To be honest, I'm not that worried about batum this season. Wes is the one that has disappointed me. I was just explained how 10ppg would piss me off
I'm a little worried about Batum. It's like he freezes up when faced with a shoot, drive or pass decision. Wesley? It looks like he is arthritic or something, he is just not moving right, and we need both those guys to score in the starting 5 because Lopez won't get many points and that puts a lot of pressure on LMA and Lillard.
Batum was trying to guard a point guard. Wes was trying to guard PJ Tucker, who is essentially a stretch four. Phoenix poses a lot of problems for us because of the lineup they run.
Atrocious effort by the 'team' in that one. I absolutely detest the way Aldridge and Batum play the game. No intensity, drive or desire at all. Not to mention non existent defense. Aldridge did not have a good game at all. He bobbled the ball every second time he touched it, looked robotic and would have looked far worse if he didn't hit above average on the long 2 shot from 17-20 foot. Guy couldn't rebound the ball if it was scotch taped to his hands!. Batum is just as bad with his effort - he looks like he just doesn't care. Never drives the ball, refuses to shoot and gives up lanes to the hoop to try for an assist pass instead. What a deflating start to the season. IMO the 'old guard' players of Aldridge, Batum and Matthews, should be traded/moved ASAP, and the team should be given a full fresh start under the leadership of Lillard.
I partly agree, but frankly I think Nic has more natural ability to actually take on the role of third scorer AND rebound and create assists. Let's be perfectly honest, money factors into this as well; Nic is being paid to be more than Wesley and with that comes a greater burden and set of expectations.
Batum and Wes played bad. I agree Wes was worse of the two but if either one duplicates that level of play throughout the season they should be benched.
He does pass, our guys just don't make the shots. So he takes it upon himself to win the game. I can't count how many times the Batum's and the Matthews brick up shots after a nice dish from Lillard. Then, how many times have we seen a pick and roll with an LMA flush? Not very often... and it should be there.
That is eerie. It's like he's inside your head. At least, he is stealing your material and should be paying you royalties.
I'm right there with you. I could have counted at least 8 wide open opportunities that bricked from a Lillard pass. A dime takes two players. If your wing can't make a shot, then how do you expect to get an assist. The biggest complaint was how many hesitation shots batum had, after lillard collapsed the defense and kicked it out to a wide open batum.
