Subscribe Feed (RSS)If you want to make a case that Greg Oden is injury prone and is never going to be healthy enough to help the Trail Blazers win a championship, I can’t argue with that. There’s not enough evidence at this point to prove you right or wrong. Who knows?
But if you’re going to try to make the case that he’s not going to be a very good player or that he’s not talented enough or big enough to be a big factor on the floor, well, I’m going to have to fight you on that. Man, he’s starting to come out of his shell now — and he’s showing enough that you can see what a major influence he can have on a game.
Granted, the Blazers were playing the Timberwolves Saturday night, basically a team without a center. But Oden’s starting to get a feel for what it’s going to take. He’s starting to warm up to the challenge. He’s getting more aggressive and confident. And he had a big impact down the stretch of Portland’s latest win.
He’s blocking shots, but he’s altering a lot more than he’s blocking. And he’s eventually going to be a handful to defend, too, just because of his strength and size. Now let’s not get carried away, because he still has a long way to go. And I still think it’s going to take months for him to get comfortable on the court against the better teams and better players. And it’ll take a couple of years for him to develop offensive skills to match his defensive prowess.
Right now, he’s starting to learn when to slow down and when to speed up. He’s getting a bit of a feel for the kind of traffic he’s standing in the middle of when he’s under the basket. And he’s learning how he can be effective in helping his teammates. I think he’s getting into better physical condition, because he’s getting back quicker in transition.
At times, he’s way too overeager on defense — which can lead to silly fouls. And he’s in a rush on offense sometimes, too. But man, when he goes up with both hands to dunk, you better run for cover.
He’s going to be a lot of fun to watch. And for all the people a couple of weeks ago who were saying he was never going to amount to much, I’d advise you to take another look.
Agreed. It’s so fun to root for the guy, too. It’s going to be equally as nice when Colin Cowherd has to come up with some more goofy mannerisms to illustrate the fact that he was a little quick to judge the big guy…
Tonight’s game may have been made easier by the fact he was going against Kevin Love’s team. Legend has it Oden used to chew Love up back in AAUs. It couldn’t have hurt his confidence much to go up against his old rag doll opponent. Love’s efficiency is +13.5 so far this season. Tonight he was -12.
Oden led all, btw, with a +13. A factor indeed.
You are correct, sir! GO will be a factor from here on out. He’s getting his confidence back and it shows! It can’t be much fun for the opponent right now as he’s such an imposing player. Who would want to challenge him?
Thanks for the post. Greg deserves everyone’s support. The team is gelling. Go Blazers!
Good article. When GO got hurt and then after his first game back from injury everyone in the media was so eager to call him a bust. Now that he is looking solid this is the first article I have seen that gives the big man props. It is almost like ESPN and the other media outlets want GO to fail. It is kind of sad that everyone is so against GO finding success.
I’m sick of these guys Cowheard Simmons Etc. making pronouncements as if they know any more than you or I. They don’t. It’s like your hedge fund manager. Lots of terms and verbiage but in the end they don’t have any bigger clue than you. Simmons just last year didn’t think Garnett would put them over the top. Wrote that Ray Allen was probably done. So they’re just another guy with an opinion nothing more. They just have a platform (column.radio show) so it looks like they know something. GO is going to be just fine.
While Mike I agree with most of what you said – Simmons is a (hilarious) superstitious writer who didn’t want to jinx the Celtics, and thus said anything and everything bad about them.
He wasn’t being too serious (never is)
*If* he can stay healthy he’ll be a defensive force for some time. And he’ll always get his dunks. Remember a huge guy that was extremely raw when he first came into the league name of Shaquille O’Neal?
Mike, you’re silly. The reason Bill Simmons has a “platform” is because people obviously care what he has to say. What gives him the right to making said “pronouncements” is the fact that you took the time to read those pronouncements. For whatever reason, I think sports writers do have a right to write about sports.
I’m definitely an Oden fan. When he got hurt at the beginning of the season, I was trying to calm people down. It certainly DID NOT mean that he was injury prone. It was a freak thing. Next he had a fairly poor showing his first game back. Again I wanted people to see that this may take some time. He was going to be good – probably very good. He was (and still is) out of shape, not having played for nearly two years.
Now that he’s had 2 pretty good games, I want to ask people to keep expectations in check. Oden’s going to have some tough games occasionally until he gets some NBA experience under his belt and gets into game shape. That’s going to be a couple of months from now.
Like I said, I’m an Oden fan. I’m very glad he plays for Portland. He’s probably going to be an all-star for years to come. But we all need to get off these crazy swings where he is either a bust or an All Star right now. He’ll get there, but it’s going to take time.
Heoo Dwight,your site is a regular stop in my
bookmarks.
I so enjoy your perspective,and always have.
I am so mad that an airbag like squeaky Cowherd
is even on the radio..he is worthless.
But the thing that’s really got me steamed is the way he goes on and on about how big a bust Greg will be.
The other day he flat out said he will never be
a scorer on this team and made fun of him on the air. God,that just makes me furious..he knows all about Greg ?
Give this wondeful young guy a chance, Cowbag..
Thanks for your insite,Dwight !
People are way too excitable. He gets injured and he is Sam Bowie, he has 2 good games and he is Jesus Christ Superstar. I am glad to see Dwight knows what he is talking about and hasn’t jumped on the national media Oden Frenzy bandwagon. He will progress slowly, but it is nice to know that those 2 solid games he had are nowhere near the extent of what he will accomplish. Go Blazers!
Saw Oden in college at Ohio State here in Columbus. Early on (with bad wrist) he looked the same as he does now, shaky, inconsistent, and slow…. After a few weeks he became a cat quick monster! Give him time he will play as advertised.