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Gary Neal already finding trouble in Charlotte

Sam Sharpe / USA Today Sports

Gary Neal was unhappy in Milwaukee and let it be known, asking for a trade away from the lowly Bucks. He got his wish, landing in Charlotte following a deal on deadline day.

Just three weeks later, however, Neal is causing trouble once again.

On Wednesday, head coach Steve Clifford opted to bench Neal for the team's game against the Washington Wizards, an important contest for playoff seeding in the Eastern Conference. While the team would not discuss specifics, they did reveal that the decision "was behavioral, rather than medical."

"I made a mistake," said Neal following the game. "Me and coach talked about it and we'll move forward from here...Just a mistake, something that happened in the confines of the team."

While the Bobcats aren't exactly the San Antonio Spurs, Neal's former employer, his situation is now much better than it was in Milwaukee. From the tank-ranks to the playoffs is no small upgrade, and Neal's playing time has increased, too. There's little to be unhappy about on the surface.

It sounds like this is just a one-game blip and Neal should be back in the lineup on Friday against Minnesota.

In seven games since joining Charlotte, Neal is averaging 11.9 points in 25.4 minutes, hitting 45.8 percent of his threes.

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