[QOUTE]Oden says he's ready to play 'full game' for Blazers Associated Press Updated: November 12, 2008, 1:06 PM ET * Comment * Email * Print MIAMI -- Greg Oden says he's ready to play. Greg Oden Oden The Portland Trail Blazers center says he'll play Wednesday night against the Miami Heat (ESPN, 8 ET), even though the team is listing him officially as a game-time decision. Oden has missed the Blazers' last six games because of a sprained right foot suffered in Portland's season-opening loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. "Feels good. I'm ready. I'm excited," Oden said after Wednesday's shootaround. "I'll hopefully play the full game tonight." Oden was the No. 1 pick in the 2007 NBA draft, then missed all of last season following knee surgery. Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3698271[/QUOTE]
Mark Jones.. the ESPN play by play guy. He's like their fifth-stringer, he's terrible... They were once doing a live pregame preview that they do in the arena, and he totally lost his thought and concentration and ESPN cut the feed, and had to re-do it all over again on live TV. Kind of embarassing.
Nate is dead on with this comment and it is exactly why you do not start him yet: "I don't want us to get caught up in depending that he is going to be a savior,'' McMillan said. "I want us to play as if he is not here. Keep playing that way. He needs to catch up to where we are and what we are doing, and not us getting in atmosphere of being relaxed and expecting him to do all these things. He needs to fit into what we are trying to do and how we are playing. We need to continue to move forward.''
I think it is essential for the Blazers to view Greg as the 3rd or 4th option on offense. He only played a few minutes against the lakers but it seemed to me that they wanted to force it down to him. I see no reason for this. He will get his shots. The Blazers are near the top of the NBA in fewest TO's. Sure a lot of that has to do with being a jump shooting team, but I say just keep moving the ball and get it to the open guy. LaMarcus should be the only post player we need to keep happy. For now.
I was listening to an interview with Nate and he states Oden will play about 15 minutes off the bench.
I think he'll play more if it's a really close game and he's making a difference. ESPN was spot on in picking up this game. (Predicting Oden's return)
I don't know if I'll be as happy to see Greg play 20-25 mins and get out pain-free as much as a win. It'd be such a relief to see him out there and play one game without getting hurt.
