I don't think it's sour grapes. I'm not even necessarily saying that I disagree with you. All I'm doing is pointing out that many other Memphis fans disagree with your assessment. In fact, many in that particular thread you linked greatly disagree with you. Are they correct, or is Shane getting a pass because he's such a good guy? I don't know. But if your opinion is not the consensus (and it does not seem to be), I feel a responsibility to let Rockets fans here know that. Again, I'm not necessarily saying you're wrong, just pointing that many others who actually do watch the Grizzlies disagree and their opinions have merit as well.
Have you seen him play the 4? I do believe he played some minutes at the 4, but it's not ideal to play with there for extended minutes. I don't want a 5 rebound guy who plays 35 minutes a game playing the PF position for the Rockets.
Memphis - my memory may be fuzzy but didn't Battier have trouble guarding twos even as a rookie? He has never been quick or athletic, that is for sure. I do think Houston is a better situation for him, though, with two guys to draw double teams. He should almost exclusively be a 3 for us, with only a little moonlighting at the 4 (if we go small we go with Hayes unless we want to stretch a defense while small). Hopefully with Battier and Novak we will have no more need to play Bowen.
We need RyBo since we are going to trade Battier for a tall 2. Battier, a defender who gets high grades on effort but low grades on results. Time to find the greater fool.
MemphisX has always been a good contributor to this board, not a troll, and has always presented his opinion with class. And in this instance, sorry to say, but I believe he is dead-on in his analysis. My draft hangover will last for sometime.
You are just flat out incorrect about Battier as a PF. It is not what I observed. But regardless of my opinion it is also not supported by facts. Of the 20 lineups the Grizz used, Battier only played PF in a fraction of them And only when they had to use Gasol at C. And Gasol is much more mobile that Yao. Observe also that Battier was the SF with Warrick. http://www.82games.com/0506/0506MEM2.HTM
ANOTHER 6'8" JUWAN HOWARD WITH OPPONENTS BLOWING PAST HIM, AND HE CAN'T REBOUND! OH, BUT HE CAN SHOOT THE 3PTR. YIPPEE! OUR PROBLEMS ARE SOLVED!
According to: http://www.82games.com/0506/05MEM9C.HTM Battier played 26% of the PF minutes. If those percentages are correct, it means he was playing PF 37% of the time he was on the court.
Err... a fraction? Slight exagerration there. The Grizzlies had an identical Win% with Battier at the 4, and he was at the 4 spot in 33% of their 7 most frequently used lineups. This isn't about how the Grizzlies handled PT with Battier, because they are a very different team than Houston. It's about how the Rockets will use Battier alongside Yao and McGrady. Yao establishes position much deeper than Gasol, who works his way in from 15 ft or further out. While Gasol drew alot of double teams last season, they were NOT double teams close to the basket, as opposed to Yao. So it is EXTREMELY effective having a guy like Battier at the 4 spot for this Rocket team, knocking down deep jumpers, treys, and moving beautifully off the ball. I'm not flat out incorrect about anything. Bookmark this thread and bump it in 6 months.
I really like what I hear about his community mindedness. It's great to have that in a player when your team hasn't won a playoff series in half a generation.
MemphisX, Thanks for the post and opinion. After your spot on contrarian view of Swift I was anxious to hear your opinion of Swift. I was hoping it would be higher. As a side note, what do you think of getting Swift back on his current contract? Do you see him as a negative value? IE, if Battier for Gay was available, would you prefer that to Gay and Swift?
Fair enough but IMO, you've missed the most important part. The Grizz were a 49-33 team overall. Looking at the 82games W-L projection, the Grizz were a .500 with him as PF and .650 as a SF. Regardless of %ages, that's not were he excels.
Geez, come on man, he is not going to play 10 minutes a game to back up Tmac. It might not have been the best trade, but please quit underselling Battier. This is getting ridiculous. MemphisX is blowing smoke up your ass. We are trying to tell you how it really is. Maybe he has lost a step or two. Ok fine we will play him at 4 and he will still be much better than Juwan and he will stroke the 3. No matter where he STARTS he will be a solid upgrade over anything we have. If he ends up playing the 3 then we put Tmac back at the 2. I still think Battier can guard 2's, not all of them but most of them.
Thank you, I was kind of starting to doubt Battier guarding 2's as well, but you are right all we need is solid team defense and someone who will try their best to stick to these guys like glue. They may torch him but who don't they torch. That is why I am amazed when people say a certain PG sucks at defense cause they can't stay in front of Nash or Parker. Who the hell can?
And then the Rockets win 4 straight games against them and knock them out of the first round....again.
