18.9ppg 6.7rpg

[Further]

In January, those are the averages for Martell Webster. I was never a Webster believer, but I am happy to say that he is changing my mind. He is really playing his but off, shooting .433 from 3, rebounding well, and playing tough defense to boot. In his worst game of the month, he had 12 points and 6 rebounds. And his best was tonight with 24points and 9 rebounds. keep it up!!!

 

[STOMP]

it would be great if he keeps it rolling and shows that he's on a new plateau mentally

STOMP

 

[gatorpops]

In January, those are the averages for Martell Webster. I was never a Webster believer, but I am happy to say that he is changing my mind. He is really playing his but off, shooting .433 from 3, rebounding well, and playing tough defense to boot. In his worst game of the month, he had 12 points and 6 rebounds. And his best was tonight with 24points and 9 rebounds. keep it up!!!

Rahard Lewis = $100,000,000 Webster = $20,000,000 (or something like that) Webster = Great Value!

 

[BlazerBeliever]

I am feeling the same way right now. Martell has been impressive!!! As my wife and MGB would say T-Bone.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

18.5 pts, 7.8 apg--that's what Andre Miller's contributed in January. "Worst" game was 16 & 4.

New "big 3"--Miller, Webster, Aldridge. Already forgot about those injured scrubs.

 

[e_blazer]

Better numbers than Carter's stats for this season. I know he's been out with a shoulder injury, but tonight VC looked like "Half man, half meh". I think the Blazers are going to be just fine at the SF spot without a trade. Looking forward to seeing Batum and if his shot is as improved as rumored.

 

[Natebishop3]

I think we all knew that Martell had talent, it was just a matter of him harnessing it. It seems like he's really getting past his confidence issues, but I'm not 100% sold yet. If he can keep this up for another month or so, I will be a believer.

 

[drexlersdad]

him working to get free tonight was a revelation, his activity on offense is crucial.

 

[THE HCP]

3 weeks ago, I thought he had played himself OFF this roster, but he has really turned his game around on both ends of the court! Marty is killin' it!

 

[Nikolokolus]

I love what he's doing lately, but (and this a big but) he was maybe the worst shooting small forward in the league not a month ago. If he can keep this up for a full season and show that "Bad Martell" is only going to make cameo appearances once every 5 or 10 games (like a solid starter should/will) and not be an every other game phenomena then I'm all for Martell being a big minute player. I just still need to see more -- as in more consistency; he doesn't have to keep up this torrid recent pace.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

The other plus is we can bring Batum back slowly.

His play, if he can stay consistent, has skyrocketed his trade value compared to what it was this summer.

 

[Further]

He has been with the Blazers so long, it's easy to forget he is still only 23 years old.

 

[MAS RipCity]

trade rudy, Marty has made him utterly and completely expendable

 

[Nikolokolus]

trade rudy, Marty has made him utterly and completely expendable

Not yet.

 

[B-Roy]

Trade Batum.

 

[shamelessblazer]

I bet it's all a coincidence that he's playing with a real PG in Miller now huh?

Get Steve Blake the FUCK out of here.

Rudy would look great next to Miller too.

Blake/Cunningham for Brandon Bass...we get some more aggression

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

What, no Amare-to-Portland ideas, Shamlessblazer?

 

[Luther]

Martell is only going to get better and more consistent as he gets older. He's still only 23 like GOD said. I have thought for a while that Martell will be a more valuable asset to this team than Rudy due to the fact that he has improved SO much on defense and is getting smarter every game. Rudy is a good player, don't get me wrong...But I really don't understand why so many people think he could be a "star" on another team. I definitely think he is expendable if we really feel the need to consolidate this year (I don't think it's worth it unless we know Joels injury is reallly bad)..When Blake leaves that will open up more minutes for Rudy but with the way Martell is playing and Batums ability to play lock down defense...I can't imagine we split the minutes at the 3 between those two. Both of them are going to deserve more time on the court.

 

[bigbailes]

Martell is only going to get better and more consistent as he gets older. He's still only 23 like GOD said. I have thought for a while that Martell will be a more valuable asset to this team than Rudy due to the fact that he has improved SO much on defense and is getting smarter every game. Rudy is a good player, don't get me wrong...But I really don't understand why so many people think he could be a "star" on another team. I definitely think he is expendable if we really feel the need to consolidate this year (I don't think it's worth it unless we know Joels injury is reallly bad)..When Blake leaves that will open up more minutes for Rudy but with the way Martell is playing and Batums ability to play lock down defense...I can't imagine we split the minutes at the 3 between those two. Both of them are going to deserve more time on the court.

go back and watch the gold medal game again to know why rudy is so highly thought of. hell, watch that whole olympics. there is a reason nate was quoted as saying he would sit back and grin because he knew rudy was on his roster. rudy is not obsolete and is still a vital part of this team. i would gladly trade bayless before i ever thought of trading rudy.

 

[MrJayremmie]

i would gladly trade bayless before i ever thought of trading rudy.

You'd gladly trade Bayless before anybody. Lets be real here. That isn't saying much.

 

[the ob]

I love what he's doing lately, but (and this a big but) he was maybe the worst shooting small forward in the league not a month ago. If he can keep this up for a full season and show that "Bad Martell" is only going to make cameo appearances once every 5 or 10 games (like a solid starter should/will) and not be an every other game phenomena then I'm all for Martell being a big minute player. I just still need to see more -- as in more consistency; he doesn't have to keep up this torrid recent pace.

this is spot on. we need to see more consistency from him before we get excited. just think a couple of weeks ago, people thought bayless was the next Roy and now look at him. martell has not shown that he can do this for a long period of time.

 

[julius]

It's amazing to see how quick fans jump on and off a players bandwagon.

Rudy misses 19 games, and plays with a bad back most of the season before that, and he's trade bait.
Martell has a solid stretch of games, and all the sudden he's the greatest thing.

There is no point in trading Jerryd, Rudy or Martell. There are reasons to trade Outlaw and Blake.

 

[hasoos]

You know all those people that are thinking Batum will start when he comes back, I think you are going to be dissapointed. I never thought I would say this earlier this year, but Martell is a superior player right now, and you would have to be pretty high to believe that Batum would be scoring at the clip Martell is at the moment. Martells defense has been solid on top of it. The facts are that right now, Martell is a better player than what we saw from Batum at the end of last year. So unless Batum really improved his offensive game, it's not going to happen.

 

[Public Defender]

When I saw the title of this thread, I thought this was going to be another discussion of LaMarcus Aldridge's numbers - because his numbers for the season are about equal to what we're so impressed with coming out of Webster in his best stretch ever, as a Blazer. Interesting how different the expectations are for Portland's #2 option, and #2 overall draft pick (Aldridge) vs. Martell Webster, whom the Blazers picked over Chris Paul and Deron Williams.

All that aside, I think it's great that Webster is rounding into form. This is truly his time. The Blazers will have an interesting dilemma of playing time when Batum and Outlaw return. Because of the injuries at C, I figure we'll see Outlaw playing PF and Aldridge still playing a lot of C. But Batum may have to work to get playing time away from Webster and Fernandez at this point.

 

[hasoos]

When I saw the title of this thread, I thought this was going to be another discussion of LaMarcus Aldridge's numbers - because his numbers for the season are about equal to what we're so impressed with coming out of Webster in his best stretch ever, as a Blazer. Interesting how different the expectations are for Portland's #2 option, and #2 overall draft pick (Aldridge) vs. Martell Webster, whom the Blazers picked over Chris Paul and Deron Williams.

All that aside, I think it's great that Webster is rounding into form. This is truly his time. The Blazers will have an interesting dilemma of playing time when Batum and Outlaw return. Because of the injuries at C, I figure we'll see Outlaw playing PF and Aldridge still playing a lot of C. But Batum may have to work to get playing time away from Webster and Fernandez at this point.

There is no dilmena. Martell is the starter. Batum is the backup SF. Outlaw will come back one month before the season ends at best, and he plays backup PF most of the time anyhow.

 

[Public Defender]

There is no dilmena. Martell is the starter. Batum is the backup SF. Outlaw will come back one month before the season ends at best, and he plays backup PF most of the time anyhow.

We'll see if you're right. If Webster continues to shoot at his current torrid pace, no doubt, you're right. But if his shooting comes back down to earth (as he's done every time in the past), and his defensive effort lags along with it (as has been the trend with Webster in the past), AND Batum picks up anywhere close to where he left off last season - then I could see Webster once again heading to the bench.

I see a potential dilemma coming.

As for Outlaw, you're probably right. Also, as I pointed out, Outlaw will be most needed to beef up the frontcourt, and that's where he'll be playing. Displacing Cunningham and/or Pendergraph isn't much of a problem, I'd say.

 

[hasoos]

We'll see if you're right. If Webster continues to shoot at his current torrid pace, no doubt, you're right. But if his shooting comes back down to earth (as he's done every time in the past), and his defensive effort lags along with it (as has been the trend with Webster in the past), AND Batum picks up anywhere close to where he left off last season - then I could see Webster once again heading to the bench.

I see a potential dilemma coming.

As for Outlaw, you're probably right. Also, as I pointed out, Outlaw will be most needed to beef up the frontcourt, and that's where he'll be playing. Displacing Cunningham and/or Pendergraph isn't much of a problem, I'd say.

Here is the reason I don't think it is going to drop back down. In the past with Martell, it's was either "Wax On" or "Wax Off". He was either hitting everything or nothing. Mostly nothing. Now when he shoots, you will notice it matters very little if his last shot went in. He comes back and shoots with confidence every time. Remember how you would get like one good quarter of play in every 8 quarters, and during that one quarter, he would be extremely on fire? We don't see that anymore. Now you see more of straight shooting percentage Martell, where every quarter he makes some, and misses some.

I have also noticed he has been working on a fake and step in for the easy 2. Nice.


As for Outlaw displacing Pendergraph, maybe, but Pendergraph is going to be playing a lot of backup center this year. I just view it as he will probably play more of that than backup PF once Travis is back.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Here is the reason I don't think it is going to drop back down. In the past with Martell, it's was either "Wax On" or "Wax Off". He was either hitting everything or nothing. Mostly nothing. Now when he shoots, you will notice it matters very little if his last shot went in. He comes back and shoots with confidence every time. Remember how you would get like one good quarter of play in every 8 quarters, and during that one quarter, he would be extremely on fire? We don't see that anymore. Now you see more of straight shooting percentage Martell, where every quarter he makes some, and misses some.

And here's the reason why it's not a lock that this is a permanent condition: All season, Martell has been the only SF on the roster. As long as he wasn't playing horribly, he knew he was going to get minutes. There was no competition for his spot, so he had no reason to look over his shoulder.

But Batum is coming back, and eventually Outlaw as well. What if the presence of competition impacts his confidence? We've all seen in the past that he has not always been the strongest mentally. He's playing with no worries now, but will that continue when last year's much-heralded rookie starting SF returns? I sure hope so, but it's no lock.

 

[hasoos]

And here's the reason why it's not a lock that this is a permanent condition: All season, Martell has been the only SF on the roster. As long as he wasn't playing horribly, he knew he was going to get minutes. There was no competition for his spot, so he had no reason to look over his shoulder.

But Batum is coming back, and eventually Outlaw as well. What if the presence of competition impacts his confidence? We've all seen in the past that he has not always been the strongest mentally. He's playing with no worries now, but will that continue when last year's much-heralded rookie starting SF returns? I sure hope so, but it's no lock.

What if he gets hit by a bus? You can play the what if game all you want, but all we can really go off of is the situation we have at the current time. Last night Rudy played behind him, and when the game started to get questionable, Nate went back to Martell. All last night whenever the game was getting sketchy, it was Miller, Webster and Aldridge who were brought back in to stabilize the unit. That includes with Rudy playing behind him, who is no slouch of a player himself.

Right now, Batum would have to triple his scoring average from last year to put up the numbers Webster is putting up. I don't see that happening.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

What if he gets hit by a bus? You can play the what if game all you want, but all we can really go off of is the situation we have at the current time.

We can go off of both current situation and recent history. Has Martell ever been hit by a bus? No. But in the past, Martell has shown himself to be mentally fragile. To completely discount that possibility is naïve.

Last night Rudy played behind him, and when the game started to get questionable, Nate went back to Martell. All last night whenever the game was getting sketchy, it was Miller, Webster and Aldridge who were brought back in to stabilize the unit. That includes with Rudy playing behind him, who is no slouch of a player himself.

Was the team playing particularly well when Rudy was in? No. Does Rudy play good defense like Batum does? No again. Comparing last night to Batum's presence is apples and oranges.

Again, I'm not saying that Webster's confidence is an illusion--all I'm saying is that we won't know until Batum's back and we see how he responds to legitimate competion for his spot and playing time.