A team with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh shouldn't have too many needs behind that core. The one thing that every team needs, however, be it Jordan's Bulls or Magic's Lakers, is a "glue guy". A glue guy does the unglamorous behind-the-scenes work that keeps teams together. A glue guy doesn't need to start; he doesn't even need to play. A glue guy can do the dirty work on the court, run the team's practices, or just keep the rest of his team motivated. In the case of Shane Battier, he does it all. Battier has long been known as an elite and creative defender, just look at his efforts to disrupt Kobe in the 2009 Western Conference Finals. Now, however, Battier assumes a much more vague and arguably important role. Battier is easily the best charge-taker in the league. It may not sound too important, but when your team is facing a late game open court fast break and instead of seeing two points, you see your team get possession, the momentum can swing instantly. On a team with the world's greatest basketball player as well as the best guard in the league, that charge may be all you need to add to the equation to leave with a win. If you have ever heard Battier in an interview, you know immediately that he is not the quintessential thug flopping to get calls from refs; nor has he lost too many brain cells from taking charges from the likes of Shaq and LeBron. With a basketball IQ lauded by his teammates and coaches, Battier is a student of the game and is often a vocal leader for the team's defense. Between his countless intangibles and the three-point clinic he put on in the NBA Finals last year, Battier has proven to be more than the Heat ever could have hoped for.
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| I don't know what this is but you can't say it isn't awesome |
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