From the Charlotte Observer...If you had to guess which Bobcats player was on the verge of making history, Matt Carroll probably wouldn't be your first choice.
But history is a shot away.
With one more 4-point play, Carroll would tie Mitch Richmond's record six such plays in an NBA season. The Bobcats have 34 games left in the season, but wouldn't it be something if Carroll tied the record tonight in his hometown, Philadelphia, against the 76ers?
"I didn't even know about this until my wife read something about it the other day," he said Monday. "But it would be great to be in the record book."
A 4-point play is somewhat a function of luck, because an opponent has to foul you in the act of launching a 3-point shot. But it's also a function of toughness and concentration. Carroll says his knack for 4-point plays reflects how he's changed his approach to the game.
In the past, a defender running at him might rush or change his shot from beyond the arc. Now he welcomes the contact that might result in a basket and a free throw.
"I would have a tendency to fade away when I saw someone coming," said Carroll, who shoots a team-high 39.9 percent from 3-point range. "Now I shoot my normal shot," inviting the contact.
"It's hard to block a guy's shot, running out (to the 3-point line), without fouling," Carroll has learned.
His success this season reflects a common thought among NBA veterans; that referees tend to reward assertive play. Stand up to a collision, and refs give you the benefit of the doubt. Shy away, and you're likely not to hear a whistle in your favor.
"I'm not wavering about that," Carroll said. "How they hit me, where they hit me, I just say, 'So be it.' "
Why shouldn't he? Carroll is one of the NBA's best foul-shooters, at 91.3 percent this season. Coach Bernie Bickerstaff always has admired Carroll's toughness -- his willingness to go hard after rebounds or drive the lane.
Carroll says that comes from growing up in Philadelphia, a tough town where you have no choice but to stand up for yourself.
"Something that's changed a little this season is how conscious defenses are of me," he said. "It seems like their scouting reports say, 'Don't give up the 3-pointer to him,' and that means big guys running out at me.
"That's going to produce some fouls."
'Four' The Record
Matt Carroll converted his fifth 4-point play of the season against the Warriors on Saturday. This season, Carroll leads the league with his five. He is on the heels of former NBA player Mitch Richmond for most 4-point plays in a season:
Player 4-pt Plays Season Mitch Richmond 6 '96-97 Matt Carroll 5 '06-07 Reggie Miller 4 '96-97, '97-98 Dirk Nowitzki 3 '00-01 Allen Iverson 3 '98-99 Michael Adams 3 3 times