# Batuuummm Kaboooooommmmm!!!



## Balian (Apr 11, 2008)

I bet you Wheeler will adapt this every time Batum blocks or dunks the ball ...Batuuummm Kaboooooommmmm!!!

This kid is special. He does all the small things right from passing to defense. He is a better overall player than Outlaw.


----------



## RetroBlazers (Jun 29, 2003)

i'd disagree and say at this point, he's a better overall *prospect *than outlaw, but not quite a better player...yet


----------



## HispanicCausinPanic (Jul 2, 2005)

They are 2 totally different players that bring different things to the table. He played great D out there a couple times today. And always seemed to be in the right spot. I guess he is OK, but I saw him tweek his ankle in the 2nd quarter and keep playing. I like him!


----------



## Superblaze (Aug 6, 2006)

RetroBlazers said:


> i'd disagree and say at this point, he's a better overall *prospect *than outlaw, but not quite a better player...yet


Agreed, but I think Batum will be better then Outlaw because of his natural ability to play d on the wing.


----------



## HAAK72 (Jun 18, 2007)

...and with that, Batum = 15th roster spot?!?!?!


----------



## sabas4mvp (Sep 23, 2002)

HAAK72 said:


> ...and with that, Batum = 15th roster spot?!?!?!


Nope, Batum is one of the 14 other spots. The 15th spot is for Randolph, Tatum, Hill, Jackson, someone else or no one.


----------



## Balian (Apr 11, 2008)

Nate just said "One day, he(Batum) will be a starter in this league. He has that type of talent."


----------



## HAAK72 (Jun 18, 2007)

sabas4mvp said:


> Nope, Batum is one of the 14 other spots. The 15th spot is for Randolph, Tatum, Hill, Jackson, someone else or no one.


...oh ****! I am a disgrace [I knew that] At this point, no one still looks like the best option.


----------



## HispanicCausinPanic (Jul 2, 2005)

He has impressed me. I thought he would be in the D league all year. He's gonna; be a nice player.


----------



## Hectic (Sep 30, 2008)

I was not impressed with Batum during summer league, but he's more than made up for it during the preseason. He's going to get some minutes this year.


----------



## B-Roy (Feb 12, 2008)

It was Batum Shaka Laka.


----------



## YugoslavianMtnHound (Nov 6, 2007)

Hectic said:


> I was not impressed with Batum during summer league, but he's more than made up for it during the preseason. He's going to get some minutes this year.


It seems as thought Batum actually thrives in a structure environment. Summer league is glorified pick up ball.


----------



## alext42083 (Nov 7, 2003)

Man.. between Roy, Rudy and Batum -- all those guys just fill up the entire stat sheet and are all well-rounded players. Add Aldridge and Oden, and those five could be the future starting lineup of this team.

PG Roy
SG Rudy
SF Batum
PF Aldridge
C Oden

Houston, you got pritch-slapped!


----------



## NewAgeBaller (Jan 8, 2007)

Just to be clear, is his name pronounced Bu-toom?


----------



## sportsnut1975 (Jul 6, 2006)

I don't think Batum will see the D-League if he keeps playing like this.


----------



## sportsnut1975 (Jul 6, 2006)

alext42083 said:


> Man.. between Roy, Rudy and Batum -- all those guys just fill up the entire stat sheet and are all well-rounded players. Add Aldridge and Oden, and those five could be the future starting lineup of this team.
> 
> PG Roy
> SG Rudy
> ...


 That line up sounds good to me. Travis is better off the bench anyways.


----------



## Rodolfo (Jun 20, 2008)

Bah-toom


----------



## Utherhimo (Feb 20, 2005)

sportsnut1975 said:


> That line up sounds good to me. Travis is better off the bench anyways.


if Batum starts over Outlaw....look for outlaw to request a trade.


----------



## Balian (Apr 11, 2008)

Utherhimo said:


> if Batum starts over Outlaw....look for outlaw to request a trade.


Granted.

Batum will blow up in a couple of years!

*BATUUUM KA KA BOOOOOOOOMM!!!!*


----------



## mathbzh (Oct 9, 2008)

As a french fan I am not surprised with Batum's rising. I don't think he improved that much since the summer league (even if he improved). IMO He just needed to adapt to the pace and athletic dimension of an NBA game and also to a new environment which is probably not easy for a young kid. 

People tend to look at Batum's Euroleague performance to evaluate his past season. They forgot that Batum also played in the French league (Pro A ) for Le Mans and that at only 19yo leading his team in minutes, points, assists and was third in rebound. Euroleague is just another level (tougher defense, more physical games...). 

Just think about how some of the best US players struggle in FIBA games to have an idea about the difference between the french league and the Euroleague (I am not talking about level here but about the difference in playing style, the French league is probably the more "NBA like" league in Europe). Then imagine that Batum was asked to be the leader for Le Mans in these game without a valuable supporting cast (there were good players in Le Mans, but not for the Euroleague). If you imagine, last year Seattle in playoff games leaded by Kevin Durant, I think you will have a good idea about what Batum was asked to do in the Euroleague.

This is why I never understood the analysis of sports writer (Hollinger) on Batum Euroleague performance. Batum was already much better that advertised and this is probably why is adaptation surprise a number of people in the NBA.


----------



## Utherhimo (Feb 20, 2005)

We are aware the french league is the up and coming league in europe right now. Batum doing this good this early honestly is a bit of a surprise I think its do to outlaw taking 5 years to develop to this point.


----------



## BenDavis503 (Apr 11, 2007)

I agree with you for once Balian. I think Batum is ready now. I LOVE this lineup.

Roy
Rudy
Batum
LMA
Oden

That is a MONEY starting 5. Bench would be

Blake
Bayless\Webster
Webster\Outlaw
Frye
Joel

MONEY!!!


----------



## mathbzh (Oct 9, 2008)

Utherhimo, french league is far from an up and coming league. Let just say that we have a couple of interesting prospects.
About Batum doing this good, I think it is a bit of a surprise because he has been labeled "raw" but is not that raw, "unexperienced" but has more experience than anyone in the draft. The fact he still has a kid face probably doesn't help. 

Of course there are/were legitimate questions about his adaptation to the NBA, to the USA... the same goes for any european player.

One problem is that it is very difficult to draw comparison between european player and NCAA players. Moreover, with is athletism, Batum is not the classical european prospect. 

That said, it is great for Portland, because if he had been an NCAA player Batum would have been a lotery pick and would probably not be in Portland now.


----------



## hasoos (Jan 3, 2003)

I think he was a good pickup, but I believe this is managements insurance policy in case Outlaw or Martell head out of town.

As for who he reminds me of, he reminds me more of Tayshaun Prince than Pippen.


----------



## gatorpops (Dec 17, 2004)

mathbzh said:


> As a french fan I am not surprised with Batum's rising. I don't think he improved that much since the summer league (even if he improved). IMO He just needed to adapt to the pace and athletic dimension of an NBA game and also to a new environment which is probably not easy for a young kid.
> 
> People tend to look at Batum's Euroleague performance to evaluate his past season. They forgot that Batum also played in the French league (Pro A ) for Le Mans and that at only 19yo leading his team in minutes, points, assists and was third in rebound. Euroleague is just another level (tougher defense, more physical games...).
> 
> ...


I watched the SL games several times each and would ISO on a player and in watching Batum play I was very encouraged even though he missed a lot of shot on offense. He was in fact learning the NBA game and I thought them we were underestimating him if he could begin to be more consistent with his shot. He is not that much of a supprise to me as some. He is however picking up the game much more rapidly than I thought he would. Shows his BB IQ. He is going to be a very valuable player for Portland this year and into the future. He certainly reminds me of Tayshawn Prince. 

g


----------



## mgb (Jun 26, 2004)

Utherhimo said:


> if Batum starts over Outlaw....look for outlaw to request a trade.


Outlaw said he would rather come off the bench because he is the main go to guy so it's easier for him to prepare to play so I don't see why he'd ask to be traded.


----------



## Utherhimo (Feb 20, 2005)

cus he might not get his shots


----------



## sportsnut1975 (Jul 6, 2006)

Travis will get fewer shots as a starter. He did mention this summer he want to start. He just doesn't seem like the same player when he starts. I would not be surprised if he asks for a trade if Batum starts over him.


----------



## PorterIn2004 (Jan 1, 2003)

NewAgeBaller said:


> Just to be clear, is his name pronounced Bu-toom?


Ba-TOOM, with accent on the second syllable.


----------



## mgb (Jun 26, 2004)

sportsnut1975 said:


> Travis will get fewer shots as a starter. He did mention this summer he want to start. He just doesn't seem like the same player when he starts. *I would not be surprised if he asks for a trade if Batum starts over him.*


Travis seems to feel differently



> Travis could (start) there, but I still think Travis is best coming off the bench," McMillan said. "The only reason I will consider Travis starting is seeing whether that can get him going quicker."
> 
> As it turns out, Outlaw says the tactic of him starting actually has the opposite effect on him.
> 
> "With the second unit, I feel like 'Ooh, I got to be aggressive,' " Outlaw said. "But with the first unit you can let your game come to you and feed off the other players like Greg (Oden), Brandon and LaMarcus (Aldridge). Then I just sit over there and wait to hit that corner two. But with the second unit, I need to come ready to play. It's whatever the team needs," Outlaw said. *"If Nate says he needs me off the bench, that's OK. I ain't got no problem with that."*


----------



## NewAgeBaller (Jan 8, 2007)

PorterIn2004 said:


> Ba-TOOM, with accent on the second syllable.


Aightt thanks.


----------

