Oden's assist to Outlaw for the dunk was #3 on the top 10 plays tonight, at least in the top 10 during the post-game segment with Ahmad Rashad, C-Webb, and Payton.
"I thought they were the more physical team in the second half," Boston coach Doc Rivers said. "They just destroyed us on the boards." Enough said.
Yeah, I just watched the one on NBA.com and the top 10 plays was EXACTLY the same one they showed during the segment with Ahmad Rashad minus Oden's pass at 3. Disgusting.
He gets bashed a lot, but I give Nate a TON of credit for getting this team ready without Brandon, moving on without him and staying with the Celtics after a crummy start. Nate did a great job coaching tonight.
I like the comment about Mike Rice, and then he acts like Tommy Heinsohn, of all announcers, isn't the biggest fucking joke in all of Sports. Actually, him and the guy for the Bulls.
hahahaha. KG you bitch. I hate you. I'm glad LaMarcus finally stood up to his stupid antics, and got a T for it. Nice job LMA!
90% of those who bashed Oden are now singing his praises without even acknowledging how the doubted him. Personally, he earns the gold star for the night. He was solid, tough, and he didn't back down. He was called for a cheap foul or two, but that's out of his control (hey, come on, it was 8-on-5 tonight). But I saw him throw out a couple hard fouls and be willing to use that big body to throws bitches (see KG) around. Props to G.O. I ain't gonna sleep on ya, fella. You'll arrive soon enough.
Yep, props to Nate for the win. He had our boys ready to go. And props to our fans, we were freaking nuts all game long! GO is only going to get better as the year goes on, as the knee improves and he gains trust in it, theres no stopping him. And to all you Trav hater, STFU! Trav was on a mission tonight..his attacks of the hoop were crucial and although he had the lapse on the steal, he shouldn't be bringing the ball up the court in the first place!
I can't really understand why people don't realize that evaluating Oden's talent after 20-30 games makes no sense at all. Especially following a surgery that is known to take a year or more to fully recover from. It's like willfully ignoring common sense. Beyond that, Oden's per-minute efficiency has been very good. Coming into tonight's game, he had a (slightly) higher PER than Derrick Rose. His main problem is fouls, limiting his minutes. Due to minutes, Rose has been more valuable, but Oden has been every bit as good during his on-court time...better, in fact, when you factor in defense.
I bashed him after the Dallas game. I admit I was wrong. It wasn't just his performances that bothered me (until the last two games) he didn't show any confidence, agression, toughness, or heart. I thought he didn't want to be out there. The last few games he's been smiling and pumping himself up when he makes a good play - I love it. Like I said, I was wrong.
You may well be right about his talent - but many of the concerns/frustrations being expressed about him involve his physical conditioning and his seeming lack of passion. You have to admit, there have been times this season Oden just seemed to be going through the motions.
No, *you* weren't wrong. Oden needed to change his mental approach. Hopefully, he has turned that corner.
Enough revamp talk about Oden. Let's talk Bayless. I thought he did some good things, and bad things tonight. He came out not ready for the speed of the game inially. Also, amazingly enough, where most folks are afraid he will shoot too much, so far, I see him not shooting enough, like he is tip toe'ing out there, trying not to step on anybody's feet. He passed up several good lucks. Fortunately, several of those went for buckets. Defensivly, I thought Bayless showed he is already one of the best defenders the Blazers have. If you look at the Blazers, and their defensive issues this season, and then consider the possibilities of running twin towers sometimes and Bayless as a defensive stopper, you have a very tough unit to score on. Problem solved.
Agreed, hasoos. Bayless has the physical tools and SOME savvy to play for us right now. I know that it's popular to leave Steve Blake as the odd man out, but a part of me would like to see Bayless take some of Sergio's time. Unlike Oden, he'll get his PT in due time with a little extra seasoning. I can't wait.
That doesn't seem reasonable. He hadn't been able to play basketball for a year. NBA basketball shape takes a conditioning you can't get merely from exercising on a bike or in a pool. From all accounts I read, Oden was working extremely hard and the team was thrilled with his dedication. His lack of NBA shape isn't a strike against him. If anything, it's a nominal positive; he couldn't be expected to be in shape and he's playing quite well despite that obstacle, too. Imagine once he's fully rounded into shape. I can't really resonate to this. Different players have different demeanors. It seems too pop-psychology to me ro be analyzing him when one can't even speak to him or see him off the court, when the eyes of tens of thousands aren't on him. I really don't agree. Perhaps he was, but I don't think it's at all clear. I trust what everyone's been saying about him since high school, which is that he has great work ethic. I think seeming lethargy is more likely to be an artifact of not yet being in shape and not yet being acclimatized to the game speed. In any case, I don't like speculating about motivations, considering we can't see into their heads, or even talk to them. I prefer to look at actual production and what, rationally, to expect in future. To me, he's been playing well when he's on the floor and he's looking better and better with experience. This is what I want to see out of a prized rookie. His lack of NBA shape and recovering explosiveness relate to what to expect in the future, and I think they bode well.
He seems to not yet be sure what shots to take and which not to take, which is killing his shooting percentage. That doesn't bother me much. He showed a great ability to get into the paint and to the hoop, which is valuable. All the scouting reports say he has a good outside shot, so I have faith that that will be fine as things progress. I was glad to see that he was successfully driving and dishing. That will be a key for the guard that plays alongside Roy...not the ability to "quarterback" but the ability to draw defenses and find teammates. He's obviously not an impact player yet, but he shows the ability to be one. And I'd like to see more of his ability to defend.
