What to do with Nic Batum

[blue32]

Parsons and Batum are very similar on defense, too often they loose focus when playing away from the ball handler. Parsons does a good job when guarding the ball handler, which is why he has held Durant to 38% shooting while guarding him in his career and held Kobe to 36%. Furthermore, Parsons defense issues can be attributed to the Rockets system, which emphasizes gambling and forcing turnovers overs. If either of these guys played in the Bulls system you would see that they are quite similar defensively.

Parsons also has a Def Rat of 103.7 to Batum's 104.5 PER NBA.COM and he has a higher WS both OFF and DEF PER basketball reference. So statistically speaking Parsons is not only the better shooter but the better defender.

I think as a whole, we do overrate Batum quite a bit. The stats are telling. I appreciate him on our team, but I wouldn't care if he was trade-bait for pieces we need. IMO, he's just so inconsistent w/his play from game to game. I wish he would just be consistent.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

Blazers are the only team with 2 of the top 15 scorers in the league. Do the Blazersreally want or need another top scorer in the SF position?

Many of those top SF are scorers that shoot a large volume of shots . . . that is not what the Blazers need from the SF position. They need an all around player who can pass, shoot and rebound and as a luxury someone you can put on the opponent's best scorer in hte last 5 minutes. any SF's around who fits that profile?

 

[BBert]

Same position different roles. I'm happy with Batum. I'd rather have Batum for our team than most of those guys. I think rather than overrate him, we over scrutinize him. Familiarity breeds contempt.

 

[cmeese47]

Blazers are the only team with 2 of the top 15 scorers in the league. Do the Blazersreally want or need another top scorer in the SF position?

Many of those top SF are scorers that shoot a large volume of shots . . . that is not what the Blazers need from the SF position. They need an all around player who can pass, shoot and rebound and as a luxury someone you can put on the opponent's best scorer in hte last 5 minutes. any SF's around who fits that profile?

Kwahi Leonard comes close but he is not the best passer. He certainly can defend, rebound and hit an open shot though. He also never complains about his FGA's.

 

[cmeese47]

I thought melo was considered a pf.

The other 2 might be on par with batum but not better.

Melo has played about 60% of his minutes at PF this year and 40% at SF but overall during his career he has been a SF.

 

[cmeese47]

Parsons defensively has given up 10, 20 point games this year, only allowing Durant to reach 30, which he has twice.

Batum defensively has given up 12, 20 point games this year, Durant has gone over 30 twice and 40 once, Parsons also hit for 30, as did Gay twice, Smith as well, George dropped over 40 and Melo went over 30

In summary Parsons has 8, 20 point games allowed, and 2, 30 point games allowed.
Batum has 3, 20 point games allowed, 7, 30 point games allowed, and 2, 40 point games.

Parsons may struggle defensively at times but when Batum struggles his opponent tends to light up the scoreboard like a Christmas tree.

 

[blue9]

You really don't understand that defense is a team sport, do you?

 

[dviss1]

You really don't understand that defense is a team sport, do you?

Haha! Repped.

 

[cmeese47]

You really don't understand that defense is a team sport, do you?

So the only reason Parsons has not gotten crushed for 30 as much as Batum is because his team defense is better? Or maybe his team defense is better because he is a better defender.

 

[cmeese47]

Blazers are the only team with 2 of the top 15 scorers in the league. Do the Blazersreally want or need another top scorer in the SF position?

The Thunder also meet that requirement although Westbrook needs some more games for it to be official.

 

[riverman]

So the only reason Parsons has not gotten crushed for 30 as much as Batum is because his team defense is better? Or maybe his team defense is better because he is a better defender.

No, Parsons would have been equally crushed but he hasn't played a game for a long time after his injury...give him a shot and he'll get crushed as often as anybody

 

[cmeese47]

If we get that LA every night with 17 FTA's it does not really matter what version of Batum we get.

 

[blue32]

God damn French bones.

 

[cmeese47]

Bump in case he sucks again tonight

 

[The_Lillard_King]

Bump in case he sucks again tonight

10 assists is sucking?

I hope he does suck again tonight . . .

 

[cmeese47]

10 assists is sucking?

I hope he does suck again tonight . . .

He better keep doing something if he is going to shoot 1-5 from the field, he was also the only starter with a negative +-. Thanks to Freeland his +- number was not the worst on the team like it was against OKC.

Whatever he does he needs to contribute or get off the court and let someone else gets some minutes.

 

[Blazer Fanatic]

Great troll bump. smh

 

[bemac]

So, apparently someone was being serious when they started this ridiculous thread? Yeah, find me a better fitting SF for this team in the NBA....

Did someone suggest Rudy Gay???!???!

Wow....Good stuff. Really well thought out.

 

[cmeese47]

Great troll bump. smh

Why thank you

 

[OneLifeToLive]

He was really solid in the first quarter tonight

 

[riverman]

I"ll tell you what you do with Nic Batum.....you start him and play him against the best player on the opposition and understand what a unique and special player he is. You trust in Terry Stotts to know more about Batum's impact on the game than you'll ever know and you cheer when he comes on or leaves the court. That's what you do with Nic Batum!

 

[cmeese47]

Looks like he is starting to figure out how to play with the finger.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Looks like he is starting to figure out how to play with the finger.

sorry my brain's in the gutter.

 

[cmeese47]

Hey look crappy Batum returned tonight and he was joined by in a funk Lillard and Ice Cold Lamarcus Aldridge. Forgettable game that.

 

[maxiep]

Looks like he is starting to figure out how to play with the finger.

Now he just needs to learn to play with a messed-up foot.

 

[cmeese47]

Now he just needs to learn to play with a messed-up foot.

Plus he still has that whole being French thing to overcome.