I see where you are coming from, but he seemed equally as quick and aggressive in the Kings game. That dunk off the pick and roll (against Sacrameto) that was mentioned earlier, was the best offensive move I've seen from him yet. A month ago he wouldn't have been able to roll to the hoop, catch a pass in motion, hold on to the pass, then elevate over two people for a dunk. He also followed that up with a move baseline in that game where he took a dribble and powered up for a dunk. Really encouraging to see!
Keep the thread on track, and refrain from your dim-witted approach of attacking me personally. It's funny and amusing, for sure, but just junks up this thread. and for the record.... Jean-Luc Picard was born in La Barre, France on Earth on July 13, 2305. He and his brother, Robert, spent their childhood tending to their family vineyards with their father, Maurice.
Totally off topic: Nice vid Nikolokolus!!! Do you have the part where 3 other guys ripped their shirts off and the chick started spanking the guy?? That was the funniest thing I have ever seen on the big screen @ The Rose Garden!
Yep, it will show itself as the rest of his game improves. Blocking and Dunking = fun = smiling & relaxing It'll be fun to watch for the rest of us too.
Re: out of his funk!?! I don't think Oden is taking it easy in ANY of the games. He's just not that comfortable yet. I was at the game last night, and here's what I saw. He looked really intimidated at the beginning of the game, even before Shaq dunked on him. Something changed about midway through the game. There was one play (2nd quarter I think with Shaq guarding him) where he had just made a baby left hook and the next possesion they went back to him. Oden backed Shaq in the lane and went with this ugly looking fade away right handed hook that missed the rim. It was the only shot he missed last night. He sort of slapped his knee and I think he was telling himself "Man Up. Don't show this guy too much respect. Go up strong." After that, he seemed to settle in. He wasn't a factor offensively, but he did have a HUGE offensive rebound late in the game that helped seal the game. I loved his tenacity and how high he jumped on that play. He has a long ways to go. No way I'd call him a bust, but I've tempered my short term expectations from him. I think I thought he was an immediate 17/10 guy when we drafted him. He'll probably get there at some point, but for now I'm just hoping to see consistant improvement.
It's just an animated .gif file that somebody posted on the Oregon live boards last night after the game, so sadly I don't have the full clip.
That's too bad. I was at the game last night and it was one of the funniest things I've ever seen. That is just one of about 10 variations that guy did last night. It was just freekin' hillarious. On another note - the RG was electric last night. After the game people were screaming "MVP. MVP. MVP" in the parking lot. It felt like a playoff game. Not a lot of defense, but entertaining for sure.
GO is starting to show more and more of what he's going to be. I'm getting ripped in another thread for saying that Brandon is going to be our third best player in five years, but I really do believe that Greg is going to be far and away our best player with LMA second. You just don't find the combination of strength, quickness, length, athleticism and BBIQ that Oden has. The cream will rise to the top. And once the league realizes that Oden will REQUIRE a double team just to contain him, it will be party time for LaMarcus.
I admit I was worried again about Oden's psyche after Roy hit a big shot, the bench exploded, and then it pans to the end of the bench and Oden is sitting there doing a golf clap. Then, Oden got back in the game, got two HUGE offensive rebounds, and I went to sleep feeling a lot better about him than I had after that quick shot of him just sitting there during an incredible display by Roy.
I don't understand how you guys are so Bi-Polar in your feelings towards players by way of their 5 second camera time game face reaction(s). It boggles my mind. I mean, just because Greg isn't on his knees praising B-Roy for the 50 point barn buster, doesn't mean he isn't stoked. Perhaps he has other things in mind, like how he wants dominate next time he gets in the game, or whatever. I think some of you guys need to calm down and quit over-analyzing things so the acid reflux doesn't kill ya!
I'm not "bi-polar" and don't find that insult very funny at all. I noticed Oden as the only person in the building not going batcrap crazy. I'm sure I wasn't the only one to notice it and wonder about it. That said, what he did when he got back on the court was a big key to winning the game. Extra possessions won the game in the 4th quarter.
GO doesn't appear to be a particularly demonstrative guy. There's a naval phrase that comes to mind--maintaining an even strain. He doesn't get too high and he doesn't get too low. Tim Duncan has it. It will serve him well come the playoffs.
Lay off the crack it wasn't an insult directed at anyone, it was an analogy of how you and a few (to rename nameless) posters call doomsday, because oh my god, Oden isn't doing what you think he should be doing.
I'd agree except for the Oden that we saw off of the court prior to playing is not the same person that we see on many nights. Plus, we have seen him joking and smiling with LMA on the court; it was when he felt he was contributing to a win a few weeks ago. It's OK to notice these things and post about them.
