Nicolas Batum gets a vote All-Defensive First team

[KingSpeed]

He got one vote for first team and one for second team. That means that one of the 29 coaches thinks Batum is a top 2 defender in the entire league at the forward position. Pretty cool.

http://nba.si.com/2013/05/13/2013-nba-all-defensive-first-team-second-team-lebron-james-tony-allen/

 

[KingSpeed]

Edit: He did not get a vote for second team. Just for first team. A first team vote is worth 2 points.

 

[KingSpeed]

By comparison, only 5 coaches thought Gasol was the best defending center.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Was Nic's mother able to vote?

That would explain this vote.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

I never understand why Chris Paul keeps getting voted on this team. He gets steals, okay, but he's small and not super-quick. I'd love to see stats that say he's better than I think he is.

Conversely, notice that Larry Sanders doesn't get on either team. It always seems to me that this team is made up of "the best defenders amongst the most well-known players". People like Tony Allen only get on when they've independently acquired a rep. They don't get a rep because they're on the team.

 

[Eastoff]

Monty.

 

[Rhal]

I never understand why Chris Paul keeps getting voted on this team. He gets steals, okay, but he's small and not super-quick. I'd love to see stats that say he's better than I think he is.

Conversely, notice that Larry Sanders doesn't get on either team. It always seems to me that this team is made up of "the best defenders amongst the most well-known players". People like Tony Allen only get on when they've independently acquired a rep. They don't get a rep because they're on the team.

I think with CP3 it has to do with past reputation, look at Kobe getting on the All D team the three years before this when his defense had slipped dramatically to were he could defend great in certain sitautions but 80% of the game he less then steller to say the least. . Haven't watched a ton of Paul since he joined the Clippers so I don't know if his defense has slipped but he was a crafty and good defender on NO.

 

[julius]

same guy who voted for Babbitt

 

[Darkwebs]

I'm guessing it's McHale. Batum becomes a swatting machine whenever we play the Rockets.

 

[KingSpeed]

same guy who voted for Babbitt

That was a media award. This is a coaches award. Monty and McHale are good guesses.

 

[julius]

That was a media award. This is a coaches award. Monty and McHale are good guesses.

it was a joke.

 

[Blazer4ever]

He should have gotten more than one vote. He's a better defender than most vote getters, one of the best defenders in the league in my opinion.

 

[magnifier661]

Batum is horrible! We should trade him before he drops like a rock

 

[Rastapopoulos]

This is funny:

Hollins told star forward Zach Randolph, who is not known for his defense, that Randolph had made honorable mention on the NBA's all-defense team.

“I did?” Randolph enthusiastically responded, according to Hollins.

No, the coach said, “I'm just kidding.”

 

[blue9]

^^^Ha ha! But seriously though, Zach has become a much better defender. He's never going to be a rim-protector because he doesn't have the jumping ability, but he plays very solid positional defense now and knows his rotations. Last night he stymied an opponent who was within 1' of the hoop long enough for Gasol to get back into the action to block the shot - Gasol gets the stat, but Zach created the stop. I always said that all he needed was an actual coach to show him where to be on defense, rather than that boob McMillan.

 

[magnifier661]

^^^Ha ha! But seriously though, Zach has become a much better defender. He's never going to be a rim-protector because he doesn't have the jumping ability, but he plays very solid positional defense now and knows his rotations. Last night he stymied an opponent who was within 1' of the hoop long enough for Gasol to get back into the action to block the shot - Gasol gets the stat, but Zach created the stop. I always said that all he needed was an actual coach to show him where to be on defense, rather than that boob McMillan.

You are right. I see Zach in this same way. Personally, I think he is a better one on one defender than Aldridge; which was one of his advantages on the defensive end. Zach isn't afraid to body you up; even if he's hurt. He is a damn good player now! Good for him!

 

[HomerLovesKoolAid]

Batum is horrible! We should trade him before he drops like a rock

Absolutely, Batum is garbage.

 

[magnifier661]

Absolutely, Batum is garbage.

I'm starting to get this "Kingspeed" trolling down!

 

[HomerLovesKoolAid]

I'm starting to get this "Kingspeed" trolling down!

It's just common sense: Everyone knows Nic's best years a behind him. French people are washed up by the age of 23.

 

[magnifier661]

It's just common sense: Everyone knows Nic's best years a behind him. French people are washed up by the age of 23.

And they usually give up when times get tough

 

[HomerLovesKoolAid]

And they usually give up when times get tough

And they smell bad and their woman have mini-hairy wookees in their pants.