Sean Elliott: Batum is the best SF in the league

[KingSpeed]

That's what he said during the telecast. I'm not making this up. He said he couldn't think of anyone better. I guess that means Batum has passed Durant? What do you think? Do we have the best SF in the league? Will he be an All Star?

 

[3RA1N1AC]

durant and lebron have been playing more pf...i mean batum was top 7 last year according to per, a modest improvement puts him top 5...not bad

 

[Nikolokolus]

I guess if Durant, Lebron and Carmelo all start playing power-forward then this claim might make sense. Regardless, I don't think Nic is going to the all-star game any time soon, because he'd have to be voted in by the coaches and this team is going to be way below .500 by February.

 

[3RA1N1AC]

if he can keep up 19.3/6.2/3.2 with 2.7 steals he is gonna make a case, but the team is gonna have to win first

im liking those numbers though

 

[crowTrobot]

PER career high 21.8

23+ without the OKC game

 

[crowTrobot]

PER career high 21.8

23+ without the OKC game

err..

basketball reference has him at 21.8, hollinger 18.11. thought they were both using hollinger's formula
but maybe not.

 

[3RA1N1AC]

hollinger might not be updated yet

either way, if he can keep this up, yay

 

[crowTrobot]

hollinger might not be updated yet

either way, if he can keep this up, yay

both say 6 games

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Trust Basketball Reference; they have better nerds.

 

[Further]

His contract doesn't seem crazy right now

 

[Natebishop3]

His contract doesn't seem crazy right now

No it doesn't. Going to be interesting to see if he can keep it up. Apparently all he needed was to get away from Nate McMillan.

 

[handiman]

He needs to show he can play with that focus, intensity, and consistency against any team, not just those with his favorite Euro rivals.

 

[THE HCP]

C'Mon Eric......you have returned to your rare form. Threads like this are ridiculous. I won't read the comments above, but I'm sure they mention 'Bron and Mello and KD. This type of thread just gives people and excuse to bash on him whether he deserves it or not. Nic has slowly been getting better. It looks as if this offense will help him grown even more. I laughed at people freaking out over his contract. You have to overpay to keep a hot commodity. Reminder to doubters that he is only 18 month older then Dame if I remember correctly. ALL THAT SAID....... please stay in your lane with these nut job thread topics. Up and coming........ clearly not the best!

 

[jlprk]

^You win the Nutjob Post of the Day award! Anyway, I just wanted to say that Sean Elliott was just as effusive in his praise for Matthews and Aldridge. Non-Blazer fans always find our TV guys to be sarcastic little homers compared to those of other teams.

Maybe Rice learned this attitude from HCP, the true punk power behind the throne!

 

[Masbee]

That's what he said during the telecast. I'm not making this up. He said he couldn't think of anyone better. I guess that means Batum has passed Durant? What do you think? Do we have the best SF in the league? Will he be an All Star?

Top 10. Fine. Definately.

Top 2. Not a chance.

Sorry.

 

[crowTrobot]

Top 10. Fine. Definately.

Top 2. Not a chance.

Top 1 olympic nut puncher

 

[BrianFromWA]

Chris Paul isn't giving up his title that easily

 

[HailBlazers]

DeMarcus Cousins suspended two games for confrontation with Sean Elliott

 

[RoyToy]

Sean Elliott

 

[jlprk]

The Kings big man can be a very unfiltered stream of consciousness on and off the court, especially when he gets going. Elliott is the same way at the broadcast table when his Spurs are playing, well, poorly or even just breathing. Put the two together, and you get a very awkward combination...

Elliott is a pretty big homer for the Spurs by broadcasting standards on the local telecasts you'll find on NBA League Pass. He seems to often be rooting for the Spurs...What would have been fun is if both Elliott and Cousins had to perform their duties in the next game with a muzzle of some sort. I don't see how that could go wrong for both parties.

This explains why he overpraised the Blazers the very next night. He knew he was in a tiny bit of trouble.

 

[KingSpeed]

C'Mon Eric......you have returned to your rare form. Threads like this are ridiculous. I won't read the comments above, but I'm sure they mention 'Bron and Mello and KD. This type of thread just gives people and excuse to bash on him whether he deserves it or not. Nic has slowly been getting better. It looks as if this offense will help him grown even more. I laughed at people freaking out over his contract. You have to overpay to keep a hot commodity. Reminder to doubters that he is only 18 month older then Dame if I remember correctly. ALL THAT SAID....... please stay in your lane with these nut job thread topics. Up and coming........ clearly not the best!

Dude. I didn't say it. Sean Elliott did. It's a worthy comment to discuss and not ridiculous to discuss. If you read the thread, you'd see that people mentioned Melo, KD, and LeBron are all playing PF. They also posted Nic's very impressive all around stats. So who is better? Paul Pierce? Who else?

 

[THE HCP]

Dude. I didn't say it. Sean Elliott did. It's a worthy comment to discuss and not ridiculous to discuss. If you read the thread, you'd see that people mentioned Melo, KD, and LeBron are all playing PF. They also posted Nic's very impressive all around stats. So who is better? Paul Pierce? Who else?

I know you didn't, it's just such an outrageous statement it doesn't deserve a reply. How about a thread titled.....Where does Batum at SF rank in the NBA?

Then I would answer

1-'Bron
2-Durant
3-Melo
4-Nic
5-Pierce
6-Gay
7-Deng
8-Iguadala
9-Granger
10-Galinari
The last 3 are interchangeable



How is Nic $$$$ wise in comparison to those other guys?

 

[BlazerBeav]

I know you didn't, it's just such an outrageous statement it doesn't deserve a reply. How about a thread titled.....Where does Batum at SF rank in the NBA?

Then I would answer

1-'Bron
2-Durant
3-Melo
4-Nic
5-Pierce
6-Gay
7-Deng
8-Iguadala
9-Granger
10-Galinari
The last 3 are interchangeable



How is Nic $$$$ wise in comparison to those other guys?

HCP, don't post without reading the thread (which you admittedly did). Eric didn't make the claim, Sean Elliot did. And as has been pointed out, your top 3 are all playing PF.

 

[maxiep]

All it takes is for Nico to be on a shitty team, then he's a producer. Let's not forget two years ago, we were thinking he'd be the fourth or fifth best player on this team. That's how far we've fallen.

 

[illmatic99]

How is Nic $$$$ wise in comparison to those other guys?

Nic is at the bottom of that list $ wise with Gallo. He got market rate-- those saying we overpaid simply don't know the market. Actually, if he keeps up his current production, he's probably underpaid.

 

[maxiep]

Nic is at the bottom of that list $ wise with Gallo. He got market rate-- those saying we overpaid simply don't know the market. Actually, if he keeps up his current production, he's probably underpaid.

If he continues his current production, then we're in real trouble. On a good team, Batum is a fourth or fifth fiddle.

 

[illmatic99]

Well he's third best now behind LA and Dame. Why is that so bad?

I don't think our high level talent is all that bad. It's not stellar, but I think I'd take our big 3 over at least 25 teams' top 3. But our 4-12 as an aggregate are probably worst in the league.

 

[handiman]

Nic is at the bottom of that list $ wise with Gallo. He got market rate-- those saying we overpaid simply don't know the market. Actually, if he keeps up his current production, he's probably underpaid.

I get your point, but my problem with that line of thinking is that all of the people on the bottom half of that list are considered overpaid. Batum fits in right between the two groups. And really, SF is regarded as one of the easiest, if not the easiest, positions to fill in the NBA. So, unless you've got one of the difference makers at the very top of the list, it doesn't make much sense to pay someone like a franchise player when you could get more impact for your dollars elsewhere (small market issues aside).

 

[RoyToy]

If he continues his current production, then we're in real trouble. On a good team, Batum is a fourth or fifth fiddle.

I agree with the premise of this post.

But at this point I'm also not convinced Aldridge is our #1. We don't know if Lillard is a #1 yet either.

This team still needs another big impact player, and that would make Nicolas 4th in line. That looks a lot better.

 

[Public Defender]

Batum is among the best SFs in the NBA. Aldridge is among the best PFs. Lillard might be among the best PGs, but we haven't seen him in enough games to know that yet. Wesley Matthews is starter-worthy, but middle of the pack. JJ Hickson isn't a center, but he's not a bad stop-gap solution there.

The biggest reasons the Blazers won't win that many games are #1 no bench, and #2 lack of experience (other than Aldridge, Matthews and Batum). Batum is very good, but whether his production maintains at the current level or goes up or down a bit won't matter much to the Blazers' winning percentage. That won't improve until the Blazers can improve their depth or have a few players mature ahead of schedule.