Batum is good.

[Natebishop3]

With all the negative threads, just thought I'd point out that one of our players is having a good run.

Nic is playing some damn good basketball right now.

15 points, 6-7 shooting, 3-4 from three, 6 boards, 3 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks in 32 mintes.

19 points, 8-17 shooting, 11 boards, 1 steal.

Not bad numbers. I think Batum is finally playing with confidence and it's showing some serious results.

 

[MickZagger]

I thought about that watching the game tonight. Batum seems to get it what it takes. I see him attacking the offensive boards and not just standing outside the 3 pt line on offense. His stroke is smooth a silk too.

I've never really bought onto the idea that he could be as good as Pippen, however I think their games are similar style wise. But, if he can put up stats like that on a consistent basis he could be a key component to a deep run in the playoffs. I think the international ball he played this summer was great for him, the more experience the better for a raw kid like Batum.

Its also awesome that he's only what 21?

 

[RoyToy]

Deadly shooter and good on the break.

Would still like to see him improve his handle. It would make him that much better. Right now he really can't be asked to create offense 1on1.

 

[KingSpeed]

The emergence of Batum is one of the reasons we will be much better this year. He's still so young. He could develop into an elite player in this league.

 

[alex42083]

His ability to play well on both ends of the floor is impressive. His defense in the fourth quarter tonight was real good, from help-side to his individual D. He's just scratching the surface, too, I think..

 

[Further]

Batum is so smooth and athletic, but he also seems to have high bball IQ. I love having multiple players, Roy, Batum, and potentially Wes, that can fill out multiple categories on the stat sheet including pts, asts and rebs all while playing D. Batum will certainly be a huge part of anything the Blazers are able to accomplish this season.

 

[Natebishop3]

I thought about that watching the game tonight. Batum seems to get it what it takes. I see him attacking the offensive boards and not just standing outside the 3 pt line on offense. His stroke is smooth a silk too.

I've never really bought onto the idea that he could be as good as Pippen, however I think their games are similar style wise. But, if he can put up stats like that on a consistent basis he could be a key component to a deep run in the playoffs. I think the international ball he played this summer was great for him, the more experience the better for a raw kid like Batum.

Its also awesome that he's only what 21?

I don't know if I see Pippen... I'm not sure who he reminds me of, but I don't think it's Pip. Yes, there's the defense, and the three point shooting, but Pip was a better ball handler. I'll have to think on it.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

I don't know if I see Pippen... I'm not sure who he reminds me of, but I don't think it's Pip. Yes, there's the defense, and the three point shooting, but Pip was a better ball handler. I'll have to think on it.

Early 2000's version of Andrei Kirilenko.

[video=youtube;dCxYqcsbkJw]

 

[axs88]

He has a PER of 30.4 The best among players who have played 2 games.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Deadly shooter and good on the break.

Would still like to see him improve his handle. It would make him that much better. Right now he really can't be asked to create offense 1on1.

I can't remember who was guarding him last night when he did it, but he had a sweet baseline drive that started from the left wing where he drew three defenders and made a really nice pass to a cutting Camby.

Just because his role on the offense is to mostly NOT create, doesn't mean he can't or doesn't have enough of a handle

 

[Kaydow]

Batum is good, but not "Pippen Good". Nic reminds me more of a Detlef Schrempf - a solid player who can shoot, pass, defend multiple positions, & plays intelligent. Schrempf was more polished offensively, but I think that's where Batum's game is headed. He'll be able to post up smaller defenders, and he'll improve at facing up and either taking a jumper or going to the basket. Most nights Nic is a spot up shooter who grabs/tips a few offensive boards & runs the floor pretty well, but you see flashes of more offensive versatility.

Pippen in his prime was one of the most dynamic players in the game. He could take over games with his defense, scoring, passing. I remember the 2000 WCF after we took Game 2 in LA. Before the game reporters were asking PJ about Pippen's D. He said "Scottie can't guard 5 guys at once". After the Blazers crushed the Lakers in Game 2 Phil said "I was right, he could only guard Shaq, Kobe, & Glen Rice." And that was an "old" SP. It's not fair to compair Nic to one of the Greatest 50 Players of All Time, but he is good. Really Good. I had forgotten that we really didn't draft Nic. Houston did, then traded him to us for the rights to Darrell Arthur and Joey Dorsey. Not a bad move.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Detlef was not a good defensive player at all ...

 

[MIXUM]

CAREER YEAR

 

[Pinwheel1]

Early 2000's version of Andrei Kirilenko.]

Batum is already a better outside shooter than Kirilenko. but AK did fill the stat sheets back in the day.

 

[Boise Blazer]

I posted this in another thread before I saw this one but my 2 cents:

I love Nic's play so far this year. Not that I expect him to but if he rebounds at his current rate so far this year or even close to it we should out-rebound our opponent every night. When you have Camby 10+ rebounds, LA 9+ rebounds, Oden 10+ rebounds, Prz 8+ rebounds and then our small forward Batum is grabbing 7+ rebounds that is crazy. And we have pretty rebounding guards too.

I also really hope that he can continue hitting the 3 ball at a good rate like he has so far. It changes our team and what we can do quite a bit if he can become a consistent threat from 3.

 

[Shooter]

Batum and Camby are the biggest keys to our first two wins. They've taken it up a level this year, and that's been enough to make the difference. Actually, without Camby, we might not have won either of these games.

 

[Kaydow]

Detlef was not a good defensive player at all ...

He wasn't that bad. Certainly not able to cover small guys the way Batum can. But Detlef was a serviceable defender, even late in his career as a Blazer he did alright. It's hard to find a comparison for Batum. The similarities to DS are more offensive I guess.

 

[BGrantFan]

Batum and Camby are the biggest keys to our first two wins. They've taken it up a level this year, and that's been enough to make the difference. Actually, without Camby, we might not have won either of these games.

Camby has been incredible. He is such a smart player; I think he has calmed the entire team down.

 

[Boise Blazer]

Camby has been incredible. He is such a smart player; I think he has calmed the entire team down.

The really great thing about Camby is when I realzied last year that he wasnt just playing that way cuz he was new with us and wanted to impress but instead that he plays that way every night. When Oden and Pryz come back its amazing to think that there will no point in the game when we dont have a monster of a center in the game. We will every opportunity to win games with our rebounding and presence in the middle.

 

[illmatic99]

AK47 was such a beast. A 5x5 threat every night. But I think he was/is a better ball handler than Nic, but Batum is a far better shooter.

 

[STOMP]

CAREER YEAR

his rookie year was very impressive earning a starting spot on a 54 win team. Once he finally healed from injury, last year was a marked step up in production over that. Of course you were mocking him both seasons... remember?

Dude is just 21 and has been improving all along the way. Being even better this year just continues that. It's pretty doubtful this trend ends this season but feel free to dream...

STOMP

 

[Haakzilla]

...Batum is most like T.Prince, especially when he develops his post-up game. I am so glad that he wasn't traded!

 

[andalusian]

his rookie year was very impressive earning a starting spot on a 54 win team. Once he finally healed from injury, last year was a marked step up in production over that. Of course you were mocking him both seasons... remember?

Yes. He was also on the "Webster is better than Batum" bandwagon. Even a broken clock is right every once in a while, but MIXIE is like the blackhole of prediction. All his predictions are just garbage that disappear into the voids of history where he forgets he made them.

 

[hasoos]

The difference between good players and not so good players is the consistency of their game. In order to be a good team, you have to have players who show up every night. Even on their off nights they have to be hard to deal with. So far Batum is starting to get that consistency. I am hoping it might be the consistency to become the #2 scorer on the team.

 

[Ed O]

Batum will be turning 22 in a couple of months.

Pippen was 22 before his rookie year started.

Prince turned 23 during his rookie year.

I don't think it's CRAZY to compare him to Pippen in terms of upside, given Batum's youth and trajectory so far... and I don't think it's unlikely that Batum will be better, this year, than Prince ever was.

Ed O.

 

[maxiep]

Batum is so good I've been forced to rethink my hatred of all things French. The play he made last night when he drove from the left wing and then dished to Camby for the dunk showed a BBIQ of a 10-year vet.

Fuck it, I just need to man up and admit it: Je t'aime Nico!

 

[illmatic99]

Fuck it, I just need to man up and admit it: Je t'aime Nico!

We all do. I don't think there is one Blazer fan who doesn't like Batum. Maybe except that guy on here who was clamoring for Dante to be our SF instead of Nic.

 

[hasoos]

Batum is so good I've been forced to rethink my hatred of all things French. The play he made last night when he drove from the left wing and then dished to Camby for the dunk showed a BBIQ of a 10-year vet.

Fuck it, I just need to man up and admit it: Je t'aime Nico!

You hate all things french? Man that is a lot of hate. I only cut on the french because I am 1/8th french and am allowed to since I am distantly related to them without violating political correctness rules!

 

[mook]

You hate all things french? Man that is a lot of hate.

No doubt. Matisse, quiche, Paris, hot french chicks, crepes, hot french chicks....hot french chicks....

 

[maxiep]

You hate all things french? Man that is a lot of hate. I only cut on the french because I am 1/8th french and am allowed to since I am distantly related to them without violating political correctness rules!

Nah, I was just joking. After hearing Jean Girard's defense of the French, how can you not love and respect them?