Batum to START season opener

[Reep]

And because he rarely guarded him the past 2 years.

Roy guarded him quite a bit at the end of last season. If someone is going to help out though it might be Blake. Blake has done a decent job in the past. Not lock down, but reasonable. I can't imagine Batum guarding anyone but Rad-man--which might be a great matchup.

 

[Shooter]

This actually reflects very poorly on Outlaw. He should be the one in the starting lineup, but his game is so erratic and one-dimensional that McMillan feels better having him come off the bench.

 

[hhhoggg]

I don't think anyone on our roster can keep him out of the paint, it's what happens after he gets there that'll be interesting. I guess we will see how much respect the refs will give G.O., in game one this season.

 

[PapaG]

It actually makes sense for Nate to do this. Why try to mix Travis with the 2nd unit after starting him the first 6 weeks or so when Martell is out? Let's allow the 2nd unit to gel starting with the first game.
This way, unless Batum completely tanks, he can fill a hole with the starting unit, and unless he completely surpasses every expectation, he will slide back to the bench once Webster is healthy. What I don't want to see again this year is Batum taking 7 shots in a first quarter, which happened in one of the pre-season games.

Hmm, got this one right. Prepare for more insight all season long!

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2008/10/lakersblazers_preview_we_are_t.html

McMillan said part of the reason he chose Batum as a starter was because he wanted to keep his second unit intact. That group - Sergio Rodriguez, Fernandez, Outlaw, Frye and Przybilla - is expected to play an open, fast-break oriented style, which will be in direct contrast to the starters, who are expected to rely on the deliberate pace of Roy and the inside post play of Oden and Aldridge.

 

[Nate4Prez]

You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.

You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.

You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.

You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.

You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.

You cannot build character and courage by taking away people's initiative and independence.

You cannot help people permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves.

--Abraham Lincoln

Lincoln never said any of that.

Fact Check:
http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/l/lincoln-quotes.htm
http://quotes.liberty-tree.ca/quote_blog/William.Boetcker.Quote.C3F9

 

[DaRizzle]

^lol...good find

 

[SheedSoNasty]

What about the possibility of Steve Blake guarding Kobe as well? Didn't he show some success against Kobe?

 

[julius]

What about the possibility of Steve Blake guarding Kobe as well? Didn't he show some success against Kobe?

Yah, I think Kobe only scored 40 on him that game. Does anyone remember who was "guarding" Kobe the year he went off for like 65 against us?

 

[MARIS61]

Batum belongs on the bench, next to Diogu. He's an inexperienced rookie who has had 2 good preseason games.

Nate always seems to play his weakest players in order to not upset his vision of 2 permanent lineups, a starter lineup and a 2nd team.

Completely unrealistic given injuries are a fact of life in the NBA.

His stubborness in adhering to this policy limits his players from developing familiarity with their other teammates, and loses us many a game.

In this instance, Travis, or Rudy, would serve us far better against the Rapers than Batum.

 

[MARIS61]

Yah, I think Kobe only scored 40 on him that game. Does anyone remember who was "guarding" Kobe the year he went off for like 65 against us?

Jarrett Jack.

 

[number 10]

Hmm, got this one right. Prepare for more insight all season long!

McMillan said part of the reason he chose Batum as a starter was because he wanted to keep his second unit intact.

I think that's the polite way to not hurt Outlaw's feelings while keeping his trade value up. If Nate wants the second unit to be a fast paced team, Batum would fit in perfectly there as well.

 

[PapaG]

I think that's the polite way to not hurt Outlaw's feelings while keeping his trade value up. If Nate wants the second unit to be a fast paced team, Batum would fit in perfectly there as well.

So now Nate is lying?

 

[number 10]

So now Nate is lying?

So how many games did Taurean Green win for us last season?

 

[PapaG]

So how many games did Taurean Green win for us last season?

What does that have to do with keeping the second unit intact, as I advocated and Nate is on record with supporting? You are insinuating that Nate is lying in order to not hurt Outlaw's feelings. What is your foundation for this?

 

[number 10]

What does that have to do with keeping the second unit intact, as I advocated and Nate is on record with supporting?

Nate's public comments don't always mean much. Take the Green remark, all the stories about the new fast paced Blazers, Sergio being behind Green at the start of last season and then Green not playing at all.

You are insinuating that Nate is lying in order to not hurt Outlaw's feelings. What is your foundation for this?

My foundation is the fact that at the start of training camp, Outlaw was said to have a shot at starting. He had a poor pre-season and is now on the bench. Are we supposed to believe that it's not a demotion?
Besides, it's not lying, maybe keeping the second unit together is a part of the reason Outlaw's not starting. About 1%, but that's all it takes.

 

[PapaG]

Nate's public comments don't always mean much. Take the Green remark, all the stories about the new fast paced Blazers, Sergio being behind Green at the start of last season and then Green not playing at all.
My foundation is the fact that at the start of training camp, Outlaw was said to have a shot at starting. He had a poor pre-season and is now on the bench. Are we supposed to believe that it's not a demotion?
Besides, it's not lying, maybe keeping the second unit together is a part of the reason Outlaw's not starting. About 1%, but that's all it takes.

So the second unit isn't being kept together, exactly as I said it would be? I'm having a hard time figuring out what your point is other than to "neg" me on factually being correct.

 

[number 10]

My point is that the "second unit being kept together" is almost entirely a load of crap. The real reason Outlaw isn't starting is because he's a one dimensional black hole of a player who doesn't fit in well with other players. Better he's taking away shots from Pryzbilla and Sergio than Roy, Aldridge, or Oden.

 

[Tince]

And because he rarely guarded him the past 2 years.

Times have changed. Last year if Roy got two quick fouls, our turnover-prone backup PG had to come in and Blake would have to slide over to defend Kobe. If Blake got tired or got in foul trouble, we'd have to go with Sergio and Jack. This year, we have a very talented backup SG.

I guess we will see tomorrow who is right, and who is wrong. I'll be surprised if Roy doesn't pick up Kobe the majority of the time in the 1st quarter.

 

[Webster's Dictionary]

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2008/10/breaking_news_batum_to_start_s.html

ugh....0-1 here we come

Some things never change.

If putting Batum in instantly makes our team have no chance, we have no business competing with the Lakers in the first place. However, if Batum struggles we have Travis on the bench who, while being lethargic in preseason, should turn it on at some point, and it may as well be tomorrow.

I'm not too worried. I give it a 35-65 we win. With Webster I would have given it a 40-60.

 

[THE HCP]

Times have changed. Last year if Roy got two quick fouls, our turnover-prone backup PG had to come in and Blake would have to slide over to defend Kobe. If Blake got tired or got in foul trouble, we'd have to go with Sergio and Jack. This year, we have a very talented backup SG.

I guess we will see tomorrow who is right, and who is wrong. I'll be surprised if Roy doesn't pick up Kobe the majority of the time in the 1st quarter.

It doesn't matter who is right and who is wrong. I think it is a huge mistake to put your most valuable player on a player (Kobe) who draws more fouls then almost any other player in the league.

 

[andalusian]

So how many games did Taurean Green win for us last season?

1. Via the Von Wafer trade.

 

[MrJayremmie]

Its the right move. Nate said they are looking for a good 14ish minutes from him at the start of the 1st and 3rd QTRs.

I think he can do it. They said rebounding and D and then on offense just play off what everyone does... cut and get in transition w/ the team. I think this is the best option.

As good as Rudy is, I just don't think starting him and Roy is the right thing to do. Rudy will be a great 6th man for us, but his game is very similar to Roys. Plus, I think someone said that Roy said that he would prefer not to play the SF... and starting him at PG isn't the best option because it will tire him out.

With Rudy and Roy in different units, we have a playmaker on the court at all times. I think that will help our team alot. Similar (kind of) to how nice it will be to have Greg and Joel on the court at all (or at least most of) the time.

 

[RayDavies]

I think Batum will be OK; he can defend the Laker's SFs just fine, although I won't be surprised if he proves to be a liability on offense.

Either way, I am happy that Outlaw isn't going to be out there taking ugly 40% jump shots instead of passing to Roy, Aldridge or Oden.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

OK, I'll go ahead and mention it - the second to last preseason game.

The Roy-Rudy combo starts the 2nd half and the other team promptly goes on
a 12 (13?) to ZERO run. Batum is inserted back into the game, and the team
stabilizes, and goes on to win.

I'm not say Batum is superman. What I am saying is that superstars need
role players - good defenders, good 3 point shooters, smart players, good rebounders,
players that don't try to do more than they should, players that don't make a
lot of turnovers, ... (e.g. Bowen, Camby, Najera, Pryz). What superstars who
come in threes (like Oden-Roy-LMA) don't need is someone to come in and
take a lot of shots without providing the role-player skills.

Batum is a good role player. In years to come, he has the chance to be a very, very
good role player. Travis Outlaw is a good "star"-type player, but a poor role player.
It doesn't make sense to start him along side our big 3.

 

[1 Eye Jack]

OK, I'll go ahead and mention it - the second to last preseason game.

The Roy-Rudy combo starts the 2nd half and the other team promptly goes on
a 12 (13?) to ZERO run. Batum is inserted back into the game, and the team
stabilizes, and goes on to win.

I'm not say Batum is superman. What I am saying is that superstars need
role players - good defenders, good 3 point shooters, smart players, good rebounders,
players that don't try to do more than they should, players that don't make a
lot of turnovers, ... (e.g. Bowen, Camby, Najera, Pryz). What superstars who
come in threes (like Oden-Roy-LMA) don't need is someone to come in and
take a lot of shots without providing the role-player skills.

Batum is a good role player. In years to come, he has the chance to be a very, very
good role player. Travis Outlaw is a good "star"-type player, but a poor role player.
It doesn't make sense to start him along side our big 3.

Good post. I agree I also think Batum gives you a hustle player that possibly gives you a couple of extra possesions that can make the difference in a game (similar to Jerome Kersey).