Have really lost a step with Przybilla in and Oden out? 4 ppg 11 rpg 2 apg Granted, Oden is a huge presence on the offensive end but Przybilla is rebounding the ball very well and playing solid defense, something we just want Oden to do. The way he's playing, do you still start Oden even though he really doesn't deserve to considering how Joel is playing?
Joel is playing pretty well. Oden dominated Joel in practices to earn the starting job. Joel will be the potentially the best backup big in the league when Oden gets back.
Absolutely. Joel's doing the same thing he's always done. We're losing almost every game. Why wouldn't we start the best center prospect of this generation? Ed O.
Yes. The problem with Prz is that he's almost a non-factor offensively. Oden will eventually be as much of a defensive presense and a much better option offensively.
Call me old fashion, but you start the best players you have. Right now Joel is a better player than Greg Oden.
Pryz is the best backup center in the league flat out! But Greg needs to start for us to take it to the next level.
joel looks good when we are playing a mediorce team but he wont help us get in teh post season. hes a GREAT backup for defense but starting....you can do better
Well Greg's not healthy, so of course he is. But what evidence is there that Joel's better when both are healthy? Oden got more double-teams in a quarter than Joel's got all season. Ed O.
I think this would light a fire under Greg. Similar to what we did with Zach Randolph. Even though Zach was putting up close 20/10 we continued to start Rasheed Wallace while Zach just got better and more aggressive because he played with a chip on his shoulders. Not to mention it would alleviate some of the pressure.
Well I think that Rasheed was still markedly better than Zach at the time, but here I believe that Greg is markedly better than Joel. I agree it MIGHT help to have Oden on the bench, but I'd prefer to let him play the minutes he earns, which SEEMS to be in the starting lineup. Ed O.
There is no way a healthy Oden isn't better than a guy who seems to coat his hands with fresh butter before receiving every pass.
A healthy Oden is a rarity at this point. He's trying so hard to impress people and also trying not to get hurt he's playing out of control at times. I'm not advocating starting Joel the entire season, maybe Greg's first 10 games back to ease him into the system slowly and to get him in game shape.
I think this relates to this thread somewhat, so I will throw it out there. When Joel is on the floor, you have to put another offensive player out there to make up for him. Right now the Blazers go out with 2 guys who can score, who you have to double, and 3 guys you can double off of. This means way too many players are free to double down on Aldridge and Roy from many different angles. This is the reason, I think you need to put a Rudy into the starting lineup. If you double off of him, you pay.
To be honest, at this point I think it's smart to bring Oden off the bench. Maybe it'll be good for his head and give him less pressure. Regardless, when Oden comes back, I'd rather him play 20 minutes a game for a while rather than more. He's clearly not in game shape. Oden at 100% for 20 minutes > Oden at 80% for 30 minutes.
You have a strange way of doing math. 80% for 30 minutes is always going to be more production than 100% for 20 minutes. 1.00 production x 20 minutes=20 production minutes. .80 production x 30 minutes= 24 production minutes.
Joel's hands are all thumbs. The offense suffers because players shouldn't ever pass him the ball. When they do, he looses it about 50% of the time. For this reason, and this reason alone, Joel should not start.
When I insinuate there's no mere "trying". But no. There is no insinuation. I am rejecting, though, that Joel has been better than he's been in the past. Ed O.
Aldridge plays good defense against Stoudamire and that Phoenix game goes down to the wire. Aldridge grabs more than 2 rebounds against Utah in his 36 minutes of play and we win that game. I'd hardly pin Joel with any kind of blame for those losses.
Are we watching the same guy? For the last several years, Przybilla has seemed to me to be more of a waste of space than anything. Last year, he was 33rd in the league in rebounding. This year, he's not much better. As was pointed out, he's a complete non-factor offensively, and that's saying it nicely. In the Houston game, he had more fouls than points and rebounds most of the game. (I think he ended up with 5 fouls vs. 6 pts and boards.) His three successful shots were probably a total of 2 feet from the basket. In the fourth, the Blazers were up by ten with Joel on the bench. When Nate brought Joel in, I told my buddy, "There goes the lead." Sure enough, minutes later the game was tied, and it took Brandon's last ditch efforts to save it at the buzzer. Personally, I'd rather see Aldridge at center and Outlaw at forward when Oden's out. Joel should be traded or cut. But that's just my take.
