He would start on the majority of contender teams. Lakers - yes Spurs - yes Dallas - yes OKC - yes Celtics - No Orlando - Maybe Bulls - Yes Miami - No Jazz - Yes
I'm more interested in hearing the justification from those who think he wouldn't start on any other NBA team.
1) You are taking Artest's worst season and using it as a measurement. When Artest finally gets back to basketball after his mental championship world tour, he's still light-years ahead of Shame. 2) Not over Jefferson or Ginobili. They got away with Bowen because Duncan was in his prime. The Spurs (for those that don't watch) have turned up the O via Parker, Manu and Jefferson. They are no longer an inside-out postup team. 3) Bulls...over both Deng and Korver? Possible...but I doubt it. 4) Jazz over Kirlilenko and Miles? Playing the "stats game", Miles is +14.9 on a playoff caliber team. Again...possible but I doubt it. Battier could only start for a non-playoff team.
Nets, Raptors, Bulls, Cavs, Bucks, Atlanta, Dallas, Hornets, Jazz, Golden State, Clippers, Lakers and Kings + Rockets = 14|30
This. Even GATER admits that Battier could start on some non-playoffs teams and possibly on the Bulls. That says a lot.
Yea, plenty of teams would start the guy. His biggest issues is that we ask to much of him, he is a guy that does all the little things stars and superstars rather not do. On this team, however, we ask him to also be a scoring option and he just can't do that on a consistent basis.
Shane would start over Artest last year too. Phil Jackson loves players like Shane, they make the triangle work. Shane would start but Jefferson would get more minutes. Korver is not starting, that would be keith bogans. And to think that shane would not start for a thibodeau team... You remember Sloan's love affair with matt harpring, well Shane is better and would start for Sloan.
Battier could start for plenty of teams, but its not like his talents are irreplacceble. Many teams can use a defensive specialist that could shoot the three ball, however, contending teams are already good defensively and can live without him. Battier, would not start over Pierce or Lebron, but he's at least better than DeShawn Stevenson. I think teams will start Shane if they can afford to do so. He's not necessary but it wouldn't hurt to have him in the starting lineup.
Trash Rating at SF starters according to performances and level of play this season. IMHO 1. Lebron 2. Durant 3. Melo 4. Pierce 5. Granger 6. Gay 7. Gerald 8. Caron Butler 9. Beasley 10. Deng 11. Richard Jefferson 12. Grant Hill 13. Iguodala 14. Prince 15. Gallo 16. Batum 17. Kirilenko 18. Battier 19. A. Parker 20. Artest 21. Marvin 22. Dorell wright 23. Ariza 24. Turkoglu 25. Outlaw 26. Mbah a Moute 27. Al Thornton 28. Gomes/Aminu 29. weems/Kleiza 30. Donta Greene
Generally, each team would prefer to have a player with purpose of defensive skill-sets. Battier is reviewed as one of the best, we should be lucky to have his services and team-captain characteristics. In conclusion.. yes, many would start him, allowing him to defend opposing teams' best offensive players.
Not that I dare rate them myself but Turkoglu seems to be getting his old form back in Orlando, if he keeps it up he should beat out a couple of guys in your top ten.
It's not for potential, it's about the level of play in the first part of the season. Hedo played like a crap, he couldn't play 4, then he struggled at 3 and his defense was attrocious. Yeah, he can deliver and progress with Magic (and I think he will) but in the part of the season he was really bad. Just look on Dorell wright. warriors brought him to defend a top perimeter player and to be a balanced unit, a glue guy. But he started to jacking up to many threes and can't stop. He already has 212 attempts for the season (6.2 per game) but he doesn't play good defense and I have a question: how you can rate the guy, who dotches 23 triples in four games and scores just 5 of them instead of moving the ball or give it to Lee, who got smt around 10 shots in that games? Balanced player, glue guy?
Orlando is a perfect example of a team with elite level talent that could use Battier. They'd be stacked for sure if Turk can off the bench with Arenas. They are truly lacking that defensive wing, and Battier can help them.
too much home town favoritism here. he can start over this guy or that. man get over yourselves. some games, shane battiers defense has been there. most games his defense isnt there. some games his offense is there. most games it isnt. playoffs he is a different man. guess what, so is a bunch of these other player your comparing him too. oh and guess what? at our current pace we arent a playoff team.
