To my knowledge, the only public contact between Greg Oden and the media over the last few weeks has come via 95.5FM's "The Greg Oden Show." About three weeks ago, Oden's show was pretty bizarre. He discussed staying off of his knee completely and his plans to spend the summer at home with his mother. The next episode I listened to featured zero questions and answers about his health.
Oden was back on the air with Jay Allen and Kenny Vance this afternoon, revealing his plans to attend Game 6 in person. Here's a link to the audio.
Once again Oden's interview is not overwhelmingly optimistic. More than four months past his surgery date, Oden reports that he is still not participating in any basketball activities and has "a ways to go." Oden also says, "I don't have no discomfort or soreness, I don't even see that much swelling actually. So the big thing now is just worrying about everything around it and getting me to trust my knee again. Sometimes I still go up the stairs one-legged."
Here's the full transcript of this week's Greg Oden Show.
What went wrong last night?
I don't know. I couldn't tell you. I just remember the first couple of minutes I'm all excited. Then I go to the kitchen to get something to eat and I come back and I'm like 'What is going on?' It was just kind of frustrating to me. Everything just made me mad. We're going to get this next game and it's going to be good.
What changes would you make in Game 6?
Well last night I just felt like we didn't get enough shots. I felt like we were hitting our shots ok, we just need to get more shots. I would hate to say that we have to play faster because that's what Phoenix wants but if we play better defense that's definitely going to help us with the amount of shots we get.
Have you been able to gauge the mood of your teammates?
I haven't really talked to anybody. But, you know, I can kind of guess. They're trying to figure out what's going on. We're playing good one day and play bad the next day. I just think they're going to try to worry about that and figure that out.
How's the rehab and conditioning coming?
It's coming along. I still have a ways to go. It's coming along. The knee is feeling better. No problems with that.
How does the knee feel?
I don't have no discomfort or soreness, I don't even see that much swelling actually. So the big thing now is just worrying about everything around it and getting me to trust my knee again. Sometimes I still go up the stairs one-legged. I just gotta trust it and get the other parts of my leg stronger and it will be feeling a lot better.
Have you talked to Joel Przybilla?
I have not. I haven't had a chance to him and see where he is at or what his next step is.
You'll be attending Game 6?
Oh, I definitely will... I will definitely be there on Thursday. I definitely want to be there to support the guys and be around the guys and hear they are feeling and what they think is going on.
People are upset at Amar'e Stoudemire's physical play. What would you do if you were playing?
Doing the same thing. It's the playoffs. I think guys come out there and they just turn up the physicalness. Everyone wants to give cheap shots and just get the adrenaline. I know guys sometimes do that for their teams, to get them going. I'm mad he's doing that against us and I wish I was out there to hit him with one back. If I was out there I would probably be doing the same thing.
Have you gotten a feel for why this series has been so up and down?
I have not. I think it's the team after they get beat, they go in that next practice with a serious look on their face and they go to work. And they bring that to the next game. I mean you can think that after one of the teams wins one they give a little sigh of relief that they got one in the playoffs. So I just feel that the team that loses goes in and works harder that next day.
** Greg Oden's cell cuts off. **
What's your role offensively next year?
I want to continue doing what I was doing and get better. Be a low post presence. Be a powerhouse as some put it. Get back into shape. It'll be the summertime so we'll definitely have time to figure out how I'm going to fit into the system.
How much did you weigh during the NCAA Championship against Florida?
I think I was 265.
What weight do you want to play at next year?
Around that weight.
What were you weighing before you got hurt?
I think I was about 270. Between 270 and 275.
What are you doing in your rehab right now?
I'm not doing basketball things now. Just doing things to help get my quads strong and that's about it. Walking on it is a lot of rehab for it to, they say.
Do you feel that your size makes it more difficult to stay out of foul trouble?
Yeah, it definitely is. We're so much bigger, those little guys just have to jump into us and if we hold our ground they fall back and we get the foul called on us. I felt bad for Dwight last night. I was watching some of them, some of them I even jumped up and was like 'Man, how you gonna call that?' When a guy stands there with his hands straight up. Sometimes it's unfair but this is the game we have to deal with.
Thoughts on Brandon Roy's return in Game 4
That was definitely a great moment. I definitely hope he feels good with playing and with playing two games and practices. I definitely hope that he is able to continue it. I was definitely excited for him and excited for us when he came back.
What's it going to take for the Blazers to even this series?
Defense. Definitely keep Phoenix under 100 points. I think we've got their number when we do that.
-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter