<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'></p> You can talk all day about how much he dribbles or when he shoots or what in the world defines a "pure" point guard.</p> Raymond Felton will engage you on all those topics, as he did following practice Thursday. Ultimately, though, his NBA career will be defined just as his college one was -- by when you win and when you lose.</p> The word is accountability.</p> "If things aren't going well, if we're not winning games we should win, if you need someone to blame, then blame me," Felton volunteered Thursday. "Because winning really is my job."</p> Of late he's growing into that job. His numbers -- 16.9 points, 7.7 assists and 42 percent shooting from the field -- all reflect an efficiency that was lacking his first two NBA seasons.</p> Now, if he can cut down on those three turnovers per game, the Charlotte Bobcats really might have something.</p> With Brevin Knight gone, Felton is established for the first time as this team's primary point guard. He has a deep support system; his coach, Sam Vincent was an NBA point guard, and his position coach (Phil Ford) and backup (Jeff McInnis) both preceded him as North Carolina stars at the position.</p> In other words, there's experience and trust there that give each of them Felton's ear. For instance:</p> <span class="bullet">•</span>Vincent is encouraged that Felton is learning to play at different speeds. He says Felton tended to play fast all the time because that's the tempo that best suited his skills. But that wasn't always the best tempo for teammates.</p> <span class="bullet">•</span>Ford wants Felton to relish the parallels between what he does and how Jake Delhomme quarterbacks. In other words, Delhomme's only job is to get the Carolina Panthers into the end zone, regardless if it's by passing or running. Ford tells Felton it doesn't matter how the Bobcats score, so long as he maximizes every possession.</p> <span class="bullet">•</span>McInnis preaches a less-is-more philosophy when it comes to Felton's dribbling. He reminds Felton that he has a great handle, but if he over-uses that skill, it burns up much of the 24 seconds available on an NBA shot clock.</p> Felton, who won a national championship with the Tar Heels in 2005, is listening.</p> "I feel like I can get wherever I want to go at any part of the game. I've worked on my handle since I was a little boy to the point I feel sometimes like the ball is on a string," Felton said.</p> "But those first couple of years, I might have used that dribble too much. Now I take one, two dribbles and get the ball where someone can make a basket."</p> McInnis also advises Felton to make the hard choices to lead. That's not always a popular role, balancing ball distribution with exploiting a matchup involving a hot teammate.</p> "If Jason Richardson hits four shots in a row, then I'm going to him until he gets cold," Felton said. "Then, when that happens, we'll go back to the others."</p> It's that word again -- accountability.</p> "I'm tough," he says. "I watch a lot of film, and I'm tougher on myself than anyone else is. I get it."</div></p> Source: Charlotte Observer</p>
