- Joined
- Oct 5, 2008
- Messages
- 127,021
- Likes
- 147,627
- Points
- 115
This is answer that RR7 contributed to weekly Running The Break feature on the Blazers website. Since not all of his answer could be posted there I'm including it in it's entirety here.
An offensive minded Batum works the same way that ANY other threat on the floor hitting shots makes for a better team. Especially one willing to share the ball. Issues seem to arise, I'd think, when Nic begins to stray slightly from what his role is as a glue player on the team. He needs to play with more aggression, while at the same time harnessing that aggression, if that makes any sense at all.
Looking through win/loss splits, the stats that seems to differ the most for Nic are his 3 point shooting, where he drops from a 38% shooter to a 25% shooter in losses, his FT attempts, which go up in losses by about 1 attempt per game, oddly, and his turnovers, which also go up by about 1 per game.
I keep bouncing around with my conclusions on it, but my thinking is that Nic relies more on other players playing well than the reverse is true, that other players excel more when Nic is playing well. If our other guys are on, it makes Nic's role as a glue guy that much easier, because his passes will find their mark more often, guys will be in the right positions, he won't be forcing passes(turnovers), and forcing poor 3 point attempts that drop his % considerably. He is assisted on a higher percentage of shots when we win as well.
As for why he doesn't shoot more, I'd say it's by design. Matthews, Aldridge and Lillard are all better options to be shooting the ball. What we need is more energy out of the possessions he does use, and a greater focus on the defensive end of the ball. I think he occasionally seems unsure of what he's going to do game to game, and seems to choose ok, today I focus on passing, today defense, whatever. When giving greater effort towards the little things would make us a better team.[FONT="][/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
An offensive minded Batum works the same way that ANY other threat on the floor hitting shots makes for a better team. Especially one willing to share the ball. Issues seem to arise, I'd think, when Nic begins to stray slightly from what his role is as a glue player on the team. He needs to play with more aggression, while at the same time harnessing that aggression, if that makes any sense at all.
Looking through win/loss splits, the stats that seems to differ the most for Nic are his 3 point shooting, where he drops from a 38% shooter to a 25% shooter in losses, his FT attempts, which go up in losses by about 1 attempt per game, oddly, and his turnovers, which also go up by about 1 per game.
I keep bouncing around with my conclusions on it, but my thinking is that Nic relies more on other players playing well than the reverse is true, that other players excel more when Nic is playing well. If our other guys are on, it makes Nic's role as a glue guy that much easier, because his passes will find their mark more often, guys will be in the right positions, he won't be forcing passes(turnovers), and forcing poor 3 point attempts that drop his % considerably. He is assisted on a higher percentage of shots when we win as well.
As for why he doesn't shoot more, I'd say it's by design. Matthews, Aldridge and Lillard are all better options to be shooting the ball. What we need is more energy out of the possessions he does use, and a greater focus on the defensive end of the ball. I think he occasionally seems unsure of what he's going to do game to game, and seems to choose ok, today I focus on passing, today defense, whatever. When giving greater effort towards the little things would make us a better team.[FONT="][/FONT]
[FONT="] [/FONT]
