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Also missing: LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, etc
Assists are the only thing that stand out with his line. As a SF making $11M per year there's no reason why he shouldn't be averaging at least 13pts and 7reb. Big whoop. Kawhi Leonard is at 13/6 in 29 min a game to Batum's 36 minutes per game. He also shoots 52% and is easily the better defender.
Keep posting the obscure filter of stats, though.

Stats be damned, some people won't budge off of their positions.
Anthony and James aren't on the list because Anthony didn't average 5 assists, and James didn't average 7 rebounds.
Also, while Kawhi Leonard had a very good NBA Finals (18/6/2), his overall playoff stats were 14/7/2, meaning he wasn't consistent, either.
For the season, Leonard went 13/6/2. I suppose saying assists don't matter is one way to try and discredit Batum's season, but when you're asking why Anthony and James aren't on the list with Durant and Batum, you're kind of defeating your own argument.
You compared him to Tayshaun Prince. Have you looked at Prince's numbers?
Last season Batum averaged 13 points, 5 assists, 7.5 rebounds, and 15.8 PER.
Prince never averaged more than 3.3 assists, 5.8 rebounds, and his highest PER was 16.2. Batum's highest PER was 17.3 (twice).
You compare Nic to a guy that never really played as well as Batum already has at 25.
So the difference between Nic's highest PER and Prince's highest PER is 1
The fact that you can't come up with someone else besides Prince as the base line, or Pippen as the extreme, proves how difficult it is to find players like Batum.
How many scoring wings are there in the league? How many have there been in the last ten years? There are a bunch of guys like Kawhi Leonard. He's not a unique snowflake, no matter how much you want him to be.
How many scoring wings are there in the league? How many have there been in the last ten years? There are a bunch of guys like Kawhi Leonard. He's not a unique snowflake, no matter how much you want him to be.
Come up with someone else besides Prince? Why would I do that?
I've already said I think Prince is a pretty good comparison for Nic. Am I' required to think of every comparison possible, while you sit there and don't even make one?
Prince and Batum played pretty similar roles with similar numbers, and both are best suited as role players on championship teams.
Kawhi Leonard is better than both.
You may want to take a look at USG% too before you go down the PER road. Just a friendly hint.
Kawhi Leonard isn't just "a scoring wing". He shoots the 3, hits over 50% from the field overall, has a low usage rate, and plays excellent defense. Shawn Marion and Lamar Odom are the only forwards who have ever put up a season comparable to Leonard's combination of those things. Nobody's ever done it before age 25.
http://bkref.com/tiny/KsoS1
It's not hard to cherry pick stats to make a player unique.
Let's see some player comparisons for Batum since comparing him to Tayshaun Prince is seen as a disgrace on this forum
All welcomed to join in
It's not hard to cherry pick stats to make a player unique.
TS% has more to do with PER than USG%
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Friendly hint
Let's see some player comparisons for Batum since comparing him to Tayshaun Prince is seen as a disgrace on this forum
All welcomed to join in
Yet Nic had a higher TS last year than Prince has ever had (.586 vs. Prince's best of .556 in 2004-05), yet with a much lower USG. The USG is inflating Prince's PER. Again, you're defeating your own argument if you're using PER to strictly measure the players.
Kawhi Leonard isn't just "a scoring wing". He shoots the 3, hits over 50% from the field overall, has a low usage rate, and plays excellent defense. Shawn Marion and Lamar Odom are the only forwards who have ever put up a season comparable to Leonard's combination of those things. Nobody's ever done it before age 25.
http://bkref.com/tiny/KsoS1
It's not hard to cherry pick stats to make a player unique.
I might be wrong on this one, but I'm pretty sure Nic has the highest TS% on our team. (Is TS% the same as AFG% and/or EffFG%?)Yet Nic had a higher TS last year than Prince has ever had ...
For years I've been saying that Nic is the amalgamation of the best parts of Prince, Battier, and Posey.
I think the Prince comparison is apt, but only for the ROLE - Nic is clearly a much better player than Prince ever was.
As to the whole Nic vs Leonard strawman - different roles, teams, and coaches. If you could equalize that then I think there's a very good chance that Nic would be the better player. Leonard has the HUGE benefit of playing for the best coach in the game, on the best team in the league.
Nate was basically saying that he's a dime-a-dozen small forward; that Leonard is good, but Batum is special because he's unique. I was just pointing out that Leonard is pretty unique too.Is anybody saying Leonard isn't a very good player? I assume he was Finals MVP for a reason. He's going to make a lot of money after this season, just like Nic, because he's so versatile. I wonder if Spurs fans will whine if he has a 13/7/5 season?
QUOTE OF THE DAY
This has been my main point this entire thread. You guys and your filtered stat lines you love to create to make a player look awesome and unique
It just doesn't prove much
Nate was basically saying that he's a dime-a-dozen small forward; that Leonard is good, but Batum is special because he's unique. I was just pointing out that Leonard is pretty unique too.
I don't see how posting ppg/rpg/apg/spg/bpg is considered "cherry-picking" stats. These are the basics of basketball statistics. I guess a triple-double should be considered irrelevant, since it's a "cherry-picked" statistic.
Hahahahahahaha! Yeah, Terry and Pops are equals. Sure thing.Well I've been hearing how great of a coach Terry Stotts is. Seems like Nic is in a fine situation, so I don't think the Pop angle applies here all that much.
I agree. Prince was vital to the Pistons championship team. Just as Nic will be to ours. I don't think a Prince comparison is a negative in any way (but it seems like you're trying to make it negative, despite your comments to the contrary). I do think the comp needs to come with the caveat that Nic is definitely a better player, otherwise people will think your saying Nic is only AS GOOD as Prince. The comparison only works on the level of what they provide to their teams (ie, role), not on the level of individual talent and ability.I would agree that Nic is better than Prince, but closer than people here seem to think. Prince was a vital player for those Detroit teams. Very intelligent and played both sides of the floor, and filled the point forward role.
Underrated player.
Natebishop's line saying Batum is a rarer player than Paul George is the worst line of the thread
Like you honestly don't believe Paul George could take a less role, average fewer shots, be more of a facilitator and average at least 5apg?
Come on.
The great players in the NBA could do exactly what Batum is doing right now if they wanted to take a lesser role.
Instead they're too busy leading their teams.
Hahahahahahaha! Yeah, Terry and Pops are equals. Sure thing.
I agree. Prince was vital to the Pistons championship team. Just as Nic will be to ours. I don't think a Prince comparison is a negative in any way (but it seems like you're trying to make it negative, despite your comments to the contrary). I do think the comp needs to come with the caveat that Nic is definitely a better player, otherwise people will think your saying Nic is only AS GOOD as Prince. The comparison only works on the level of what they provide to their teams (ie, role), not on the level of individual talent and ability.
They're also making max money. Batum's production for $11m is right in line for what he gives the team. I think he's a bargain at this point, actually, and wonder how much it's going to cost the Blazers to re-sign him.
