2011 CB Draft Western Playoffs: 1st Round

[The Walker Wiggle]

Nicolas Batum doesn't play for the Nuggets. He plays for the Warriors

The Nuggets have Mbah a Moute as their stopper on the wing + Dorell Wright as their main backup wing.

Yeah but I like batum better then both those guys.

You're not alone, but in addition to the regular season defensive metrics his playoff #'s have to give you pause don't they? In six games: 8.0 points on 41% shooting, 1.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.2 TOs.

(And I also voted Jazz. Still my favorite to win it all.)

[indeedproceed]

It depends on what you mean by athlete. For instance, even in shaqs prime he was far from the center that could run the fastest or jump the highest. If that's all you mean by athlete than I really don't know. Nobody really does except for the players, and I'm not up on where gortat's vertical or 40 speeds are right now.

But, how many of those guys are 280, 7ft? How many have shown a consistent ability to switch in a pick and roll and cover a guard for a split second, then get back to his own man with the same quickness when the defense adjusts? How many have shown the ability to block shots without fouling(a pretty substantial task), which means they have the body control to keep their mass centered, and keep their spacing intact? How many have the strength to guard the biggest centers but the quickness to guard the quicker ones?

Like I said, at 7ft 280, that's pretty [dang] athletic.

[Fafnir]

We will talk about it tomorrow Kane. You're wrong colonel sanders. Bogut is a better athlete than some of those guys easily....but than what are you basing it on?

Which ones?  Biedrins, maybe Dalembert.  That's it.

Gortat, Bynum, and Anthony as well.

[mgent]

It depends on what you mean by athlete. For instance, even in shaqs prime he was far from the center that could run the fastest or jump the highest. If that's all you mean by athlete than I really don't know. Nobody really does except for the players, and I'm not up on where gortat's vertical or 40 speeds are right now.

But, how many of those guys are 280, 7ft? How many have shown a consistent ability to switch in a pick and roll and cover a guard for a split second, then get back to his own man with the same quickness when the defense adjusts? How many have shown the ability to block shots without fouling(a pretty substantial task), which means they have the body control to keep their mass centered, and keep their spacing intact? How many have the strength to guard the biggest centers but the quickness to guard the quicker ones?

Like I said, at 7ft 280, that's pretty [dang] athletic.

Height isn't a factor, you can't control height.  I see it as a combination of speed, strength, agility, hops, and general body control.  It's tough to compare athleticism with a guy like Biedrins who is weaker but faster.

I wouldn't say he's clear top 10 for centers, but he's close.