When Will Batum Start?

Actually the thing I want to see is what I call the the "All D" unit. Bayless, Roy, Batum, Aldridge and Oden all together at once. Lock em down.

 

Starting or ending the game? I have a hard time envisioning Bayless both starting and ending the game with Miller here unless he starts become as clutch as Roy. Though, I like the sound of the all defensive unit and it is the all offensive unit too IMO...

 

It isn't happening this year. I have already given up on that for as long as Blake is here. As Miller gets older he might move to the bench. It all depends on how he holds up.

 

Batum's return is going to be a difficult situation for Nate. It's abit easier right now because Roy is out. When Roy comes back we will see how Nate handles distribution of minutes.


If his approach earlier this season is any indication the team is going to flounder as more guys come back from injury.

 

How many Blazer games until the trade deadline?

 

Hopefully, Batum starts as soon as he's healthy enough to play major minutes. Especially with Roy out, I think Miller/Webster/Batum is the team's best group of perimeter players.

Once Roy returns, it becomes more interesting. I probably still favour Batum over Webster, but Webster's play this month has made it much closer to me than it used to be.

 

What a cunning*** question.

 

Yeah, I don't think Cunningham even needs to see minutes. Play Batum at the 3 for 28 minutes, Webster at 3 for 20 minutes. Shuttle Fernandez and Bayless around at SG to make it work.

 

Rudy has shown signs that he may be ramping his game back up to speed as well. If so, he's in that top 3 question for Nate as he's probably the club's top perimeter shooter and brings more ballhandling/playmaking to the table then either NB or MW

STOMP

 

When did Miller suddenly become a perimeter player? His range is roughly 14 ft.

 

Roy plays what, 40 minutes? If they are all at SG, that leaves 8 minutes for Rudy (his only position is SG, while Bayless can play PG).

 

do you really think BR would have averaged the 2nd most minutes in the league (38.3) if his main backup wasn't down with a back injury?

Besides that, Brandon does run the point pretty often and slides over to cover the other teams 3 when the teams go small (which happens most every game). I know how allergic some are to this scenario, but it makes little difference to me when (for instance) Brandon is still guarding Kobe when the Lakers have him at SF.

If Rudy's game comes back at least to where it was, I bet Nate finds him 25 MPG or so again.

STOMP

 

Well, he averaged 37.2 MPG with that backup last year. I imagine he will always be around 36-38 MPG, don't you?

I was addressing "hasoos", who said that with Batum back, Roy should be able to play all of his minutes at SG. While this very well could happen, it would mean that McMillan chose Webster/Batum over Fernandez. If Roy does play more at SF, which I support and predict, then Fernandez is being chosen over either Webster or Batum. There just aren't enough minutes.

If Roy gets 38 minutes, that leaves 58 minutes between Fernandez, Batum, and Webster. If that was divided evenly, it would be about 19 minutes each. Personally, I do not like that. I value Fernandez and Batum over Webster, even though Martell is my favorite player, but even if Webster got 8 minutes, Fernandez and Batum would be getting 25 each. That is about right for Fernandez and Batum, for now, but in the future I think Batum will demand (with his play, not his voice) 30+ minutes. This is also leaving Bayless and Blake out of the equation, and they both spend time at SG. I know what I would do in a position of power, but I have no clue what Nate and/or Pritchard are going to do.

 

Perimeter player, not perimeter shooter. Generally, the guards/wings are considered the perimeter of the team's offense, with the big men on the interior. With Miller specifically, he generally works starting from the perimeter to drive inside to create shots from himself and others. Though, he's a little bit of a hybrid, since he does play in the post a little bit.

 

2nd half of tonights game?

 

It's my opinion that Jerryd is more worthy of minutes this year then last. I also think that Miller is (sorry Maris) more then just a bit better then Sergio. Travis and Batum have been out not just Webster. Last year to this isn't apples to apples. 40 MPG seems to be overshooting it, wouldn't you agree?

I agree that there seems to be an odd man out. I'd be for dangling Webster and or Rudy maybe packaged with Joel & ? for a youngish talented Big. I'd also like to see Roy at 35 MPG.

STOMP

 

I agree with everything in your post.

 

I hope Batum starts soon, real soon!

 

Probably Friday after how he played last night.