Latest 2 blog posts from Batum on the french site Basketsession

The first one is about the World cup past summer, the second one is about the beginning of the season.

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After the playoffs I mentioned in my previous post, I had exit meetings with Nate McMillan and Kevin Pritchard, where they told me I could go to the World Championship. They also told me that Webster was very pumped up about next year. Nate McMillan told me : "I just saw Martell, he wants to take back his spot next year, now it's up to you to keep it." He told me that anyways I had exceeded his expectations again this year. He was "each time you did more than I hoped, so next year it's up to you to do even better." So he sets the bar high but that's how you progress !

This summer he wants me to work on my shoot and my post-up game. Actually, the star guards like Nash and Paul often defended on me because in their opinion I was not supposed to be an offensive player, and he told me "next year, we won't let the occasion pass. Everytime there's one on you, we will post him up straight away." He wants to transform me more and more like Tayshaun Prince, little by little. Besides, if you count out Greg Oden who didn't play many games, I'm the 4th best scorer in the team this year. So next year he said he would have some systems for me and as soon as there's a small guy on me we'll play him in post-up, because I'm going to work it this summer. And on the shoot, I'll have to work on shooting off the dribble and off the screen.

At the exit meeting, he said he also wanted me to be in the best defensive team next year, in the top 5 in the NBA. He wants me to be the best outside defender in the league, while being a dangerous player on offense. He told me there were not many who could be dangerous on both ends of the court, but I had to be. He was "Every team that's NBA champion has one, so if you become this player, we're champion." :)

After the exit meetings, I went straight away to Los Angeles to see my surgeon. I went with Pritchard, we had a lot of tests and they were good. In fact, they told me "you're resting the entire month of May, you don't do anything. You don't touch a ball, you don't run."

I've only stayed there for a small week-end. I've been to Disneyland and it was crap compared to France : Marne-la-Vallée is greater than Los Angeles ! Actually, it's not modern, they're the same attractions since the 90s and you can see it. Then I came back to France, I saw the French cup. It was really good for Orleans, eventually ! It's a good thing they got a title : if there's a team that deserves one over the last three years, it's them.

Then I went on vacation to Phuket in Thailand, it was sick. I went to the beach, I visited the temples among other things. I also rode a canoe in high water. Well, don't worry for my shoulder it was a vacation so I didn't row ! I've been to the beach where they shot Koh Lanta 1 [French Survivor]. I wonder how they managed to survive all alone on that island, it's a great performance because there's really nothing at all...

Then on the trip back, since there was a stop-over in Dubai, I've stayed there for three days, so why not visit. Frankly, Dubai, it's fresh ! They are 15 years ahead of everyone. I have been to Atlantis, that's insane ! It's a hotel with a waterpark with a sick waterslide. It's so steep that when you're on top you can't see what's below. You're on a large rubber ring in a waterslide-tunnel that goes through a basin with sharks. Insane ! I also could swim with dolphins. It was American style.

But the thing that impressed me most was the Burj Al Arab, the 7 star hotel. I haven't slept there, let's be very clear, because at least 3000 euros a night ... 3000 euros to sleep in a bed, that's crazy... However, it truly is super nice inside. I've just had lunch there, because you can't get inside if you don't do anything.

In the evening I ate with Makan Dioumassi [former French player]. I had met him at the airport in Paris since the outward trip also had a stopover in Dubai. He has a business there, he settled there two years ago. So the last evening I ate with him, it was nice, we've mostly talked about the France team and post-basketball. It was interesting because Makan is successful in his conversion. I'm only 21 but I still think about it, so it was nice to talk with him. We also talked about the France team. He explained how it happened in the 2000 Olympics, he also told me about the failure of 2003, of his experience. He explained that basically if there are internal problems, it can screw a team up. But I assure you, I don't think there will be problems with the team we have here.

Then I went back to France. I rested mainly. I did some shows, I also recorded a video for the campaign Born HIV Free from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, of which Carla Bruni is the ambassador. When my agents asked me if I would do it I obviously did not hesitate. I did it with Jean-Michel Mipoka who just signed in Roanne, we had a text to read, to raise awareness about the fact that you can prevent transmission of HIV from mother to child and for this treatment to be available to every mother by 2015.

So I'm counting on you to go to the campaign website, on the tab "act" and sign the petition.

Anyways, I've also been to Roland Garros where I was able to see the semi-finals. For Nadal's semi, I was beside Grand Corps Malade [French slam-singer]. I didn't know him, he's really super nice, he's a big basketball fan. He's played in N2 and N3 before his accident [4th and 5th division]. So we talked a lot, basketball and music. He explained how was touring, etc. I was happy to see Nadal win. Last year, I was rooting for Federer but now, since he was out, I was for Nadal, because what he does is still impressing !

On the weekend I went to Treviso for the Adidas Eurocamp, which I will discuss next time.

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Hello everyone. As promised in the post where I announced my participation in the World Championship, a quick take on our playoffs. We started badly because we lost Roy and Camby right away. Well, Marcus still played the first game but he injured himself before we took the plane to Phoenix. So we thought "OK, fine, we're on the right track." But we still managed to snatch Game 1 in Phoenix, we had a big game. I think Phoenix thought to themselves "it's fine, they don't have Roy, they have Camby playing on one foot." But actually we had a big game with Andre scoring 31points.

So we were happy, the goal was to take at least one away. As a result, the second game, we did not really play thoroughly and we got smashed straight away. We were too relaxed because we were feeling that Games 3 and 4 at home, we were going to win those. Eventually we let the Game 2 go. And I've hurt my arm late in the third quarter. Nash took my arm involuntarily and I went the other way. Then the MRI confirmed that I had a little sprain at the shoulder, and then it was pretty annoying. At the time I got scared. I did not want to have surgery after the playoffs because on the beach it's annoying, you can't do anything. No I'm just kidding but I was thinking of my summer though. If it was something that required surgery, I wouldn't go in the France team, I wouldn't grow, I wouldn't be able to work on my shoot. And at this time I got afraid not to be able to play Game 3 and since Roy wouldn't there I really didn't want to miss the game. But I decided to play and I don't think I should have. I say this now, with hindsight, but at that time it was impossible for me to miss the game. The staff told me, "You take the decision, but it would be good to rest anyway. In regular season you would have at least five days off, minimum." There they gave me the choice, it's the playoffs.

In the third game, it was hurting badly because I took many hits and I fell on it. And as a team, we had a poor game 3. We started too confident, thinking at home with the crowd behind us, it was going to be fine... and we ended up down by more than 25 at halftime. We lost this this one because we were too euphoric : we won one there, we came back home so we thought we'd beat them. We did not really play in a playoff state of mind but they were. They hit us straight away. It's that game that made us lose the series. If we won that game, knowing that Roy was returning on Game 4 (it was not announced, but we knew it), we could go to Phoenix leading 3-1.

Game 4 we knew that if we lost it was dead. Roy came back and knowing that your best player is back, psychologically it helps. So we had a big match, it was a good victory. Then we returned to Phoenix for Game 5. We had a good first quarter but then they were euphoric, they went on fast breaks, Nash had 11 assists at half-time, we couldn't do anything. In Game 6, I also defended on him. All in all I felt good on him. In Game 4, I think we also won because I managed to hinder him. In the last minute he did a pick-and-roll with Stoudemire, and Aldridge and I were on them. Between us there was a sizeable arms length and we could switch : on short sequences Aldridge could defend Nash and I could guard Stoudemire and deny him the ball. Anyways there was only on Frye and Nash that we had to switch on the pick and roll, because Frye only wanted to shoot three-pointers, he didn't want to get in the paint.

Just my take on the Game 6, they did a superb match. They showed a lot of things, including their experience. We lost but with everything that's happened this year regarding injuries, we could only be proud of us. It was super disappointed when same, of course, but there could only be proud of us. We were super disappointed of course but we could only be proud of us. But in the locker room, we were more angry than last year. Last year we were not supposed to be there, we were youngsters. Here it was important for us to pass. But we also know that we won't have two seasons like that. We all know what we have to do this summer to come back stronger next year.

Anyways, experience made the difference. This is not an excuse to hide behind, but it surely helped. We were on fire after winning the first game, we should have put things in perspective. Just because we won a game doesn't mean we would win the series. There are two or three things to fix I think. We've been losing in the first round for two years, next year it should be fine.

On a personal note, I was better in these playoffs than last year. One year ago, on the court I was in spectator mode. I'm not saying that last year I wasn't in the mood and all, but let's just say I was a little funked, in quotation marks. Here I was really in the game right away, I scored 18 pts in the first game. My shoulder bothered me but I could do something good in these PO. I think I did a rather good job but I could have done better. I would rate myself a 11/20 we'll say :) Maybe I could have had a 15 if my shoulder did not bother me. I was often guarding Nash. He loves to go left, so the pick was coming very often on my right shoulder, and that was hurting.

But it's been a month since I've done nothing, so no problem for the France team, don't worry.

The next part tomorrow !

 Nicolas Batum's 3 new blog posts from basketsession.com
 
"It's going to be hard but we can do something"  April 16
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Hi everybody, I didn't forget I had to put the sequel of my former post (I'll put it this week end with my trophies of the end of the year), but since the season just finished and the playoffs are about to kick off I wanted to talk about the news. As you can guess we're really happy to be in the playoffs considering all that's happened this year. With the injuries, the trade, etc. we still manage to get 50 victories. Brandon missed more than 15 games, Aldridge missed about 10, Oden and Przybilla have missed the whole season, I missed 45, Rudy missed a month, and we manage to get 50 victories and to finish 6th in the West. It's kind of impressing given the context. We got away with it really well this year. And as a result, compared to last year we're confident as we enter the playoffs. As far as I know, Roy will play (Nicolas made his post when Roy thought he'd be able to play and get surgery after the playoffs).

Today compared to last year, we have 3 experienced players : Miller, Howard and Camby. And this can make the difference compared to last year. Already in the regular season we've felt they brought a big plus. Whether in the locker room or in the end of games, you can feel it. It's also thanks to them that we were able these 50 victories with the season we've had. During moments of doubts, when we weren't fine, when we didn't have players, they were the ones who began to speak, that would make us regroup. For example, Juwan did meetings in the locker room to make us regroup.

Juwan, in the meetings was saying "We have a good team and even though a few things aren't doing well, with the injuries, we have a lot of talent and we have to continue making something big. On no occasion should we hang our head, we have to go on playing." Collective meetings, we've had two or three but other than these he was sometimes taking us one by one to chat, he was giving a few words that were reassuring. It's a guy that speaks a lot to you because he has some experience : when he's started I was 6 and a half. To me, he says "Plastic Man (that's how he calls me, or Young Scottie too), continue doing what you have to do, concentrate on defense", he talks to me like a coach. But as I was saying, him, Camby or Miller have really been important. And when you see what Camby is still bringing on the court at 36, you can only follow them. As a result they've really helped us this year to get to the playoffs.

It was really the big stake, to make it to the playoffs because with the team we have, we know we can do something, we can pass the first round. We can show a lot of things so we absolutely wanted to qualify. But our objective wasn't "we have to avoid the Lakers". Because avoiding the Lakers means playing Dallas, Denver, Phoenix or Utah, so whatever happens it's strong too and it doesn't change anything. We just wanted the best seed possible and that's why we fought in the end of the season.

Speaking of it we've had a tough schedule to finish the year with three big games. Dallas last friday, Lakers on sunday and Monday Oklahoma. Against Dallas we failed. We did a good game on defense but on the offense we shot at 30%. This was a Euroleague game, 83-77. The defense was very strong on both sides. It was a playoff game, there were 5 technical fouls, 5 people from the audience were ejected, 3 foul outs. It was a r-e-a-l playoff game.

Then in Los Angeles we had no real pressure so we played totally. With Webster we tried to defend well on Kobe. We tried to exhaust him. He was coming back from two games off, it helped but I think we didn't help him getting his shoot and rhythm back. The end of this game was a bit crazy. When Webster made the foul on Kobe, I believe it's because he thought they didn't have free throws on every foul. Fortunately he missed both. They got the rebound but Fisher only puts one in. Then we put three free throws after a really audacious play from Webster. To attempt a 3 points floater 2 seconds before the end was audacious. He was fouled, fortunately.

But their last play, I didn't understand it at all. I was defending on Kobe, so I pushed him towards the rim because I didn't want to let him detach for a 3 pointer. And he makes a screen for Gasol ! So I told myself it meant he would go up and have the ball given in his hands. But he makes the screen to Gasol and... he stops. I didn't really have to stop him. I was on his way to stop him from going back on top, but he didn't really try to go though, not really you know. I didn't really understand and I won't try to :)

The next day, against Oklahoma, we wanted to beat them because our objective was 50 victories and it would be a good thing to beat a direct opponent. And it was a beautiful game, a nice atmosphere. We did a sloppy first half and we came back in the 2nd half. And Camby did a crazy game. It was really cool. I was defending on Durant, with Webster. During the 1st half we were playing bad, we were down by 10 or 11, and Durant had 21 points. Then we defended better on him and he did 3/13 for 9 points.

Now we'll have to face Phoenix again in the 1st round. It's a nice team, it's going to be hard but we can make something. First we'll have to try and stop this Canadian guard, a young kid with a bright future :) No, we have to try and block Nash. It would already be a big part, but it's easier to say than do. I think we'll have to play inside, to put the ball inside. But above all we'll have to defend. We have to prevent them from running. If you let them run you're dead. That's why we have to block Nash. It's going to be Andre who will take him but I think I'll switch on him too. It's going to be hard, I prefer to defend on wing players rather than on players that are smaller than me that run all the time. You spend more energy on Nash because his whole game is all around, he takes pick-and-rolls, he runs... With scoring wingers it's the same too, but more in the end of the game. And also Nash, it may not be obvious but he's running fast. Especially when he's launched, when he's in movement.

But he's not the only one, it's a big team. Amar’e is impressing. They also have true players around : Richardson, Barbosa, Grant Hill, Dudley, Frye, I don't know if Lopez will be back, there's Dragic who did a nice season. They have a big team. It's nice to watch them play but they're annoying to play. You don't really have fun, you're running all the time, it shoots alls the time... You can be up by 10, and in 3 offenses they'd score 3 3-pointers and you're only up by 1. If we relax against them we're done. I was talking to a journalist who told me "So Phoenix, it's good for you ?" But third in the Western conference that tells the skill of the team, but it's still a huge performance. 

But I think we can make it. We're going to have to make crazy defensive games, for 48 minutes. Really ! I hope we'll be able to make it. If we were winning it would be either Dallas or San Antonio. It's going to be a beautiful series. On the paper, it should be Dallas but seeing how San Antonio ended the season, you never know. San Antonio remains San Antonio. Ginobili has shown he could still be a huge level player. Duncan remains Duncan, he can make 25, 15, 5 assists, blocs. Tony rested for a month, he's getting his rhythm back and his sensations. Jefferson and McDyess can have good playoffs. It can be something nice ! But Dallas is really a nice team too   
"My job is to guard the best player on the other side" April 17 
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Hello everyone, in my last but one post I told you how I came back to the competition and I wanted to talk in the following post about the game I had my career high record for most points, and what happened then. But before that I had to talk about the news with the playoffs approaching. So here's my post about Minnesota and Memphis games... and what's happened then.
 
Before the game against the Wolves, originally, I was exhausted. The day before we had played Chicago and we had lost in overtime. We arrived at 2am. at the hotel in Minnesota. In the morning we had video. I came tired to the video room, I didn't want to play, it was the 4th game of the road trip, it was cold, it was snowing. In the locker room the only thing I wanted was for us to play quickly, that we leave and go back. I started to stretch, I had to stretch well because everywhere was hurting, that's annoying. So I was not feeling so good.

We start well the 1st quarter. I put 5 points I think in the first quarter. A regular thing. At half time, I'm at 7 pts and we're up by 12. And in the 3rd quarter, then, everybody's focused on Roy so there are spaces. I find myself alone in the corner and start putting one, at 3 pts. I shoot two free throws, then a second 3 pointer. 8 points in two minutes. I score another one, I take a rebound, I dunk one, well a layup. It wasn't stopping, I though "Ah right, shit" :) I saw that I was at 22 points in the 3rd quarter.  I wasn't missing anything, I was shooting and it was going in. Yeah right ! And at the same time every pass I made, the guys were scoring too.

I was a bit disappointed because at the end of the game, a journalist told me "You were close to beating the franchise's record for most points scored in a quarter". Terry Porter did 25. I missed two 3 pointers in the last 30 seconds of the 3rd quarter. If I had put them in, I would have had 28 and I would have beaten the franchise record. I could have had something to tease Terry Porter :)

Anyways in the beginning of the 4th quarter, I was on the bench at 29 pts, 6 rbds, 6 assists in 25 minutes. And then Roy sees that and says "Hey put him back on the court, he's going to have a triple double". But when I came on the court they thought I was Roy : they only doubled me. Impossible to have the ball. In my head I was thinking "leave me alone, I just need 1 point, that's all, let me reach 30".

Then I was at the end of a screen, I took the ball, I did a feint, Ellington jumped, I wanted to draw the foul but he retreated so I was forced to shoot, I threw the ball. To score that as the last shot to reach my 31 points just shows how much it was my night. What did I throw away ! I did a feint, he jumped, I kind of bumped him, I don't know, he avoided me, I threw the ball and it went in. Then I left, I could have scored more but I was happy I had my 30 pts game. My former record as a pro was 25 pts with Le Mans. Here I did 31 pts, with 7 rbds, 7 assists, 3 steals, with 43 of eval. [european stats] in 28 min, it's not too bad :). There are days like this where you throw the ball and it goes in. 

Usually, in the 3rd I always go out after 7 minutes. And when there was 5 minutes remaining I was thinking "Don't take me out. Not now, not tonight, tomorrow if you want, not today. Now I'm fine." At this time I had 19 pts and my previous record was 20. So in my head it was "Please let me break my record." It was a bit selfish but we were up by 25. So I wanted to take the occasion to break the record I had against New Jersey. And New Jersey from last year wasn't the Nets from this year, huh, don't tell me I make my records against the last team everytime. Last year it looked more classy, I had Vince Carter against me. I scored more than him, he had 18 and I had 20, and we were defending against each other. 

The next day, I had trainings with Monty (Williams, the assistant-coach I work the most with). He told me "I know you, you're going to brag, so we're going to start from scratch. Tomorrow you're going to throw away all the work we've done, you're going to take shots while falling in the back, with your foot in front of you,... I know you. Tomorrow, we're going to work for half an hour all alone and we're going to start everything from square one." He made me do the same shots as we we're doing in the beginning of rehab, in the paint. But to be honest it's good to have a coach like him, I'm lucky. I noticed it later…

The next game against Memphis was super important, they were just behind us at this time. I told myself "So, you scored 31 pnts in the last game, it was a crazy moment, it was good, but now you're going to become Nicolas Batum again, you're going to score 5 points." At half time, I'm only at 3 pts. And then I score 12 pnts in the 3rd quarter and I end with 21. They call me Mister Third Quarter. I need one half to wake up. In Le Mans, Vincent Collet [former coach and French team coach] was already telling me that. And this summer he was still repeating it.

So now I had got 52 pts in two games, about 10 3 pointers in two games, I wasn't missing many things. So there inconsciously you think "Fine, I'm going to do that every game." And of course, the following two and three games... Actually I was thinking about attacking straight away. And I kind of forgot my first job here, that is guarding the best player on the other side. As a result, I wasn't doing too good of a job in defense, really not, and as a result too, I wasn't doing a good job in offense either.

And then when training, Monty was "You're playing well when you're concentrated everywhere. If you fool around in defense, you play bad in offense. Defend and you'll see the offense will come naturally." Monty has been following me for two years now. And now he didn't really yell at me but he was direct. He told me "Stop fooling around. OK, you scored 52 in two games. It's good, you can do it but don't forget where you come from. Because if you don't do your job in defense, you're not going to play, pal, because you won't bring anything. " But It's a good thing that he tells me this like that. We've been working together for two years, everyday. We have a great relationship, he knows how to talk to me, I know what he must tell me, etc. And he really wants to help me move forward, so I've never taken his remarks in a bad way, it's the contrary.

The next game we play Toronto, with Turkoglu coming back to Portland, after what happened this summer. I put 22 pts and managed to hold him to 14 pts with 4 turnovers, I drew 2 charges. In the end of the game, Monty came to me and told me while laughing "I'm bored to be right" :)

I think after that I did a good end of season. Despite my injury, I'm still satisfied with my season anyways, in defense and in offense. In offense, I end with more than 10 PPG. My first goal was to play the Rookie Game straight away. But well I got injured and missed about 40 games. So my goal in the 40 remaining games was to be at 10 PPG. So it was a good season given the context. But next year I want to make the season even better than this year. This year, my role has a bit changed offensively, so if I still work this summer, it's still going to evolve naturally. This year there already were options for me from time to time, whereas in last year I didn't have anything. So next year it should evolve again.

Anyways I've seen that BasketSession have published their trophies of the year, so I'll give you mines tomorrow. 

"My trophies of the season" April 18 
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It's the time for awards, so as announced in my previous post, I'm going to give you my awards.

MVP : LeBron James

It's the only question you don't even have to ask yourself. The real debate is maybe who's going to be second. He has better stats than last year, in the best team of the NBA. In second, I would put Kevin Durant. I don't think Durant is better than Kobe yet. In fact it's more complicated, it's hard to express too. Durant is strong, he's second at the moment for me for the MVP vote. He's an extraordinary talent who's young, in a young team. Overall there are still players like Lebron and Kobe ahead of him, but with what he's done this year, he must be voted 2nd best player in the league this season. But to me, Kobe is still ahead because he has 4 rings, he got elected MVP, and because he was elected best player of the Finals. But it will change soon since Durant is only 21 and Kobe's 32, it's normal. Durant's potential is scary and he clearly can become at least the same caliber as LeBron or Kobe.


Rookie of the year : Tyreke Evans 

I like Curry, I like what Jennings do, but I would put Tyreke Evans first, just for the 20 pts, 5 rbds, 5 assists. That's impressive. I was happy in the last game against Sacramento because I was able to limit him with 6 pts. Usually only guards defend on him and he post them up one by one. What I did is I told him "Come on, shoot !" I let him shoot and he made 2/12. I was putting an arm and I was sending him to the left. The coach told me "Send him on the left and let him shoot. If he scores it, I take it for me. But he must not go right. If he scores a layup on the right on you, I'm going to get angry. But if he goes left and shoots on your head, it's mine." And on the 3 pointed Evans put, he told me "Don't worry, I take it"... But to be honest Evans is strong. He has a physical maturity, even in the game he's strong. 20, 5, 5 plus he doesn't have too many shots. And they will come so try to figure when he gets his shoot.

Then I would put Jenning in 2. And close to Rookie of the year, even. I put him very, very close to Evans. Well I hesitate, but I leave the momentum to Evans. I don't hesitate about the 55 points, this happens. A hot time happens - just look at Rodrigque :) [Beaubois]. But what he's done thins year, to manage to run this team, to reach the playoffs is kind of impressing. Regarding Curry, we had a debate yesterday in the room. And everybody was laughing and saying : "Anyways if you're a Rookie in Golden State you can be Rookie of the year". We're exagerating a bit, he's super strong. He's just put us 42 pts, 9 rbds, 8 assists. He's good but I put him 3rd, right after Jennings.


Best defensive man of the year : Josh Smith

They all piss me off with Dwight Howard :) Howard is high because he's got a crazy wingspan, he does 3 or 4 blocks per game, he takes 15 rebounds. So I admit he's scary. But he's not the kind of guy that sticks to you like Bruce Bowen. Guys like Bruce Bowen or Ron Artest were legit defensive men of the year. For me that's the profile of a defender.

Someone like Thabo Sefolosha, he's in the Top 5, in my opinion. I've seen games where he was against the Lakers, for example and as a pure defender he's in the Top 5. LeBron James, I like, but it's hype, he's not a defender. Be careful he can defend, obviously, but he doesn't take the best player every night. He doesn't guard Kobe, he doesn't guard Melo. He takes them on sequences in the end of games, but he doesn't guard them for the whole game. For me, defenders are guys that guard big stars for the whole game.

Personally, this year, I would put Josh Smith. He's strong on the guy, he's strong as a 2nd curtain. And he can defend on several positions. He can defend on 4, on 3. Last time he was guarding LeBron. He's a 4 but he has the body to defend on many guys. Also he blocs, he takes rebounds. For me it's him this year.

Anyways regarding me, I've seen a report on ESPN where I was 7th of the Small forwards. I was happy, having only played 35 games it was a nice recognition. I was behind Kirilenko, Gerald Wallace, LeBron, Ron Artest, or even Paul Pierce. Paul Pierce, he's an underrated defender.

 
Best improved man of the year : Aaron Brooks or Joakim Noah


If Noah wasn't there (along with Derrick Rose), Chicago would be low. When Noah started getting his foot problems, they were 5th and then they sank. He's come back and they're in playoffs. He's done a crazy season, his stats have risen.

So for me it's Joakim or Aaron Brooks. It's impressive what he's done this year, Brooks. He's tiny, he has a small body but he's super fast and has a real gesture.
 
Best 6th man : Jamal Crawford

Jamal Crawford, period ! :)
 
Coach of the year : Nate McMillan

What Oklahoma and Milwaukee have done this year is nice, but to be honest seeing what we've been through this year, what McMillan has done to keep us together and for us not to lose our heads, it's impressive. So I put him Coach of the Year. Also I want some playing time in playoffs ! I'm just kidding but anyways what he's done, with all our injuries, it's impressive.
 
Fair-Play award

I voted this morning, we had a pre-list of 6 players : Al Horford, Scola, Billups, Grant Hill, Ray Allen and Jamison. I did it old school, I voted Grant Hill. Actually I didn't know what to put so I put Hill.
 
Forecast

I see Cleveland winning the title. It's very classic, I know, but I don't see this year how they can lose. Especially since they got Ilgauskas back. To be honest he's a true addition. They lack something when he's not there. He adds size and rotation. But especially, Shaq doesn't have outside shots, whereas Ilgauskas can hit 3 pnters or outside shots in the last minutes as he already did. Also you can't do some Hack-a-Ilgauskas. It's 2/2 everytime.

In final against them, I won't say us, but you can say whatever you want, we do play to go there. When you're in playoffs, why not try it. Whether the odds are 1/20, 1/50, or 1/100, it's still a chance so we're going to play. But if it's not us, I'm feeling a final LeBron-Kobe, wouldn't be too bad ! But be careful, Dallas can fuck things up. But I don't want Dallas to win because I don't want Rodrigue to be NBA champion, I would be pissed :). I don't want him to be NBA champion in his 1st year, this bastard. I would be happy for him but nevertheless... loool. I put myself in mode asshole : "Let's go Lakers !"

Translated from this page.



Hi everyone, it's been a while. Last time, I stopped because of my shoulder and I had to have surgery. The operation went really well. I went to Los Angeles to have it. I started rehabilitation on the second day after surgery. At first it was small arm movements. My triceps were practically glued to the body, I could not move the arm laterally at first, just get a little ahead of me. Little by little we went further and further, and after three weeks I could lift the arms horizontally in front of me. Laterally, I could get up to 40-45 degrees. After a month, half a month, everything was almost back.

In early december, I had the right to reshoot, but just in the paint for two weeks. And actually it was a good thing, it makes you work. You don't realize, but it's good for the fundamentals, it makes you work on the gesture. I think it's had an heavy influence on the fact that I've been shooting well since I came back. For two weeks, only my wrist has been working, you can not force. Usually you don't think much about doing it, you just do a series of shots. But just being sat on a chair and working only the gesture for half an hour, it makes you work. Then I was able to move back gradually. I've done that for a month and a half because I was not allowed any contact.

At first I could only do legs and abs musculation but apart from that it was hard. I had my arm in a big brace and I couldn't do anything. I was feeling useless. You can't do anything, you can not participate in the game, you can not even eat on your own. At first, I wasn't able to cut food. Even sleeping is annoying. I could only sleep on the left side or on the back, it was tough. Getting dressed too. I couldn't move my right arm, I couldn't detach it. So initially, I had to buy t-shirts, 6XL and 7XL to have them over the arm.

Initially, I was thinking as the others were traveling I was going to be all alone at practice. But actually no because every week someone would join me in the infirmary. After a week and a half, Travis was hurt, then there was Greg, there was Rudy, there was the coach. I was not alone.

I went to see my doctor January 4 in Los Angeles. He told me I could not return until three weeks and we scheduled my return for January 25. Meanwhile I was able to play with contacts, but I only did 1 on 1s and 2 on 2s. My first 5-5 was the game I came back ! I had many one on ones with Monty Williams. And at 37 years believe me he is still very well preserved. Oh is he hard ! We were doing 1 on 1s on the whole court, for the cardio, because cardio is hard to get back. You had put three baskets and it was the first to have 4 wins. And at first I had no condition, I was dead, he scored me some 4-0s : I was getting pretty yelled at and I had to do it again because I had no right to lose 4-0 against a 37 year old guy. And he was right. It was tough, but that's what made me come back.

After practice, I was staying an hour for extra runnings, for exercise. One of them is called the superman. On the court, there are marks that indicate the area that coaches are not allowed to cross, on the sidelines. You have to touch it and make a layup, then touch the same point on the other half court and lay up, and you have to do that 25 times. And I had to do it twice, with a one minute rest in the minwhile with free throws. There is another exercise where I had to do the same thing 15 times, but only with dunks. After ten, I had no legs anymore ! So in fact the worst with this injury was the cardio, and getting your physical condition back.

Back to competition

The first 5 on 5 was New Orleans. I had some apprehensions because I had only done 2 on 2. My expected playing time was 5 minutes per half. In the first game that's what I did. In the second game, against Utah, I played 15 minutes in the 1st half. I wanted to play, I was fed up. But it is true that in the first four games, I was a bit scared. After that it went well.

Utah, they were aiming at my shoulder. Boozer said it on the field : "Aim at his shoulder. " At one point on a screen, he came, he put his elbow well forward. Brewer blatantly took my arm and he pulled it back. It hurt me, I asked to leave. These guys did it on purpose, but I confess that I can do the same thing. When you see a guy with a splint or a protection, you'll play on it.

I didn't really have moments of doubt since I came back. Since the second game I've started playing 25 minutes and since then I've almost always played more than 20 minutes per game. I've started to feel well after the All-Star Break (also I'll have to tell you the All-Star Weekend a next time), I've removed my splint. I wasn't afraid any more and I was fed up. It was bothering me, I had to put it back on all the time. But since then I'm feeling really good. And then there was the game against Minnesota.

TO BE CONTINUED...

 September 5th

"To me, at the Euro the goal is to go for a medal."

Translation of this post

A few days before the start of the Euro, Nicolas takes stock of his first steps in Bleu and the qualifiying tournament. Back on the qualification and the objectives of the Bleus in the first post, before he talks tomorrow about his first steps in Bleu.

The first match against Belgium ... How to explain that ? Honestly it was a good first quarter. We were really motivated, unlike the game in Finland where it was a non-match. We started the game well, we were up by 10 in the 1st quarter. Tony was on fire. But to be honest we often watched him play. Then they fought back, they hit us because they had nothing to lose. And we lowered the tempo. We went back and didn't react enough, I think we believed we could get over it. Big, big mistake... In a subconscious manner, of course, but anyways... In the preparation game we won by 40 so it was in our head. The start of the 2nd quarter, we recovered, we rebuilt a difference. But we let them come back and then they got euphoric. They scored big, big shoots, they made high level plays. They haven't stolen their game, they've done a great game, they played really good basketball. And with the crowd behind, they were transcended.

I know that people have raised questions about Tony who was on fire early in the game, but we haven't offered many solutions next to him, we were watching him a lot. We've made mistakes. We've talked after the game. Tony spoke with the coaches, with Boris [Diaw], we've talked to each other as well. He told me he wanted to connect more with Boris and I in the beginning of the game and he would concentrate more on scoring in the 2nd half. Boris, Ronny [Turiaf], Florent [Pietrus] and I, we have to start strong, we have to hurt them really bad so we'll have more freedom. Personally in this game, I was not moving. I sat in the corner and I did "a Portland" to be honest... So it was normal he took his responsibilities.

After the game, I really felt anger. We had no right to get beaten like that and personally I was really, really, angry. After that Vincent [Collet, the French coach] put great emphasis on the spirit, intensity. We didn't do too intensive trainings, because we had to rest and preserves the body of each. But we insisted a lot on the mind because we knew next game would be about that. We know we're stronger and anyways in basketball you can't change anything in two days. So what Vincent has told us was : « It's just mental, it's your turn to react. Physically we're stronger than us. If you defend during 40 minutes, it will be ok. » He remained serene, calm, he didn't yell at us, he said « We weren't good, they did a great match, let's forget that. »

Tony said the same thing : « We have to forget this game. Now we're in Pau, we're at home, let's win this game. » He was irritated : at half-time [of the 2nd game], he yelled at us even though we were up by 20, because they scored 2 lay-ups in the end. In the locker room he screamed ! I was pleased to see him like that. When I saw that I told myself « He's ready ! He's going to do something. »

 [2nd game against Belgium] The atmosphere in this game was huge, we were really pushed. The crowd in Pau was huge for us and for the qualification. It pushes you, it transcends you, just like the game against Italy. We were 8005 vs 5. In this game against Belgium we've made the difference in the 2nd quarter with a 27-10 and a 12-0. We've increased the defensive pressure and then it was only fastbreaks or transition. And then Antoine [Diot] on the pick and roll, as soon as he was passing the ball the others could get back to defend because as soon as he was passing there was a basket. He did a great match. Well, he hasn't taken any shoot... I'm telling everywhere he just bought himself a shoot and for his best match he takes ZERO shoot ! So he disappointed me. No, I'm just kidding, he still made 9 assists in 3 quarters. Except he hasn't made any more during the end of the game, that dumb-ass :) No, seriously he was tremendous, in his handling of the game, in picks, in passes. In defense also, in leadership, he made steals, he puts the pressure on the guards, he's about dissuasion. He's got a bright future ahead of him. He's ready for Euro, he's already got good maturity, he's not scared. His performance reflects both of us : we surprised a lot of people even ourselves. He and I didn't think we'd have such an impact so fast. Against Italy we both scored 16 of the last 20 points and to be honest we wouldn't think we'd ever do that.

In this game Ronny has impressed too, but he was tremendous on both games against Belgium in the stats and presence. It really bodes well for the Euro. He's shut the mouth of a few people.

Now the minimum target is to qualify for the World Championships. The important thing for us was really to build something on the long term. In the end the goal for us is the Olympic Games in 2012. For this, we must build a team and then go through the Euro, take a medal, do something in Turkey, and again at Euro 2011, then do something great in the Olympics. For me the goal in this Euro is to go for a medal. I've done a so good course in France youth teams that I don't want to lose. I've done 3 European championships, one World championship, the Mannhein tournament, and except Euro 2005 where I did 6th, I've got a medal in all of them. I don't want to stop. You don't want to lose with this Jersey.
 

Among our competitors, the three teams that stand out the most for me are Spain, Slovenia and Turkey. Turkey hasn't got pressure, they're already qualified for the World cup. The team with the most pressure is Spain, they've played finals in the competitions of last 3 of 4 years.  We on our side, even though we went through second chance qualifications we'll still have pressure. With the team we have and the players missing in both teams of Russia and Germany, we're annouced the favorites of our group.

Our level will depend on our mental approach. If we're ready we can do an "Italy", if we're not we can do  a "Finland" or like our first game against Belgium. It depends on us. It is for us to be pro. It's a European championship, anyway. There are big objectives. And there if we fail we don't go back to Pau and save our lives. There you only have one game and if you lose you don't have a second chance. Anyways with the four we have next to us, I'm not scared : Tony, Boris, Ronny and Flo, they're ready every game, you just have to follow. They have so much experience. They're there since 2003, they've lived so many things. So I'm not talking, I'm listening to them and I go all out on the court. They are ready and believe me they have willpower ! If one swerves, they will immediately get him back.

Me for example, Boris yells at me almost every day. Everytime I do something he corrects me. Flo does the same. He says :« If I yell at them, it's for their own good. » But I don't say anything even if sometimes it's a bit harsh... Sometimes I'm feeling I didn't do anything bad but those guys have 100 games played, 4 European championship behind them. I'm coming, I haven't even played 10 games, so I shut up that's all. They tell me things at workouts or in game, on my defense, when I swerve, when I disconnect a bit. For example against Belinelli there were 2 or 3 plays where he really got big holes from me and Flo has told me « You were doing a good match, but if you don't want to play, get out. » « OK, my bad, my bad. »

These four will always be there to correct you so we won't swerve !

Anyways, I've seen you've presented my shoes in an article. I'm going to start Euro with this Pro Model but I should receive new customized ones during the week. So I'm happy to be qualified so I'll have a new pair hehe ! Well, I'm not a bum anyway, because you'll probably think « he wasn't playing for France but for a pair of shoes. » :) But anyways I'm going to have new ones, Pro Models again. They'll fit our new jersey, the one with a bit of golden. So there'll be white, blue, a bit of gloden and red laces.

September 7th

"I felt a little bit of pressure anyway"

Translation of this post

 After he talked about the qualification of the French team and his objectives for the Euro, Nicolas takes stock on his first games in Bleu and his express-round trip in Portland because of his shoulder.

 For my first selection, I confess I felt a little bit of pressure anyway. The game was so important. At the very beginning I did not think too much, but little by little when we arrived in Italy, it rose. And before the game I thought « But if we get spanked we can't be at the Olympics in 2012. » This game was not only having an impact on the near future but also on the long-term. So I still felt the same pressure as in Euro youth or in some win-or-go-homes I had played. But here it's different because you feel you can be a part of a tragedy if it goes wrong, a national tragedy ! But we were all ready !

 In the beginning of the game I was focused but I took 2 fouls right from the start so it pissed me off. I was frustrated because it was an important game, I was ready, boiling-hot, and after 1 min 30 I have 2 fouls. On the bench however I was very active. I wanted to support them, encourage them. Flo, Boris, Ronny made a big game right from the start to push forward the team while Tony was missing. They've shown they were the big three. We were fine and in the second half the objective was to go on stopping Belinelli. And the fact that he focused on his own plays has helped us. He didn't score during the 1st, he scored a lot in 2nd half. He was bored and gorged himself, which was fine for us because Bargnani was forgotten in the 2nd half. Let him shoot if the others don't score.

About how I endend the game honestly I don't know why I've done it, why I took things in hand : it all happened all by itself, I took the ball and I played. And I still wonder how I did that because I had never done that before. And there for the most important game of my life I did that. I don't remember who I've told it but I've been so fascinated by watching Roy doing it all year round that it came by itself and I tried to do it like him. Of course to the -20th power. So I played softly, without stress, the end of this game.

Personally when I joined I didn't think I would have such an offesive role. I didn't think I would average 17 pts in the first 4 games. At first I came with the state of mind of a defensive stopper. I was thinking « anyways, you have Boris, Tony, Ronny and Flo ahead of you, you're going to be in the five to mark Belinelli and pick the crumbs offensively » Anyways at workout, all I was doing was when Tony was penetrating, I was there to help him. He drives, everybody watches him and I cut. Before, I was just thinking about his. Now I have more plays, I have systems for me. I can be one more offensive option for this team and it can benefit us. I had already scored at the Strasbourg tournament, but I really think after this game against Italy I took another offensive dimension.

 Then against Finland, I've done a rather good game on the whole. And after the second time we've met Italy there was a double motivation for me : to qualify directly and the fact that I knew before the game that I would come back to Portland. They've told me « You play Italy, but you come back on saturday morning. » We had to make a DVD of my game to bring and show them. So I was boiling-hot ! I'd never done a baseline dunk like that ! I even surprised myself. The cross on Gigli and the dunk, I've never done that in my life... And the one I scored in the end, I hooked myself and did a pull-up on purpose to show my shoulder wasn't hurting.

Arriving in Portland, Fabrice Gauthier, osteopath who lives in Los Angeles, was waiting for me. He knew I didn't have anything and he came to back it up. While I was having my MRI, I gave the DVD to Fabrice who brought his computer and showed the previous game highlights to Portland's main physio. Not the game before, the latter, to show them how I was barely 24 hours before. And when I had finished my MRI, the doctor came to me and he was « Your baseline dunk was awesome ! How many steals ? 6. And you scored 18 points ? It's good for us next year. But why did you come back ? » I've also seen a surgin there, who read the report made a specialist we've seen in France, he checked my shoulder, he made me do movements. He told me « There's a small avulsion fracture anyway [arrachement osseux], but not something that actually interferes with the rotation of the shoulder, but it can create a bother. » We've noticed something else during the exams : after that, they examined my other shoulder, the left one, and they've concluded I have an extreme flexibilty of both shoulders. Basically they told me that, for example if the practice of basketball makes it so I have 50% chances of dislocating my left shoulder, and before it was the same for my right shoulder, now with this injury it went to 55%. 50% is a figure, an example, it's just to say it's almost the same and in fact, since I have the shoulder extremely flexible my injury isn't bothering that much. I just have to reinforce.

So they told me « That's fine, when do you want to come back ? Tomorrow ? » I said yes ! Kevin Pritchard was in Europe, but anyway the doctors were taking decisions, Pritchard was following their advice. They told me « When is next game ? », I answered, on monday ! They told me it would be tough to play on monday, according to the duration of the flight but that I could return the next day.

As a result I've done twice 13 hours of flight in the week-end, for 21 hours spent in Portland. Not bad. 26 hours of flight, for an actual hour and a half sice it took me 1h30 right at the arrival. The time remaining was the wait for the flight back... Anyway at first I thought it would last a week and a half, minimum. Tony was telling me « You go to workout, you show you don't have anything, you only put dunks, you put your 3 points, you play hard and you come back. Anyway what they want to see is that you can play, that you're well. When I went back to San Antonio because of my ankle, I ran everywhere, I was putting drives, they saw I didn't have anything. » But I didn't have to do that.

I didn't foresee the score of tonight's game, and I admit it's probably disconnected from the reality but the dream I had yesterday was still interesting.

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