• Power forward/center Josh McRoberts played his first game as a Charlotte Bobcat, and the three rebounds he grabbed in 5 1/2 minutes left an impression with his new coach.

“He gives a hard foul and he rebounds,” coach Mike Dunlap said. “There’s no question in my mind he’ll help us.”

You might chuckle to hear a coach compliment a player for how he fouls, but you hear that a lot in the NBA. The idea is when you do foul, do it with enough force and finesse that you stop a basket without turning a shot into a three-point play – as in make each foul count for something.

• Power forward Byron Mullens is in a two-game slump. After assembling three games with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds, he totaled six points in the games against Chicago and Denver.

Dunlap said he wouldn’t fixate on Mullens’ shooting in those games (2-of-21 from the field), but that Mullens needs to understand his rebounding can’t slack when his offense goes off. Mullens had six boards against the Bulls and three against the Nuggets.