There's a lot of Rust on Greg
by Ben. on Oct 4, 2008 9:52 AM PDT
122 comments
Aside from the headline-worthy huge crowd of 11,000+ (congrats to you if you were there! It's amazing what a difference there is in excitement when the lower bowl is 11,000 real fans rather than, say, 5,000 real fans and 6,000 people with too much money and too little excitement), the major story last night was the unveiling of Greg Oden.
And let's just say it wasn't a smashing success.
Greg looked not good.
Here's Quick...
Oden was underwhelming. He finished with 5 points, 2 rebounds and one impressive block: a rejection of an Ike Diogu dunk attempt early in the game. The first offensive series of the game, Oden attempt a lean-in jump hook in the lane. It missed and he wildly went for the rebound, bobbling it out of bounds. It was evident the kid was nervous and eager to please. But God, he's huge. In a good way. Several times, Joel Przybilla got backed down so easily that he had to just wrap his arms around Oden to prevent a dunk.
Here's Dwight Jaynes.
Greg Oden: On this night, honestly — he looked a lot like Clifford Ray. He’s just not ready yet. He’s walking on eggshells — tentative in just about everything he does. Not explosive, either. It’s going to take time for him to find himself and to get comfortable with everything. It’s going to happen for him, but everyone is going to have to be patient. He’s not in top shape yet and needs to play enough to forget his injury and just let it all hang out.
Here's some more Quick with quotes from GO and Nate.
I'm already seeing you guys weigh in on a number of different fanposts, so let's consolidate thoughts about Greg here.
What did you like? What didn't you like?
My take: Greg looks very mechanical on offense. It's like he's the turtle from that early 1990s LOGO computer program, where you can only make 90 degree turns and each action is scripted. Greg turns left, Greg turns right, Greg pushes jump and dunks it on your face. His shots from short-range were not pretty, flat line-drives that were flung at the rim. High-percentage looks, low-percentage execution. His passing was the best part of his offensive game-- but in the context of a scrimmage against a "second unit" I don't think we can read too much into that.
Defensively: After the block on Diogu that Quick mentions above, it's funny how almost immediately no one wanted to take it at him and challenge him. Even Young Bayless, always fearless, would find himself scorching to the hoop, sensing Greg's presence, and then looking for an alternate route out of there. Detour! Greg's positioning on defense wasn't always great, but it was almost always meaningful.
Greg's body language was better than I've seen it so far this year: more expressive than media day, definitely more upbeat than at practice last week. The only knock on him mentally right now seems to be nerves- which he is very quick to acknowledge and which should fade in a month or two.
Many within the organization have urged cautious expectations for Greg: now we can see why. He looked like a man that has hardly played basketball in a few years, which he is. It might be November or December until he looks like a basketball player again. But, when he does, watch out.
-- Ben (benjamin.golliver@gmail.com)
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Thanks for the summary Ben
It will be hard for us not to have such high expectations of Oden this year. We all need to keep it in perspective considering the year off. If Greg can relieve some of that pressure that Aldridge had last year, that will be a big bonus early in the season. Hopefully, by about game 25, Greg will start to show some of his own dominance.
by #7 on Oct 4, 2008 10:01 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
they need to let him go "play".
against the local playground courts finest ballers. 1 year of being treated like Private Ryan, in Saving Private Ryan would seriously stick a dagger in my “fun”, and RAHHHHHH, I"M GREG ODEN, factor.
"the Knicks are an ongoing experiment in sporting altruism, with the motto "We suck, so you don't have to." This is the designing principle. Stop overcomplicating things."
-jawaan oldham
by faith on Oct 4, 2008 10:16 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I agree with all you say
I’d underline that even though GO didn’t look impressive by any means, he had an impact in that game. As you wrote, after the Diogu block, no one challenged the paint. Similarly, on offense GO drew double-teams, and his crisp passes out of those double-teams resulted in wide-open shots for his teammates.
So while we impatiently wait for the Oden Monster to emerge, we should realize that even tentative, out-of-shape Greg is going to help this team immensely. Whereas last season you had Joel starting and Frye or LaFrenz backing up, now you’ve got a guy with Greg’s physical presence starting and Joel coming in as arguably the NBA’s top back-up center. That’s a huge upgrade—literally.
"We don't back down to nobody." --Joel Przybilla
by hurryup09 on Oct 4, 2008 10:51 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
So...
based on the above analysis should Oden start? If he’s not ready, maybe he should come off the bench for the first quarter of the season.
by torsoheap on Oct 4, 2008 10:55 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
You know
we talked about that as a real possibility last pre-season before we knew about the surgery. He wasn’t NBA ready then – 82 games? Hardly. But now that he has essentially sat for a year (as opposed to playing) people are expecting more of him. I guess the longer we wait the higher our expectations.
Maybe he’ll start, but probably not play long minutes. Stay healthy, Joel!!!
by jorga on Oct 4, 2008 11:11 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
It doesn't matter to me...
Who starts. Whatever works best for The PTB to win, is what counts.
We have gots 40+ minutes of quality Center play.
“GO BLAZERS”
"You're really making me feel good about myself, little man," says Oden as he starts dancing after scoring a goal. "You better come harder than that."
by BlueBooYay on Oct 4, 2008 5:10 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
He just needs to find his fun playing basketball again
He looked tense, the exact opposite of Rudy who was treating the game like an All-Star game: Entertain the fans and let the game flow. He will be looking good again soon enough.
Odenied: If you're given lemmings—make lemming-ade (Bow4Meow)
by Norsktroll on Oct 4, 2008 11:10 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Maybe this is why
there has been a Media Blackout of Oden. I hope he gets to feeling better soon. I feel for the guy.
He's Coming! Oden Slayer of Giants
by Idog1976 on Oct 4, 2008 11:13 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
media blackout?
the dude is a b’ball player on a team that makes $$ by playing for its fans. How can there be a media blackout? And what’s the deal with a media blackout (supposedly) on a player solely because that player is not as good as marketed? If someone is a bad player, usually the team wants that to be out in the open because then it can find a suitable alternative in the lineup.
And let us all entertain the possibility that Oden is just not very good offensively. As some of the other commenters have suggested, this is not really a liability for the Blazers. Defense is the main thing we need out of Oden.
I’ve been pointing to Oden’s primitive offensive game for a long time now.
Nature bats last.
by fisheyes on Oct 4, 2008 1:47 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
the only media blackout in PTB history
was the Darius Miles cover-up. The media just refused to go after Darius for an interview when he was supposedly rehabbing. I dont get a concensus on this but as I see it, nobody even tried to get Darius to come forward and enlighten us about his situation, his progress, his dedication level, et al. They did do a nice piece on his wheels tho. Utter complicity of the Scooter Libby garden pardon variety.
Not to mention the entire PTB organization refused to shell out anything meaningful.
Thats a blackout
"Meow" -- My cat Bonzi as best I can figure... " I don't sweat birds... they sweat me... Im the Be-bah-bones, who are you? Thank you. I eat birds." --- has something to do with local radio jobber arrogance...
by bow4meow on Oct 4, 2008 3:01 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ben tried, at least this year
Odenied: If you're given lemmings—make lemming-ade (Bow4Meow)
by Norsktroll on Oct 4, 2008 3:17 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
How did he try?
They all said they tried. Its like, “well, we tried.” Baloney. Maybe not, I dunno. But if they tried, and Darius simply refused to grant an interview, why wasnt the fact that he refused to grant an interview substantial? Im conspiritorial by nature, and it was just all too convenient how nobody could get an interview with the guy or rail on him or the PTB for not coming clean.
"Meow" -- My cat Bonzi as best I can figure... " I don't sweat birds... they sweat me... Im the Be-bah-bones, who are you? Thank you. I eat birds." --- has something to do with local radio jobber arrogance...
by bow4meow on Oct 4, 2008 3:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
i tried hard. many emails. hour long phone calls with his agent.
his agent talked but steadfastedly refused to speak on the record or to allow darius to speak on the record.
i posted numerous times this summer about my attempts to get miles to speak. i also posted quotes about darius from every PTB source i could.
BRANDON ROY GET WELL SOON
by Ben. on Oct 4, 2008 3:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
PS darius has not been in portland since may.
i saw him in person twice before games at the rose garden last season, neither time was he available for comment.
he was never available post game at any game i went to (every game in 2008).
BRANDON ROY GET WELL SOON
by Ben. on Oct 4, 2008 3:37 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
PPS darius still might talk with us. there is an open line of communication with his agent right now, it’s a process.
BRANDON ROY GET WELL SOON
by Ben. on Oct 4, 2008 3:39 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
so what Im supposed to just believe you?
Ok I relent. Maybe you did try. Did Darius give the guy who did the story on his car permission to pimp that ride? Convince me. Its not that I dont trust you, but how was it Darius gets his doobie mobile glossed at the same time he’s refusing to grant interviews.. and why am I so upset about it anyways?
So is the refusal of athletes to grant interviews, and their parents clubs as well, tantamount to disillusionment?
"Meow" -- My cat Bonzi as best I can figure... " I don't sweat birds... they sweat me... Im the Be-bah-bones, who are you? Thank you. I eat birds." --- has something to do with local radio jobber arrogance...
by bow4meow on Oct 4, 2008 4:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
not sure where the car pictures came from or when/where they were taken. i did walk by his car numerous times at the RG but seeing Darius’s car and getting Darius to talk on the record about anything of importance are two very different things — I wish they weren’t but it’s the sad truth….
its all politics, image management. darius thought he had more to lose than he did to gain by talking. i tried very hard to convince him of the opposite because i see some real benefits to him talking (especially earlier this summer. now, not so much).
we will see.
BRANDON ROY GET WELL SOON
by Ben. on Oct 4, 2008 4:41 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
by “convince him” i should say “convince his agent”… i haven’t talked to darius besides saying whats up since 2007 before i wrote on here.
BRANDON ROY GET WELL SOON
by Ben. on Oct 4, 2008 4:46 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
are you restricted as to what you can say?
if you had these conversations with his agent and so forth, who draws the line? Just curious.
"Meow" -- My cat Bonzi as best I can figure... " I don't sweat birds... they sweat me... Im the Be-bah-bones, who are you? Thank you. I eat birds." --- has something to do with local radio jobber arrogance...
by bow4meow on Oct 4, 2008 4:51 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think typically
the person being interviewed, before the interview starts, says something like “I’ll talk to you, but only on the condition that you don’t print anything I say. Otherwise, I won’t talk to you at all.”
by pualo on Oct 4, 2008 4:55 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Journalism_sourcing#Using_confidential_information
“On-the-record”: all that is said can be quoted and attributed.
“Unattributable”: what is said can be reported but not attributed.
“Off-the-record”: the information is provided to inform a decision or provide a confidential explanation, not for publication.
BRANDON ROY GET WELL SOON
by Ben. on Oct 4, 2008 4:56 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
so email me all the off-the-record stuff
so I can post it…. HA just kidding. Just the fact you granted me this interview time gives me newfound respect.
I’ll let it go. Thanks bro.
By the way, USC needs new feathers for their mascots helmet. Now they pluck them.
I heard local sports radio jobber say the White Crayola is useless. I wholeheartedly disagree.
by bow4meow on Oct 4, 2008 5:00 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
the car pics were off O-live as I recall
at the time I was ranting on the Yahoo PTB board about it, so didnt get to see you’re then qualifying blogs about it. The whole Darius thing ticks me off. This franchise did little else but roll out the red and black carpet for him only to see him go south and well I cant say it on the fans.
He totally snubbed every PTB who stuck up for him, myself included at first, and now only serves to continue to beguile us with his perported playabilty or not. Its a shame, and Darius, buddy, its too bad.
"Meow" -- My cat Bonzi as best I can figure... " I don't sweat birds... they sweat me... Im the Be-bah-bones, who are you? Thank you. I eat birds." --- has something to do with local radio jobber arrogance...
by bow4meow on Oct 4, 2008 4:46 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
http://blog.oregonlive.com/blazers/2007/08/darius_miles_rolls_deep.html
there’s casey’s post but he didn’t take the pictures. they originated from a poster on a blazers forum. they surfaced before any of the real drama from last season.
BRANDON ROY GET WELL SOON
by Ben. on Oct 4, 2008 4:51 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
did he say why he wouldnt speak on the record?
im obessive-compulsive, too
"Meow" -- My cat Bonzi as best I can figure... " I don't sweat birds... they sweat me... Im the Be-bah-bones, who are you? Thank you. I eat birds." --- has something to do with local radio jobber arrogance...
by bow4meow on Oct 4, 2008 4:40 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
True dat
I just don’t understand why some people here get so upset at the suggestion that Oden might never turn out to be a 20+ pt/gm scorer. Even if he was the second coming of Hakeem, there’s still only one ball that he’d have to share with Aldridge, Roy, Rudy, Outlaw, Bayless, Martell, et al.
It’s all good, Blazerfan. Even if his offensive game never evolves beyond the merely rudimentary, his defensive presence still makes him an extremely valuable piece of the Blazers’ puzzle.
by knickfan on Oct 4, 2008 4:19 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
OT
"You're really making me feel good about myself, little man," says Oden as he starts dancing after scoring a goal. "You better come harder than that."
by BlueBooYay on Oct 4, 2008 5:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Gregs only had 2 and a half practices as a pro, he watched from the sidelines alot last year but it just is not the same as manning up and being comfortable with a system.
I thought Oden looked like he was thinking too much instead of reacting, which is not a bad thing it might raise eyebrows for us fans right now but he is learning the system.
Does anyone really want Greg going 100% against our own guys? He is going to hurt people, I watched almost every game in last years March madness tourny and he was putting people on the floor with physical hard play. By the first of Dec. Oden will probably have lost 10-15 pounds and will be alot more comfortable out on the court. I like the point that was made that he made one defensive block and altered the entire attitude of his team mates the rest of srimmage.
Nice,,,,,
by Dragonage on Oct 4, 2008 11:15 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
So much of playing basketball well is confidence
and that comes with lots of time on the court. He has a rebuilt knee, weighs more than he did in college, has teammates with whom he’s never played in real games, is playing a new game (NBA versus college), has a huge burden of expectations, and so on. He’ll be fine.
Side issue: Every time anyone writes about seeing Oden, the typical comment is how huge he is. It almost sounds like he’s as big as Shaq or Yao, which clearly he is not. Joel is taller, so the comment must refer to his mass. Shaq and Yao outweigh him by 20 to 60 pounds, and there are plenty of other NBA centers who are in GO’s size range. Why is everyone so surprised by his size?
"Personally, I'd rather give an elephant a prostate exam on Chili Day." --Dave on rooting for the Lakers or Celtics
by MiledAnimal on Oct 4, 2008 11:20 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Wouldn't...
you be surprised if your grandpa was 7 feet 260?
by torsoheap on Oct 4, 2008 1:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yes, especially since they've both been dead for a number of years.
"Personally, I'd rather give an elephant a prostate exam on Chili Day." --Dave on rooting for the Lakers or Celtics
by MiledAnimal on Oct 4, 2008 11:14 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
On NBA TV they recently showed Shaq's first NBA game.
While Shaq might be an inch or two taller Oden certainly looks “bigger” than Shaq was his rookie year. Shaq played 3 season of college ball too.
As primitive as Oden’s game is, if he gets the ball down low you will have to double team him or foul him or he will dunk on you every time. You can’t cheat off of him. That is a huge bonus to have. Couple that with the fact that he is great at finding the open team mate.
The rest of the league is in trouble once he becomes more polished and explosive.
I'm a little confused by your tactics
by oderiferous emanations 74 on Oct 4, 2008 2:56 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Incorrect terminology.
I just need to point out that it’s not correct to say that Greg Oden “dunk[s] on you.” There are two accepted forms: You can say that he “dunks on your head” or that he “dunks on your face.” But just saying “dunks on you” is not enough.
by pualo on Oct 4, 2008 4:28 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
P.S.
I prefer it “on your face,” but I have to also defer to Channing when he says “on your head.”
by pualo on Oct 4, 2008 4:29 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
May I say "dunks over you"?
Sergio + Rudy = 16
Sergio + Bayless = 16
by amlmart1 on Oct 5, 2008 4:07 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
He dunks on your nug
I'm a little confused by your tactics
by oderiferous emanations 74 on Oct 4, 2008 10:14 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Rust may not be the only factor
responsible for Oden’s “mechanical” offensive skills. This was also one of the knocks on his game coming out of college, as evidenced by this 2007 article in Draft Express.
What’s been most concerning so far is the almost complete lack of fluidity that Oden is displaying on the offensive end. He’s very mechanical in the post, being highly predictable with his moves and not looking flexible enough to react to what defenses are throwing at him and counter with any kind of polish…Players who are somewhat stiff in their movements, like a David Robinson or a Dwight Howard for example, don’t become more fluid as they get older. And while Oden is certainly an excellent athlete, he’s not as freakishly explosive as Howard to naturally overcome his shortcomings there.
Now, with all of the offensive weapons the Blazers currently possess, I don’t really think that an offensively limited Oden will be all that problematic. If he becomes the dominant defender that everyone figures he will be, that should suffice to make the Blazers a championship calibre squad. Of course, I know that Blazerfan is expecting so much more than that. In a thread that took place here a couple of months ago, I took a bit of heat for suggesting Dikembe Mutombo as a reasonable benchmark for what might be expected of Oden. If that indeed turns out to be Oden’s ceiling, I think the Blazer coaches and front office would be very, very pleased.
by knickfan on Oct 4, 2008 11:20 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
David Robinson is often quoted as Greg's ceiling
I bet the front office hopes a little bit of young Shaq is mixed into it. Otherwise he won’t be able to dominate a few other centers already in the league.
Odenied: If you're given lemmings—make lemming-ade (Bow4Meow)
by Norsktroll on Oct 4, 2008 11:32 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'll grant that Mutombo
probably represnts the low end of Oden’s “ceiling.” And that Robinson is probably closer to the high end.
But based on what seem to be the natural limitations of his offensive game, I’d guess that some of the projections that have been made to him being a Shaq/Olajuwon-level center are probably above his ceiling.
by knickfan on Oct 4, 2008 11:49 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
just to clarify
ceiling means “an upper limit”, so Mutombo would be Oden’s floor expectation, should he not improve his offensive game…but Mutombo never faced double teams like Oden did and will, so defensively, I could see Mutombo as his floor, but he’s still too young to believe he won’t improve on his offensive game.
by lefty6283 on Oct 4, 2008 11:57 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I thought the term "floor"
referred to where he is as a player right now.
And right now, he’s nowhere close to Mutombo. Maybe he’ll be there in a few months or even a few days once he gets past the nerves and the natural hesitation to test his knee. We’ll see.
by knickfan on Oct 4, 2008 12:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
What aspects of Mutombo's game I would love to see in Greg is
a) his shot blocking and altering ability (not in my house)
b) his longevity. Imagine Oden still being able to play backup center at an NBA level in 2025
Odenied: If you're given lemmings—make lemming-ade (Bow4Meow)
by Norsktroll on Oct 4, 2008 1:13 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
am I an optimist? I don’t know. A realist? Maybe. A pessimist? It’s entirely possible. I think there’s a less than 5% chance Oden is still playing in 2025. Oden is a force, all that remains to be seen is what kind.
by 50backflips on Oct 4, 2008 9:41 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
What, not the finger-wag?
I hate that. I’m surprised no one ever went Bowen on him.
"Personally, I'd rather give an elephant a prostate exam on Chili Day." --Dave on rooting for the Lakers or Celtics
by MiledAnimal on Oct 4, 2008 11:15 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm sticking with a ...
Patrick Ewing esque career for Greg Oden, as his lack of fluidity and mechanical nature on offense is what seperates him from über-athletic marvels at the pivot like Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson.
by AK1984 on Oct 4, 2008 3:16 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Get Hakeem to coach him
I'm a little confused by your tactics
by oderiferous emanations 74 on Oct 4, 2008 2:57 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hakeem is coaching Yao, Ewing is coaching Howard
Odenied: If you're given lemmings—make lemming-ade (Bow4Meow)
by Norsktroll on Oct 4, 2008 3:19 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Where there is a will, there is an "A". Write that down.
I'm a little confused by your tactics
by oderiferous emanations 74 on Oct 4, 2008 3:48 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think GO has much better hands than Mutombo
He seems to be a better passer too. Plus he has nice form on his jump shot. He was even able to shoot a decent free throw percentage left-handed while in college.
So while there’s certainly some Mutombo-esque awkwardness in GO’s offensive game, he seems much more skilled—already. It’s too soon to know what his ceiling is.
"We don't back down to nobody." --Joel Przybilla
by hurryup09 on Oct 5, 2008 2:38 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
come on guys....
let’s not underestimate oden. as blazer fans i know that we’re constantly walking on eggshells about our players and our team, but let’s think about this: he’s practiced like twice, he had a mildly sprained ankle, and ummm, microfracture. greg oden is a beast of nature, he will be one of the best derenders in the world, and offensive, i am of the belief that he’ll be special. it took AMARE time to get in the flow… but he got in the flow. watch, i guarantee by the new year greg oden will be a STUD and the darling of the nba.
by aryamehr on Oct 4, 2008 11:33 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I have mixed feelings about this post
Yeah, I woud’ve loved to see Greg play better last night, but it’s WAY too early to get super-analytical about it. For the next couple of months, I’m going to focus my attention on LMA and Rudy and give Greg some space (in my mind, at least) to get back into game shape.
by Corvid on Oct 4, 2008 11:33 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Come On
Lets not overreact or read too much into ONE SCRIMMAGE in which Oden was double teamed the whole night. Why on earth do you think he was double teamed in the first place? Because he suck on offense?
To top it off, he only took 5 shots. Some of you people need to settle down a little bit …especially Ben.
by Balian on Oct 4, 2008 11:34 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Bens doing what he's suppose to,+ We've been through this.
Just sayin.
"the Knicks are an ongoing experiment in sporting altruism, with the motto "We suck, so you don't have to." This is the designing principle. Stop overcomplicating things."
-jawaan oldham
by faith on Oct 4, 2008 11:36 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think there's a reason he only took 5 shots
and part of that is the fact that he didn’t have the stamina to stay in the game as long as the other guys (as well as not wanting to push things too far, I assume) nor did he have the stamina to get into position or down the floor with our otherwise very speedy team.
by Griff on Oct 4, 2008 12:09 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
+1, exactly.
He was double and triple teamed all night (why? I don’t know) and was obviously taking it easy out there.
Why has Ben been so negative lately?
Oden+Roy+Aldridge+Rudy+Bayless=Dynasty. Believe
by OdenRoyLMA on Oct 4, 2008 12:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
He was double and triple teamed all night (why? I don’t know)
Because his Team Mates know, if you don’t (or grab him with both arms and hands, like Joel).
He will cram the darn ball down your throat (basket, ’scuz me).
"You're really making me feel good about myself, little man," says Oden as he starts dancing after scoring a goal. "You better come harder than that."
by BlueBooYay on Oct 4, 2008 4:16 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
It's a scrimmage though.
Throw the fans a bone. I thought it was ridiculous.
Oden+Roy+Aldridge+Rudy+Bayless=Dynasty. Believe
by OdenRoyLMA on Oct 4, 2008 4:38 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ya, I agree
It seems our Players is still fighting for position and not giving each other a break.
"You're really making me feel good about myself, little man," says Oden as he starts dancing after scoring a goal. "You better come harder than that."
by BlueBooYay on Oct 4, 2008 4:42 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
He looked huge!
I mean really huge! He has a ways to go to get into game shape. He doesn’t have his legs yet. Health willing give him 2 months and then watch out!
"From Bill Walton to Brandon Roy, we wanna know it all
From Clyde Drexler to Greg Oden, from the basket to the ball
Every move they make is covered, somebody make the call
The shot clock's always running at Blazers Edge"
by blazermaniac32 on Oct 4, 2008 11:56 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I agree with Ben
And regarding “it’s just a scrimmage” – I don’t buy into that. Yes, it was a scrimmage, but it was obvious that Greg was playing hard…and that his nerves really did get the best of him. He seemed overly-anxious to please last night. It was apparent that he really wanted to make a big play (dunk, block) and I think that got the best of him.
The reality of the situation, though, is that Greg would have had to deal with this regardless of what happened last year. All eyes are on him. He’s going to be facing top-calibur, very strong, very athletic players in this league that will come after him guns blazing. He’ll see more double and triple teams than (insert high-grossing adult film star here).
I don’t think any amount of practices or on-court training can really prepare him for the big show. He does have an advantage, though, in working alongside some of the most composed, competent young players in the league. I can’t imagine anyone more qualified than the guys on his side.
by Griff on Oct 4, 2008 12:00 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Hmmm...
Read the last full paragraph here:
http://www.blazersedge.com/2008/5/7/481800/the-oden-impact
And the last half of this:
http://www.blazersedge.com/2008/8/3/586129/the-other-rookie
—Dave
by Dave on Oct 4, 2008 12:48 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Exactly
all cheer Nostra-Dave-us
"I figured out how to get the canoe down the mountain, but I will need a snow blower and all your butter"-Michael Kelso
by 92wastheyear on Oct 4, 2008 12:55 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Forgot about these wise words
the second post especially seems likely.
He's Coming! Oden Slayer of Giants
by Idog1976 on Oct 4, 2008 5:48 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Gosh, that Lambourghini metaphor is so funny and awesome, Dave!! hola chicas!
by 50backflips on Oct 4, 2008 10:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I cannot think of a greater situation for this team.
As big a dissapointment as Greg getting hurt was, it allowed LMA and Roy to blossom and with the loss of games we got Bayless from it. A slight hiccup for sure, but with the youth of this team it is not that big a deal.
Our team is stacked top to bottom not only with great players but great fits
Roy: Our leader, ROY, AS and most importantly: humble. Do you think he cares about how many points he gets? I can imagine him moving into more of a Jason Kidd like statline this year, 15pts, 8rebs, 8 asts. This will be a very realistic statline for Roy this year and with him not needing to score mas much, he can have more energy in the 4th if the game needs to be taken over.
Hopefully in most games, we will not have to worry about close 4th Qs as we will be up a lot, but the point is we and he does not need to score a lot of points for this team to be successful.
LMA: With all the acclaim and the hype for Roy and Oden, I believe that LMA is the 3rd leg and is not getting the credit that is due. On one aspect this is good as it will motivate him to higher levels than he is now but still some cred is nice.
LMA’s most bankable asset is his O game. He is an OK passer and good defender but his real strength comes from putting the ball through the hoop. With Roy who does not care as much about pts and Oden will play the Russell role on this team. Russell never even averaged over 20ppg but is known for his rebounding and D, much like Oden will be.
This all leads to LMA being the focus of the O and his calling card. He is the fuel that powers this car and gets it to where it is going.
Oden: Great D’ly great rebounder but somewhat proteotic in the O, but for this season that is ok as LMA will shoulder the load O’ly. That will allow him to do what he does best, D up, alter a ton of shots, blocks or not, clean up the glass and dunk any O rebounds. What is also great about Oden is that he has not only the ability to pass out of the post, but the willingness to do so which is another story altogether.
Our big 3 fit perfectly together with an amazing mix of perimiter and post scoring, playmaking at both the low post and G positions and a high post who can take advantage of the situation from either. D’ly they should be amazing as Roy will improve on the D end not having to do EVERYTHING on the other end of the floor, Oden is a rock and LMA will be free to take more chances with Oden backing him up.
Jason Quick said in his colum today that he couldn’t help but get swept up by all this feeling and that even though he has been around the league for a while, he feels that there may be something very special here and I cannot agree with him more.
It is one thing to acquire a group of super talented players and throw them on a team, look at the Nuggets, the Rockets and the turn of the millenium Blazers. What is great about this team is that they are not all stars on other teams that have been brought here to win a championship, but rather carefully selected draft picks and vet role players that have been bred for nothing other than to bring a trophy back to the Rose City.
With this organic approach players genuinely like each other, and most inportanty with them being so young, they can grow into each other, forming an impregnable team, each player covering up weaknesses or the other.
That is what will seperate us from the good to great teams and seperate us into the elite catergory and possible dynastic catergory, our fit and completeness as a team. What is the greatest part is that all of these players are hard workers and should overachieve rather than underachielve.
It is from this where we differ from the rest of the NBA and where all this talk of dynasty comes out. What is great about us is that we have a FO with talent to match the talent of the team. KP will be very judicial in his assessment of this team and who is and is not needed to make this team great and much like LMA being backed up by Oden, KP is backed up by PA and his 16billion friends to make sure that the pieces he needs will be at his disposal.
Truly friends this is the beginning of what will be looked back upon as perhaps the greatest time in Blazer history. The talent acquired here and the structure of the NBA salary cap will make so that we will be dominant for years to come.
The season cannot get here soon enough.
by SpyderRyder on Oct 4, 2008 1:00 PM PDT reply actions 3 recs
Bingo, Bango & Bongo Mr Spyder
Everyone relax and just try and enjoy the perfectly natural growth evolution of this team,(and especially the big guy).
Minute to minute, hour by hour, day by day it will continue to change.
Please all, just try and smell the roses along the way. You may just miss some of the most precious moments by fretting about things that are sure to come later. This team is like a garden, please don’t stand over each and every morning wondering why it takes so darn long to bear its fruit.
The Oden Era, Day 464
by Heymoe on Oct 4, 2008 1:27 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Google found Proteotic to be:
Proteotic bacteria- This is a large group of bacteria that cause sicknesses like salmonella, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and E. coli
I am probably the only one here who had to look the word up. I am still PBB. At least I read your post through (great post!).
when you’ve been in a dry land even a little dew looks inviting —Dave
by lee3022 on Oct 4, 2008 9:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
That was all a test to see who actually was paying attention
what I really ment was protobiotic
The season cannot get here soon enough.
by SpyderRyder on Oct 4, 2008 10:15 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
As Harry Belefonte once sang
“It was clear as mud but it covered ze ground”
Still is!
when you’ve been in a dry land even a little dew looks inviting —Dave
by lee3022 on Oct 4, 2008 10:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Oden will get there...
he’s got a lot of work to do on timing, and explosiveness.
I was floor level last night under one of the baskets, and yeah, sure I was hoping to see more from him, but I understand! He sure takes up real estate and can play some D.
Rudy looked amazing. Flat out slick, shifty, with great touch. The most impressive guy by a long and wide margin.
LMA delivered, and just looked great. Smart, great shot, smooth, anticipating – and in terrific shape.
Ike looked like he would rather be anywhere but there. No hops, no explosiveness, with slow, deliberate, obvious moves that you could see coming from a cab downtown.
Joel looked great. Scrappy, and aggressive. I told him so as loud as I could.
I hoped to see more out of Hill after all I’ve read. I was hoping for him to get the last roster spot. Then again the others in the hunt for the spot showed me, well, not a lot.
Bayless is one cut individual, at close range those calves give it up as to why he has those hops. Jaysus, the guy is in great shape. I get the feeling he’s going to get knocked to the floor a lot this season with a lot of no calls.
Blake’s son is about as cute as it gets btw.
by Knobby on Oct 4, 2008 1:53 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Perfectly satisfactory game...
…for someone who has only two or three NBA practices under his belt and who had not played in front of a crowd for over a year. So he wasn’t Bill Russell? It was great seeing him finally play. Let’s have this conversation again in six months and see whether he has improved.
by jaywalker on Oct 4, 2008 2:20 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Agree
I thought Greg did okay last night. He had a few “almost” plays, exactly what you’d expect from a guy who basically hasn’t played in a year. His understanding of the game is pretty advanced for a college sohpomore big man, which is what he is.
One thing we should note as well: Greg “woke up” with a new body. Stronger, yes, but also different. He’s going to have to get used to playing at his new size.
by Engineering Problem on Oct 4, 2008 2:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
bah.
Greg will spend the preseason beating up on the weak excuse for centers currently employed by the kings, jazz, clips, and whoever else. After that we’ll see how much rust he has left and how much confidence hes gotten back.
by postup on Oct 4, 2008 2:21 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I'm not quite so pessimistic
Just based on the clips on the Blazers’ site (not the whole game), it looks like Greg did these things well:
- Catch the ball in traffic.
- Pass out of double-teams.
- Move without the ball.
- Score under the basket.
- Defend, generally.
It looks like he had one big problem:
- Scoring from 8 feet.
What I saw was that he would get in trouble with his back to the basket, medium distance from the hoop, and just make a sort of spin-around, fling-the-ball move, heaving the ball in roughly the direction of the basket.
If that’s the problem, then the question is: Does he have a game from that range?
- If so, then it’s nerves or lack of discipline — he’s rushing himself and not taking good shots.
- If not, then he has to improve and it’s going to take a while.
I didn’t see him in college. Does anybody remember how solid he was offensively in the key? Youtube leads me to think he was better than this.
by Kaboomm on Oct 4, 2008 2:51 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
PEOPLE, PEOPLE
WE DO NOT NEED TO WORRY ABOUT ODEN THIS YEAR AT ALL!!
If he is still playing like this in January then we will have reason to worry but everybody need to take a chill pill right now.
The season cannot get here soon enough.
by SpyderRyder on Oct 4, 2008 3:02 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I didnt see the enthusiasm
Oden appeared to simply be going thru the motions. One pic shows him dunking with a “eh” look on his close eyed face. Im not saying Oden wasnt trying, but no way was he going out to do much else then show up. Greg’s gonna take time, and even then … how good is he going to be?
"Meow" -- My cat Bonzi as best I can figure... " I don't sweat birds... they sweat me... Im the Be-bah-bones, who are you? Thank you. I eat birds." --- has something to do with local radio jobber arrogance...
by bow4meow on Oct 4, 2008 3:05 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Greg hasn't played like that (with pressure) for over a year.
He’s coming off a major surgery and doesn’t quite have his basketball legs back. He was victim to double teams that include a starter quality defensive center. Considering all this he didn’t play terrible.
People forget he is a rookie, he may be Greg Oden but he’s still just a rookie.
by Bskey on Oct 4, 2008 3:48 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
and now our expectations come back to earth
Matumbo ceiling anyone?
Nature bats last.
by fisheyes on Oct 4, 2008 4:19 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Given the public hysteria accompanying GO's every hang nail.......
……. it isn’t surprising that the young man was very nervous and pressing a bit too much. KP and Nate have both talked about how much Oden wants to please everybody. He knows the whole town is waiting with baited breath. He will probably need a few games to get over his own anxiety. Once he settles down, builds some confidence, and starts to relax, his natural strength, speed, and athleticism will take care of many of the worries outlined in this thread. He is not a plodder, remember that he posted times on par with many of the guards in the agility drills at draft camp. He has been described as fiercely competitive and his performance in the NCAA Title game certainly suggested that he is not lacking in fire.
I hope that those of you willing to pronounce him a “bust”, based on one scrimmage and a few practices, are willing to eat your bytes over the next 6 months. Sit back and enjoy the ride.
by upper left corner on Oct 4, 2008 4:21 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Who has pronounced him a "bust"?
The bulk of the criticism (if you even want to call it that) concerns the rather limited nature of his offensive game. As I posted upthread, this might not just be due to rust. Rather it was a trait that had been noted by scouts prior to his ever being drafted.
A rudimentary offensive game does not preclude Oden from being one of the game’s great centers. Mutombo has already been mentioned as a player whose offensive game was very limited. Yet there’s no doubt that in his prime, Deke was also one of the game’s most dominant players who could exert his will on game solely by virtue of his defense.
by knickfan on Oct 4, 2008 4:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
It's funny how I rarely ever see
you in here anymore, yet you suddenly just show up to rag on Oden. No offense.
Oden+Roy+Aldridge+Rudy+Bayless=Dynasty. Believe
by OdenRoyLMA on Oct 4, 2008 4:41 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
How am I ragging on Oden?
I’ve actually been trying to defend him by pointing out that he can still be a great center without developing a great offensive game. That’s my whole point.
If some people want to interpret that as “knickfan thinks Oden sucks because he may never average 20 points a game,” well, that kind of proves my point that some people here will never be able to appreciate him unless he becomes a big time scorer.
by knickfan on Oct 4, 2008 4:50 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I see no rag time here Mr. Knick
Besides, would someone please explain to me with all the shooters and scorers we have already why in the heck do we need Greg Oden to take any shots outside of a dunk or offenisve putback anyway?
If people would stop and think about it, his offenisve limitations early in his career will actually likely end up speeding up the offensive game and growth process of the rest of the team. He will set some monster picks, and roll down the lane. he will learn early on to be an effective passer, the team will grow with him and n the process not become dependant on him.
Geez people, there is alot of over thinkiing in here (IMHO). He does not have to carry the team on the offensive end and that is a VERY, VERY good thing, and actually awesome for such a young team. Any other team that could have got him would surely have to put alot more presure to score on those broad shoulders. He is in the perfect situation with LMA, Roy, Trout, Rudy, Martell and “The Lion Herarted” all needing thier shots.
What I am trying to say is that this year, on offense Greg will speak softly but will still carry a very big stick.
The Oden Era, Day 464
by Heymoe on Oct 4, 2008 6:26 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't think
Oden will average 20 if the team stays the way it currently is. Too many people who can do it better and who need to score big in order to be at their most effective. He doesn’t need to score 20 to be great. Just dominate defensively, be a credible threat in the post, and dunk EVERYTHING they toss to you when you have enough daylight.
—Dave
by Dave on Oct 4, 2008 6:27 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
is that what he did last night?
did he make his presence known despite his statistical abstentia?
I heard local sports radio jobber say the White Crayola is useless. I wholeheartedly disagree.
by bow4meow on Oct 4, 2008 6:48 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
See my observation below
when you’ve been in a dry land even a little dew looks inviting —Dave
by lee3022 on Oct 4, 2008 10:04 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'll answer that, YES!
(but I wasn’t there either) but I can read, and what I read say’s that right after that first block of the game everyone who tried to take it into gregs paint weenied out and threw the ball out to the 3 line. I also read that right when oden got the ball down low pyrzbilla would wrap him up without even letting greg go up…..seemed like a natural response even. and if the kid can keep people out of the paint just by rejecting some of the marquee guy’s of the league, and if he’s getting that kind of respect from one of the better shot Blockers of the league, then I think that is worth quite a bit by itself. his team won didn’t they?
Greg WILL be fine. Time just a little more time than alot of us thought.
"the Knicks are an ongoing experiment in sporting altruism, with the motto "We suck, so you don't have to." This is the designing principle. Stop overcomplicating things."
-jawaan oldham
by faith on Oct 5, 2008 7:10 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
That's pretty much the way I read it too
"You're really making me feel good about myself, little man," says Oden as he starts dancing after scoring a goal. "You better come harder than that."
by BlueBooYay on Oct 5, 2008 7:17 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
His team only won after Outlaw and Bayless switched sides at the half
But still he had an impact, though most teams will rather let him take a shot over a double team than wrap him up early in the game.
Odenied: If you're given lemmings—make lemming-ade (Bow4Meow)
by Norsktroll on Oct 5, 2008 7:18 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Good afternoon Norsktroll
I’m having my morning coffee and catching up on my BEdge reading 
"You're really making me feel good about myself, little man," says Oden as he starts dancing after scoring a goal. "You better come harder than that."
by BlueBooYay on Oct 5, 2008 7:29 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
My point is about projecting player development based on little observed play.....
I am not a b-ball expert and do not pretend to be one. However, it strikes me as absurd to make predictions about Oden’s eventual offensive skill level based on the very limited amount of play he has had since coming back from a major injury and the even more limited opportunity we have had to watch him.
Four observations:
1) Comfort and confidence matter: Oden is extremely anxious to perform. His anxiety is a huge barrier to performing well. Many have observed that Oden has a very high b-ball IQ. Thinking is good, but thinking too much slows a player down. Oden will get more comfortable and confident as he continues to play. He will start to “react” rather than “think” or “try.”
2) Conditioning matters: when you are trying to pace yourself and conserve energy, it slows you down. As he gets more confidence in his ankle and his knee and gets in better shape, he will play better.
3) Big men generally take more time than wing players. Oden will take years to achieve his full offensive potential. Judging that potential on a few games at Ohio state while returning from injury and now while returning again from injury seems presumptious or foolish.
4) Oden has talents that can not be taught: size, strength, speed, agility, and soft hands. Combine these with good b-ball IQ and fierce competitiveness, and he will become very good. How good and how soon are open to discussion, but basing an opinion on very little data is dangerous.
by upper left corner on Oct 5, 2008 8:31 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
That's my take as well
I’m surprised so many people seem worried. As we’ve always said, take Oden’s freshmen season and compare it to ANY top center post-Kareem. Oden’s freshman year is better then them all.
If you watched SHAQ after his freshmen year or even his sophomore year (even though Greg was injured his sophomore year, I guess it’s fair to compare him as a post-sophomore year guy), maybe we wouldn’t be so worried.
Just seems like a lot of worry and “SEE I TOLD YA SO’S” after 5 shots in a not-even-an-exhibition game. Greg’s got all the tools to be a good to dominant offensive player (and I don’t say dominant lightly). If he needs to lose some muscle to keep up the endurance, he will. He’ll become more comfortable around the basket and lose the nerves as he becomes used to real NBA basketball. From what I saw from the highlights, he seemed to handle double teams really well— much better than a big man his age should be able to.
Joel, a pretty good post defender, couldn’t seem to do anything besides foul Oden.
If he can handle that, we don’t need him to score, even if he’ll be able to do so pretty easily soon enough. He’s got a much softer touch that Howard and Shaq (especially Shaq) don’t got, and seems to have the passing ability Howard REALLY lacks, enabling Howard to make my fantasy team lose the TO battle every week.
Hell, we even saw Oden attempt some short range jumpers! That means he can DO that! He wouldn’t of even tried it if he couldn’t! His baby hook will be an easy go to move once he settles down, because he can get whatever position he wants.
It’s just oh so early to worry about Oden, and I still haven’t seen anything that suggests he won’t be a truly dominant force in the NBA. He will make Roy and LMA’s life a lot easier…
Mortimer
by Mortimer on Oct 6, 2008 9:34 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I remember someone wrote Oden edges Bynum just one month ago. I didn't discuss that topic in that moment.
I focused on LMA edges Gasol. After Oden’s play I think Oden has a looooong way to run.
by cbp on Oct 6, 2008 11:59 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
You did not read
that post very carefully if that’s the conclusion you left with.
—Dave
by Dave on Oct 6, 2008 2:43 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I read what I read "Odon versus Bynum edge Portland, LMA versus Gasol edge Porland, etc"
Maybe I interpreted wrongly but I doubt it.
by cbp on Oct 6, 2008 3:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Dave´s post was about "imagine someone says" not about what Dave was saying himself.
Some people followed the conversation as if Dave was making that statement he wasn´t.
Sergio + Rudy = 16
Sergio + Bayless = 16
by amlmart1 on Oct 7, 2008 5:45 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
It's not time to panic
Greg didn’t seem physically ready to play last night. That wasn’t a big surprise to me because even after the media death watch the last few days we didn’t get any video of his Thursday morning practice. He was gasping for air during several close-ups on the Rose Garden video screen.
I suspect the Blazers didn’t want to disappoint the fans and probably hoped the adrenaline of the moment would produce a couple of GO highlights, as well as relieve some of the pressure to play that Greg undoubtedly feels at this point.
He started with a nice blocked shot, but then seemed over anxious and fumbled the ball deep in the key on offense. After that he seldom seemed to be able to get into the right place on offense or defense and ended up with only 2 rebounds. He seemed without energy and didn’t display the aggressiveness or mobility he showed in the 2007 summer league.
If I thought last night indicated Greg’s abilities or the condition he will be in to start the season, I would be pretty disappointed. I had hoped that he had played enough pick up ball last month to be in better shape by now, but let’s wait at least 3 weeks and 7 pre-season games to see how he develops before anyone looks for the panic button.
by BlazerFanSince1970 on Oct 4, 2008 6:50 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Chris Dudley
may Oden take a page… when Dud’s went down under the Adelman plan, Dud’s was in the pool everyday improving his cardio vascular. Oden’s workouts from what Ive seen are more agility and flexability based. Is Oden, as the behemoth he appears, not able to re-oxegenate his blood stream as we may have been lead to believe. If not, how long before the guy gets in game shape? Its bad enough the NBA has become a 4th quarter matters only league (as brought on by LA L*ker fans) but is it now a the first 20 games dont matter either league?
I heard local sports radio jobber say the White Crayola is useless. I wholeheartedly disagree.
by bow4meow on Oct 4, 2008 6:56 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Greg's contribution may be more than you see
Granted I could not see the game but have read nearly every comment so far in the fanposts and here on the main posts from last night. But the common denominator seems to be:
Poor shooting by most
Greg altered the offense and defense by his presence
So I looked at 2-point FG% for everyone (FG-3FG).
1. LMA was really good shooting 63.2%
2. Roy was quite good shooting 55.6%
3. Luke Jackson was quite good shooting 60%
4. No one else with over 2 makes shot over 45%
So who played with Greg 100% of the game? Apparently (from posters) not Bayless, Outlaw, Rudy, or Travis who together shot 14 of 36 for a whooping 38.9. We know all four of those guys are good shooters and finishers. Luke might be in there too but nobody has posted which team he played on. Roy and LMA (both apparently played the whole game with or not against Greg) shot 17 of 28 or 60.7, even against Joel.
Now my question is: does this jive with your observations watching the game scrimmage? Could the shooting woes be more Greg than anything? Was there a difference in 2-point makes for the above 4 by halves?
when you’ve been in a dry land even a little dew looks inviting —Dave
by lee3022 on Oct 4, 2008 10:03 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Little GO impact on shooting
There were a lot of outside jump shots, which is typical of this type of scrimmage game. Travis shot virtually every time he touched the ball. He actually shot rather well from 3 point range (3 of 6?), but missed a bunch of midrange jumpers. Webster (I suspect you meant to include him above) also missed a bunch of jumpers. Travis and Webster swapped teams in the 2nd half, but I don’t think GO had much effect on either one’s shooting. Rudy shot very well in the first half and then his shooting fell off as he appeared to tire some in the 2nd half. I believe he played more minutes then anyone – the entire 1st half and all but about 2 minutes of the 2nd half. He also shot mostly jumpers except one brilliant scoop shot on a drive to the hoop. He was 4 of 9 on 3’s and was obviously fouled on one of those that wasn’t called, and had to throw one up to beat the shot clock after receiving a late pass. Bayless also played one half with Oden and one against him. He missed several drives at the basket but I don’t recall if GO was a factor on those.
I already said above that I didn’t think Greg was physically ready to play last night, and that translated to only 2 rebounds (on all those missed shots) and not much of a factor on defense. However, I think rebounding and defense will be the foundation of his play as he gets into game shape. I expect him to score off offensive rebounds and power moves under the basket, but very few of the flat little hooks he practiced during warm ups would get to the rim in a game. If you are looking for a couple of positives from last night one was hitting LMA with a nice assist as he cut to the basket. I think we may see some good High-Low post play between LMA and Greg this year. Another positive was an excellent outlet pass to start a fast break that Greg threw in the Bill Walton tradition – snaring the rebound and then instantly zipping the overhead outlet pass without bringing his arms down with the ball. (I think Walton was one of the best outlet passers ever and Greg would do well to watch his old game tapes.) If Greg can rebound as well as I expect him to, and throw outlet passes like that, we will score a lot of easy buckets with Rudy and LMA running the floor.
by BlazerFanSince1970 on Oct 4, 2008 11:55 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Logo/Turtle Graphics
actually dates back to the late 60’s though it probably had its most success during that era due to schools actually obtaining computers, oh and its not actually limited to 90 degree turns, but other than that good analogy
by contemnor on Oct 4, 2008 11:04 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Who on the Kings
,,,,,,,is going to wrap up Oden? I am prepared to guess that Oden is going play a little more aggressivly Tues. night Joel is Gregs mentor at this point and knows his game and we all saw the respect defensivly Joel was giving him.
I thought Greg would have gotten a few whistles if this was a real game.
C’mon Tuesday get here allready.
by Dragonage on Oct 5, 2008 8:29 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Big men Greg will face in his first ten regular season games
Bynum, Gasol
Oberto, Duncan
Shaq, Amare
Okur, Boozer
Yao, Scola
Jefferson, Love
Howard, Lewis
Haslem/Blount, Beasley
Chandler, West
Jefferson, Love
Looks like a “Best of the West + Howard” collection. He better lose that rust real quick in pre-season, or the first weeks of his career won’t be very funny for him :)
Odenied: If you're given lemmings—make lemming-ade (Bow4Meow)
by Norsktroll on Oct 5, 2008 8:53 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
What better for a Portland TrailBlazer than a Trial by Fire.
It could do wonders for motivation either way it goes, Oden get’s humiliated, and he’s got a vendeta. Oden dominates, he’s got proof.
But he’ll need to make a statement no matter what.
"the Knicks are an ongoing experiment in sporting altruism, with the motto "We suck, so you don't have to." This is the designing principle. Stop overcomplicating things."
-jawaan oldham
by faith on Oct 5, 2008 10:34 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I was talking pre-season
I realise the start of the reguler season is a murders row.
Its going to be very entertaining, Oden will draw a ton of attention and the rest of the team is going to go off.
by Dragonage on Oct 5, 2008 5:03 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
ROY<> ODEN. He deffensively looks a monster but offensively he has a lot of room for improvemement.
I don’t know his game but from what I watched he has a lot to improve.
by cbp on Oct 5, 2008 9:41 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
The guy has little experience
He only has one year of experience at high level basketball (College) and he didn’t play a full season….He is still a boy in a man’s body…He will have an impact, but his progression will depend on maturity and experience…He needs to play in every game and not get injured to get the time on the court he needs…..
There is a lot of pressure on him at this level (expectations are very high) and he will need to handle that as well…..A lot for a young man that has not developed his game fully……But he is on a team that is growing and has the best opportunity to get where he needs to be…Let him get his feet wet (25-30 games) and then turn him loose and see what he has learned and where his skills can be applied (he cannot end up being a robot, so he has to energize and assert himself)….he may end up being a Bill Russell type player…..There would be nothing wrong with that
by 67 on Oct 5, 2008 11:13 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
expectations
Last year Kevin Durant and Oden were rated similarly, with the consensus that both had off-the-chart potential, Durant was more NBA-ready offensively, and Oden defensively. Now Durant won the ROTY last year, and his defense was atrocious and even his offense took a while to improve (and he still had a horrendous shooting percentage).
Oden is now trying to come back from about as major a surgery as you can have. He has played competitively for only about 5 months in the past 20. Yes, he comes back a year older and more physically imposing, but that was never what needed work anyway. We should expect a recovery period, a learning curve, and wait until at least midseason before drawing any conclusions.
Lebron and Shaq are the rare exceptions, even among great players, and neither of them were coming back from injury.
by keephopealive on Oct 5, 2008 2:26 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
This was jiggy
I loved this. It was everything I needed to know, in one convenient package. Thanks Ben. Stuff like this is exactly why I come to this blog first for Blazers information.
I’m not being snarky or anything. You provided the buffet and let us feast. I could not ask for anything more.
Blazers Edge has an alarmist vision
by tominhawaii on Oct 5, 2008 5:28 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Huh? Chandler sits out when he tweaks his ankle too
What is up with babying these 7’ mammoths!?!
“I’m fine. I just stayed out as a precaution.” Bah. ;-)
the Spanish contributors on this board are hellah cool
by G_dubs on Oct 5, 2008 10:12 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Ooops. The link raido button didn't seem to work for me
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3627645
the Spanish contributors on this board are hellah cool
by G_dubs on Oct 5, 2008 10:14 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
It could have been worse.
Greg could have rolled that ankle and got carried off the floor as the murmurs grew louder and louder. How would you have felt then fellow Blazer fans? I think we’re all in agreement that we need to be thankful for what we have with Oden, afterall, we were never guaranteed anything with him in the first place.
Both Teams Played Hard
Both Teams Played Hard
Both Teams Played Hard
by Kelsoballa on Oct 6, 2008 9:00 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Travis goes left and my other redundant observations
Yep, Outlaw went right then cut left and dribbled in from the elbow and finished with nice layin. That is huge if he can use either hand.
Bayless is going to start at least one fight in practice or a game this year. He has a huge chip on his shoulder and seemed to take the scrimmage too seriously.
Diogu has massive shoulders, but he will got a lot of shots blocked and generally plays below the rim.
Barrett’s "Steven of Nazareth" tag about Steven Hill was pretty funny. I met Steven Hill at the entry and he seemed a nice, humble and sincere guy. Hill has my vote to be the 15th man if we have one purely for practice & team chemistry reasons.
Rudy made a lot of his shootaround threes.
Sergio looked real good on a couple of drives. It seemed like Bayless was trying to intimidate Sergio and a couple of time Sergio passed the ball upcourt instead of fighting through the pressure to start the offense…. other than that Sergio handled Bayless well on offense, but didn’t stay with him on defense.
Pryz didn’t want to let Oden dunk on him and gave him the ol’ pryzbilla bear hug once. Roy gave up an open layin on a wrap-around pass so Oden could get his first dunk…. Roy is such a great leader.
Roy’s only three ball was an answer to the only one Webster made on him.
LMA made his first 3-4 shots. I’ve noticed that he often makes his first 2-3 shots in games. I love LMA.
by tweener on Oct 6, 2008 4:29 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Nice observations Tweener
Diogu has massive shoulders, but he will got a lot of shots blocked and generally plays below the rim.
…I’m sorry but I am not much of a Diogu fan. NCAA 4, four years ago? Yes. NBA 4 now? … … … I hope he shows something or I would prefer that he be the one to not dress instead of Batum. Diogu is undersized for his position. He has to make that up with incredible amounts of desire to board and bang and over-achieve in general.
He said on media day he wanted to take his game outside. Whaaaat? I mean that’s fine, as long as you have some semblance of an inside game to go with it. You play the 4 man!
Rant off. :-)
the Spanish contributors on this board are hellah cool
by G_dubs on Oct 6, 2008 7:09 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
You see, Diogu needs me to be critical of him, and probably needs you to be critical of him too
http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=10177
So have at it. Let him know what an under-achiever he’’s been. Lottery bust. Too short. No hops. No D. Injury prone. Etc. etc. etc….
Now go get ’em Ike!
the Spanish contributors on this board are hellah cool
by G_dubs on Oct 6, 2008 9:06 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
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