Oden and Blake

[Natebishop3]

Tomorrow night against the Hawks, I would like to see Steve Blake implement a new strategy.

Every time his man, or Miller's man, gets past them and starts heading for Oden, I want Blake to tackle him. Literally. I want the guy on the ground. I would rather Blakey take the foul. Check the guy into the stands. Whatever needs to be done. Any guard who gets into the paint should be laid out.

If Blake can't shoot or defend, he could at least protect the big guy.

 

[yenniedn]

I like it. Pretty innovative strategy actually.

As Steve Young says in that hilarious ESPN Snoop Dogg/Ditka commercial: "Let me make some calls!"

 

[fumanchu]

Not a bad idea, but ultimately if Oden can continue to evolve to where he interupts or blocks the shot of that player, thus starting breaks, and also changing momentum in our favor, while avoiding picking up the "silly" foul, then this strategy will not be needed.

 

[Natebishop3]

Not a bad idea, but ultimately if Oden can continue to evolve to where he interupts or blocks the shot of that player, thus starting breaks, and also changing momentum in our favor, while avoiding picking up the "silly" foul, then this strategy will not be needed.

but in the mean time.....

 

[Da_O]

http://www.youtube.com/user/FreeOden52

 

[Mediocre Man]

On a side note to this, I would like to see Oden's teammates all raise their hands when there is a foul called near him. Andre Miller and Martell Webster are the only players that seem to understand it would be better to have the foul on them, than Oden. Both of them immediately raise their hands when they and Oden are in the same area of a foul.

 

[southnc]

Other than Houston, Blake has been playing pretty good defense. The opposing guards are not scoring that many points. Both Miller and Blake are getting steals and working hard. That being said, it is a two-way system: Yes; Blake & Miller can still do a better job, but Oden has to be smart in defending the paint and not bring his arms down for silly fouls.

 

[Bob Dobalina]

http://www.youtube.com/user/FreeOden52

I swear I see the refs so much differently since reading excerpts of the Donaghy book.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

I swear I see the refs so much differently since reading excerpts of the Donaghy book.

Really?

I'm seeing the same old stuff. One crew calls every flop, another refuses to let the players play, another won't call a critical foul to save their life...

Same old garbage.

 

[magnifier661]

It amazes me that the NBA wold allow so many foul calls on supposedly the next generation center. I wonder if he would be getting that many calls if he was a Laker, Knick or Celtic?

 

[ucatchtrout]

Tomorrow night against the Hawks, I would like to see Steve Blake implement a new strategy.

Every time his man, or Miller's man, gets past them and starts heading for Oden, I want Blake to tackle him. Literally. I want the guy on the ground. I would rather Blakey take the foul. Check the guy into the stands. Whatever needs to be done. Any guard who gets into the paint should be laid out.

If Blake can't shoot or defend, he could at least protect the big guy.

Anyone have Nates cell phone number?

Damn good idea.

 

[gatorpops]

Other than Houston, Blake has been playing pretty good defense. The opposing guards are not scoring that many points. Both Miller and Blake are getting steals and working hard. That being said, it is a two-way system: Yes; Blake & Miller can still do a better job, but Oden has to be smart in defending the paint and not bring his arms down for silly fouls.

I have not seen any of this kind of play by Oden in the last several games. Have you???

 

[magnifier661]

I have not seen any of this kind of play by Oden in the last several games. Have you???

Nope last 5 games, Oden has been keeping his hands up. The new calls are now because his hips touch the offensive player. It's a joke and shouldn't be called.

 

[ucatchtrout]

Nope last 5 games, Oden has been keeping his hands up. The new calls are now because his hips touch the offensive player. It's a joke and shouldn't be called.

Well if he'd stop moving his feet when he bumps hips with other players and learn to flop like Joel does he'd pick up a boatload of fouls on other players. The other teams love to run at him.

 

[Wheels]

Really?

I'm seeing the same old stuff. One crew calls every flop, another refuses to let the players play, another won't call a critical foul to save their life...

Same old garbage.

I think he means it in disgust.. as in he can never look at them the same again.

 

[magnifier661]

Well if he'd stop moving his feet when he bumps hips with other players and learn to flop like Joel does he'd pick up a boatload of fouls on other players. The other teams love to run at him.

Oden doesn't flop. Not his game. Do you want a passive center, or the one that will be a "Game Changer"? It's in Oden's nature to always protect the paint, no matter what. Problem is the refs won't give him some leeway like they do with other centers. As much as they are "Truly fouls", they aren't the fouls the refs give to centers. This is why Oden is really frustrated. In the Charlotte game, Oden was called for a foul, then on the other end Mohamad made the same exact foul and it wasn't called. I mean Mohamad really?!?!?!

 

[PapaG]

It's Blake's fault that Oden is a fouling machine.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I'm not sure I would call Bayless a good defender, but of all our guards he seems to be the only one capable of staying in front of his man. Sure he fouls a lot, but I'd rather he picked up 5 or 6 if it meant Greg finished with 1 or 2 fewer fouls in a game. Something's gotta change out on the perimeter or this is going to be a problem for all of our bigs all season long

FYI: Greg, Joel and LMA rank numbers 1, 8 and 16 respectively in the league in number of fouls. It could just be a fluke, but that's a helluva lot of foul trouble for our three bigs, and LMA has never been a big foul guy.

 

[Mediocre Man]

It's Blake's fault that Oden is a fouling machine.

You might be on to something?

 

[maxiep]

I swear I see the refs so much differently since reading excerpts of the Donaghy book.

 

[hasoos]

The guards really need to learn how to protect the big guy. The centers collect fouls like mad as is in this league since the way the rules are called. Guys need to foul, raise their hand. That is why when folks bitch about Bayless getting fouls, I am like "No biggy" I would rather he get fouls than our bigs get fouls.

 

[SnakeOiler]

It's Blake's fault that Oden is a fouling machine.

Could mean the guards aren't doing their job, guarding. Oden gets lots of fouls because he has to play help defense because the guards aren't cutting it defensively. If we had guards that could actually defend, he wouldn't get so many fouls. If Oden wasn't covering our guards asses, there would be lots of uncontested lay-ups rather than the fouls.

 

[PapaG]

Could mean the guards aren't doing their job, guarding. Oden gets lots of fouls because he has to play help defense because the guards aren't cutting it defensively. If we had guards that could actually defend, he wouldn't get so many fouls. If Oden wasn't covering our guards asses, there would be lots of uncontested lay-ups rather than the fouls.

The Blazers don't have guards that can defend the perimeter. That's not going to change anytime soon. Oden picks up plenty of silly fouls on his own. If he learns to stop doing that, the occasional foul protecting the rim is not as big of a deal.

 

[LittleAlex]

It amazes me that the NBA wold allow so many foul calls on supposedly the next generation center. I wonder if he would be getting that many calls if he was a Laker, Knick or Celtic?

I don't wonder about this at all.

Obviously he would get more benefit of the doubt.

It has always been that way and it will always be that way.

Though Laker, Celtic and Knick fans seem to feel differently about it.

 

[Blazer_Hippie]

FYI: Greg, Joel and LMA rank numbers 1, 8 and 16 respectively in the league in number of fouls. It could just be a fluke, but that's a helluva lot of foul trouble for our three bigs, and LMA has never been a big foul guy.

I tend to think this is also from aggressiveness on the defensive end. More aggressiveness is going to lead to more fouls...especially when the refs are slanted to favor scoring over defensive big guys.

I think Oden needs to learn that he can't make every single play, every time down the court. He is going to need to learn to pick his spots better. I also think Nate's strict 2 foul rule is a step in the right direction to help him learn...or at least I hope so... And the issue of our perimeter D letting men get past is legitimate, but Greg needs to learn how to handle it. Sometimes he just needs to get out of the way in order to keep himself on the court.

 

[magnifier661]

I tend to think this is also from aggressiveness on the defensive end. More aggressiveness is going to lead to more fouls...especially when the refs are slanted to favor scoring over defensive big guys.

I think Oden needs to learn that he can't make every single play, every time down the court. He is going to need to learn to pick his spots better. I also think Nate's strict 2 foul rule is a step in the right direction to help him learn...or at least I hope so... And the issue of our perimeter D letting men get past is legitimate, but Greg needs to learn how to handle it. Sometimes he just needs to get out of the way in order to keep himself on the court.

I would much rather our bigs make damn sure no one scores in the paint, even if it costs us a foul, then have them score at will down there. Reminds me of Buck Williams, used his fouls wisely. There isn't a problem with getting a ton of fouls being aggressive on the defensive end. It's getting those unnecessary fouls, having to be out of position having to guard the perimeter player on dribble penetration. At least run the defense to make our guards force them to strong side help.

 

[Eastoff]

I tend to think this is also from aggressiveness on the defensive end. More aggressiveness is going to lead to more fouls...especially when the refs are slanted to favor scoring over defensive big guys.

I think Oden needs to learn that he can't make every single play, every time down the court. He is going to need to learn to pick his spots better. I also think Nate's strict 2 foul rule is a step in the right direction to help him learn...or at least I hope so... And the issue of our perimeter D letting men get past is legitimate, but Greg needs to learn how to handle it. Sometimes he just needs to get out of the way in order to keep himself on the court.

this seems like a slippery slope to bad defense. At what point do you think "oh that guy is coming in too fast for me, I guess I should let him go"

 

[Eastoff]

I don't wonder about this at all.

Obviously he would get more benefit of the doubt.

It has always been that way and it will always be that way.

Though Laker, Celtic and Knick fans seem to feel differently about it.

LeBron James.

[video=youtube;ysmLA5TqbIY]"]

 

[Blazer_Hippie]

this seems like a slippery slope to bad defense. At what point do you think "oh that guy is coming in too fast for me, I guess I should let him go"

Oden was dunked on a couple games ago and he was thoroughly beaten and he just backed up and let him have it...that's smart play (on his part), not bad play. It's part of the learning process he's going through. It may not be "manly" but sometimes giving up a play like that is the smart thing to do...granted if you have the fouls to use sometimes it's also appropriate to lay the guy out flat on the court...depends on the situation.

I'd rather have Oden give up a layup or dunk here and there and be able to stay on the court for 30 min/game than have perpetual foul trouble. He will have plenty of chances to intimidate when he is in good position to make a play without fouling.

[video=youtube;YYoOX9Fd3Fs]