Batum

[RR7]

Does anyone read and study scouting reports more than this kid? I love how he studies for games by doing that. He mentioned knowing Carmelo would spin after going left, on the play he picked up his 6th foul on. I remember him making similar comments last season when he covered Dirk well, about his pump fakes.

Batum makes me happy for the rest of the season, regardless of who is out there.

 

[HailBlazers]

That was the play of the game for me. The way he defends makes it so easy for the ref to call. He defends with such amazing fluidity, sticking like glue without actually touching the defender, truly amazing.

As far as studying goes, I'm really impressed with all the young guys on this team and their approach to watching game film. Wesley Mathews interview with Wheels last night really drove it home, saying that's what he has to do to keep up his solid play, study film.

 

[BBert]

For a while now whenever I watch Nico I keep thinking of him as our Bobby Gross. A longer, more athletic Bobby Gross. Gross was a player who would get the rebound on one end, run the floor, and score on the fast break on the other. Nico does that all the time after he gets a block or a rebound or a steal, and he did it last night. Gross was one of my favorite Blazers ever and Nico is my favorite Blazer now. Playing in the shadows of Walton and Lucas and Hollins, Gross was an MVP role player -- we would not have won the championship without him. Nico will be that or better, depending on who he has for teammates. Last night, Melo gave Nico a number of elbows, and Nico is not phased. He just keeps dogging you with his calm demeaner. On the play you mentioned, Melo have him a pretty good elbow bump, Nico got back in position, and drew the charge. Play of the game and the game winner, IMO.

 

[mook]

It sucks losing Roy, but watching Matthews, Batum, Aldridge and Camby out there on defense is a thing of beauty. May be the best defensive starting lineup we've had since I started watching this team in the mid-90's.

Denver averages 104 ppg. Watching them struggle for 83 was just so much fun.

 

[BBert]

It sucks losing Roy, but watching Matthews, Batum, Aldridge and Camby out there on defense is a thing of beauty. May be the best defensive starting lineup we've had since I started watching this team in the mid-90's.

Denver averages 104 ppg. Watching them struggle for 83 was just so much fun.

And that was without Joel (and GO ) Portland's defense was very good when it needed to be. It was a thing of beauty. Now, if only we would have made our free throws it wouldn't have been close.

 

[THE HCP]

I was blown away at the fact that Nic only had 14 points last night. He felt like he was everywhere!

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Agreed, agreed, agreed. Nic is a very astute defender and his move to take that charge last night was no lucky guess. He's a smart kid.

 

[Minstrel]

It sucks losing Roy, but watching Matthews, Batum, Aldridge and Camby out there on defense is a thing of beauty. May be the best defensive starting lineup we've had since I started watching this team in the mid-90's.

Denver averages 104 ppg. Watching them struggle for 83 was just so much fun.

And just wait til Oden returns!

 

[mook]

And just wait til Oden returns!

Rise with us!

 

[THE HCP]

REST WITH US!

 

[andalusian]

Rehab with us!

 

[HailBlazers]

Chance To Meet Nicolas BATUM!!!!


http://www.banfield.net/r/portland-trail-blazer-nicolas-basum-helps-feed-hungry-pets-this-sunday

 

[Boob-No-More]

Chance To Meet Nicolas BATUM!!!!


http://www.banfield.net/r/portland-trail-blazer-nicolas-basum-helps-feed-hungry-pets-this-sunday

I'll be there with my youngest daughter. She's a HUGE Batum fan and has been ever since the first time we saw him play. It was a preseaon game against Utah before the beginning of his rookie season. Oden, Roy, and I believe Aldridge all sat out. I was a bit disappointed as I REALLY wanted to see Oden play. So, it was Batum's first NBA start. He played great. He had something like 12 points and three blocks. He went head to head agaonst AK47 and swatted him big time twice. One was on a baseline spin move where Kirilenko tried to drop step around the kid to create some space, but Nic stuck to him like glue and swatted the shot about 12 rows deep. Kirlilenko actually got a chuckle out of it. Probably reminded him of his younger days when he used to average >3 bpg.

Anyway, my daugter has an eye for talent and Batum instantly became her favorite player. I had a black Batum 88 jersey made for her at the first regular season game we attended that year in a youth XS size and she still wears to to every Blazers game we attend. I suspect she'll have it on this Sunday, as well.

BNM

 

[HailBlazers]

Great Story! Love his swatting abilities. He's my fiancee's favorite as well and she has one of those unique woman's Batum jerseys. She's pumped to get it signed!

 

[mook]

And just wait til Oden returns!

I'd say that's "sig-worthy", but I don't view sigs. So I'll let my giraffe chew over it.

 

[mook]

I just wish I'd put it up there three years ago. Kind of feels a little "late to the game" at this point.

I think as long as he's a Blazer, I'll either use the giraffe with that tag line when he's out with injury, or this one when he's healthy:

Oden ain't having that.

 

[BBert]

Boob, I was at that game, and Nico's been my favorite player ever since. He is also my daughters' favorite player, he's the only one they look for and ask about when I take one of them to a game or the game is on TV. The girls dig the French dude. Who'd have guessed?

 

[illmatic99]

He sounds so savvy.

He's a vet now.

[video=youtube;O6pt7etqqhc]

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Here's Batum's third season compared to Pippen's third season... this is a link you can bookmark and compare after each game Batum plays. Specifically, watch the Per36 and Advanced Stats areas.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/tiny.cgi?id=geHkq

 

[Minstrel]

Watching Batum develop is one comfort as a Blazers fan. Of course, it leaves me wondering what it would have been like to combine what Batum will become with a healthy Roy and Oden...

</dream>

 

[Natebishop3]

Between Nic, Wes, and Johnson, I think we have a very solid defensive core to build around. I think Aldridge can be a great defender too when he wants to be.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Watching Batum develop is one comfort as a Blazers fan. Of course, it leaves me wondering what it would have been like to combine what Batum will become with a healthy Roy and Oden...

</dream>

talent has to meet opportunity, and I think if Roy had never suffered any of his debilitating injuries over the past couple of years, there's a good chance Nic never fully exploits his abilities on the offensive end of the court ... which he appears to be only scratching the surface of.

 

[Minstrel]

talent has to meet opportunity, and I think if Roy had never suffered any of his debilitating injuries over the past couple of years, there's a good chance Nic never fully exploits his abilities on the offensive end of the court ... which he appears to be only scratching the surface of.

Certainly possible. My feeling is that the best coaches get talent to play together such that everyone can close to fully exploit their abilities. That's what I look for/hope for from coaching. Whether McMillan is that type of coach, I don't know.

 

[Natebishop3]

talent has to meet opportunity, and I think if Roy had never suffered any of his debilitating injuries over the past couple of years, there's a good chance Nic never fully exploits his abilities on the offensive end of the court ... which he appears to be only scratching the surface of.

A good example was Tracy McGrady. If he had not left Toronto for Orlando, he might not have realized the potential that he had. He had been playing in the shadow of Vince Carter with the Raptors, but on the Magic he became "the man" and was able to flourish.

 

[Minstrel]

A good example was Tracy McGrady. If he had not left Toronto for Orlando, he might not have realized the potential that he had. He had been playing in the shadow of Vince Carter with the Raptors, but on the Magic he became "the man" and was able to flourish.

One can never know, but I think great talent tends to flourish, especially in basketball. In football, players are so dependent on others that, say, a talented quarterback may not emerge if from the start he plays behind a terrible offensive line. But basketball affords players the chance to showcase themselves, if they're capable of it. While McGrady's emergence did coincide with going to Orlando, it also coincided with his fourth season. Kobe Bryant really emerged as a superstar in his fifth year, despite playing alongside Shaq. So I think it was more just getting older and moving further along the development curve.

 

[Natebishop3]

One can never know, but I think great talent tends to flourish, especially in basketball. In football, players are so dependent on others that, say, a talented quarterback may not emerge if from the start he plays behind a terrible offensive line. But basketball affords players the chance to showcase themselves, if they're capable of it. While McGrady's emergence did coincide with going to Orlando, it also coincided with his fourth season. Kobe Bryant really emerged as a superstar in his fifth year, despite playing alongside Shaq. So I think it was more just getting older and moving further along the development curve.

Maybe Ray Allen and Michael Redd would be a better example. Allen was traded and Redd assumed the starting shooting guard position.

 

[Minstrel]

Maybe Ray Allen and Michael Redd would be a better example. Allen was traded and Redd assumed the starting shooting guard position.

Yeah, hard to say. Redd was already in the midst of his second very good season when Allen was dealt. Redd certainly got more shots and so more raw stats...but whether he developed more is harder to say. Maybe.

 

[Natebishop3]

Yeah, hard to say. Redd was already in the midst of his second very good season when Allen was dealt. Redd certainly got more shots and so more raw stats...but whether he developed more is harder to say. Maybe.

Steve Nash? He was behind Jason Kidd in Phoenix and was given an opportunity in Dallas

 

[Minstrel]

Steve Nash? He was behind Jason Kidd in Phoenix and was given an opportunity in Dallas

Wasn't he, at one point, behind Kidd and KJ? I seem to recall Phoenix having all thee point guards at one point.

And maybe. I'm not saying it's impossible that a player could be blocked from realizing his full potential in a situation. Just that I feel most players ultimately rise to their own level in basketball (barring injury).

 

[Boob-No-More]

I'll be there with my youngest daughter. She's a HUGE Batum fan and has been ever since the first time we saw him play.

So, who else went?

Here's a photo of my youngest with her all-time favorite Blazer:

BNM