Oden vs. Durant

by lukeyhere on Sep 15, 2008 1:12 PM PDT

Flashback! What were you doing 445 days ago? And now, with a year of analysis, anguish, hope and prognostications under our belt, what are your thoughts either on the debate that was, or the debate that will be ongoing?

Did Durant's one year of hoisting shots fulfill your expectations? What have you taken out of Oden's year of recovery to weigh in on the debate? Have you changed your mind on who we should have taken?

Here's the beef amongst the bun: Were you right?

Here's my take: I was not adamantly pro-Oden or pro-Durant. I really thought it was a choice that we couldn't go wrong with. BUT...some little voice in my head kept telling me we wanted Durant. Leading right up to draft day, when Oden had more or less been picked if not announced, I still wanted to be shocked by hearing, "With the first pick....blah blah blah...Kevin Durant!!". And yet I was perfectly happy with Oden, the sensible choice, the safe choice, the obvious choice. The right choice?

I was comfortable enough with Oden that I had no regrets when the knee went pop. Seeing his comittment through this year and seeing the true character that is Greg emerge, I believe that Pritchard & Co. absolutely made the right decision. I think I was WRONG on draft day.

History, of course, will be the best judge. Heck, maybe by mid-season this year a final verdict will be rendered. How 'bout a last chance to say ,"I told you so!!!"

Poll

Were you right?

Yep, I always wanted Oden and history will show I'm right.

180 votes

Yep, I always wanted Durant and history will show I'm right.

5 votes

The jury is way, way, way out. Ask me in 5 years.

62 votes

I wanted Oden, but now see Durant as the better choice.

1 votes

I wanted Durant, but I was stooopid. Oden! Oden! Oden!

17 votes

I wanted us to use the #1 pick on euro prospect Rukjvanwksyk Gvrnksyemyem

12 votes

277 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 26 comments | 0 recs |

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Comments

Oden! Oden! Oden!

Besides, Oden is just too good of a guy to be rotting away in Oklahoma.

"Jerryd is straight ahead at you. Rudy dips around. Jerryd is a rock. Rudy is the wind. Jerryd loves the ball in his hands. Rudy moves without it. Jerryd defends by getting up in your grill. Rudy plays the spaces in between. Jerryd has focused vision. Rudy sees all around him. Jerryd likes to score off of the dribble. Rudy can catch and shoot. Jerryd is aggressive. Rudy is sneaky. Jerryd will hit you hard. Rudy will annoy you until you hit him." -Dave

Word.

by joelor on Sep 15, 2008 1:22 PM PDT reply actions

Mortimer and Dheepan had a great discussion about Durant

on the Canis Hoopus (T-Wolves) SNB blog back in July. You can check it out here.

Scroll down about midway through the comments list or just Ctrl-f and search for Durant.

I shoot layups like they're jumpers.

by MiledAnimal on Sep 15, 2008 1:24 PM PDT reply actions

Wow, that was good, I'm going to repost some stats that one guy had posted:

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/v/vanhoke01.html
http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/duranke01.html

KD:

FGA/game: 17.1
FG%: 43
eFG: 45
PER: 15.8
Usg: 28.1
ORtg: 100
Drtg: 110

KVH:

FGA: 16.9
FG: 42.6
eFG: 45.9
PER: 15.7
Usg: 25.2
Ortg: 106
Drtg: 108

Word.

by joelor on Sep 15, 2008 1:33 PM PDT up reply actions

Err...thats Kevin Durant's rookie season vs. Keith Van Horn's rookie season.

Word.

by joelor on Sep 15, 2008 1:33 PM PDT up reply actions

Right. I was pointing to that discussion for the info on Durant only

not Durant vs. Oden.

I shoot layups like they're jumpers.

by MiledAnimal on Sep 15, 2008 1:50 PM PDT up reply actions

yeah, i know, I was just clarifying because I realized I didnt really specify who that was about.

Word.

by joelor on Sep 15, 2008 1:53 PM PDT up reply actions

You gotta love the comments from Wolves fans

about how long Mort and Dheep’s posts are!

I shoot layups like they're jumpers.

by MiledAnimal on Sep 15, 2008 1:58 PM PDT up reply actions

I can honestly say I was in the Oden camp.

That said, I wouldn’t have been unhappy with Durant, but was glad and still am glad we got Oden.

by Bskey on Sep 15, 2008 2:07 PM PDT reply actions

I'm glad we drafted Oden too

but if he’s played a total of six games after five years in the league I’ll be wishing we’d drafted Durant. That’s why I voted that it’s way too early yet. Other than that remote possibility, I’d be happy with Oden even if Durant turns out to be a Top 10 All Time player.

I shoot layups like they're jumpers.

by MiledAnimal on Sep 15, 2008 2:23 PM PDT up reply actions

As long as Oden gets us a championship or 2 I'm happy.

If Durant turns out to be a superstar then I’m happy for him as well. In the end what matters is how the team does. As long as Oden stays healthy and lives up to some of the hype I won’t regret the pick. I felt we needed Oden more than Durant and still do.

by Bskey on Sep 15, 2008 3:04 PM PDT up reply actions

$10 says TominHawaii picked Rukjvanwksyk Gvrnksyemyem

Woof

by Charles Barkley McLovin on Sep 15, 2008 2:52 PM PDT reply actions

Tom, pick someone else and I'll take that bet

we can split the $10.

I shoot layups like they're jumpers.

by MiledAnimal on Sep 15, 2008 3:14 PM PDT up reply actions

Ha Ha

You two need to stay on topic, and I didn’t vote. I stopped voting in polls I don’t understand.

"Sometimes GSoM can be the WWE of basketball!" - Tony.psd

by tominhawaii on Sep 16, 2008 7:52 AM PDT up reply actions

Stay on topic!?! Stay on topic!?!

You sir, are an imposter! Please return the true tominhawaii to BlazersEdge post-haste!

by DonkeyShins on Sep 16, 2008 4:42 PM PDT up reply actions

I know my role

I try to be more of a punchline and less of an off topic tangent type guy. Off topic is for the junk drawer.

"Sometimes GSoM can be the WWE of basketball!" - Tony.psd

by tominhawaii on Sep 17, 2008 4:21 AM PDT up reply actions

Frank Fasi for prime minister!

errrrmmmmm . . .

"Mister Oden is a very, very big human being." - Jerryd Bayless

by QualityPie on Sep 16, 2008 5:14 PM PDT up reply actions

Jury is way way out

Boomshakalaka

by jksnake99 on Sep 15, 2008 4:03 PM PDT reply actions

Post this article again...

…halfway through this season and then again at the end. It’d make more sense to ask for a comparison then. Although I fully believe that Oden was/will be the ONLY choice here, nobody yet really knows anything about which is the better NBAer.

this has been a message from: "The People's Alliance to Keep Comment Boards Sucka Free"

by bforsythe on Sep 15, 2008 4:52 PM PDT reply actions

A follow up would be good.

It is of course obvious that we don’t know for sure if either Oden or Durant will pan out. It will be real comfortable to look up the stats in 20 years, but not nearly as fun as making predictions. BUT, we tend to forget our predictions and that is why I wanted to dredge it back up so to speak.

A mid or post season follow up to measure any change in folks predictions vs. reality would be interesting as there is rarely any follow up to faulty prediction in sports.

by lukeyhere on Sep 16, 2008 7:04 AM PDT up reply actions

Having another all star chucker Durant vs 10 championships with Oden...Hmmmm

by BRoyInThe4th on Sep 15, 2008 6:15 PM PDT reply actions

do you really think the Blazers are going to win 10 titles?

4 is about the max I can forsee… and a ton would have to go right.

Boomshakalaka

by jksnake99 on Sep 15, 2008 6:24 PM PDT up reply actions

You talk like a realist

Stop drinking the Haterade!

I shoot layups like they're jumpers.

by MiledAnimal on Sep 15, 2008 9:30 PM PDT up reply actions

Oden > Jordan

6+ titles for Oden will prove it.

by usmcr3049 on Sep 16, 2008 8:45 AM PDT up reply actions

10? 6?

Let’s split the difference and call it 8.

It's officially been coined: "Decade of Dominance" (D.O.D.)

by LaoTzu on Sep 16, 2008 2:30 PM PDT up reply actions

let's work on one first

Nowhere is it written in stone that the Oden/Roy/Aldridge Blazers win any titles, let alone multiple.

Boomshakalaka

by jksnake99 on Sep 16, 2008 3:09 PM PDT up reply actions

I was an Oden man

Mainly because I like the track record of Oden vs Durant. Oden was on the National radar since jr high, Durant had one amazing season at Texas to gain national attention. 1 year vs a 5+. To me the choice was easy, and Oden will prove it this year.

by usmcr3049 on Sep 16, 2008 8:44 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs