It's rich that a guy who is spazzing out and coming up with all these weird scatter shot complaints about Battier would lecture *anybody* around here about what they are adding to the discussion. With all due respect, your opinion of Battier is worthless compared to that of Adelman, Van Gundy, Jerry West, Hubie Brown, his teammates and opponents. It sucks that it has to mentioned on this site, but here's why Battier is important. There are plenty of 20 point scorers who don't help their teams win. Battier may never put up the numbers of Rudy Gay, but he's more valuable. Battier was the anchor of the defense in Memphis when they won 50 games and here for the last two years. When he left, so did their night in, night out commitment to defense. Look at our personnel over the last few years. Yao is immobile, McGrady a frequently lax defender, Scola and Landry are undersized and Alston can be taken off the dribble. Only Battier, Hayes and Mutumbo are considered great defenders and two of those are bench players. Battier brings it every night, is the best help defender in the league and meshes nicely with Yao and McGrady on offense. Finally, to question Battier's dedication, as you seem to do be doing ("what's he been doing all summer?") is even dumber than whining about his game. It's like questioning Yao's height, or Van Gundy's comb over in the 90's. It's just a fact of life. Shane Battier is awesome and it shouldn't be questioned.
You think morey will go back to the hedo trade? Given that artest is playing under control....so far.
I remember Tmac had his surgery done on May 6th and Battier had his along with Alston on May 9th. I would say those were "right after the Utah loss". But why they are still not fully recovered is beyond me. I questioned about the team medical staff in an early Tmac thread, and no one seems to have the answer.
pippendagimp Dude, why are you pimping Brewer's defense? Just because the Jazz are able to make T-Mac work doesn't mean they are good at defending wings. Actually, they are pretty bad at it. Big wings like Kobe and Wade (i.e. the guys Battier is pretty good at holding...at least making them work for it) routinely kill Utah. Did you not just watch the LA-Utah playoff series last year? Kobe got whatever he wanted. Brewer isn't that good of a defender....as far as being in Battier's class. The other stuff you say about him is true...but considering that he can't defend nearly as well as Battier I don't see how he would be better for us. I can see an argument for Gay because he is a pretty explosive scorer and a potential superstar. Brewer....no way....
Forget Battier and the Rockets, this could be said of ANY transaction. Anyone who did a trade that year can look at the later picks (ones not even close to their own draft position) that werent on anyone's radar but turned out good. Paul Millsap, Jordan Farmar, Daniel Gibson, MAN the Rockets should have picked those guys... Should be more mad that on a roster hurting for talent that year, all the Rockets got besides Battier was Novak and Lior Eliyahu... I really like Ronnie Brewer. Hard worker, great guy, athletic scorer, making a name on defense. But he's not in Artest/Battier/Tayshaun Prince level D, yet. 3 championships in high school in the state of Michigan.
Man i hope he gets better soon... Our perimeter defense with him and artest in particular is gonna be sweeeett Get better quick battier
I fully agree that Battier is a great defender, both individually and on helpside. But on offense he has regressed since his days with Memphis and even his first season with us. He was obviously never able to break down a defense and create offense on his own, but he did used to be an automatic shooter from midrange as well as a great 3pt shooter. Last season his shooting was inconsistent throughout. If he can regain his shooting form again then I will be salivating just like you because he will no longer be such a liability on offense. But if not, then he becomes very one-dimensional. As it stands, he is the guy every team is doubling off of because you already know he's not a threat for getting to the basket - so if he can't even hit the wide open shot then he's no threat at all.
Battier is a very intelligent and effective defender I agree, but even he will admit (and has admitted many times) that the overall team defense is a big factor in being to shut down or slow down superstars. The Rockets team defense overall is one of the best in the past decade and it includes Yao/Deke anchoring it in the middle. It's a lot more difficult for Brewer to stop Kobe when you have Okur/Boozer watching your back instead. You just can't closeout as hard on the jumpshots for instance. Tmac still lit up Brewer/AK47 for 40pts but had huge problems scoring against Pierce in the game that broke the 22win streak. I don't think Pierce is a better defender than AK47 or even Brewer for that matter. Boston's team defense (designed by the same Thibideaux who designed ours) is just much better than Utah's.
Have you ever heard Morey, Alexander, Van Gundy, or Adelman ever talk about Battier? If you have, you would know that the reason why Battier is so highly regarded not just on this team, but in the entire NBA, is because of his elite defense. He is one of the few guys out there that you can leave on an island with guys like Kobe, Redd, Allen, Turkoglu, etc. and not have to worry about them hanging 60. It's not all about offensive play, man. To win championships, you can't have a roster full of guys who can just dunk and handle the ball. Have you ever SEEN Ronnie Brewer's defense?? It's pathetic. All he tries to do is use his freakishly long arms to try and swipe the ball. Battier is a defensive genius. Do you really think the Spurs have played Bowen for so long because of his offense?? Come on, Battier adds an element to this team that VERY FEW other teams have, and that's a shut-down defender.
Let's get real!!!! 'Elite' , 'Genius' and 'Shut Down' - Hardly ever. possibly one time! Battier is a very good defender is what is true and real.
What are you talking about? Who is talking about GM's and transactions? I'm NOT talking about who has more potential either. I'm talking about who is better in the present day. Today, Shane Battier is a better all around player than Ronnie Brewer.
pippendagimp.. i think you're seriously undervaluing what Shane has brought to this team's defensive principles. He and JVG helped instill a lot of what goes on with this team...and we still succeed as much b/c of defense as offense (if not more, though hopefully that changes this year). He showed people how to study film, he helped show everyone how to properly read the play and really rotate. Shoot, how many guys on the team have been putting a hand in shooter's faces since Shane showed up? And there have been articles talking about his leadership on the team, how he's a defensive coach on the floor--always talking, making sure defensive communication is right. I don't want to know where we would have been the last few years without him defensively.. and yeah, not now either cause the principles/discipline probably wouldn't be the same on this team.
Dude....the bottom line is that you aren't noting the difference in the players defensive abilities. Defense is not one of brewer's strenghts. Big guards kill the Jaxx routinely. Until that changes I would rather have the guy that we have. Come back when the Jazz don't have a problem containing big wings....
If you had paid attention to any of my posts you would have noticed that i was pointing out that it is a possibility that Brewer will be better than Battier in the future. Given our lack of success since getting Shane we might have been better off not making the trade. How good Shane has been up until this point is irrelevant to my point, he hasn't helped us get past the 1st round.
Thats the problem. You are not making an exact point. You are saying there is a "Possibilty" that Brewer will be better than Battier and that the Rockets "Might" have been better off not making the trade. When the ground you stand on to make an argument is based on "Possibilties" and "Mights", you have no argument.
