This was Nic's best game

[Natebishop3]

He really set the tone early, on offense and defense. He really brought the effort. He was attacking. His defense on Parker was amazing. I wanted him to get that triple double, but either way he was truly awesome tonight.

 

[ehizzy3]

He's had a great playoffs

 

[Natebishop3]

His defense on Parker was very Pippen-esque.

 

[ripcityboy]

Was fun to see him go through a game without one of his famous dry spells. Great overall numbers too. He was too assists away from a triple double.

 

[Haakzilla]

His defense on Parker was very Pippen-esque.

...and he should have been guarding him all series

 

[KingSpeed]

I think Batum has been the best player in the series. Of either team.

 

[jlprk]

Batum and Robinson had good boxscore lines because Stotts is learning to sit Aldridge, who usually hogs all the free uncontested rebounds.

 

[Natebishop3]

...and he should have been guarding him all series

Yup. Who knows Parker better than Nic? He should have been on him from minute one.

 

[KingSpeed]

Yup. Who knows Parker better than Nic? He should have been on him from minute one.

To be fair, Nic did guard Parker a lot of the first three games. We just finally started him in Parker which of course made a big difference.

 

[illmatic99]

Putting him on a PG wakes him up for some reason. I think he has been our best player in this series.

 

[craigehlo]

I think Batum has been the best player in the series. Of either team.

I think Parker might have something to say about that.

Batum and Barton pushing the ball in transition was a huge key in not digging an early hole.

 

[BBert]

Nico's trade value has never been higher.

 

[BBert]

Barkley was singing his praises after the game. At least someone besides us noticed. Those four Batman to Robin plays early in the third quarter were huge. If I'd been doing the game recap, I'd have shown those back-to-back-to-back-to-back.

 

[Natebishop3]

Barkley was singing his praises after the game. At least someone besides us noticed. Those four Batman to Robin plays early in the third quarter were huge. If I'd been doing the game recap, I'd have shown those back-to-back-to-back-to-back.

I missed out on what TNT was saying after the game. Did they have any good analysis?

 

[BoomChakaLaka]

He's had a great playoffs

No. He finally played ball!

 

[blue32]

'bout time.... dude needs to bring that every game from now on.

 

[illmatic99]

In these playoffs, through 10 games, he has averaged:

15.7pts, 7.2rebs, 4.8asts, 1.3stl, 2.2 TO, 48% FG, 37% 3pt, and 90% FT in 42mpg, and not to mention mostly stellar D

Those are just SICK #s from a third fiddle. Wonder why is PER is only 15.5 though. Maybe because of his high mins.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

In these playoffs, through 10 games, he has averaged:

15.7pts, 7.2rebs, 4.8asts, 1.3stl, 2.2 TO, 48% FG, 37% 3pt, and 90% FT in 42mpg, and not to mention mostly stellar D

That are just SICK #s from a third fiddle. Wonder why is PER is only 15.5 though. Maybe because of his high mins.

Because PER is largely influenced by usage. His usage rate is only 16.7%. If he had those same numbers with more shots (like LMA's 30.3% usage rate), his PER would be much higher.

Of Blazers with at least 100 minutes in the playoffs, only RoLo has a better Usg/PER ratio than Batum.

 

[blue9]

Nic has easily been the best Blazer in this series - but not the best player overall.

 

[illmatic99]

Because PER is largely influenced by usage. His usage rate is only 16.7%. If he had those same numbers with more shots (like LMA's 30.3% usage rate), his PER would be much higher.

Of Blazers with at least 100 minutes in the playoffs, only RoLo has a better Usg/PER ratio than Batum.

Ah good call. These numbers are suggesting that he should have a higher USG then, no? We saw that in a vacuum last night and he/we did pretty well even if he had 5 TO.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Batum really improved his trade value.

 

[blue9]

Ah good call. These numbers are suggesting that he should have a higher USG then, no?

The offense looks a lot better when Nic is making plays, rather than dumping the ball to LMA for a fade-away.

 

[Natebishop3]

In these playoffs, through 10 games, he has averaged:

15.7pts, 7.2rebs, 4.8asts, 1.3stl, 2.2 TO, 48% FG, 37% 3pt, and 90% FT in 42mpg, and not to mention mostly stellar D

That are just SICK #s from a third fiddle. Wonder why is PER is only 15.5 though. Maybe because of his high mins.

The guy has been huge for us. Not just on offense but on defense.

 

[BBert]

I missed out on what TNT was saying after the game. Did they have any good analysis?

No. They were goofing around like clowns. That's what they get paid for I guess. But Barkley, twice, tried to interject that in his opinion Batum was the Blazers MVP in that game.

 

[BBert]

Because PER is largely influenced by usage. His usage rate is only 16.7%. If he had those same numbers with more shots (like LMA's 30.3% usage rate), his PER would be much higher.

Of Blazers with at least 100 minutes in the playoffs, only RoLo has a better Usg/PER ratio than Batum.

I don't know if it affects PER, but notice the Nico spends the most time on the floor with the scrubs of any starter.

The thing about Nico is that he is just so damn unselfish. I know a lot of posters think that's a bad thing. But that's the way he is. Even last night, as well as he was playing, he passed up wide open shots to give the ball to an open teammate.

 

[Natebishop3]

No. They were goofing around like clowns. That's what they get paid for I guess. But Barkley, twice, tried to interject that in his opinion Batum was the Blazers MVP in that game.

He was the man last night. Dame scored the most points, but that was in the second half when he had Patty on him. You can see Dame's eyes light up as soon as Patty comes in the game. He just abuses him. Nic was huge all game. I actually saw him take people into the post. He was aggressive. He was in charge. He was our point guard. He really is starting to turn into Pippen. Maybe not Pippen from the Bulls, but definitely Pippen from the Blazers.

 

[blue9]

I don't know if it affects PER, but notice the Nico spends the most time on the floor with the scrubs of any starter.

The thing about Nico is that he is just so damn unselfish. I know a lot of posters think that's a bad thing. But that's the way he is. Even last night, as well as he was playing, he passed up wide open shots to give the ball to an open teammate.

I understand why that might make some fans upset, but it's one of the reasons Nic is my favorite player. From watching him play I see that his hierarchy of importance is:

#1 - Team Success
#2 - Success of his teammates
#3 - Personal success

 

[chris_in_pdx]

The only media quote you need to take away from last night's game:

"Batum was the difference in the game. When he plays like that, they are tough to beat. He was amazing."

Someone please print that out and plaster it on Batum's locker.

 

[blue9]

Dame scored the most points, but that was in the second half when he had Patty on him. You can see Dame's eyes light up as soon as Patty comes in the game. He just abuses him.

Oooh, another thing I noticed us do last night was run the P/R to get the switch, then have Lillard back it out and ISO against the C/PF that's guarding him. Why haven't we seen this before? I don't want it to be a staple like the Roy-era, but whenever we run the P/R we should try to get a switch. Lillard is so much better at ISOing after a switch, than he is trying to navigate through two defenders and another teammate.
I don't think it was actually a play-call from Stotts, but rather Lillard just recognizing the situation and taking advantage of it. If we add this to his offensive arsenal, and then he develops a floater and a stop-n-pop then he'll be unguardable.

 

[Natebishop3]

Oooh, another thing I noticed us do last night was run the P/R to get the switch, then have Lillard back it out and ISO against the C/PF that's guarding him. Why haven't we seen this before? I don't want it to be a staple like the Roy-era, but whenever we run the P/R we should try to get a switch. Lillard is so much better at ISOing after a switch, than he is trying to navigate through two defenders and another teammate.
I don't think it was actually a play-call from Stotts, but rather Lillard just recognizing the situation and taking advantage of it. If we add this to his offensive arsenal, and then he develops a floater and a stop-n-pop then he'll be unguardable.

He burned the hell out of Splitter at least once.