I would just be happy if the dude could stay healthy. He needs to stop playing international ball during the summer. His body obviously can't handle the stress.
I don't subscribe to this notion. He is only 25. He has done nothing but get better every year. I don't think statistics (on this team) of 17/6/4/1/1 are too much to expect in 2-3 years when he hits his prime. Too many Batum haters/doubters.
Defensively, I think he's gotten worse every year, not better. His first year he was a pretty damn good defender. I think I've been most disappointed in that respect. I don't expect the guy to average 20 ppg, and I love that he was putting up triple doubles, but I just want to see some consistency and better overall defense.
A wrist/hand injury doesn't affect your motor or ability to try. Injury is a given in the NBA, but his 'effort' after his wrist injury was pathetic. He totally mailed it in, for the majority of the season, post injury. He could take some lessons from Lillard, who knows how to play the game on & off the court. Batum has just been honing his game in apathy.
I'm not so sure it's simply a thing of will or desire. Nic regularly gets abused off the dribble. It's a consistent enough thing to lead me to believe he just lacks the quick reactions. He does a nice job with his length affecting or altering the shots once they get by him, but it's still a vulnerability and one that gets in the way of him being an elite defender. Why were we giddy about him defensively early on? He had that epic final sequence stop on Dirk a few years ago, where it was basically length vs length and the playing field was more level. His rookie year, he seemed to have at least one, sometimes a few, lane picks that he'd go coast-to-coast with. He doesn't seem to do that as much now. I think he still has "that" in him when he desires, but that's not enough to call him a great defender.
I guess I'll just have to disagree with everyone who says he isn't a good defender or that he's "gotten worse". I just don't agree with that.
This is bullshit to me. Sorry gotta call a spade a spade... He averages a steal and a block every game.
Puts up 28/7/5 in a WIN against Lebron and Co. here. He Rebound dunks on Lebron at about :59. And at 2:19 "let me steal Wade's pass to Lebron, go coast to coast, roll on BOTH of them, all while getting the foul." Who else does that in the NBA? at 3:03 "yeah let me SNATCH over Haslem, JJ, and Lebron and get the foul so I can make some clutch free throws.." Man... Haters wanna hate though.. [video=youtube;pVp3TY5zVMo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVp3TY5zVMo[/video]
He was playing really well last year up to the point where he got injured. If he could play at the level that he already showed he could achieve, the Blazers will benefit greatly. It's just a matter of him not getting hurt or learning to play through the pain; which is easier said than done.
I think reaction timing is tied into focus, which is tied into intensity. Basically, if you play with a laissez-faire attitude, then you're not going to react as quickly as if you are dialed in and intent on not letting the other guy beat you. IMO, it all comes down desire, and I don't think he has it. However, I also don't subscribe to the theory that that is a characteristic that you either have or don't have. Everybody experiences that circumstance where their pride is insulted to the point where they are determined to prove their detractors wrong. I keep hoping that will happen with him.
A better defensive philosophy/ game plan is needed by the coaching staff. I think most of us agree on that. This would help all of the players in terms of focus and defensive intensity. Hopefully the coaches are working on one as we speak.
As I said before, part of it is on him, but another part of it is on the coaches. We'd all love another Pip, for whom you'd never have to run a play. He'd fill in all the missing parts himself, and end up spreading numbers across the box score (points, rebs, assists, steals, blocks and a great +/-). However, I think for a year or two, we need to FEED Nico. Make him a focus of the offense, perhaps at the expense of some of Lillard's scoring. I think he could approach Deng-like numbers and make life much easier for LA (if he stays) and Dame.
Our offense was pretty good last year. Defense on the other hand was atrocious. My hope is that having a true center will make all the foundational difference on D.
Only our starting 5 offense was good. The rest sucked... We have a bench that can get points and even defend. People aren't seeing the forest through the trees/
I don't know if I agree. It certainly won't hurt having a better defensive center, but if the D breaks down on the perimeter, then to me that means more minutes for Leonard as Lopez will be on he bench in foul trouble. We need a better team defensive strategy.
Our bench scored what? 8ppg last season? Dorell Wright averaged 9 himself off the bench last season. What do you guys (not you mags) think he won't do the same next season?
That's just basketball 101 though. When you have a backstop you can take more chances. You still have to be smart but this holds true to any team.
I thought it was 8ppg last season, but it was around 16-18 points. I was corrected by BNM or someone. Still it was atrocious. Wright and T. Rob should be able to cover at least 15 ppg. We have CJ, Leonard, Claver to cover 20 ppg. Lopez may take a dip from hickson's PPG, but I expect Matthews, Lillard and Batum to have increases in scoring. We are in good shape.
If Batum can stay healthy (with the addition of Wright it should be easier with less minutes played) he will easily be able to step up his game instead of pacing himself for the sake of the team like he did last season. No one wanted to see Luke Babbitt...
