Behind The Locker Room Door: At Home With The Lakers

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Nicolas Batum, easily the quietest, most to-himself player on the team, was heading to his locker, when he fixed his eyes on me. I don't know Nic very well, so I can't get a read on why he is staring at me. Then, for the first time all season, we have a conversation that he starts.

"I try,'' he says, smiling wryly.

Try what?

"Pau,'' he says.

And then, it comes to me. See, in the three previous meetings with the Lakers this season, Batum has executed two vicious, in-your-face dunks on Pau Gasol. The second time, Batum punctuated the dunk by flashing two fingers in Gasol's face, as in "That's twice I've administered a facial to you.''

At the time, the two-fingered gesture stunned his teammates. It was so brash, and so uncharacteristic of the shy, quiet Frenchman, who has a docile aura even on his wildest days.

At the same time, his teammates loved it. Frenchie, as they call him, was encouraged to show more bravado.
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That swagger seems to be in everyone. I used to say someone on this team needed to get mad and aggressive, rather than deer in the headlights. I think they've got it in them already, it just has to be brought out more. Experience will make it a more apparent thing in the future.
 
Quick is having an effect. Some have called him tacky in the past. He's might now be called the same...yet in a whole new way. Good stuff.

3ton_quick_10g.gif
 
We have conditioned ourselves to think of the Blazers' Mt. Rushmore as Roy, Aldridge and Oden. But could it be time to start chiseling the likeness of Batum as part of this team's promising future?
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You know, for several months I've had Batum in my sig with those three as the future of this team. But lately, I've stopped going to that. I think I'd rather look at that kind of thing in retrospect. I think right now I'd rather look at them as a great team rather than a group of great individual players. I don't think I'm going to single them out so much, at least not until the off-season.
 
The longer this season goes, the more I think KP knows significantly more than all of us arm-chair GM's do. But that's why we're fan-boys (cept for HCP, who's the real deal) and he's the GM.
 
Just out of curiosity, is anyone here planning on going the "playoff rally" on the 16th?
 
I'm not a big fan of Quick's, but I enjoyed this installment (no fart or erection references, thank you). Batum is my youngest's favorite Blazer - has been since the Utah preseason game. We had a custom black Batum 88 jersey made at one of the games back in November and she wears it to every game. I read the article out loud to her. She loved it.

BTW, Nic's block on Kobe's drive (total cap job) set the tone early last night and let Kobe and the rest of the Lakers know it wasn't going to be an easy night. When a 20-year old rookie totally denies your superstar who is used to getting his way, it sends a message.

Batum's offense will continue to get better, but even if it doesn't, I love what he brings. There's never been an NBA team with 5 players (or even 4) that averaged 20 PPG. Every team needs role players. With guys like Batum and Joel, and even Blake, this team has some great role players that each bring something that helps make the whole of this team greater than the sum of its individual parts.

BNM
 
This is his best one to date, imo. I LOVE Batum... god damn... I think he has more than just Prince in him, tbh. I think his ceiling is in between Prince and Pippen (better than one, not quite as good as the other).

Pippen was a star, Prince is a role player, I think Batum will be the ultimate role-player. Love that kid, man.
 
Batum Sergio and Rudy are very important for u, Freeland and Kopenen will be coming next year or the year after for Kop.
 
As usual, the media horde around Roy's locker was thick as they jostled for position to get as close to Roy as possible. Able to establish front-and-center position was Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune.

As Roy answered the first few questions, he prepared as he always does to administer some lotion to his arms and legs. As he squeezed the bottle of Aveeno lotion, it squirted wildly, splattering a healthy amount of lotion directly on Eggers' crotch.

There was a moment of stunned silence. Most players would just keep talking and act like nothing happened. Roy, ever the gentleman, reached for a towel to clean up his mess, but before anything went further, he thought about the mess, in particular the placement.

"Ahh, I'm not gonna ...'' Roy said sheepishly.
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LOL! I wonder if the media cracked up.
 
Re: Behind the Locker Room Door: LA

fuck quick
 
Nic Batum is rapidly becoming my favourite player on a team full of good "favourite player" possibilities.

Those who recall my Pippen fandom may not be so surprised.
 
feed the rumors

"The last three players in the locker room are Roy, Outlaw and Aldridge. As usual, Roy and Outlaw leave together. Aldridge stays behind, doing an interview with Rebecca Haarlow that is filmed by Casey Holdahl."
 
Minstrel said:
Nic Batum is rapidly becoming my favourite player on a team full of good "favourite player" possibilities.

Those who recall my Pippen fandom may not be so surprised.
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Same with me, except no one will recall my Pippen fandom and I spell favorite without a "u" :devilwink:
 
Another good read. These darn "Behind The Locker Room Door" reports are going to start making me like Quick. NO, can't let that happen.
 
ehizzy3 said:
feed the rumors

"The last three players in the locker room are Roy, Outlaw and Aldridge. As usual, Roy and Outlaw leave together. Aldridge stays behind, doing an interview with Rebecca Haarlow that is filmed by Casey Holdahl."
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What are you trying to imply about the relationship between LaMarcus Aldridge and Casey Holdahl?
 
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