OT If the Durant/Oden draft was now instead of 2007...

[SlyPokerDog]

Oden would have just won a ring with the Warriors.

 

[Orion Bailey]

I never saw in Oden what many of you do/did. I thought he looked like Mutombo on offense (not very good), and his college injuries robbed him of some development at least.

I would have taken Durant and kept ZBo at PF, LMA at C, Roy at SG.

Man and how many rings would that have got us? Wow...

 

[TBpup]

D69 and I both picked Durant then and for the same reasons I'm sure we would do so now regardless of it was a small-ball era or not.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

D69 and I both picked Durant then and for the same reasons I'm sure we would do so now regardless of it was a small-ball era or not.

True. You held up a sign on TV.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

Not to mention we wouldn't have been able to shit-can Randolph to make room for LaMarcus at the 4...

We'd have been better off with ZBo, ho....

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

D69 and I both picked Durant then and for the same reasons I'm sure we would do so now regardless of it was a small-ball era or not.

When Pritchard said one would win multiple scoring titles and one would win multiple championships, I assumed he was speaking about the differences between the two players. I didn't realize he was referring to the sma player in his comment.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

In his first two seasons, these were his Defensive Ratings: 104 and 100. So he was good defensively as a rookie (after coming back from an injury) and great as a second-year player. His Rebound Rate was 18 as a rookie and 19.5 as a second-year player.

But no one really disputes his defensive and rebounding potential. It's his offensive potential that a certain someone thinks was lacking. So how productive was he in the NBA?

First Year: 116 Offensive Rating / 18.1 PER / .599 TS%
Second Year: 118 Offensive Rating / 23.1 PER / .647 TS%

Clearly, an offense-killer in his first experience with the NBA.

Oden had no clear flaws as a player (aside from, unfortunately, health). He had the potential to be a defensive anchor and offensive centerpiece. The only issues he had in those 82 games he played his first two years was with fouling and turnovers. In other words, the two things you'd expect a very young player to struggle with in his first NBA experience. Both highly correctable and not at all uncommon in young players.

There's little question in my mind that, given his scouting pedigree, college dominance and NBA productivity, he would have been an NBA superstar had he remained healthy.

Where he was, where Portland was.... That fateful night in December.... We could have been so good, Oden could have been so good.,.

 

[Cippy91]

Where he was, where Portland was.... That fateful night in December.... We could have been so good, Oden could have been so good.,.

I remember that night too. I remember mike and mikes call over it. Oden on the ground, dent in his knee, carted off. Fuck man, posts like this make me remember, he was playing really good too before the injury. I was looking forward to seeing him improve. Then Roy....

Time to drink at 5 AM

 

[TBpup]

When Pritchard said one would win multiple scoring titles and one would win multiple championships, I assumed he was speaking about the differences between the two players. I didn't realize he was referring to the sma player in his comment.

We, the fans got Pritch-slapped.

 

[Denny Crane]

So, he looked like a man against players like Noah and Horford in college, who were both lottery picks that became all stars, but looked like a child against men in the NBA. Bullshit. He certainly didn't look like a boy among men when he totally dominated Noah two weeks before his knee cap exploded and ended his NBA career in Portland.

It wasn't a lack of talent of the wrist injury he suffered before we drafted him that ruined his career, it was the knee injuries he incurred after we drafted him that did.

BTW, I know it was just a 21-game sample size, but at the time of Oden's final injury in POR he was leading the league in FG%, TRB% and BLK%. What more could you want from a big man, in any era, than elite rebounding, elite defense and efficient scoring? The league may have changed, but none of those things ever go out of style.

BNM

Like I said, I don't see in him what you did. I wouldn't have drafted him over Durant, even without 20-20 hindsight. No amount of bullying is going to make me change my mind.

Noah wasn't all that great for a few seasons in the NBA, either.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Like I said, I don't see in him what you did. I wouldn't have drafted him over Durant, even without 20-20 hindsight. No amount of bullying is going to make me change my mind.

Presentation of facts that contradict your silly claim doesn't constitute bullying. Quit being such a snowflake.

 

[Denny Crane]

Presentation of facts that contradict your silly claim doesn't constitute bullying. Quit being such a snowflake.

LOL

These stats are supposed to make me think I was wrong, somehow, to not see in Oden what some of you did? Or are repeated posts that are irrelevant to my view of Oden supposed to change my mind somehow? I didn't like the pick then, I still wouldn't have picked him, period.

It looked like the Bowie situation all over again before the draft - massively hyped college guy who was hurt all senior/last year. It was wing players (like Durant) that were leading teams to championships, not centers. The Blazers already had a PF and a C (yes, LMA), and Durant was a good fit.

No, I wouldn't have drafted Oden over Durant, and no, I'm not going to somehow change my mind.

 

[Boob-No-More]

No amount of bullying is going to make me change my mind.

Bullying? Really?

So now we're not allowed to disagree with the site owner's opinions without being accused of being a big bad bully?

BNM

 

[Denny Crane]

Bullying? Really?

So now we're not allowed to disagree with the site owner's opinions without being accused of being a big bad bully?

BNM

Disagree, fine.

Like I said, I don't see in him what you did. I would have taken Durant. Period.

 

[Boob-No-More]

These stats are supposed to make me think I was wrong, somehow, to not see in Oden what some of you did? Or are repeated posts that are irrelevant to my view of Oden supposed to change my mind somehow? I didn't like the pick then, I still wouldn't have picked him, period.

No one is trying to make you think anything. Stop trying to play the victim. You stated your opinion (5 times). I stated mine (3 times). Yet someone how I'm the bully that's trying to make you feel like your wrong. Poor baby.

BNM

 

[Denny Crane]

No one is trying to make you think anything. Stop trying to play the victim. You stated your opinion (5 times). I stated mine (3 times). Yet someone how I'm the bully that's trying to make you feel like your wrong. Poor baby.

BNM

I'm not trying to make you change your mind. Turns out I was right, in 20-20 hindsight. I was right at the time, without, too.

 

[Boob-No-More]

Disagree, fine.

I don't need your permission. You may own the site, but I'm free to post what I want, and if I'm not, I'll find somewhere else to post.

Like I said, I don't see in him what you did. I would have taken Durant. Period.

Yeah, you've said that 5 times now. Mom, he's bullying me!!!!

BNM

 

[Denny Crane]

I don't need your permission. You may own the site, but I'm free to post what I want, and if I'm not, I'll find somewhere else to post.



Yeah, you've said that 5 times now. Mom, he's bullying me!!!!

BNM

I didn't seek out your posts to respond to. I am responding to posts you quote me.

 

[Boob-No-More]

I'm not trying to make you change your mind. Turns out I was right, in 20-20 hindsight. I was right at the time, without, too.

OK, six times. You keep repeating yourself to make me feel like I'm wrong. Mom, make him stop. He's bullying me!

BNM

 

[Boob-No-More]

I didn't seek out your posts to respond to. I am responding to posts you quote me.

Ok, you want the last word? You've got it. I'm out. Enjoy YOUR site.

It's beginning to feel like the next mass migration is LONG overdue.

BNM

 

[BlazerWookee]

We'd have been better off with ZBo, ho....

Maybe on the court for a little while, but sooner or later his off-court behavior (not to mention that of his associates) would inevitably have cost him on-court time, and probably jail time. With the "Character Matters" movement in full swing, he would have been run out of town on a rail. Plus, LaMarcus would have been forced to play the 5 instead of the 4, where his skill set fit much more naturally.

 

[BBert]

During the brief moments when he was healthy, Oden was a fucking monster. And that was when he was green as hell. Even with no experience, no conditioning, and just learning what to do on the court, he was an unstoppable force. No one had an answer. He was flat out dominant. It was boner inducing. I got butterflies watching him dominate in his brief stints on the court. Giddy like a school girl with her first crush. But since the Gods hate us for some reason....it was like a big sick practical joke. Fuck you, you sadistic mother fucking gods of hell. May you burn in agony for a thousand eternities.

 

[BBert]

Who is this Odon person you guys are talking about?

Norse God of broken hearts and shattered dreams, I think.

 

[THE HCP]

My dawg!

 

[TBpup]

Make me wonder if @HCP took the 3rd leg picture.

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

Maybe on the court for a little while, but sooner or later his off-court behavior (not to mention that of his associates) would inevitably have cost him on-court time, and probably jail time. With the "Character Matters" movement in full swing, he would have been run out of town on a rail. Plus, LaMarcus would have been forced to play the 5 instead of the 4, where his skill set fit much more naturally.

LaMarcus should've always been a center, he was far more dominant close to the basket than shooting fadeaway 18 footers. It would've toughened his soft ass up too.