Interesting read from Dave Berri at wagesofwins.com http://dberri.wordpress.com/2009/04/02/greg-oden-or-kevin-durant/#more-1303 The final conclusion: not surprising. (to me at least) Oden is better per minute, but can't stay on the floor due to foul trouble. That should improve.
Of course it will. Talented Wingmen are a dime-a-dozen in the NBA (well, maybe not, but they aren't rare). Talented big men of Oden's caliber are once or twice a decade. I'd make the same choice over and over.
Assuming Oden can play 65+ games a year, he's the right pick. Let's hope that the above is an assumption we can commonly make.
Durant would still take too many shots for us....he would take them away from Roy and LMA...we'd be frustrated by how much he shoots..right now we have a great distribution of shots and shot selection. With Oden in the wings, he IS getting double teamed at times and as he gets better those will turn to triple teams.
I will not answer this question until roughly this time next year. Even trying to speculate who is better, or will be better, is completely idiotic and extremely premature.
After getting to consistently watch Oden this year (thanks for the links!), and how the team plays with him and without him, I am as high on G.O. as I've been since the day he was drafted. He is just so freaking dominant physically that he completely changes the way opponets have to defend and rebound. This is nothing against Przy, since he's been playing very well this year, but Oden will become an All-Star, and possibly even next season, IF he can stay healthy. The fouls will start to decrease as he learns what he can and can't do on the court in terms of getting a whistle. I still don't see why he needs to be the #1 option on offense, however. With scorers like Roy, LMA, Rudy, and Outlaw, let the big man get some post ups on a mismatch, but also allow him to hit the offensive glass like a madman and get easy points that way.
65+ games and all the playoff games. Actually, I'd probably be happy with 55 games and all the playoff games, provided he's at 100% during the playoffs. I really think our team is a 6th seed or better for the next decade, with or without a healthy Oden. So it really comes down to how healthy he is come playoff time. In a few years, if he's 100% in the playoffs, we can beat anyone and win championships. If he isn't, we probably won't.
This is actually a very good point Papa. Odne changes the game, even when he isn't scoring, rebounding , or blocking shots. He's so big and so strong he needs to be accounted for at all times, taking some of the attention away from LA and Roy. There were a few instances the other night where Boozer found himself trying to rebound against Greg. Forget about it, Oden made him look silly, and Carlos Boozer is a big strong man. He was just no match down low.
If Oden can just get to a point where he averages ~30 minutes and stays out of foul trouble, he'll go for 16/12 with a couple of blocks, no problem. As it is now, he's getting 9/7 in 21 minutes of fouling people. I am just so high on what he brings to the court just by being on the court. Imagine when he starts to learn a few moves on offense, or when he feels confident to shoot the foul line shot that he could get any time he wants. Health is my only concern at this point. He has proven to me that he is the game changer that a #1 pick should be.
Yes it is. One averages 26 pts, 7 Rebs, 3 Assts on 48% FG and 43% 3pt. The Other averages 9pts, 7 rebs, 0.5 Assts. Pretty Obvious to me.
Right now, it would have to be Durant. He probably should have been an All Star this year and is already one of the best scorers in the league. His defense, shot selection and rebounding have all taken big strides this year, and he's only going to get better. Oden can overtake him if he plays to his potential, but that requires that he stays healthy (which he has yet to prove he can do) and to also stay out of foul trouble.
To me too. One of them helps his team go into the playoffs after a 5 years absence. The other, if they do not lose for the rest of the year, will help his team to a 29 wins season. Durant is too young to dismiss going into the future - but so far he is on the Zach Randolph career path. Not good.
