If there is anyone out there who still doubts...Tonight is your answer.

[Drink Your Milkshake]

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that Greg Oden is a player with whom all things is possible; who still wonders if the dream of the founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of his defense, tonight is your answer.

Fans that never disbelieved, you have earned Charles Barkley McLovin that is coming with us.

 

[RoyToy]

Some people just can't see the big picture and aren't patient enough.

When you think about the situation logically it makes sense Oden would struggle out the gates.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I was really excited to see what Greg did tonight ... whatever talk Nate had with him a couple of days ago it seems to have worked. He's still going to have up and down nights, but these past two games have got to be huge for his confidence.

 

[Miksaid]

Almost every time Oden got the ball down low, something good happened. I hope we can go to him more often even when Roy comes back! Once Oden picks up even one other move outside of his baby hook or just an ounce more of footwork ability, I can see how awesome he can be.

 

[yenniedn]

werd . . . Oden sucks. He didn't clap enough.

 

[Miksaid]

Cool things about Oden tonight:
- To steal a quote from someone in the game thread, he led the team in smiles, finally passing Jerryd
- He made a silky smooth jumper
- He got T'd up for the first time shoving Allen out of bounds (and shoving the shit out of any Celtic around the basket, go Oden!)
- He was on the floor with Przybilla at the same time, Twin Towers baby
- Led the team in assists!
- He was the ULTIMATE sixth-man on that inbounds play towards the end of the quarter

 

[Minstrel]

Oden in a year with Amare-like explosiveness will be a sight to see.

 

[hasoos]

Great game by Oden tonight. The Blazers need to get him the ball more. Good things happen when he gets the ball deep.

 

[MIXUM]

AGAIN....i just dont see us passing anyone in the west.

maybe utah if they keep getting hurt.

Dallas and the Suns are making the playoffs.

Dallas came back frm 29 in the 3rd quater to win. They are making the playoffs.

 

[noknobs]

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that Greg Oden is a player with whom all things is possible; who still wonders if the dream of the founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of his defense, tonight is your answer.

Fans that never disbelieved, you have earned Charles Barkley McLovin that is coming with us.

I've always thought he posessed the tools to be very good offensively, not just defensively, but when a God like Cowherd says otherwise... So many doubters out there it's tough to dismiss them all sometimes, but I've always thought he'd be, at least, an allstar center. Nights like tonight just reaffirms my belief.

But getting carried away and increasing our short-term expectations is probably not a good idea yet, because the next time he has a bad stretch, and he will, we'll have to go through all the negativity again. But it sure does seem like he's had a complete overhaul as far as his attitude and how he's decided to approach the game. That should speed up his growth. Only time will tell if it really was as simple as flipping a switch in his head.

 

[alex42083]

I loved seeing the emotion and fire from Greg tonight. He was great tonight, and was HUGE! Greg didn't back down at all.

 

[MickZagger]

AGAIN....i just dont see us passing anyone in the west.

maybe utah if they keep getting hurt.

Dallas and the Suns are making the playoffs.

Dallas came back frm 29 in the 3rd quater to win. They are making the playoffs.

Thanks for the dose of reality

 

[BatumKaboom]

I am starting to believe again!

 

[Mediocre Man]

A smiling Oden and an Oden showing some emotion is a beautiful thing.


It might be time to start throwing the ball into him on most every possession. Then start some motion like they did tonight.

 

[blue32]

Im fucking stoked; i got a kick-ass red hoodie with the big blazer pin wheel on it for x-mas, plus a blazer beanie. I wore them both all night for the first time, and rubbed the pin wheel to make Pierce miss that 4th quarter free-throw!!!!!

whats that all mean? i dont have to burn the clothes!@!! they are good luck charms!

booya!

 

[drexlersdad]

oden looked GREAT tonight. lots of hustle and emotion, he is setting picks like a madman, and he was getting nice position against perkins, who imo, is a strong low block defender.

he looked ALIVE!

 

[Ed O]

AGAIN....i just dont see us passing anyone in the west.

maybe utah if they keep getting hurt.

Dallas and the Suns are making the playoffs.

Dallas came back frm 29 in the 3rd quater to win. They are making the playoffs.

We don't need to pass Utah or Dallas or Phoenix. We're ahead of them in the standings and they need to pass us.

Ed O.

 

[MIXUM]

hope ur right ed...but if roys out too long...we will be needing to pass them.

 

[craigehlo]

We don't need to pass Utah or Dallas or Phoenix. We're ahead of them in the standings and they need to pass us.

The Suns are 1 game back from us and the Mavs are 1/2 a game back. That's not much breathing room. Both teams are rounding into shape and playing better ball lately. We need to follow suit and play better than .500 ball to keep in the playoff picture.

We need some games vs Grizz/Wolves/OKC soon to pump up our win totals.

 

[MIXUM]

thats the funny thing about our fans...its as if we have a 6 game lead for a playoff spot

and utah always gets it goin in january...they sucked last december too.

i just dont see us passing anyone at the moment

 

[Ed O]

i just dont see us passing anyone at the moment

Again: we don't need to pass anyone. They need to pass us.

If you don't see us holding them off, that's one thing. But we are ahead of them in the standings so they need to win more games than we do between now and the end of the season in spite of us having an easy schedule.

Ed O.

 

[BrianFromWA]

The Suns are 1 game back from us and the Mavs are 1/2 a game back. That's not much breathing room. Both teams are rounding into shape and playing better ball lately. We need to follow suit and play better than .500 ball to keep in the playoff picture.

We need some games vs Grizz/Wolves/OKC soon to pump up our win totals.

Like the games against the Clippers and Warriors that pumped up our win total?

We need to bring it every night. Grizz/Wolves/OKC won't just roll over. I hope we keep playing like we did tonight, and there won't be worries. But that's not a given right now.

 

[MIXUM]

ed..do u predict playoffs? if so...who is out?

if we do make the post season, id say the jazz...but seems unlikely

 

[craigehlo]

Again: we don't need to pass anyone. They need to pass us.

If you don't see us holding them off, that's one thing. But we are ahead of them in the standings so they need to win more games than we do between now and the end of the season in spite of us having an easy schedule.

We could lose the next 2 games,which are pretty difficult match ups, and fall out of the playoff standings. It's not like we are up 5 games on the next closest team.

Being in the middle of the West playoff pack right now is an extremely tenuous spot. I'm not feeling so comfortable that we can get complacent and say other teams "need to pass us." We need to step up and create more than 1/2 game lead on the team in our rear view mirror.

 

[MIXUM]

gurantee we lose both if roys out. with roy..it will be hard.


just dont understand why so many think playoffs are a lock

 

[RoyToy]

The Blazers can easily run with New Orleans with Roy. They've already proven that.

Lakers are another story.

 

[alex42083]

We could lose the next 2 games,which are pretty difficult match ups, and fall out of the playoff standings. It's not like we are up 5 games on the next closest team.

Being in the middle of the West playoff pack right now is an extremely tenuous spot. I'm not feeling so comfortable that we can get complacent and say other teams "need to pass us." We need to step up and create more than 1/2 game lead on the team in our rear view mirror.

You could say that about every team in the West except LA. New Orleans leads the SW Division and is No. 2, but could easily find itself in the eighth spot if they go through a rough stretch. They're only two games up over No. 8 Phoenix.
If we lose a game, it doesn't mean everyone else keeps winning. I'd rather be in the spot we're in at 20-12 and No. 5, rather than where Dallas, Utah and Phoenix are.

 

[julius]

thats the funny thing about our fans...its as if we have a 6 game lead for a playoff spot

and utah always gets it goin in january...they sucked last december too.

i just dont see us passing anyone at the moment

And it's funny about you. It's as if they're 6 games under .500 in your world.

 

[alex42083]

gurantee we lose both if roys out. with roy..it will be hard.


just dont understand why so many think playoffs are a lock

Didn't you guarantee we'd lose by 40 to Boston last night?
Anyway, I don't think anyone's saying playoffs are a lock except you stating it and trying to argue against it. But with the position we're in, the playoffs are finally a reachable goal for the first time in a long while.

 

[BrianFromWA]

Well, technically last year we were in this position in January also. We just kind of, you know, stunk over the last half of the season.

Here's hoping we don't this year!