120 Guarantees: the Nic Batum thread

[316Hornets]

Here is the clip of Batum passing up the wide open 3.

http://www.espn.com/video/clip?id=18997079

Pivotal point in the game and he passes up a shot like that? What are we paying him for exactly?

That pass is like the equivalent of a QB seeing a streaking wr running down the side line wide open, but instead opts to throw it over the middle where your other wr is going to get destroyed by the mlb.

[yosemiteben]

I didn't mind the pass, Marv was wide open under the basket. He should have used the rim to protect the ball.

[316Hornets]

I didn't mind the pass, Marv was wide open under the basket. He should have used the rim to protect the ball.

Marv wasn't wide open. Once he caught the pass, Lebron was already right on his back. If he tried to put it in on the other side of the rim, Love could have blocked it. While if Batum took the shot, which should be a high % shot you'd think, Marv would have a shot at a putback from his position.

[yosemiteben]

I didn't mind the pass, Marv was wide open under the basket. He should have used the rim to protect the ball.

Marv wasn't wide open. Once he caught the pass, Lebron was already right on his back. If he tried to put it in on the other side of the rim, Love could have blocked it. While if Batum took the shot, which should be a high % shot you'd think, Marv would have a shot at a putback from his position.

Nah, I disagree. Look at that video, he was standing unguarded under the rim. That should be a very high % shot. He has to finish strong. Dunk it. He went up soft and got blind sided by LeBron. Love was not in a position to contest it.

[SWedd523]

I didn't mind the pass, Marv was wide open under the basket. He should have used the rim to protect the ball.

Marv wasn't wide open. Once he caught the pass, Lebron was already right on his back. If he tried to put it in on the other side of the rim, Love could have blocked it. While if Batum took the shot, which should be a high % shot you'd think, Marv would have a shot at a putback from his position.

Nah, I disagree. Look at that video, he was standing unguarded under the rim. That should be a very high % shot. He has to finish strong. Dunk it. He went up soft and got blind sided by LeBron. Love was not in a position to contest it.

dude you kill me every time with the devil's advocate contrarian in teal shades act.



Down 6
3 minutes left
a wide open, in rhythm shoot he stepped into
And he passes it to a guy who has his back to the rim and two dudes within arms reach of him

You can not defend that play at all.

[316Hornets]

I didn't mind the pass, Marv was wide open under the basket. He should have used the rim to protect the ball.

Marv wasn't wide open. Once he caught the pass, Lebron was already right on his back. If he tried to put it in on the other side of the rim, Love could have blocked it. While if Batum took the shot, which should be a high % shot you'd think, Marv would have a shot at a putback from his position.

Nah, I disagree. Look at that video, he was standing unguarded under the rim. That should be a very high % shot. He has to finish strong. Dunk it. He went up soft and got blind sided by LeBron. Love was not in a position to contest it.

Looking at this picture, Marvin couldn't have gone up on the left side without taking another step. Love already had a foot in the restricted area and James had his foot in the area as well. I don't see how that is a higher % shot than Batum taking a wide open 3.

[fatlever]

Batum has to take that shot.

[yosemiteben]

In both pictures I see Marvin standing wide open, unguarded under the rim. I would have liked the shot, but I was perfectly fine with the pass. When you are standing next to the rim with no one within four or five feet of you, reasonable to think that will result in an extremely high % shot. If Marv goes up strong, that's a dunk and-1.

Not being contrarian, but that is literally about the highest % shot you can hope for. Dunk the damn ball.

[BatumtheGlue]

He should take that shot, that was a bad decision making by him. Nic just doesn't have that killer instinct and the clutch gene, he is your 3rd best player in a contending team at best.

[SWedd523]

I think it's safe to say we have varying definitions of 4 or 5 feet

[yosemiteben]

I think it's safe to say we have varying definitions of 4 or 5 feet

I mean Marv is pretty much under the rim and LeBron is easily a foot outside the lane guarding Cody

Would have preferred the shot, but not mad at the pass.

[LamarMatic7]

I didn't mind the pass, Marv was wide open under the basket. He should have used the rim to protect the ball.

Marv wasn't wide open. Once he caught the pass, Lebron was already right on his back. If he tried to put it in on the other side of the rim, Love could have blocked it. While if Batum took the shot, which should be a high % shot you'd think, Marv would have a shot at a putback from his position.

Nah, I disagree. Look at that video, he was standing unguarded under the rim. That should be a very high % shot. He has to finish strong. Dunk it. He went up soft and got blind sided by LeBron. Love was not in a position to contest it.

Then again it's Marvin we're talking about here. He's looked athletic ever since going on that new fitness regiment before his contract year (anyone remember how he couldn't dunk the first year here? video at the end of the post), but that's still a very kind way of looking at it since he's one of the least athletic 6-8 guys in the league. I don't think he's had a dunk off two feet from underneath the basket during his whole time with the Hornets. Are you really talking about him when saying that "he has to finish strong. Dunk it."? I agree with the general idea, but this is not some young power forward stud.

The second Batum made that pass I was ready to cringe because I knew that it could end ugly. No surprise that it did. LeBron was right behind him.

Someone as smart as Batum should have known that. I guess the extra pass gene played its part before Batum, the savvy basketball player could have acknowledged that Marvin could get stuffed.

Watch on YouTube

[LamarMatic7]

Obviously, he could/should have used the rim as protection to finish on the other end but that's the downside of taking the change Batum did. He couldn't have known whether Marvin knew where LeBron is at. Evidently, he didn't.

[Eoghan]

You're all wrong. Batum should have fake shot it and lobbed it instead to Marv at the rim for a soft alley oop lay in.

Or just shot the wide open, in rhythm three, yeah, I would've been fine with that.

[yosemiteben]

That's a fair point that it was Marv and not Cody, but we've seen Marv throw down dunks in big moments. Perhaps not from a standstill on two feet though.

[bravor]

Batum will probably confirm that he will rest during this offseason and work on his game once the season is over. He said in an interview (Bein sport) that he could not say it right now, but it is obvious that he won't play for French team during this summer.

Hopefully it will help him recover his defense and shooting percentages for next season.

[LamarMatic7]

Batum will probably confirm that he will rest during this offseason and work on his game once the season is over. He said in an interview (Bein sport) that he could not say it right now, but it is obvious that he won't play for French team during this summer.

Hopefully it will help him recover his defense and shooting percentages for next season.

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[Diop]

Batum will probably confirm that he will rest during this offseason and work on his game once the season is over. He said in an interview (Bein sport) that he could not say it right now, but it is obvious that he won't play for French team during this summer.

Hopefully it will help him recover his defense and shooting percentages for next season.

Read on Twitter

that's high end journalism right there

[316Hornets]

Have to give Batum respect for doing what he believes is best for himself going forward. He has done a lot for French basketball and I'm sure he'll be back at it at some point in the future.

[fatlever]

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