Game Thread Sorry... My first negative thread!!!

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Mote

Mote

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I can't stand it anymore. It has been with great patients that Nic has received a pass by myself and most fans. I've had it!
I am sick and tired of his turn overs (and I don't care what the stat line says for HIM tonight) and lackadaisical play. I'm finished, though I've been a staunch fan of his from the beginning. If Neil finds a trade for someone with decent ability... let it rip. If Nico isn't willing to forgo his national team and commit to being a pro... screw him.

He had 9 unforced turnovers/broken plays from his possession of the rock. Absolutely inexcusable. It makes me sad, but he has outlived his usefulness on the Blazers.
 
I'm not too worried about Batum's long term prospects. I'm fairly sure 26 year old players nearing the prime of their careers don't just drop off like a rock. He's obviously hurting, tired, played too much during the summer and it's coming back to bite him now. As far as this season goes, we're probably going to have to live with this version of Batum unless they shut him down for awhile. I hope he takes the summer to rest up instead of playing for France, and hopefully he gets back to being the player he was next year.
 
Batum is just the latest scapegoat. He's just banged up. He'll get it turned around. Might need some rest though. Some fans were just DYING for batum to struggle. There's always been these huge expectations on the guy like he was the next Pippen. He's under appreciated by many in rip city.
 
I love how people are still defending Batum to the death around here. Batum has been one of my favorite players since he became a Blazer. But the guy is paid 11 million dollars a year for a reason, and that reason is not to play like absolute shit. He deserves the criticism he has been receiving this year.
 
JFizzleRaider said:
I love how people are still defending Batum to the death around here. Batum has been one of my favorite players since he became a Blazer. But the guy is paid 11 million dollars a year for a reason, and that reason is not to play like absolute shit. He deserves the criticism he has been receiving this year.
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'

Of course he does, but do you really think he's regressed as a player?

He was worth the money up till this point.
 
Guaranteed contracts.

He's going to get his $11m this season.

#coasting
 
Scalma said:
Batum is just the latest scapegoat. He's just banged up. He'll get it turned around. Might need some rest though. Some fans were just DYING for batum to struggle. There's always been these huge expectations on the guy like he was the next Pippen. He's under appreciated by many in rip city.
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Batum isn't the scapegoat for me he just isn't performing. I love the guy and would love to see his game come back. I don't want to trade him but I wouldn't mind him resting. And more importantly we can't afford to sit back and wait for his game to come back. It totally fucks our offense when he isn't a threat. We need someone we can plug in when he isn't getting it done and we need more from our bench anyway so it's a group thing for me anyway not just Batum.
 
B-Roy said:
'

Of course he does, but do you really think he's regressed as a player?

He was worth the money up till this point.
Click to expand...

Honestly I don't know. I doubt he has regressed, but he isn't your average 26 year old. He has played for many years and never takes time off. He has a lot of miles on his body from this. Last year Batum looked great. This year he just looks terrible and it's really hurting our team. He keeps grabbing his wrist during games, if that were the case he should take a month off. Crabbe filling in for him seemed to work fine earlier in the season and teams wouldn't play off Crabbe as much as they are Batum right now. He needs to rest, get his mind right, do whatever he needs to do to fix himself before the playoffs. That's what the Blazers pay him for, to help the team. Not to play like garbage and hurt our team.

It's actually pretty sad.
 
Playing for team France is partly to blame.

When will GM's ask their highly paid players to take a break?

Mark Cuban hit the nail on the head on this subject.
 
B-Roy said:
I'm not too worried about Batum's long term prospects. I'm fairly sure 26 year old players nearing the prime of their careers don't just drop off like a rock. He's obviously hurting, tired, played too much during the summer and it's coming back to bite him now. As far as this season goes, we're probably going to have to live with this version of Batum unless they shut him down for awhile. I hope he takes the summer to rest up instead of playing for France, and hopefully he gets back to being the player he was next year.
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Scalma said:
Batum is just the latest scapegoat. He's just banged up. He'll get it turned around. Might need some rest though. Some fans were just DYING for batum to struggle. There's always been these huge expectations on the guy like he was the next Pippen. He's under appreciated by many in rip city.
Click to expand...

Did you two even read my post? No shit Sherlocks... he does need rest... because being the hero on his Euro National team has been his focus. The point was he needs to decide whether he is a national player or a pro in the NBA. Nico is too frail, more than most, of keeping that kind of commitment and the one he has to the Blazers. Not being argumentative, but his focus is not one for the goals set forth by the Blazer organization. I love Nico for the player he could be, but his distraction is becoming relevant to trade scenarios. He is well into his "big contract" so assuming growth or even recovery is not a wise thing. And Scalma, I do appreciate your posts and insights, but Nicola Batum is not a scapegoat to me. I'm just sick and tired of the mistakes a true "PRO' would not make on a continual basis... i.e. lazy, bad decisions and lack of aggression.
 
JFizzleRaider said:
Honestly I don't know. I doubt he has regressed, but he isn't your average 26 year old. He has played for many years and never takes time off. He has a lot of miles on his body from this. Last year Batum looked great. This year he just looks terrible and it's really hurting our team. He keeps grabbing his wrist during games, if that were the case he should take a month off. Crabbe filling in for him seemed to work fine earlier in the season and teams wouldn't play off Crabbe as much as they are Batum right now. He needs to rest, get his mind right, do whatever he needs to do to fix himself before the playoffs. That's what the Blazers pay him for, to help the team. Not to play like garbage and hurt our team.

It's actually pretty sad.
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Thank you! Exactly my point. The man is getting paid to play 82+ games a year. If his current loyalty is to the French National Team, fine. Let someone else take his leftovers. Those of us who run or have run a successful business would take a much different attitude of an employee who will not make our business a primary focus rather than a loyalty toward a non-profit they ascribe to supporting.
 
I starting to get fed up too but guess what?

This is not a game thread and there is already a Batum Tracker thread that gets plenty of posts that this can be merged into.

We can discuss it some more to death in there.

Thanks mods!
 
JFizzleRaider said:
Honestly I don't know. I doubt he has regressed, but he isn't your average 26 year old. He has played for many years and never takes time off. He has a lot of miles on his body from this. Last year Batum looked great. This year he just looks terrible and it's really hurting our team. He keeps grabbing his wrist during games, if that were the case he should take a month off. Crabbe filling in for him seemed to work fine earlier in the season and teams wouldn't play off Crabbe as much as they are Batum right now. He needs to rest, get his mind right, do whatever he needs to do to fix himself before the playoffs. That's what the Blazers pay him for, to help the team. Not to play like garbage and hurt our team.

It's actually pretty sad.
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Definitely agree. It's up to Stotts to make that decision though. Batum obviously wants to be out there, shitty game and all.
 
He's a good kid.

But it's extremely frustrating that were talking about a guy that is tired and guy that needs to sit for a few weeks. To me there is no excuse for this. Who is the one writing the damn check here? It's the Blazers. It's not France. Who is being effected now due to all the basketball that's being played It's not France, it's the Blazers. If I was the owner, I would look into charging him back some of that money that is being dulled out this year. He's just not producing what he is bringing in.

The bottom line is the Blazers cannot allow him to continue to go about his business they way he has been. He needs to rest and take care of himself. And if he is unwilling to do that. Than he needs to go.
 
I believe we're undefeated this year when he doesn't play. He killed our momentum in the last two games with sloppy play.
 
Dude is injured, it's pretty simple.

Not 100%, and his confidence is shot.
 
His shot will come back eventually. Getting impatient, but I am not too worried about that. It happens.

What bugs me is his passing. He is out there trying his best, but someone has to tell him that his bounce passes are just too risky. Defenders know it is coming. He needs to be more fundamentally sound. Hit his teammates in the chest (Unless it is an ally oop) or don't try it. Stop making the same pass to bench players that you do to starters who are used to playing with you. Nic is in a bad slump...no doubt
 
I think the excuse that he's been playing for the French National team has affected his play is not valid. Both Gasols have been playing for the Spanish National team haven't missed a beat. Marc is having a MVP caliber season and Pau is having a renaissance year.
 
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I think its more his wrist.... He favors it so much during the games. He also seems to fall on it at least once a game. Why isn't Crabbe getting any run? He was playing nice the first quarter of the season.
 
I think Stotts should give Crabbe a few starts and reduce Nico's mins until he is back to 100% Have him lead the second unit for a bit.
I would like to see them give mins to Victor as well because I think he is great on defensive rebounds and he couldn't play worst then Nic at the moment.
 
OneSport3 said:
I think the excuse that he's been playing for the French National team has affected his play is not valid. Both Gasols have been playing for the Spanish National team haven't missed a beat. Marc is having a MVP caliber season and Pau is having a renaissance year.
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I agree. Blaming it on his Summer is kinda weak. He plays for them every Summer. I also distinctly remember posters in here lauding his off-season play due to his new found ability (at the time) to run the pick & roll. You can't have it both ways people...
 
Mote said:
He had 9 unforced turnovers/broken plays from his possession of the rock. Absolutely inexcusable.
Click to expand...

Typical. The turnover stat doesn't measure his many lazy screw-ups per game. This has been going on his whole career.

Batum thinks he's a point guard. Aldridge thinks he's a wing shooter. Both of our forwards refuse to play their positions conventionally.
 
dviss1 said:
I agree. Blaming it on his Summer is kinda weak. He plays for them every Summer. I also distinctly remember posters in here lauding his off-season play due to his new found ability (at the time) to run the pick & roll. You can't have it both ways people...
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You can agree, but the cognitive dissonance between the original post and your following statements are profound. How, if you could extrapolate, is his continual participation in the Euro games not a factor? What does his inability to function in that vein now say about said talent in the NBA? It is the mental make-up and commitment to his NBA team that is in question... not his basketball IQ or potential talent. Nico is a finesse player, not an inside banger. He needs to choose between the NBA and his national team... pure and simple. He came into the season saying he needed rest, but guess what, to late. I still have hope Stotts will rest him, but (you know BUT) that should not be necessary for a pro being paid what he is. Think back to what Parker told him during the finals for France. Tony knew he couldn't afford to put out more and laid it on Nico's shoulders. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate what Nico can do on the court, the problem is HE hasn't brought it for damn near half a season when in uniform for the Blazers.
 
Fez Hammersticks said:
Playing for team France is partly to blame.

When will GM's ask their highly paid players to take a break?

Mark Cuban hit the nail on the head on this subject.
Click to expand...
That's just the thing, one side of you wants to say, ok, you suck now, let's bench you for awhile and if rest is what you need, hopefully you'll come back to form. But why should a guy take a break while he's getting paid millions when he's supposed to rest during the offseason.
 
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