An Honest Assesment of Shane Battier

We're talking about this season. If Battier is playing a role which does not fit well with what the Rockets need to do to win this year, maybe he is the guy (not Ariza) that should be on the bench.

 

Is it a coincidence that many of those guys keep fading, to the point that they barely even cracked the rotation at times? Is our staff just not competent in basketball? Surely, if those guys were in the battier mold, our coaches too would have benched him or even traded him?

I know you're going to reply shane too shouldnt be in the roation or on the bench, but the question is why isnt he? What has kept him from being benched or traded? The guys against battier keep insisting battier doesnt really bring much past the stats, yet even when his stats are poor he's still palying? Common sense tells me he's doing something else, away from the stats, that's keeping him as a starter. There's gotta be some truth to his off the court, away from the boxscore production, and it has to be significant for him to stay on the floor. That seems to be what sets him apart from the guys you mentioned.

 

Well i think you're assuming trevor takes shots because other more capable scorers cant. however, we've all seen trevor chuck up shots early in the clock or when he's suppose to move it to the open man or the guy posting up and instead he opts to shoot it himself. Many of his shoots come that way.

If trevor makes better decisions like passing when there's a better option and shooting when there isn't, then that should increase our scoring efficiency because a lot of trevor's missed attempts are transfered to guys like scola, brooks, and landry. If our true scorers are getting their touches it opens up the door for guys like shane and trevor to get better looks so that they dont have to try and create something.

 

And who are we replacing him with? With the rookie who's defense is suspect, who shoots well one game and not well the next? Can you honestly say that gives us a better chance to win? We're basically trading some defense for some offense and increasing our chances of making uncommon basketball mistakes, which rookies makes.

Let's remember the issue this year has been defense over offense. Obviously battier alone isn't going to make us a good defensive team, but he may be the difference between beeing average and below average. We average 100 points a game, that's not exceptional, but enough to be able to win and it puts us in the top half in scoring, which may not seem like much, but if we increased our average by just ONE three point basket it puts us in the top 5. I rather have trevor give up some of his bad attempts, which would surely give us at least an extra 3 points a game, than bench shane and give up more points on the other end, which is our real problem.

 

so you dont remember shane taking a lot of shots with the clock winding down this season? It's true he's missed some open shots, but you'd be surprised how many of his attempts have came with the clock winding down. He doesnt always stand in the corner, he has a tendency to shadow the person with the ball and sets up somewhere as an outlet for that player, so they can pass off the ball if they get stuck.

 

To sum it all up, Shane Battier's offense is suspect, no one can deny that. However, people under value what he brings to the team not only in leadership but veteran experience.

On defense, he isn't what he has been in previous years every game, but there is no one that works harder, aside Hayes on the court. As others have said, Shane plays his role and works with the team while providing its younger guys guidance. The constant calls for benching him or Ariza for Chase doesn't add up, especially considering how inconsistent Budinger has been.

 

Last year, you could see he was going downhill a little bit. This year? You can see it big time. His production is down. He's getting torched by the elite players. Even captain Jack torched him. The Rockets rolled the dice to trade for him to win now. We didn't win now. Trade fail.

 

David Wesley worked hard, didn't change the fact that he was getting old and more vulnerable on defense. Shane Battier has lost his footspeed notably. How many times have we seen quicker and younger guards blow by Battier like he's not even there? Last night on two possessions Battier was one step too slow to chase Wade through the screen and both cases leaded to and one opportunities for Wade. You talking about elite defense? Not to mention he's always streaky on his three point shooting.

 

What it tells me is that teams know a role player when they see one and don't overvalue pieces that can be moved or re arranged. Classic point is Raja bell. Good player, played and produced in utah at a higher rate than shane and in phoenix as well. Is known as a leader and tough defender, knock down 3 pt shooteer making mle money. He has been traded even with those qualities because he's a role player. Posey is the same way now and you don't see him playing 30 minutes a night even though everyone and their mama knows his toughness and big shot making ability. Again, he's making mle money and not playing 30+ minutes. Shane is in the same boat as rafer who was a leader, good defend, and supposed good lokerroom guy, but he's a bench player in miami and was one in NJ. People on this board overblow role players to no end.

DD, i know yo didn't bring up davis as a cheap bench player when you campaign for maggette every week. You're team building is suspect at best and then you finally jump on board. All the years i was talking about slashers and transition guys, you wanted spot up,slow footed statues. Now all of sudden you want the type of guys i was talking about years ago. There are too many guys that equate simple athleticism with being dumb or low iq when in reality they athletic guys are just quick thinker and can put their actions down on the hardwood. Wafer and Buddinger aren't exceptions, they do what wing players are suppose to do. The wing players are normally the most athletic guys on the team, but for too long the rockets had a guy like shane and even a slower mcgrady manning those spots. I'm consistent vs being scared. Shane isn't needed to win anything here in houston. If he was, they wouldvr won something and he wouldn't play like crap on the road like a rookie or young player. How is that leadership when you never step up in time of desperation and you're the highest drafted,highest paid player in the lineup? Oh i guess that doesn't mean anything either. Stephen Jackson is a much better player than shane either way you cut it. Is it by chance since he's been at charlotte they're 14-13? Is it another chance gsw was garbage before he got there also. Oh, and as a 2nd yr player in the playoffs, he was the 3rd leading scorer on a championship team. Thats stepping up and making plays and helping your team win. Sjhutting down the reigning mcp on a 67 win team and busting his ass on the other end, thats stepping up and showing leadership. Show me something when it counts. I don't have to read a 300 page book to see if a guy can play and is helping my team, i can watch the game. One minute, he has a high +/- to display how good he is, but over the last few years and in the playoffs when he's way below the mendoza line, his supporters like to say thats not a good stat. Child please!

 

I analyze each situation differently and on a year to year basis.

The problem with most people is that they are not able to change their opinions as time and circumstance forces someone to reconsider.

And, I do bash ANYONE that is not playing well, so? Who cares? If they play well, I say it, if they suck, I say it.....doesn't mean anything in regards to how their game etc might or might not fit into next year's team.

I have said that getting Ariza might be a mistake (I believe he is possibly Shandon Andersen part deaux), but it is ONLY a mistake if they do not trade Shane, because Shane and Trevor are redundant as players and to have both of them starting is really really bad.

You need contrast on a team, a yin and yang.....we don't have any decent scoring options from either of our wings.....both are inconsistent as offensive threats.

I would rather start CBud over Trevor or Shane (doesn't matter to me which one sits).....and honestly, I wish we had Von too.....

I want scoring from one wing and defense/3pt shooting from the other.

CONTRAST.....it may be too deep for some to understand and force people to label me a flip flopper, but hey, that's ok....I am still right.

:grin:

DD

 

no idea why we still keep shane. i like the person, not the player. hit a station open 3 once for a while just doesn't do it for me. i like your assessment of shane.

 

Anytime you want to compare their contributions on the floor, feel free, I think you will be completely owned there as well.

Not at all, I want players that fit with whatever team is on the floor, I would love slashers in the Robert Horry mold that can also stretch the floor to allow Yao room to operate.

None of the guys you mentioned are able to do that......on offense and defense....but you did say something intelligent....."QUICK THINKING"...that is more important than actual IQ.....

Horse crap, you have hated Shane since Day one and fail to recognize all the things he does, there is a reason that he is a coveted player around the NBA, and coaches like JVG and Rick Adelman love the guy, you just don't seem to be able to grasp it.

Stephen Jackson? Why are we comparing him to Shane? He is paid a lot more and is more of a first rate option than a role player.

I am no fan of Stephen Jackson, but I also am not going to compare a lead player to a role player that is not worth a debate.

300 pages, whoah dude, don't stretch yourself there... .......Shane is a ROLE player, he is NOT a team's top option, nor should he be....he is a defensive player who hits 3pt shots.....do you also go around comparing Bruce Bowen to Tmac?

I mean come on Leeb, apples to apples......and 600 page books are better as are paragraphs and many many more elipses.......

:grin:

DD

 

I cant think of a single time where I said if only Battier where faster. His speed seems fine.

Theres a reason why Wade makes max. Nobody in the NBA can stay in front of his man 100% of the time.

You are fishing for reasons to dump this guy and arent seeing the big picture.

 

Why? Why wouldn't you want 2 versitile players that can do both? true rip is more scorer than tayshaun, but they don't put the weakest defender on the court on tayshaun nor tdo they put 6ft pg's on him neither. I think shane has a role, i just happen to think he's a 25 minute bench guy. Look at the year he had in memphis when posey started in front of him vs now and its the same. He'll bring the same things off the bench just like posey, bell,barnes and others, yet on this teams, much like rafer, he's starting and playing big minutes.

 

Of course you want two efficient wing players, but those are very rare, I can't think of one off the top of my head right now....

And a simple answer to such a complex question is that there is only ONE ball.

DD

 

Ariza is toted as a guy who could do both and look how that turned out.

 

I'm glad DM gets it. Battier's value goes much, much deeper than you can imagine...