Batum sheds light on Monty's success in NO

[OneSport3]

In his blog, Batum talks about how Monty Williams was the one that was always on him when he lost focus, especially on defense.

On the other side, I'm fortunate Monty is gone, he'd have crushed me on some sequences. Because I admit that, as a result, sometimes I lose focus. For example against Toronto, Roy was out early in the game and offensively I was fine. I must have had 8 pts in a row and there were three minutes in the quarter. So I told myself "well, he's out, you're fine, that's three systems in a row they announced for you" and I began to relax in defense, I admit. That game, if Monty had been there he would have crushed me.

I always thought Nate was the defensive guy and that Monty helped on the offensive end. But in turns out Monty really emphasized defense with Batum. It is definitely showing with how New Orleans is playing defense so far this season.

 

[Natebishop3]

The plot thickens...

 

[THE HCP]

Monty was like an older brother to Nic. They were very close. In NOLA back in the hallway by the locker rooms, Monty was surrounded by media and was very focussed....... no joke, Nic walks by doesn't raise his head, didn't want to interupt his former coach. Monty looks up and watches him walk by and lost all train of thought. A reporter asked him what it was like seeing his ex-players and Monty paused....... pointed at Nic and said,"That one right there........ I couldn't call him, text him or anything..... had to just cut the ties." Monty knows how special Nic is going to be.