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Par Pierre-Andréa Fraile | Journaliste sportif
Héros du Game 6 entre Clippers et Nuggets, Nicolas Batum avait vu son nom se retrouver sur toutes les bouches à l’issue de cette rencontre. Cela a encore été le cas avant le match 7 de ce samedi, puisque David Adelman a vidé son sac à son sujet.
If this series had to wait until Game 7 for its verdict, it was partly thanks to him. Nicolas Batum contributed to the Clippers’ survival against the Nuggets, as he was promoted to the starting line-up for Game 6 of this first round and fully justified his coach’s decision. His performance was warmly applauded, both by Internet users and by those involved in the game.
The Frenchman’s name was on everyone’s lips at the post-match press conference, including those of the Denver players. Nikola Jokic, for example, didn’t mince his words about the Frenchman, well aware of his impact on his team’s defeat. Unsurprisingly, the opposing coach, David Adelman, also dwelt on his contribution ahead of the decisive Game 7 between the two teams.
David Adelman’s heartfelt tribute to Nicolas Batum
Sent before reporters a few hours before the half-time break on Saturday, Adelman was logically asked about Batum, whom he could potentially expect to start. It was an opportunity for him to express his respect for Batum:
David Adelman: He’s been a top player for what seems like twenty years.
The Clippers have a lot of options on their roster and he’s a good one. He did a great job in Game 6, on both sides of the court. It forced us to change our rotations and we’ll have to respond to that adjustment in a better way today. We’ll have to give our best players more space and be much more physical in our screen positioning if they defend like they did on Thursday. (…)
Batum has played a big part in the difficulties we’ve had, and again, I’m repeating myself, but this guy has always played at a very high level. It’s not as if he’s some kind of find on their part. He’s been a very good NBA player for a very long time, not to mention his international career. I’m a huge fan of his game. He gives us problems that we need to solve better.
Despite this praise, Nico was not retained in the Clips’ starting five by Tyronn Lue. Initially a substitute, he nevertheless started the second half as a starter. However, this didn’t produce the same results as the day before, as his franchise went on a 17-0 run in the second half. It was a fatal run for the former Les Bleus captain and his team-mates, who were soundly beaten (101-120) and eliminated.
