Nice Webster read

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"One of the things I learned is that you have to enjoy this," Webster said. "It doesn't last forever. I kind of took that from Brett Favre. Every time I see him on the field, he's smiling and enjoying every second of it. That's what you have to do. I'm just taking each second and soaking it in for what it's worth."
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I like this. More players need to think like this.

"I don't think anybody's hungrier than me," Webster said. "After taking a year off and experiencing what I experienced, watching my team go to the playoffs, that's probably one of the hardest things (to do) as a professional athlete. I'm definitely hungry and I'm ready to get there again."
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Good read, thanks for posting. Webster is a class act, cant help but wish the guy nothing but the best.
 
Watching the Martell interview it's striking how much he's matured. When he first came to Portland, he was a teenager trying to act mature. Now he is mature. In games, he was thinking and pressing and missing shots, and he was labeled as a head case. Last summer, and even moreso this year, it really looks like his head is together, he knows what he's doing, and he can get out and play. I think Martell has a lot of ability and tools. His maturity and experience are going to push him over the top.
 
I think this is it for Webster, he breaks out this year into a reliable role player or the bust moniker will stick (it already has for some people). I still feel he and Nic are a great combo at the 3. Outlaw really is the odd man out. We'll see though, he's shockingly still here...
 
Idog1976 said:
I think this is it for Webster, he breaks out this year into a reliable role player or the bust moniker will stick (it already has for some people). I still feel he and Nic are a great combo at the 3. Outlaw really is the odd man out. We'll see though, he's shockingly still here...
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Given that he was a #6 pick, "reliable role player" is kind of a bust, isn't it?

When you draft that high, you hope to get at least a solid starter, if not a guy who could contend for an All Star game or two.

Anyway, I'm not his biggest fan, but I'd put him in the "reliable role player" category already. When healthy he's a passable backup SF/SG who can hit some threes, and has the athleticism to play a little defense. It's pretty clear to me he'll be in the NBA for several years to come. What's less clear is if he'll ever be a starter on a good team.
 
In my opinion Webster is a much better fit with the starting unit because of his ability to hit the outside shot. In the playoffs it was really exposed that Roy and Aldridge were the only offense in our starting unit... and once they were handled no one else stepped up. Batum just isn't a threat... he passed the ball like a hot potato... our centers are no offensive threat and Blake while efficient... just can create his own shot. We did amazingly well with that combo, but I think Webster (if he can bring the same D) will add even more.

The only Blazer jersey I bought this decade was a Webster jersey... and I rank him just ahead of Roy as my favorite player. Our whole team is packed with likeable players though... it could be a very fun year.
 
Paxil said:
In my opinion Webster is a much better fit with the starting unit because of his ability to hit the outside shot. In the playoffs it was really exposed that Roy and Aldridge were the only offense in our starting unit... and once they were handled no one else stepped up. Batum just isn't a threat... he passed the ball like a hot potato... our centers are no offensive threat and Blake while efficient... just can create his own shot. We did amazingly well with that combo, but I think Webster (if he can bring the same D) will add even more.

The only Blazer jersey I bought this decade was a Webster jersey... and I rank him just ahead of Roy as my favorite player. Our whole team is packed with likeable players though... it could be a very fun year.
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Agreed. Our starting unit needs more firepower than Batum can provide.
 
Idog1976 said:
I think this is it for Webster, he breaks out this year into a reliable role player or the bust moniker will stick (it already has for some people). I still feel he and Nic are a great combo at the 3. Outlaw really is the odd man out. We'll see though, he's shockingly still here...
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Not really. As much as you and some other posters contest he's a trainwreck, Travis has actually been pretty effective at both forward spots. The offseason, training camp, and in interviews are where Martell traditionally shines... the regular season games are where he's had trouble. I've got him penciled in 4th in line for SF minutes and don't see him getting run at any other position.

STOMP
 
Paxil said:
In my opinion Webster is a much better fit with the starting unit because of his ability to hit the outside shot.
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I've read a lot of people saying this, but the stats disagree. As a rookie Nicolas Batum equaled or bested Webster's career averages in FG% 3pt% FT% TS% and eFG%. Martell has been more of a gunner then Nic, he's just not been a very good one.

Fans seem to have forgotten how mediocre one trick pony Martell has been at performing his one trick

STOMP
 
STOMP said:
I've read a lot of people saying this, but the stats disagree. As a rookie Nicolas Batum equaled or bested Webster's career averages in FG% 3pt% FT% TS% and eFG%. Martell has been more of a gunner then Nic, he's just not been a very good one.

Fans seem to have forgotten how mediocre one trick pony Martell has been at performing his one trick

STOMP
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Batum shoots less because he knows he can't score.

He should get more shots if his percentages are so good, but he doesn't, because if he did, his percentages would drop like a rock.
 
B-Roy said:
Batum shoots less because he knows he can't score.

He should get more shots if his percentages are so good, but he doesn't, because if he did, his percentages would drop like a rock.
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Well, based on their similar stats, it could be said that Webster shoots too much for someone who can't score, couldn't it?
 
B-Roy said:
Batum shoots less because he knows he can't score.

He should get more shots if his percentages are so good, but he doesn't, because if he did, his percentages would drop like a rock.
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huh? How does he shoot the same % from 3's as Martell then? Maybe he shot less because he realizes he plays with even better scorers and helps facilitate whats best for the team? Besides scoring and slightly less FT attempts (which both he and Martell are pathetic at), across the board Batum's stats are just a bit better then Martell's have ever been. He scored at a more proficient rate, and per minute got more steals blocks rebounds & assists then Martell ever has... oh and less turnovers too. According to most everyone who chimes in here at S2 his D was markedly better then Webster's. The team did improve by 13 games last year which is a lot... the difference between these two players factored in that improvement.

STOMP
 
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He shoots the same percentage because he only shoots when the entire defense parts the like red sea and it would be otherise embarrassing for him not to shoot.
 
Paxil said:
He shoots the same percentage because he only shoots when the entire defense parts the like red sea and it would be otherise embarrassing for him not to shoot.
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The year prior Martell had those same wide open looks, he just did less with them and the other shots he jacked up. Batum makes shots at just a bit higher rate then Martell ever has from all over the court. Portland has plenty of equal and better shooters & scorers then both of these guys... these better teammates that Nic deferred to went on to enjoy career years.

STOMP
 
STOMP said:
huh? How does he shoot the same % from 3's as Martell then? Maybe he shot less because he realizes he plays with even better scorers and helps facilitate whats best for the team? Besides scoring and slightly less FT attempts (which both he and Martell are pathetic at), across the board Batum's stats are just a bit better then Martell's have ever been. He scored at a more proficient rate, and per minute got more steals blocks rebounds & assists then Martell ever has... oh and less turnovers too. According to most everyone who chimes in here at S2 his D was markedly better then Webster's. The team did improve by 13 games last year which is a lot... the difference between these two players factored in that improvement.

STOMP
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If Batum was so efficient on offense, then why did he not play more than 20 minutes per game? I mean, the SF position was wide open for him. And with such good efficiency, he should have easily taken some of the load off of Roy and Aldridge, right? We saw how dependent we got on our two scorers in the playoffs.

Oh wait, I know the answer, it's because he was "facilitating what's best for the team."

Give me a freaking break. The only shots Batum took were WIDE open threes and open dunks, because he could hardly make anything else. The guy was tragic on offense.
 
B-Roy said:
The only shots Batum took were WIDE open threes and open dunks, because he could hardly make anything else. The guy was tragic on offense.
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Good description of Webster, too. He certainly wasn't creating any offense against actual defense. He shot when open, nothing more.

Except, remember that one quarter against Utah? How come no one ever mentions that quarter? Webster scored, like, 50 points in one quarter. People should really point that out more, about Webster.
 
Minstrel said:
Good description of Webster, too. He certainly wasn't creating any offense against actual defense. He shot when open, nothing more.

Except, remember that one quarter against Utah? How come no one ever mentions that quarter? Webster scored, like, 50 points in one quarter. People should really point that out more, about Webster.
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In my opinion, Webster, as limited as he is, is still better at creating offense than Batum. I can barely remember a time where Batum generated offense on his own.
 
VanillaGorilla said:
In my opinion, Webster, as limited as he is, is still better at creating offense than Batum. I can barely remember a time where Batum generated offense on his own.
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In his best year (his 3rd) - Webster's AST% of 7.0 is below Batum's rookie mark of 7.8% - and if what we saw at Euroball is indicative - Batum was really limited by his experience/coaching team with what he was allowed to do vs. what he can do...
 
Eye test says Batum can't dribble or create. Until it is proven otherwise I will maintain that stance.
 
VanillaGorilla said:
Eye test says Batum can't dribble or create. Until it is proven otherwise I will maintain that stance.
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stats say he got both more assists and less TO's per minute his rookie year then any of Martell's first three.

I can read the bottom line on the eye chart

STOMP
 
Nico is going to be a star in the league. I'd put bank on it. If Martell can simply play at the level of a good backup, we are set at the position. I have higher expectations for Martell than many. I expect Martell to have his best season, and that includes shooting. IMO his previous shooting problems were mostly mental. Supposedly he's past that. We'll see.
 
STOMP said:
stats say he got both more assists and less TO's per minute his rookie year then any of Martell's first three.

I can read the bottom line on the eye chart

STOMP
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I realize that, as it has been pointed out many times. I usually trust and use stats, but if my gut feeling/eye test or whatever you want to call it goes against the stats, I will trust it more. Unless it is like ridiculous. My stance may be slightly irrational but I don't see it as ridiculous.

If people want, I will come out and say I was wrong if it turns out that I am.
 
B-Roy said:
If Batum was so efficient on offense, then why did he not play more than 20 minutes per game?.
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he wasn't that great offensively, but he was a little better then Martell ever was and much better on D. This year he won't be a skinny 19 year old rookie who barely speaks english, but he'll still be teammates with some solid players who deserve minutes. Rudy specifically deserved PT which pushed Brandon to SF more then ever before and Roy is the best player on the club. Now a bit seasoned and reaping the benefits of a year in the league, I'm looking forward to seeing more of Nic playing alongside Roy & Rudy.

STOMP
 
STOMP said:
he wasn't that great offensively, but he was a little better then Martell ever was and much better on D. This year he won't be a skinny 19 year old rookie who barely speaks english, but he'll still be teammates with some solid players who deserve minutes. Rudy specifically deserved PT which pushed Brandon to SF more then ever before and Roy is the best player on the club. Now a bit seasoned and reaping the benefits of a year in the league, I'm looking forward to seeing more of Nic playing alongside Roy & Rudy.

STOMP
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Batum's opponent's PER at SF: 16.4
Webster's opponent's PER at SF: 16.6
:dunno:
 
VanillaGorilla said:
Batum's opponent's PER at SF: 16.4
Webster's opponent's PER at SF: 16.6
:dunno:
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I think the place where you really saw what Nic can do on defense was not against small-forwards, but against point guards and star small-guards. He is versatile enough to play defense on 3 (maybe 4) positions - but he was just too weak to do the same great job against small-forwards that he did against PGs and small-guards. I suspect this will change and we will see him doing a much better job guarding other players, even the stronger, bigger small-forwards.

Look at it this way - in his rookie year, Nic had a defensive win score of 1.6 in 1454 minutes of play. In his 3rd year, Webster had a defensive win score of 1.6 in 2132 minutes of play... - this right there shows you the difference between them defensively...
 
andalusian said:
I think the place where you really saw what Nic can do on defense was not against small-forwards, but against point guards and star small-guards. He is versatile enough to play defense on 3 (maybe 4) positions - but he was just too weak to do the same great job against small-forwards that he did against PGs and small-guards. I suspect this will change and we will see him doing a much better job guarding other players, even the stronger, bigger small-forwards.
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Batum rarely defended PG's and PF's last year. I don't know where people got the idea that he was actually good at guarding either position.

Look at it this way - in his rookie year, Nic had a defensive win score of 1.6 in 1454 minutes of play. In his 3rd year, Webster had a defensive win score of 1.6 in 2132 minutes of play... - this right there shows you the difference between them defensively...
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What, that they are comparable defenders at the moment? Youth is pretty much irrelevant, Webster is only 22, and since we're in a position to win now, I'd rather take the better player on offense, Webster.

One more thing, since when did Batum become a better three point shooter than Webster? Last year, he took 168 attempts, and made 62 of them, 36.9%. In Webster's second season, Webster shot 250 threes and made 91 of them, 36.4%. In Webster's third season, he took 317 threes and made 123 of them, 38.8%.

Also, Webster is more apt at attacking the basket. In his first year, he averaged 2.4 FTA per 36 mins. Webster also improved his FTA in the following years. In Batum's rookie season, Batum averaged 1.3 FTA per 36 minutes. Neither are great at it, but still, Webster is better.

And while it's true that Batum shot a higher FG% overall, he shoots a lot less than Webster, and if they were to take around the same number of shots, Batum's FG% would be dragged down as well. It's not that I'm saying Webster is great by any means, but I'd rather have his decent offense than Batum's passive no-factor offense. His lack of offensive ability really hurt us last season, and is one of the reason's he couldn't get more minutes even though he was the only true SF on our team last year.
 
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VanillaGorilla said:
Batum's opponent's PER at SF: 16.4
Webster's opponent's PER at SF: 16.6
:dunno:
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Nic usually guarded the opponent's tougher wing each night, and that wasn't necessarily the SF. Heck I'm recalling Tony Parker lighting up the Blazers early on in the season... they then played a couple games close together vs the Spurs where Nic spent a good deal of time shadowing TP with pretty decent results.

Like I said, the opinion of his D is pretty unanimous... keep being a Webster homer if you must.

STOMP
 
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