This right here is exactly what drives me insane about Nico. I love his versatility, athletic prowess, and jack of all trades type game. HOWEVA, doesn't this seriously just encompass everything that is wrong with him? It's not like this is a new development, i'm aware of that. Why is he being TALKED INTO playing aggressive? He gets so passive, shies away from taking shots, has trouble when his game isn't clicking on one end(Bad defense lends itself to disappearing offensively), etc... Again, i'm not trying to hate on the guy, being in triple double territory on a regular basis and filling up the stat sheet is invaluable. The fact that he constantly needs outside motivation, or even simply that he is reluctant to take more than 8 shots in some games is beyond me. At this point in his career he should be willing to shoot through a slump or attack the basket and draw more fouls, and such is the never ending struggle that is watching Batum.
My problem has nothing to do with Nic, but the reaction from others that think he's not doing a fine job.
Patience folks, anyone remember saying this about LMA circa 2009? Guys take a while to mature, not everyone is on the same development path as LeBron James. Batum is still only 25 and finding himself as a player, at least now he is being fairly consistent this year in scoring and defense. Maybe in a few years he might really start to blossom into that player we always really wanted, time will tell.
I'm not denying that he does a great job, like I stated above he does a lot of things VERY well. The thing is, he could be a transcendent player if he had a better mental make up, in my opinion. This isn't a new revelation, he's been a very passive player his whole career. I understand he's unselfish and very good at getting teammates good looks, but that doesn't change the fact that he STILL passes up good shots, doesn't initiate his own offense as often as he should, and generally speaking he disappears for long stretches. If he were more consistent in his assertiveness with the ball, pushing the envelope, and playing with a killer instinct we wouldn't be having this conversation. I understand he is often tasked with guarding an opponent's best player and that we are lucky to have him, but that doesn't mean he couldn't do better. He can do much better, and it's my opinion the difference between where he is and where he COULD be is all on him, an internal issue that he will likely never resolve.
It's really unfortunate that being candid gives so much fuel, in general, to the less-than-faithful, Blazer fan. This "nutshell" assessment of Batum is all shell and no nut. If Batum is invaluable, then why does him being candid about what it's like to be THE MAN that has to defend the best player on any given team, every GD game, and fill in where ever the team is lacking, create so much animus? It's like people don't realize this is what happens in every locker room around the NBA. We're lucky to have this much insight to what gets talked about in the locker room, and it's not a license to read into it and make silly assertions like some kind of "expert" body language PhD. Letting Durant touch the ball is a recipe for a long night, period. Playing the 3rd game in 4 nights is a recipe for tired legs which leads to less than accurate shooting the farther one shoots from the hoop. Batum did what a lot of teams do with Durant and denied him the ball clear past the arc in the 2nd half. It's a gamble because it could back fire with some other player having more room to operate in the paint. Batum isn't able to rebound, or steal, or block, or help when he's 30 ft from the basket. It's OK if your teammates and coach tell you, that is what they need from him. It's not an indictment of Batum, or his mentality. These questions didn't come up when Dame shot like crap time after time this season, and no doubt, his teammates and coach have had to talk to him too when he was struggling to keep doing what he's doing and even to be more aggressive. Lest we also forget Batum is French. He's not a native speaker. When you're in an interview, and your English isn't solid, you speak in simple terms. There is less awareness for things that can be construed more than one way, and your responses are much less nuanced. If people can't identify with that, it's OK. But I can, and I'm saying get off his nut(s)shell.
what exactly is your concern about the wording? That he didn't do that from the get go, or that he thinks he has to do something for the team to win? Doesn't come off, to me, as something to get angry about. If the team "decided" to start playing hard nosed defense, would you be angry?
After much (4 seconds) ponderance, I "decided" you are reaching, and never content with the team you choose to support.
Well, to be fair, there are things that still need to be improved upon, but Nic is hardly the reason for any of that.
Nic is the best wing defender we have, the best passer we have and on any given night a triple double threat. He's made Robin Lopez a double double guy..Nic feeds the post before jacking the 3 which few other players on the team do. When you need a stop, Nico gets one. I love the guy's game. He's special and unselfish. Sometimes his sentences come off dry in English because he obviously doesn't think in English much. In interviews there's hesitation in his word choice or grammar most of the time. As for trading for Carmelo....sheesh! Baffles the mind! You and who's small country are going to pay for the defenseless prima donna?
If I would of started this thread I would be getting called every name in the book. That being said the OP is a joke.
Give it a rest; first off, he's French, so his word choice is gonna be pretty terse. Second off, he's French, so English isn't his first language. Third off, he's French.
Dude he is the 4th option on offense for scoring... So when his teammates tell him to do his thing when they can't he will. Why take shots away from Dame, LA, and Wes if there is no real need to? Batum is playing his role very well this season.
