Karl Malone's Elbows
Batum: once in a lifetime
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2009
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It's just a Rookie/Sophomore game and all, but I've watched a lot of Rookie Games and come away with well formed, strong opinions about a lot of players. And when I look back I feel those opinions hold up. How many people said Kobe was the best player on the court when Iverson won Rookie Game MVP and set the record for most points? I felt that way... So my conclusion from this game?
Kevin Durant is better and will have more impact in his career than Roy and Aldridge combined.
He is that exceptional and unique a player. I look at him and see almost nothing holding him back from being a Champion.
That is not to say that Portland made a mistake in drafting Oden. Because that almost nothing that could hold Durant from Championship status happens to stand seven foot tall and was sitting on the bench, watching a player he knows full well he'll always be connected to, outperform every player to ever play in this game.
I feel fucking ill because of how humiliating and how much tremendous the pressure must be on Oden after going through that. Sit and watch... and watch.... and watch....
I came away with a strong opinion on Durant that I would argue endlessly about, but I rarely leave with strong opinions of just one player. My other conclusion?
Greg Oden was the best player on the court tonight.
After watching the 1996 Rookie Game I felt Kobe was the best player on the court and would be a star, but it wasn't until the final game against Utah in the Playoffs that I knew Kobe would become one of the greatest ever. What was so special? What did he do to assert himself as a rookieand grab my attention? He was called on and took four clutch shots that would win the game and extend the series to a sixth game back on the Lakers home court. Del Harris had the confidence in this rookie that started the season on the bench, to put the game in his hands, against the Stockton-Malone powerhouse that essentially was the Western Conference at the time. And what happened? What did Kobe do with those clutch shots? With 11.3 seconds in the 4th and the game tied at 89 the ball is inbounded to rookie Kobe Bryant, who takes the point, and everyone watching knows no one else will touch the ball. He flawlessly walks the ball up the court 6 seconds... 5... 4... drives from outside, 3... 2... and instead of driving to the hoop like every other offensively talented rookie would, he stutters and takes a hybrid Jordan-Miller 17 footer and... 1... AIRBALL. ( bust )
Overtime. 1:28 left, Lakers down 4, newly acquired free agent Shaq fouled out on the bench joking with other bench players, Lakers down 4, Van Excel with the ball, pining for Cancun, Kobe off a screen WIDE OPEN, pass, bad miss, ( Bust ) bottom of the rim. The ball hits the rim and goes straight down, have you ever seen that?
No problem, down 3, 52 seconds left, Eddie Jones inbounds to Van Excel, plenty of time, 50 seconds, 45... 40... pass to Kobe, wide open 3. AIRBALL.... ( BUST ) Utah ball.
Again, no problem... Utah miss and rebound by Bryant with 16 seconds left, up the court, 13... 10... pass to Kobe... 7... Kobe for the tie... AIRBALL. (BUST, BUST, BUST). Utah, 4.0 seconds left, inbounds, game, series. Lakers go home.
What did Kobe do? What was so special? He had the chance under pressure and he choked. More than anything, he choked, and when it came down to it, he choked again, and when it came down to it again, he choked...
...and every last time he choked... but every last time he took the shot with full confidence that he would make it.
Greg Oden, I see no difference in you.
Greg Oden, the real NBA season starts after the All-Star Break. What have you got?
I'm pretty sure I know...
Kevin Durant is better and will have more impact in his career than Roy and Aldridge combined.
He is that exceptional and unique a player. I look at him and see almost nothing holding him back from being a Champion.
That is not to say that Portland made a mistake in drafting Oden. Because that almost nothing that could hold Durant from Championship status happens to stand seven foot tall and was sitting on the bench, watching a player he knows full well he'll always be connected to, outperform every player to ever play in this game.
I feel fucking ill because of how humiliating and how much tremendous the pressure must be on Oden after going through that. Sit and watch... and watch.... and watch....
I came away with a strong opinion on Durant that I would argue endlessly about, but I rarely leave with strong opinions of just one player. My other conclusion?
Greg Oden was the best player on the court tonight.
After watching the 1996 Rookie Game I felt Kobe was the best player on the court and would be a star, but it wasn't until the final game against Utah in the Playoffs that I knew Kobe would become one of the greatest ever. What was so special? What did he do to assert himself as a rookieand grab my attention? He was called on and took four clutch shots that would win the game and extend the series to a sixth game back on the Lakers home court. Del Harris had the confidence in this rookie that started the season on the bench, to put the game in his hands, against the Stockton-Malone powerhouse that essentially was the Western Conference at the time. And what happened? What did Kobe do with those clutch shots? With 11.3 seconds in the 4th and the game tied at 89 the ball is inbounded to rookie Kobe Bryant, who takes the point, and everyone watching knows no one else will touch the ball. He flawlessly walks the ball up the court 6 seconds... 5... 4... drives from outside, 3... 2... and instead of driving to the hoop like every other offensively talented rookie would, he stutters and takes a hybrid Jordan-Miller 17 footer and... 1... AIRBALL. ( bust )
Overtime. 1:28 left, Lakers down 4, newly acquired free agent Shaq fouled out on the bench joking with other bench players, Lakers down 4, Van Excel with the ball, pining for Cancun, Kobe off a screen WIDE OPEN, pass, bad miss, ( Bust ) bottom of the rim. The ball hits the rim and goes straight down, have you ever seen that?
No problem, down 3, 52 seconds left, Eddie Jones inbounds to Van Excel, plenty of time, 50 seconds, 45... 40... pass to Kobe, wide open 3. AIRBALL.... ( BUST ) Utah ball.
Again, no problem... Utah miss and rebound by Bryant with 16 seconds left, up the court, 13... 10... pass to Kobe... 7... Kobe for the tie... AIRBALL. (BUST, BUST, BUST). Utah, 4.0 seconds left, inbounds, game, series. Lakers go home.
What did Kobe do? What was so special? He had the chance under pressure and he choked. More than anything, he choked, and when it came down to it, he choked again, and when it came down to it again, he choked...
...and every last time he choked... but every last time he took the shot with full confidence that he would make it.
Greg Oden, I see no difference in you.
Greg Oden, the real NBA season starts after the All-Star Break. What have you got?
I'm pretty sure I know...
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