Batum is the guy that makes me forget about Webster. I still think we could use Outlaw when the scoring dries, but Batum is fantastic.
There were at least two plays in the third quarter I saw where guys passed up shots and you could just feel they were thinking to themselves, "It's not a bad shot, but I'll bet Batum is more likely to score." And they passed it to somebody else who would then pass it to Batum. It'll be interesting to contrast the lasting impact between Batum's 31 point game and Bayless'. I like Bayless a lot, but I think there's more of a flash-in-the-pan element to his career night. He'll put up a few high scoring games over the remainder of the season. But when you get down to it, he draws fouls but he's only a 41% shooter. But with Batum the FG% is astoundingly high. He's at 56%, which is obscene for any forward (let alone small forward), and especially so for one who takes a lot of three pointers. When a guy with that kind of FG% goes for 31, you have to start realizing he's an option on pretty much every play where he's in the game.
wackiest season ive ever seen. hands down. but batum has to do it every night not just here and there.
Man, I don't know how you couldn't. The first year or two, his athleticism just utterly amazed me. That he could reach up so high to block a shot...jeez, I remember thinking all the time "If the dude could just learn to be a basketball player. Holy shit." And then, without me even noticing, I found myself saying, "Damn, he's such an amazing shooter. If only he could use that athleticism and play a little defense, and maybe grow a few brain cells about playing a team game...." I've always felt that Damon Stoudamire was utter horse shit. Except one time. He once said that Outlaw would be a star if he could just put it all together. I've always felt exactly that way. That's what I'm talking about with Batum.
My problem is that I'm too cynical. Where you say "Wow, if only...!" I'm saying, "Yeah, great, except..." For me, Outlaw ever being more than a bench player was always long odds. It took me until this year (you know, when he was traded) to decide that he was more valuable to this team than Webster. Prior, he was (for me) nothing more than "that skinny guy who jumps high to do nothing."
Well, in his first few years I'd say you were overly cynical if you were saying, "Yeah, great, except that 18 year old can't...." I mean jeez... But around the age of 21 or so, I can certainly empathize a lot more with your cynicism. I wasn't there myself, but I can understand it more. Webster's breakout January was the only time I've ever really questioned myself about the endless Webster vs Outlaw debate. I've always been pro-Outlaw. At least until Batum showed me, at 19, what I'd been hoping to see from Travis for six long years.
Ignoring Mills's low-sample size PER - our big 4, PER wise, this season, in order are: 1. Oden 2. Roy 3. Batum 4. LMA
Nic as a starter, through six games this year: 28mins, 13.8pts, 3.3rebs, 1.7asts, 1.3stls, 0.8blks, 1.2 o, 57.7% fg, 48.1% from 3, 100% FT. Sick. Edit: he shoots 4.5 threes per game as a starter, so that % is ridiculous.
Another fun fact: any time Nic has played 24+ minutes he's scored in double figures 7 times http://www.basketball-reference.com...&c3val=&c4stat=&c4comp=gt&c4val=&order_by=pts He's only played 24+ minutes 9 times
Travis Outlaw Shot an AIRBALL 3 today From the dead center top of the key, against the Kings and down by 4 with about 15 seconds to go.....clutch Why did you guys ever trade him?
That is what I was going to say. I like Outlaw, but Batum is better, and Dante is more of the utility guy that we need coming off the bench at the moment. BTW KP made a extremely safe and correct pick by drafting Dante. Even though most of us had no clue about him.
Re: Travis Outlaw Shot an AIRBALL 3 today What you mean to say is that the Kings so greatly fear his clutch performances that rather than attempt to guard him, they all gather around the support in order to move the hoop while the ball is airborn, for that is the only way they can force a miss. A very Maloofish action indeed.
Re: Travis Outlaw Shot an AIRBALL 3 today I'm going to see if I can get Denny to mask the names "Outlaw" and "Blake". From then on, all posts and threads would only say Travis ****** and Steve *****.
