch is still expected to score in bunches, even with their leading scorer unavailable. To achieve their 12^th 100+ point scoring effort in 13 games. Coach Bud will be relying on Jeff Teague (20.8 PPG and 11.0 APG last 5 games), Shelvin Mack and Lou Williams to keep the tempo of the ballgame high and render Charlotte’s driving guard threats negligible. The hero of that wild double-OT victory over the Cavaliers, Teague will need to have the same pebble-snatching effect on Walker, with defensive pressure, that he had at a crucial moment in overtime against Kyrie Irving. With a strong weekend of back-to-back games against the division-rival Cats and Magic, Teague could be looking at a Player of the Week honor on Monday.

Go Hawks!

~lw3