Comments on: More Bill Simmons on Greg Oden

By: Don

Don — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 06:47:08 +0000

Name 5 centers more “powerful” than Oden? I’d say, name 2. I can name 1 and he’s old and slow and done.

By: SJ

SJ — Sat, 23 May 2009 19:09:47 +0000

I’m just going to throw this out there to dispel any of the ‘Oden didn’t show any flashes of brilliance’ thing right out of the window. I’ll be the first to say he’s not there yet and has work to do, but I’m happy where he’s at. He needs to improve and if he’s doing the same things next year I will more than likely go off on him at some point. He’s earned the benefit of the doubt though, half because of these flashes of brillance and the other half for my sanity. And yes that was a joke.

Back to my point, Oden had 16 double-doubles in 61 games. That’s only two less than Brook Lopez and one less than Marc Gasol and Jason Thompson. All who played 79+ games and got significant minutes. He also had just as many double doubles as Amare and Andrew Bynum this season. He can play, give him time because when he turns the corner, watch out.

By: Coup

Coup — Sat, 23 May 2009 00:11:49 +0000

It’s hard to explain to a non-Portland fan why Oden will stop fouling, because only they saw the silly ticky-tack fouls he picked up over the course of the season. An offseason of coaching will help that, maturation will help that and the refs letting him play his game will help that. I’m not saying the refs were the sole reason for his fouls, but there was definitely a stigma following him around. Once the refs get used to him, Greg will stop getting fouls just for being bigger than any Floppy McFlopperson undersized center.

If you look at the stats, Oden WAS playing at a high level this season. The advanced statistics and per-minute stats attest to that.

As for injuries, if Oden becomes a “bust” because he can’t stay on the court, that has nothing to do with his performance. If Durant suffered a Shaun Livingston-like career threatening injury next year, would he be called a bust? No, because people already accept that he’s good.

Making a broad statement like saying he’s gangly and awkward just doesn’t make much sense. Just watch that clip of him posting up Bynum, did that look awkward? Name 5 centers in the league more “powerful” than Greg.