Nicolas Batum speculated that he received one day off between France's win in the third-place game at this summer's FIBA World Cup and the start of training camp with the Blazers, The Oregonian reports.

Batum speculated that he received one day off between France's win in the third-place game at this summer's FIBA World Cup and the start of training camp with the Blazers, The Oregonian reports.

Analysis:

Batum concluded the tournament with a flourish, supplying a game-high 27 points during the come-from-behind triumph over Lithuania on Sept. 13. In nine games across group play and the single-elimination portion of the tourney, he averaged 14.6 points (on 49 percent shooting), 3.1 rebounds, 1.7 three-pointers, 1.3 assists, and 1.3 steals in 29.1 minutes. Despite the tidy sample size, the line isn't up to the par of the past few season with the Blazers, with whom he emerged as a do-everything threat. Perhaps his grueling summer schedule aided in the development, as well as the 40-minute games in international basketball, but he doesn't expect coach Terry Stotts to treat him with kid gloves in preparation for his seventh NBA campaign, when Batum will be looking to build upon career highs in rebounds (7.5) and assists (5.1).