<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SunnyD @ Apr 24 2007, 07:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>To me, it mostly depends on who you already have on the roster. If you have Clyde Drexler, go for the big man.</div> oden is the choice for me. He would work perfectly with the blazers, especially if the blazers unload zach randolph for a good SF.I wouldnt cry if the blazers drafted durant tho.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BrewCityBuck @ Apr 24 2007, 08:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I'd also like to note that Greg Oden was not shutting people down in the post this season, it's still a problem for him, sure he can block and rebound, but people are overrating his current ability to shut down his man, but like Durant, only 19, plenty of time.</div>Oden's defensive abilities rely on his help defense skills. He is an intimidator down low, and when he is in the game, the other team's bigs rarely get going and the perimeter players are afraid to go inside. That is as important as shutting down someone one on one.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Nitro1118 @ May 1 2007, 06:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Oden's defensive abilities rely on his help defense skills. He is an intimidator down low, and when he is in the game, the other team's bigs rarely get going and the perimeter players are afraid to go inside. That is as important as shutting down someone one on one.</div> As usual you have to nitpick something and make a big point. All I'm saying is that he is not shutting down his man one on one....I don't care if his intimidating presense is just as important, that was not my point.
You made it seem like an actual problem, though, and it is not. In college he did a very good job of limiting other post players scoring through great recovery, timing and intimidation. His post defense is not a concern, and with the way you said it, you made it out to be like it was as much of a problem as Durant's problems on the defensive end.PS- Who is the one nit-picking here? Oden was one of the greatest post defenders the college game has ever seen this season, and did do a good job in post up situations defensively.
I just pointed out that he still has problems 1 on 1 when people were making him sound like Bill Russell on defense at the college level. I'm not comparing that problem to Durant's, I just said that like Durant he's only 19 and has plenty of time to improve.
<u>The case for Greg Oden </u>The past year in College basketball saw the implementation of the NBA's new age limit. The result has been two of the most talented college basketball players in recent memory ? Ohio State center Greg Oden and Texas forward Kevin Durant. It is almost a foregone conclusion that these two will be selected first and second in this year's NBA draft, and while the selection order will be contingent on what mediocre franchise wins the May 22 lottery, Greg Oden should and will be the first player taken. This is not to take anything away from Kevin Durant, whose 25.1 points per game were tops in the Big 12, and who was consistently the nation's most exciting player. However, Greg Oden's talent level and potential for development are downright scary. He is one of few players in this day and age who is a true center. He is a menacing presence on defense, leading the Big Ten in blocks and rebounds, and was a dominating force for Ohio State , despite playing half the season with only one good hand. The obvious case for Greg Oden is that he has the potential to develop into the game's next great big man. While it was potential that led the Pistons to select Darko Milicic with the second pick in the 2003 draft ? passing on Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade ? this situation is entirely different. Greg Oden has emerged from some of the most intense competition in the country. Despite foul trouble and fatigue issues during the NCAA tournament, Greg Oden's performance on basketball's biggest stage ? 25 points and 12 rebounds in 38 minutes of play during the Buckeyes' 75-84 defeat at the hands of Florida in the NCAA championship game? showcased that he is not only ready for the NBA, but ready to step into the starting role for just about any team. The teams most likely to draw the first pick in the lottery are Memphis and Boston , though several other cellar-dwellers also have a shot. The Grizzlies, with the inside presence of Pau Gasol, might at first-glance be inclined to take Kevin Durant, but the mere prospect of Gasol playing alongside Greg Oden is frightening, and would make them instant contenders in the Western Conference. The Celtics, and just about any other team in the lottery, would reap the benefits of a dominant big man that has been compared to Patrick Ewing and Tim Duncan. Kevin Durant will be taken second, and both will see significant minutes and contend for rookie of the year honors. <u>The case for Kevin Durant </u>With both Texas forward Kevin Durant and Ohio State center Greg Oden having now declared for the 2007 NBA Draft, the debate over who should be picked no. 1 is now well underway. While a solid case could be made for either player, Kevin Durant is clearly the better selection. Kevin Durant emerged this year as a game-changing performer, taking over for his team right when they needed him. His jump shot is lights out from any distance, his mid-range game is solid and he can get to the rim practically at will. His defense certainly needs some improvement, but someone with his length (6 feet 10 inches tall) has the natural tools to make an impact on the defensive side of the ball. Greg Oden certainly has plenty of good things going for him. At 7', 280 lbs, he is a true center ? a rare find in the NBA. He can change a game defensively with his shot-blocking presence, and the tremendous strides he made offensively this season show his potential to become a big-time scorer as well. But Greg Oden also displayed some troubling tendencies during the NCAA Tournament, losing his cool at key points by committing careless fouls and not stepping up when his team needed him most, leaving it instead to guards Mike Conley and Ron Lewis. While Kevin Durant's Texas squad suffered an earlier than expected second-round loss at the hands of USC, Kevin Durant proved all year long that he was the go-to guy for the Longhorns, often carrying his team to victories. One argument that will be made before the draft is that while talented swingmen like Kevin Durant come around often, skilled centers like Greg Oden are a rarity. While there is certainly truth to this, it must be noted that Kevin Durant is not your run-of-the-mill swingman. He is the type of player who only comes around once in a blue moon, a pure scorer with three-point range and the competitive spirit to put a team on his back. Greg Oden would be one hell of a player to have on your team, someone you could put talented guards around and field a very competitive team, but Kevin Durant would instantly lift your team. Teams should not let the big versus small arguments sway them too much one way. Whoever grabs the top pick via the NBA's lottery system (the Memphis Grizzlies, Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks, in that order, have the best chances), they should disregard team personnel and other factors and simply take the best player available in the draft ? Kevin Durant. The good news for the team with the second pick is that Greg Oden's no slouch either. Greg Oden NBA Comparison: David Robinson - 2 championshipsKevin Durant NBA Comparison: Dirk Nowitzki - 0 championshipsJust something to think about
Ugh, I see you have CB32 syndrome, where you make a 10 paragraph post with common knowledge and make it sound fancy and draw it out.
No lol I copied the 2 big paragraphs from another site and thought of the Dirk/Robinson titles thing myself
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (playaofthegame @ May 2 2007, 05:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>No lol I copied the 2 big paragraphs from another site and thought of the Dirk/Robinson titles thing myself</div> OK, thank god, that post almost had me regretting putting you where I did in the awards this month.
Thing about it, no one knew that Jordan was going to be as good as he was. How do we know Durant, or any swing man in the future, isn't going to be as good or better than Jordan, you can't ever tell. A swing man as good as Jordan is one of the most rare things in basketbal but it can happen. I'd most likely go with the swing man (Durant in this case) but passing up on the big man (Oden in this case) would be difficult.
I guess it's easier for me to say "I'd take the risk and take the swing man" because I don't actually own a team, I'd probably be inclined to take Oden if I actually owned a team, but until then GO TEXAS, I mean swing men.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (playaofthegame @ May 2 2007, 05:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Greg Oden NBA Comparison: David Robinson - 2 championshipsKevin Durant NBA Comparison: Dirk Nowitzki - 0 championshipsJust something to think about</div>Robinson wasn't even the best player on those 2 championship teams. Dirk was 2 wins away last year, and they lost because a great swignman in Wade beat them, NOT a great center. And frankly, Dirk isn't a great comparison as Dirk doesn't have near the athletic ability of Durant, and Durant isn't the shooter Dirk is. Durant is a swingman, while Dirk is a PF.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BrewCityBuck @ May 2 2007, 06:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Ugh, I see you have CB32 syndrome, where you make a 10 paragraph post with common knowledge and make it sound fancy and draw it out. </div> Nothing wrong with going in-depth. :brucelee:
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Ugh, I see you have CB32 syndrome, where you make a 10 paragraph post with common knowledge and make it sound fancy and draw it out.</div><span style="font-family:Arial">Haha, sooo true. I love CB32 though </span>
I've said this before...all championship teams had dominant/defensive presenced big menWallaceRobinson/DuncanShaqOlajuwonRussellParrish/McHaleChamberlainWaltonRodmanAbdul JabaarThe list goes onFind me a championship team that didn't have a dominant/defensive presenced big man
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Find me a championship team that didn't have a dominant/defensive presenced big man</div><span style="font-family:Arial">1978-79 Seattle Supersonics (They did have Jack Sikma, but he's not exactly 'dominant'</span> :winkglasses:
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BALLAHOLLIC? @ May 3 2007, 01:26 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><span style="font-family:Arial"> 1978-79 Seattle Supersonics (They did have Jack Sikma, but he's not exactly 'dominant' </span> :winkglasses:</div> Christ, you have an answer for everything old school. You always come out and say "Well, in 1952, the Beverly Hills Cracka Jacks didn't have _______ for their game on March 4th, and they lost by 7 points." <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>I love CB32</div> Awww, you're such a sweet talker.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Christ, you have an answer for everything old school. You always come out and say "Well, in 1952, the Beverly Hills Cracka Jacks didn't have _______ for their game on March 4th, and they lost by 7 points."</div><span style="font-family:Arial">Haha, old school NBA has always been my specialty. It's easy to study and do research on. I have a ton of old games as well, I enjoy watching them.</span><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Awww, you're such a sweet talker.</div><span style="font-family:Arial">You know it, snuggle poo.</span>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (playaofthegame @ May 3 2007, 12:23 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I've said this before...all championship teams had dominant/defensive presenced big menWallaceRobinson/DuncanShaqOlajuwonRussellParrish/McHaleChamberlainWaltonRodmanAbdul JabaarThe list goes onFind me a championship team that didn't have a dominant/defensive presenced big man</div>Many of these guys weren't the best players (or even 2nd best players) on their teams and/or were built around the dominant perimeter player. Wallace had Billups, Shaq was 2nd option to Wade, the Celtics big men were built around Bird and his abilities, Wilt was more of a compliment to West and the Lakers, Rodman of course had Pippen/Jordan, and Abdul Jabaar took a backseat to Magic. As I said, you can build around a great perimeter player, it is just a bit harder and up until this point, more rare.EDIT- I didn't see defensive minded part, but I feel there is enough evidence out there that you don't need a dominant, defensive minded center to win a ring. You need great defense, but not necassarily at the center position.
