Game Thread vs Hornets

[PapaG]

He's the best center prospect since, at least, Shaq coming out of college.

He was considered the best high school center prospect since Lew Alcindor.

Stop it with the "people like you" comment when we're just seeing the same things that others have seen for several years now.

Ed O.

I agree with the above. I just don't think Oden needs to be viewed as the next Shaq right now. Sorry for upsetting you, Joker.

 

[mgb]

What I think was most encouraging about Oden tonite was that he played so many mins and didn't look as tired as he did at any time tonite than he did in his last game. He seem to find his pace or whatever tonite.

 

[KingSpeed]

How about 13 21 8

http://www.databasebasketball.com/teams/boxscore.htm?yr=2004&b=20050322&tm=sac

My bad.

 

[PapaG]

A friend told me my head explodes and reassembles itself a million times a second. It does it so quickly that it doesn't impair my ability to live and the atoms disperse so it doesn't impact my environment.

I happen to think my friend is wrong, but how do I disprove him tonight?

...

Please. You're defending Cowherd calling Oden BENOIT BENJAMIN. It's ridiculous.

Ed O.

I'm not defending that at all. It is wrong and stupid. The OP never posted anything other than vulgar acts that Cowherd and Dawson should perform on him. I found that a bit vague and offensive.

 

[mgb]

Good game despite the loss.

It is going to take some time for this team to learn how to play together. Too many new players, too many different styles of play - but we are starting to see exactly what the big deal is.

This is a rookie, in his "3rd" game, after more than a year off and coming off MF surgery. Yah, He is going to be a beast.

We did not see Rudy taking over and shooting enough this game. We will need to think about that. We will need to have Roy run only 66% of the plays in the 4th, not 100% of them - this will make it harder to guard him - and it will open others when he as the ball. We will need to go down to Greg a bit more - he can hit his FT and can put whatever clown that guards him in foul trouble.

It's going to take a bit of time - but this is going to be one kick ass team...

Ya, what was he, 5-6? He's going to get double figures in FTs alone every game most likely.

 

[Boob-No-More]

No need to disparage Joel, especially when you are wrong.

Seriously, why the Greg vs. Joel comparisons? They both played well and kept us in the game tonight. Together in 45 minutes they combined for 19/18/4 on 7/8 FG and 5/6 FT. I'll take that kind of production out of the center position any night whether it's 45 minutes for Joel and 0 for Greg, 0 for Joel and 45 for Greg, or any combination in between.

And, concerning Joel never putting up 11/11/4, during his first year with the Blazers, he had a four game stretch where he went for:

14/11/5
19/17/3
18/17/6
15/10/4

He also had these games that season:

13/21/8
19/14/5
16/13/3
13/9/7
10/14/4
10/14/4 (again)
17/16/0
17/22/0

Those are some pretty big games by anyone's standards. So, no need to put down Joel to make Greg look good. Greg will eventually be putting up games like those on a regular basis.

BNM

 

[Ed O]

Ya, what was he, 5-6? He's going to get double figures in FTs alone every game most likely.

One of the first posts I made about Oden was after watching him shoot free throws in the McDonald's All-America game... you could tell that he had good form and that, unless something drastic changed, he was going to be a good free throw shooter. It might seem odd, but I remember being more excited by that than anything else I saw him do that game.

Ed O.

 

[ehizzy3]

almost have to start him if he keeps playing like that

 

[MAS RipCity]

If that was all NO had to offer? Then fucking bring it! They looked pretty week tonight. We just got stagnant at times and are still figuring out how to use the big fella. 30+ minutes of Oden= W. Due to the Wet not being as stacked as we all thought, if Oden keeps progressing we could be a top 3 team in the West.
NO doesn't win tonight without their plethora of tear drops that fell in the paint, we'll smoke em in PDX!

 

[drexlersdad]

Seriously, why the Greg vs. Joel comparisons? They both played well and kept us in the game tonight. Together in 45 minutes they combined for 19/18/4 on 7/8 FG and 5/6 FT. I'll take that kind of production out of the center position any night whether it's 45 minutes for Joel and 0 for Greg, 0 for Joel and 45 for Greg, or any combination in between.

And, concerning Joel never putting up 11/11/4, during his first year with the Blazers, he had a four game stretch where he went for:

14/11/5
19/17/3
18/17/6
15/10/4

He also had these games that season:

13/21/8
19/14/5
16/13/3
13/9/7
10/14/4
10/14/4 (again)
17/16/0
17/22/0

Those are some pretty big games by anyone's standards. So, no need to put down Joel to make Greg look good. Greg will eventually be putting up games like those on a regular basis.

BNM

christ, joel was a BEAST!!! what happened? was he playing 40 mpg? those are some serious numbers.

 

[Minstrel]

Oden is already impacting both the team offense and the team defense just with his presence. Once he also starts feeling comfortable, the big individual numbers will come too.

Very exciting. The prospect of Oden, Aldridge and Roy in their primes is tantalizing, and then you throw in an emerging Rudy and Batum and maybe Sergio and it becomes really quite hard to believe how much talent the team has. And that's without considering Webster and Outlaw, who I think can be/are good players but may not have major roles if Rudy and Batum develop into special players.

And all of that is without considering Bayless. Heh.

Should be a fun 10-15 years.

 

[RoyToy]

Joel was also playing for a contract at one point. He avg 2blk/g for 2 straight years. This year he isn't even averaging 1, and only 1.2 last year.

 

[roydezlaw]

christ, joel was a BEAST!!! what happened? was he playing 40 mpg? those are some serious numbers.

Damon kept Joel involved in the offense which kept him focused on both ends of the floor

 

[mgb]

christ, joel was a BEAST!!! what happened? was he playing 40 mpg? those are some serious numbers.

I was wondering about his mins in those games too.

 

[drexlersdad]

Damon kept Joel involved in the offense which kept him focused on both ends of the floor

so...... damon = hall of famer pryz? damon IS out of work, maybe we bring him in.

 

[B-Roy]

Joel was also playing for a contract at one point. He avg 2blk/g for 2 straight years. This year he isn't even averaging 1, and only 1.2 last year.

1. He's older.

2. He's playing less minutes.

 

[Minstrel]

so...... damon = hall of famer pryz? damon IS out of work, maybe we bring him in.

I've heard of major league starters having their personal catchers, but NBA centers having their personal point guards? I'm not sure Portland has the minutes for that.

 

[ehizzy3]

greg was lucky they didnt call that last block a goal tend. but damn you could tell he was getting confident. and like another poster said he never looked tired out there. he was pumped. to bad we lost

 

[RoyToy]

1. He's older.

2. He's playing less minutes.

He's 29. He's not breaking down.

He avg one less minute a game last year than he did in the season he avg 2.3blk/g.

Joel played for the contract. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[gatorpops]

Oden is already impacting both the team offense and the team defense just with his presence. Once he also starts feeling comfortable, the big individual numbers will come too.

Very exciting. The prospect of Oden, Aldridge and Roy in their primes is tantalizing, and then you throw in an emerging Rudy and Batum and maybe Sergio and it becomes really quite hard to believe how much talent the team has. And that's without considering Webster and Outlaw, who I think can be/are good players but may not have major roles if Rudy and Batum develop into special players.

And all of that is without considering Bayless. Heh.

Should be a fun 10-15 years.

And don't forget Webster. He may be in the mix as well. If this team can gel in the next 15-20 games we may just go all the way this year. It has happened before.

 

[roydezlaw]

so...... damon = hall of famer pryz? damon IS out of work, maybe we bring him in.

I never understood why Nate didn't run the pick and roll with Joel. It worked well with Damon and NVE

 

[Minstrel]

And don't forget Webster. He may be in the mix as well.

I mentioned him! He was in the first "And that doesn't even consider..." section.

If this team can gel in the next 15-20 games we may just go all the way this year. It has happened before.

It has, but I don't think this team is better than the Lakers, even gelled. Unless Oden becomes a top center this year, the Lakers core of Kobe/Gasol/Bynum/Odom with supporting players like Ariza, Farmar and Radmanovic is too good and experienced.

I think the team could potentially win a round or two in the playoffs if things really come together.

 

[mgb]

I never understood why Nate didn't run the pick and roll with Joel. It worked well with Damon and NVE

They run it, but our guards seldom get the ball to the big guy on the pick and roll.

 

[Nikolokolus]

They run it, but our guards seldom get the ball to the big guy on the pick and roll.

I almost hate to say it, but we do have one guard who's pretty decent at running it and that's Sergio. I have a feeling we may see him making the kinds of passes to Greg that he makes to Rudy if they are the court enough.

 

[ehizzy3]

They run it, but our guards seldom get the ball to the big guy on the pick and roll.

i'd like to see roy and oden run that better...only pick and pops the guards pass it to the player setting the pick

 

[Minstrel]

I almost hate to say it, but we do have one guard who's pretty decent at running it and that's Sergio. I have a feeling we may see him making the kinds of passes to Greg that he makes to Rudy if they are the court enough.

I don't hate to say it, but Rodriguez needs to get the starter minutes at point guard if we're not going to run a Roy/Fernandez backcourt.

He's playing well, and his game is a nice mix with Roy, Aldridge and Oden. And Webster will also benefit from drive-and-dishes from Rodriguez.

 

[The Professional Fan]

Oden's block was a goal tend. Still awesome though.

That stupid three from the corner is what lost this game.

I don't want to see LMA take a three again unless it is at the buzzer. Period.

Pretty much summed up my thoughts.

Though Oden's impact, overall, was significant. He gets his wind, and his legs, wow. Special things will happen not for him, but for the people that surround him. Can't wait.

 

[The Professional Fan]

colin cowherd and gavin dawson can officially lick my bonch.

word

Gavin, I used to respect him. But he's quickly losing credibility. Too bad. He's a big Blazers fan.

 

[ehizzy3]

i agree. lamarcus needs to be somewhere except the corners, put rudy and blake on the corners. i hope nate didnt draw that play up for lamarcus to be at the corner

 

[mgb]

I've been pleasantly surprise that Oden hasn't got near the fouls many thought he would. He did get four tonite, but how some talk he wouldn't be able to get off the bench because of all the fouls he'd get. I think he'll get the other teams bigs in foul trouble more than he'll get into foul trouble.