The Batum tracker thread

Well he was well earlier in this season and still played like shit so...

 

He's one dimensional. He's never been able to take his man off the dribble or create his own shot. So if he is not hitting the three point shot and has 'decided' he's not going to move wo the ball for the eve he's pretty much toast as a scorer.

 

Repped

 

He certainly hasn't looked like he usual self for most of the season. Some rest would do him a world of good.

 

I'd much rather give him a week or two off to recharge if that is what is needed then have him play like he has, wouldn't make much difference the way he's played so may as well give it a shot

 

I liked your idea of a month or 2 off. Let him relax and be ready when we really need him

 

Seriously Mags... a month or two?

I used to post here a lot and I still lurk often... you are one of my favorite posters and I love your enthusiastic homerism... but today you almost made me have a stroke.

P.S. I think you meant to say weeks not months

 

Lmao! Dude he hasn't rested since last season. He went straight into Fiba then back to this season. Other players had time off to let their bodies heal.

 

I'm doing well E. Still working/living at the same place. How about you?

Did Crandc finally give up on this place? If so, that's too bad.

On a Blazer note (and in the wrong thread), can anyone figure out that flagrant foul on Wesley? I kept checking to see if the league came out with an oops never mind statement but it never happened.

 

cool, perhaps he can reduce his pay (during his time off) since he played most of the summer once again, fat chance huh?

 

It would be a shame if she gave up on this forum. I personally enjoyed her contributions.

 

Me too... just like I enjoyed PapaG. After posting on all the reincarnations of the old ESPN board with him over the last 15 years I miss him. Now that I've lit that fire cracker I'm going to run and hide.

 

Batum 12 points 4/5 from 3

 

In the previous five games Batum put together a string of mediocre games to slightly raise his PER to 12.6

Mediocre seems like a jab at Batum but it's a HUGE improvement to what he's been putting up the entire season.

Some will bring up the 30-9 record but having one of your starters in this huge of a slump will not fly in the playoffs.

He needs a player who will push him for playing time. He has Wright as his only real backup and Nic continues to coast.

 

We need to trade for Chandler. Consolidate some young talent and maybe a 1st if really necessary and if Batum doesn't get it done then insert Chandler in the starting lineup and force Batum to earn his spot back. I know most likely none of that will happen, but it should at this point. Our SF has been a gaping hole this season.

 

Nic just looked sluggish tonight, like he wasn't up for the game. Seems like that might be between his ears rather than physical fatigue.

 

I think the wrist is still a problem for Nic and that's why he's so tentative as well as inaccurate with his shot. If we had a decent backup SF, I'd be in favor of resting him. As it is, you just have to hope he improves or Olshey makes a trade.

 

Nic was so embarrassingly bad tonight. He kept favoring his wrist. If it really is bothering him he needs to take a few weeks off. Honestly wright and crabbe couldn't possibly play as bad as he currently is.

We need batum to figure out whatever the he is wrong with him before the playoffs.

 

Nic is going through a pretty messy divorce right now so that might be affecting him psychologically, but his play has been absolutely TERRIBLE. It's to the point where we're playing 4-on-5 on offense with him out there. Its magnified even more with that offensive scheme that is based on ball movement and getting an open shot. When the ball is rotated to Nic right now, he can't hit the shot or is hesitant to shoot so he swings it to the next guy. If you're open, most likely the other 4 guys on the floor are covered. So if you pass to a covered guy, it's gonna result in a bad, contested shot.

 

Batum was one of my top players when we first got him. You could see the potential in him, the way he could affect all aspects of the game - scoring, rebounding, passing etc.
However, over the past handful of years I have come to loathe his playing style/energy (or lack thereof).
I can't stand to watch the Blazers play their guts out, and this guy is just loafing around looking like he can't wait for his shift at work to finish.
I don't mind if players aren't the best players around, just as long as they hustle and put in effort to maximise their impact - ie. like Freeland. Or Matthews and Lillard- love Freeland and Matthews work ethic.

Nics play is sooooo bad that I often forget that he's supposed to be a 7-8 year veteran. He often makes head scratching rookie mistakes during games - not paying attention on defense, blown cover assignments, terrible passes that a high schooler would know better than to throw - the guy just flat-out stinks.
To add insult (for fans urging the Blazers on), Batum looks like he couldn't give two shits. His play has sunk to such an unbelievable low that I really think w NEED to trade him, just so that he's not a liability come playoff time.

Additionally Terry should be chastised for not looking to the bench with how bad Batum has been playing.