Nicolas Batum: shooting the lights out through history
Nicolas Batum's shooting percentages across the board in this short season are at historic levels. Sure, he is unlikely to maintain it, but this article takes a look at the company he would be in should he continue like this.
almost 2 years ago
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Batum-shakalaka!
Thanks for this. I realize Nic has been golden since he’s been back… but wow! Playing like Bird??? Yeah, Nic. You ARE part of the Big 4, and I’d trade LMA before I’d trade you… Keep up the awesome work!
Pretty amazing, huh?
As I say, surely he can’t keep it up… but he’s definitely proving himself valuable — particularly when you consider what he does on the other end of the court.
Soon my non-Blazers friends will even start to notice… ;)
"You've been warned...!"
A Stern Warning : http://www.asternwarning.com
he's got a repeatable shooting motion with no obvious form flaws
watch Nic on the FT line, it’s like he’s throwing darts. Automatic. The ball nudges the back rim and goes down. He’s shooting 88% coming off shoulder surgery…that’s unreal
and there’s no reason to expect he’ll have a prolonged slump, either
I don’t think most Blazer fans have fully grasped what Portland has in #88. If he just progresses naturally in the next 10 years, he’ll be an all-star SF and the best SF in Blazer history…and he has the potential upside to go even higher than that. He’s also driven to be great, which means it’s unlikely he’ll reach a plateau and then be satisfied just earning a paycheck
Just stay healthy, that’s all I ask. Blazer fans are long overdue for some good karma
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
You nailed it.
It’s a sweet stroke and it’s pretty much the same everytime, whether he’s shooting a FT, mid-range jumper or three-ball.
"I just played my game. I didn't do anything special. Just take the open shot, make cuts to basket, get rebounds. That's it." ~Nic Batum
by vanceanthony on Mar 11, 2010 5:08 PM PST up reply actions
Batum>Bird
"Batum must be french for:
being at the right place at the right time"
- StudMuffin15 @ Rufus On Fire
"I don't always read blogs regarding the Trail Blazers
...but when I do... I read Blazers Edge."
- resurrect_ha28
" I would trade our entire team for Brandon Roy"
- by Slick4President @ Indy Cornrows
by FiveOhThree-RipCity!! on Mar 11, 2010 8:44 AM PST reply actions
French>French Lick
I get the paper, so I don't care!
by Name's Ash on Mar 11, 2010 8:55 AM PST reply actions 3 recs
les savy fav>french kicks
dinasour type of guys choir boys
by mittsabishy on Mar 11, 2010 11:33 AM PST up reply actions
it's impressive but...
I just find it funny that the article dismisses those who have shot better because of their sample size, when the major argument against getting too excited about Batum’s #s is the fact that he’s played only 479 minutes this year.
Don’t get me wrong, for 21 years old and coming off a shoulder injury, shooting those %s is ridiculous and definitely what the Blazers need right now, but if he had done it over the whole season it would have been that much better
BATUUUUUUUUUUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by rip_city_swagger on Mar 11, 2010 10:36 AM PST reply actions
Plus, I'm tired of hearing how good he at "both ends of the court".
Batum needs to start giving at least 110%. He needs to perform on the sides of the court, and in the middle of it too!
#52
It is not his fault Nate doesnt let him jump for the opening tip
Awesomeness (ô'səm-nes)
1. n. Something that inspires awe
2. n. Nicolas Batum
by thomasikehara on Mar 11, 2010 12:11 PM PST up reply actions
The point of the sample size discussion is...
…that a guy who has played between 30 and 100 or so minutes is not comparable to a guy who has played 479 minutes. There is a huge discrepancy between those two things. The guys at the top-end have played between 1500 and 3000 minutes… there is noone else in the middle for the sake of comparison unfortunately!
"You've been warned...!"
A Stern Warning : http://www.asternwarning.com
I agree...
small sample size. Hopefully he can at least somewhat keep it up.
Ooh, I know she did NOT say that!!!!! :)
Blazer's Edge Ambassador to The Dream Shake Blog
I <3 LMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - LMA RULEZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The PENDERBEAST is on the Prowl Looking for an Opposing 4 or 5 to DEVOUR!!!!!!!!!!
That PenderBeast Enforcer Guy seems just a little bit crazy.....and I am loving it!!!!
Has anyone considered
that the small sample size could be pulling Batum’s stats down and not up? Everyone just assumes that he’ll get worse, to some degree, with more minutes. But, what if he’s actually in a slump? He is coming off the shoulder surgery, getting used to a different team (due to injuries and trades) and he’s still super young. What if this is just the starting point?
"In Batum's case he must realize he is very likely the first Blazer to successfully fight over a pick all season..."
-Ben
by Magnum on Mar 11, 2010 3:51 PM PST reply actions 2 recs
then, theoretically, he's be the best shooter in NBA history
I’m not discounting the possibility, since he is so good and advanced for his age, and appears to be continuously improving, but no one has maintained those #s over the course of a career in NBA history
John Hollinger recently did a story on the best shooters in the NBA since the inception of the 3-point line:
http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/celtics/post/_/id/4672398/hollinger-best-shooters-ever
and based on his metrics (players had to hit a certain # of 3s, free throws, etc., play at least 10,000 minutes to qualify), Steve Nash is the best pure shooter EVER with the following stats:
2-Pt% 3-Pt% FT%
Steve Nash .515 .431 .903
and as of right now:
Batum .554 .429 .917
So Nash has the slight edge in 3’s, but Batum is better in FG and FT %. Now Nash’s is for his career and Batum’s is just the 20 some games he’s played this season – but if this is “the starting point” for him – it would make him statistically the best shooter in NBA history
by rip_city_swagger on Mar 11, 2010 4:15 PM PST up reply actions 2 recs
Yes. Let's not fall prey to the tyranny of lowered expectations.
There’s plenty of room for improvement in Nic’s game, including in his shooting. For comparison, note that a marksman equipped with a .408 Chey Tac cartridge may have an effective range of more than 2,400 meters.
#52
You guys have me convinced.
If Nic doesn’t shoot AT LEAST .600/.500/.950 for his career, it can only be seen as a disappointment. BUST CITY HERE WE COME
From Batum's recent blog entry
In early december, I had the right to reshoot, but just in the paint for two weeks. And actually it was a good thing, it makes you work. You don’t realize, but it’s good for the fundamentals, it makes you work on the gesture. I think it’s had an heavy influence on the fact that I’ve been shooting well since I came back. For two weeks, only my wrist has been working, you can not force. Usually you don’t think much about doing it, you just do a series of shots. But just being sat on a chair and working only the gesture for half an hour, it makes you work. Then I was able to move back gradually
Who knew that rehabbing from a shoulder operation was the best way to develop a kid’s record-setting NBA shooting percentage?
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I love Batum
He reminds me of Jordans pull up jumper and he hits it
"Knowledge will get you from A to B. Creativity will get you anywhere." Einstein
Relax fellow Sedgers. Batum is in a shooting slump. He'll come out of it soon.
"What people need to know is that those pictures were taken a year and a half ago, and I've grown since then." - Greg Oden
Something to keep in mind with all the excitement and bird comparison.
I believe bird created his shots.
Batum has guys on the floor who create space for him to make those shots. I think the Kerr example more apt (right now) than Bird or Nash.
That said, I also think Batum is better than Kerr but I’m happily pleased because all championship teams HAVE guys like kerr that can make those shots when needed. I think Batum’s ceiling is much higher than Kerr, but I’d wait on going to bird heights.
"Fernandez, to my eyes, is the Blazer who walks that walk most comfortably. A lot of Portland's fans (egged on, dare I say, by their local broadcasters) lament things like how Ron Artest or Yao Ming get to hit Brandon Roy's arms.
But I suspect Fernandez sees all that and thinks: We get to hit arms! Cool!"
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-39-135/On-Playoff-Experience.html
"I told Pau the Lakers never win here in Portland; I think it's great." -- Rudy Fernandez
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