Yes or No? Right now would you play Batum over Outlaw?

[SodaPopinski]

Yes

 

[Tortimer]

I would yes if your talking starting. I really wouldn't start either one but would go with a 3 guard starting lineup of Blake/Roy/Rudy at least until webster comes back or we trade for a good SF at the trade deadline. I like what I have seen from Batum so far but he isn't ready to start IMO.

If your talking about who gets the most minutes I would say Outlaw should coming off the bench.

 

[BrianFromWA]

Start Batum. Especially since it's "Just Preseason".

 

[Tortimer]

Start Batum. Especially since it's "Just Preseason".

Sure I would try it in pre-season for sure. I would let Outlaw get another start but if he doesn't snap out of it I would start Batum until Rudy comes back or Nate wants to try a 3 guard lineup.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I'd move Roy over to the three, but if I'm restricted to just those two options then I think I'd take Batum, his outside J is dicey, but almost every other facet of his game (passing, defense, rebounding, hustle, court awareness) looks miles ahead of "Big Shot" Trav -- how sad is that?

 

[SodaPopinski]

I'm not talking about starting, I'm just talking about which guy you would opt to play more.

Batum has shown me more than Outlaw thus far. When Outlaw is in the game, he isn't playing strong defense, he isn't going to the basket in a smart way. He seriously sucks the life out of the offensive and defensive execution.

Batum may not be the playmaker and shot-maker that Travis is, but in terms of net impact on the game, I'm much more comfortable right now with Batum.

-Pop

 

[The_Lillard_King]

Listening to the FAN on the way in to work . .. there is a lot of Travis hate going on (maybe he is the scapegoat this year).

TO had a break out year last year, developed a repuation as Mr. Clutch, has a good attitude, improved every year since he has been in the league and Nate talked this summer about how valuable he is to the team.

Don't dis him by starting Batum over him in the preseason. IF Webster is hurt, I think the message to Travis should be it is nows your position to win or lose in the pre-season and regular season til Martell get back. He deserves that.

 

[Tortimer]

I'm not talking about starting, I'm just talking about which guy you would opt to play more.

Batum has shown me more than Outlaw thus far. When Outlaw is in the game, he isn't playing strong defense, he isn't going to the basket in a smart way. He seriously sucks the life out of the offensive and defensive execution.

Batum may not be the playmaker and shot-maker that Travis is, but in terms of net impact on the game, I'm much more comfortable right now with Batum.

-Pop

I would want both to get a lot of minutes in the pre-season. I would hope Outlaw would snap out of his funk and I would want Batum to get as much experience as possible. Then it depends how they play before I would say for sure how the regular season minutes went. I would probably say Outlaw would get more minutes at least at first unless Batum blows up in the pre-season.

 

[Tortimer]

Listening to the FAN on the way in to work . .. there is a lot of Travis hate going on (maybe he is the scapegoat this year).

TO had a break out year last year, developed a repuation as Mr. Clutch, has a good attitude, improved every year since he has been in the league and Nate talked this summer about how valuable he is to the team.

Don't dis him by starting Batum over him in the preseason. IF Webster is hurt, I think the message to Travis should be it is nows your position to win or lose in the pre-season and regular season til Martell get back. He deserves that.

I think Both the Fan and 95.5 the game morning announcers are both idiots IMO. Neither team knows what they are talking about.

 

[e_blazer]

Two preseason games doesn't make much of a basis for a decision on Travis. The guy played mostly at the 4 spot last season. He also played off the bench so moving him to the starting spot is a major adjustment where he has to learn how to fit with the starters. I think you have to cut him a bit of slack and use these preseason games as a chance for him to show whether he can make the change. Given that Webster's down, it's not as though there's much alternative anyway. Batum had a nice game last night, but he's a long way from being a starter or even getting major minutes. Once coaches figure out that the guy can't score, they're going to make the Blazers pay on the offensive end by consistently doubling off of him.

Frankly, if Travis isn't showing more by the end of preseason, I think it's time for KP to start looking for a trade that brings a legitimate starting SF to the team.

 

[andalusian]

I would love to see Batum starting - and hope that the PG/Roy and Aldridge hit their open shots - Outlaw coming off the bench might just be better for him.

Anyway, did you notice the Sergio/Rudy/Batum lineup we had last night. Should get Joel Freeland to come over and with Steven of Nazareth this is the Euroleague unit...

 

[Tortimer]

I would love to see Batum starting - and hope that the PG/Roy and Aldridge hit their open shots - Outlaw coming off the bench might just be better for him.

Anyway, did you notice the Sergio/Rudy/Batum lineup we had last night. Should get Joel Freeland to come over and with Steven of Nazareth this is the Euroleague unit...

I didn't know Hill was a Euro?

 

[andalusian]

I didn't know Hill was a Euro?

Nazareth is in Israel. Israeli teams play in the Euroleague. He is an honorary Euroleaguer. Sort of like an Honorary degree - with the purpose of finding a Euroleaguer Center for the squad (We already have a PG/SG/SF and with Freeland a PF).

Of course, we could also bring Kopo over and play him at Center - he would be a short Center but being a playboy - he can pretty much write his own ticket.

 

[Tortimer]

Nazareth is in Israel. Israeli teams play in the Euroleague. He is an honorary Euroleaguer. Sort of like an Honorary degree - with the purpose of finding a Euroleaguer Center for the squad (We already have a PG/SG/SF and with Freeland a PF).

Of course, we could also bring Kopo over and play him at Center - he would be a short Center but being a playboy - he can pretty much write his own ticket.

OH I get you now. It went over my head.

 

[Crimson the Cat]

I don't know this is tough. On one hand I would like to see McMillan allow Batum to start at the 3, like he allowed Bayless to start at the 1 last night. This would give them a different look.

On the other hand, Outlaw is going to be down about that performance. If he's not given another opportunity to redeem himself tomorrow night, then I'd worry about his confidence.

I'm all for trading Outlaw. We have little use for him now. As a small forward he hurts the team. He's never been successful at that position and he never will be. I'd be in favor of moving him to the power forward spot, but we have Frye, who I like a lot more. Until Frye returns, I think Travis is best to back up Aldridge. This would keep his trade value from plummeting and help the flow of the game on D and O.

But still, you've got to give Travis another shot at the 3 tomorrow. Allow him one more opp and hopefully he can at least hit a few buckets, raise his head, and quickly get his ass on the bench!

 

[mook]

Batum has looked better in the first two games, so I'd play him more in the next game.

But I'm also aware that it's a tiny sample size. I'd be very interested to see how he's been doing in practice.

You go with whomever has played better recently.

 

[mook]

On the other hand, Outlaw is going to be down about that performance. If he's not given another opportunity to redeem himself tomorrow night, then I'd worry about his confidence.

Actually, I don't worry that much about Outlaw's confidence. Face it--he's kind of empty headed. Which is actually an advantage in the fourth quarter of a tight game--he doesn't let the pressure get to him, because he just doesn't think about it. Similarly, he has nights where he goes 1-9 because he doesn't let bad shooting stop him. He just doesn't think about it.

Webster, in contrast, has always thought too much, and a bench demotion could send him into a month long shooting slump.

Outlaw might have his feeling hurt by a bench demotion, but I really don't think it'll affect his game much.

 

[Natebishop3]

Not to beat a dead horse, but I've said before that Travis is very limited in certain areas. It is my opinion that he comes off as a ball hog because he really doesn't see what's going on around him. When Nate first got here they said that Travis was having trouble learning the plays. I think when Travis gets the ball he goes into score mode simply because he has a low basketball IQ and doesn't see the things that Rudy or Roy sees. Sad but true.

 

[AgentDrazenPetrovic]

No. I would not play Batum over Outlaw. Outlaw, last year, was fairly good and an offensive player. He needs to learn from his mistakes and focus more on being a defensive stopper and attacking the basket instead of a spot up shooter.

 

[mook]

Not to beat a dead horse, but I've said before that Travis is very limited in certain areas. It is my opinion that he comes off as a ball hog because he really doesn't see what's going on around him. When Nate first got here they said that Travis was having trouble learning the plays. I think when Travis gets the ball he goes into score mode simply because he has a low basketball IQ and doesn't see the things that Rudy or Roy sees. Sad but true.

I don't think it's really sad. If a boxer only has one punch, he'd be a fool not to use it often.

Outlaw's one punch is that he can jump and he can shoot. That's about it. People can get mad at him for being dumb, but what's the point? You might as well get mad at the ocean for getting your feet wet. He doesn't want to be dumb any more than I want to grow old. But he can't make himself smarter, and I can't stop aging.

So the question is, is there a role on this team for a guy who can shoot and can jump? A shot blocker and gunner off the bench?

I don't really see it.

We've got four big-minute players who are 6'11 or bigger, and two of them are Oden and Przybilla. So I don't see a great need for more shot blocking.

We've got Roy, Fernandez, Webster, Bayless, Blake, Frye, Aldridge and maybe Rodriguez, who all can hit a jumper. So I don't see a great need for more shooting.

He's a guy with a limited skill set that's actually a pretty valuable skill set to many teams. We just don't need it.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Overall, I'd say to start Travis as he's an NBA player. That said, he doesn't play the best team ball and that creates an argument for Bamtum.

 

[alex42083]

No, I would not start Batum over Travis.
Outlaw has deserved his shot to prove he can start in more than just one preseason game. I really like Batum's potential, but he still has so many flaws that would magnify if he were to start and play heavy minutes. He's best suited for 10-15 mins per game if that.
He passed up way too many open shots last night, that eventually forced the team into a worse shot against the shot clock. He's not a threat to shoot yet, and needs to build some confidence outside of 10 feet.
But he's definitely a keeper if he can continue to improve.

 

[PapaG]

I'm not talking about starting, I'm just talking about which guy you would opt to play more.

Batum has shown me more than Outlaw thus far.

Wow, THUS FAR??? Incredible considering Outlaw had a 1-12 game. Of course, he did manage to get to the strip 8 times, and he did block 3 shots, so it's not like Outlaw was totally useless. Also, totally disregard the first game, in which Outlaw had 9 points, 7 boards, and 2 assists in 17 minutes while Batum, as one might expect with such a young player, was virtually invisible in 12 minutes of action.

 

[PapaG]

I'd move Roy over to the three, but if I'm restricted to just those two options then I think I'd take Batum, his outside J is dicey, but almost every other facet of his game (passing, defense, rebounding, hustle, court awareness) looks miles ahead of "Big Shot" Trav -- how sad is that?

I am curious where people are getting their information, because based on the first two games, Outlaw is beating Batum in every category other than FG%.

Turnovers were the primary problem last night, so Sergio, Rudy, and Bayless, with their combined 17 TOs, should be saddled with the loss. The great thing about having Oden is that even missed shots can end up as two points, but if the ball is turned over, what should be a great offensive rebounding team doesn't get that opportunity.

 

[Crimson the Cat]

Face it--he's kind of empty headed. Which is actually an advantage in the fourth quarter of a tight game--he doesn't let the pressure get to him, because he just doesn't think about it.

That's true. But, he's had the luxury of coming off the bench into those situations. This is different. The spotlight was on him. At least for me, my eyes were fixed on him for most of the game. Starting and going 1 for bazillion while the opposition is torching you is more defeating than going 1 for 6 off the bench.

I say put him back in. Run some easy kindergarten plays that will make him look good and then put him back down as soon as possible.

The experiment was attempted and failed. Let's just be done with it.

 

[Crimson the Cat]

I am curious where people are getting their information, because based on the first two games, Outlaw is beating Batum in every category other than FG%.

For me, statistics can only help so much in judging players. Outlaw puts up solid stats not only as a power forward, but mainly in isolation sets. He doesn't hardly ever look to pass (ok he chucked it into the paint once last night, but ...). In order for him to look good, the team must look bad.

Batum moves without the ball. He moves his feet well. He knows how to use his body on D. He has a nose for the ball. I saw a bit of this in summer league, so it's not just these two games.

With Frye's emmergence, and Batum's skill set, Outlaw doesn't have a role.

 

[SodaPopinski]

PapaG - my suggestion to you would be to watch the games and not just the box scores.

-Pop

 

[oldmangrouch]

If by "right now" you mean the preseason, then heck yes!

We know what Travis does/doesn't bring to the table. There is no harm in exploring the remote possibility that Bah-toom is actually ready to contribute.

Worst case scenario - he proves he is a long-term project...and if he is as smart as some observers claim, he learns what he needs to work on.

 

[PapaG]

PapaG - my suggestion to you would be to watch the games and not just the box scores.

-Pop

I have been watching the games. I don't see what Batum has done to have Outlaw benched in favor of him. It seems more like a dislike of Outlaw than an objective look at a body of work. Unless, of course, you would pull every player after he had a bad game.

 

[PapaG]

For me, statistics can only help so much in judging players. Outlaw puts up solid stats not only as a power forward, but mainly in isolation sets. He doesn't hardly ever look to pass (ok he chucked it into the paint once last night, but ...). In order for him to look good, the team must look bad.

Batum moves without the ball. He moves his feet well. He knows how to use his body on D. He has a nose for the ball. I saw a bit of this in summer league, so it's not just these two games.

With Frye's emmergence, and Batum's skill set, Outlaw doesn't have a role.

Perhaps in a year, but to bench Outlaw right now if your plan is to trade him doesn't make a lot of sense. So, in other words, that statistics mean nothing, yet personal opinions carry more weight.

Solid.

One bad game and the wolves come out, and I called it 100% in that Outlaw would be the scapegoat.