Blazers in the Olympics

[BoBoBREWSKI]

^ Nice!

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

Pattycakes!

LONDON -- Patty Mills' 3-pointer with time expiring gave Australia an 82-80 win over Russia in the men's Olympic basketball tournament on Monday.
Australia (3-2) clinched fourth in its group and could face the U.S. team in the quarterfinals Wednesday if the Americans beat Argentina in their game Monday night.
Russia (4-1) had already clinched top spot in Group B.
Australia led for most of the game but Vitaliy Fridzon's two free throws gave Russia an 80-79 lead with four seconds left.
Mills, who missed a 3-pointer with less than a minute remaining, got the ball at the top of the key and nailed the game-winner.
Sasha Kaun led Russia with 18 points, and Alexey Shved and Andrei Kirilenko each had 13. Kirilenko sat out the final minute with a cut above the left eye.
Joe Ingles had 20 points to lead Australia and Mills added 13.

 

[HailBlazers]

Nic finished as leading scorer of France. 23pts, 6rebs, 2stls, 1blk, 8/13 FG, 4/9 from 3 in 25mins. FRA wins.

^ Nice!

Veerrry Niiiice

 

[PapaG]

Pattycakes!

Patty has been killing it in the Olympics.

Hey, at least the Blazers have Ronnie Price, though.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

Didnt Freeland play this morning?

 

[HailBlazers]

Hey, at least the Blazers have Ronnie Price, though.

AS a friend and mentor to Damian Lillard, our PGOTF.

Don't tell me you'd rather have a towel waving patty over damian?

(To be fair: Russia weren't trying very hard, as they'd already qualified. But still.)

 

[DUB]

(To be fair: Russia weren't trying very hard, as they'd already qualified. But still.)

I thought they were trying pretty hard. Their coach sure seemed pissed.

Australia had also qualified, and neither team could alter their position; so the game meant nothing other than pride.

 

[PapaG]

AS a friend and mentor to Damian Lillard, our PGOTF.

Don't tell me you'd rather have a towel waving patty over damian?

I'd rather have a towel waving Patty over a journeyman like Ronnie Price.

Not a big deal, though.

 

[DaLincolnJones]

I'd rather have a towel waving Patty over a journeyman like Ronnie Price.

Not a big deal, though.

hmmm Price is a friend of Lillards, has been a mentor in many ways

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

Latest Ben Golliver report: http://www.blazersedge.com/2012/8/6...olympics-nicolas-batum-victor-claver-and-joel
Batum another good game but against inferior competition; Batum is shooting 84% on twos for the tournament. Freeland plays little due to foul trouble and Claver plays little because apparently he stinks.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

Nic and Freeland ranked in the top 10 of group play

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/48715/the-top-10-of-olympics-group-play

Nicolas Batum, France
The lanky forward has had a big offseason, inking a four-year contract north of $40 million with the Portland Trail Blazers Portland after being the chew toy in a tug-of-war between Portland and the Minnesota Timberwolves. After he sputtered in France's opening loss to Team USA, Batum has emerged as one of the more effective transition wings in the tournament. The defense has been decent, if unexceptional, but Batum has slithered his way to a number of rebounds in traffic. There won't be a more interesting player to watch during the quarterfinals and beyond, because for all that production (16.8 points per game on 60.4 percent shooting), our overall evaluation of Batum will be his capacity to take control of the game on at least one side of the ball.

Joel Freeland, Great Britain
The big Brit has been a gritty irritant on both ends, doing his best Nick Collison imitation. Freeland fights front to low post, and has also shown flashes of a nice left shoulder game. He was a horse down the stretch in the heartbreaker against Spain, and his big frame is deceptively mobile, one reason he has nabbed 10.6 rebounds per 40 minutes.

 

[Haakzilla]

Nic and Freeland ranked in the top 10 of group play

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/48715/the-top-10-of-olympics-group-play

...Joel 2.0 is the "banger" that the Blazers so desperately need, and I don't mean the British sausage version of the word banger either.

Nic on the other hand, well had better take over consistently on one end or another next season [no problem, right?]. If not, then hopefully his new contract can still be traded for value.

Either way, I cannot wait for 10-31!

 

[THE HCP]

Nicolas Batum averaged 16.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.0 steals, 1.6 blocks in Pool Play

 

[Nikolokolus]

Nicolas Batum averaged 16.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.0 steals, 1.6 blocks in Pool Play

Funny, but somehow I get the feeling his line is going to be almost identical to that in the league next year.

 

[RR7]

what were his assist numbers? Was really hoping, and I know they have parker, but was hoping to see more of him as a facilitator, and that hasn't seemed to happen. Playing more similar to what he does here.

 

[THE HCP]

Funny, but somehow I get the feeling his line is going to be almost identical to that in the league next year.

I'd be happy with that...... maybe a few more assists. But I'm sure Lillard will have the rock the majority of the time.

 

[THE HCP]

what were his assist numbers? Was really hoping, and I know they have parker, but was hoping to see more of him as a facilitator, and that hasn't seemed to happen. Playing more similar to what he does here.

Parker has that ball 95% of the time.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I'd be happy with that...... maybe a few more assists. But I'm sure Lillard will have the rock the majority of the time.

Parker has that ball 95% of the time.

Much like Parker I suspect Lillard is going to need the rock 90% of the time to be truly effective as a pick and roll guy, with occasional sets where he catches and shoots on the wing. Nic's assist numbers are probably going to stay fairly flat.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

Batum is not a good facilitator and I doubt he ever will be. He lacks the handle and the BBIQ to be a good assist guy.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Watching Freeland against NBA bigs I have a good feeling about him.

I think he'll make an immediate -- think 6'11" Nick Collison.

 

[illmatic99]

Nicolas Batum averaged 16.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.0 steals, 1.6 blocks in Pool Play

...and 60.4 FG%, 38.5% from 3 in only 25.8 mpg.

If those are his stats, then: 1) I'll be pissed that he isn't playing more and 2) he'll be one of the league leaders in PER.

 

[illmatic99]

Nic highlights vs LTU:

[video=youtube;fZrzb7JhxIw]

 

[MickZagger]

Nic's looking super quick in the open court!

 

[illmatic99]

Spain v France on now.

 

[NorthBayBaller]

Batum pulled early I see.

 

[illmatic99]

Nic missed his first 3 shots. Just has 2fts. Diaw and TP dominating.

 

[illmatic99]

Rudy is bringing it. Dude always shows up in big games in FIBA play.

 

[NorthBayBaller]

Nic missed his first 3 shots. Just has 2fts. Diaw and TP dominating.

...and not playing very good D.

 

[illmatic99]

JCN:Spain :: Kobe:Lakers

Dude chucks nonstop while Pau has only taken 3 shots.

 

[illmatic99]

Biggest game of the year for Nic and he's completely invisible. Sad, because there is no one on Spain that can guard him.