No, the correct statement is "Bynum isn't." Most people think Bynum is a very good prospect. He still isn't seen as once-a-generation. Oden and Bynum is something like comparing LeBron James and Brandon Roy. One is considered once-a-generation, the other is considered an excellent young player. There's a big difference.
This is really just symantics. Yes, Oden is considered a once-in-a-lifetime prospect. No, Bynum was/is not. However, that all is meaningless now. Now they are in the NBA. Now it is time to play the game. Bynum put together one good month. Not as good as Shaq or other lifetime centers, but showed he could be impressive. Oden hasn't done anything yet, but he likely will. Right now, both are considered potentially great centers, but now is their chance to put up.
No arguments there. My point was simply that DaRizzle's enthusiasm for the tiny size difference is a bit misplaced. Talent will determine it and most believe Oden has more of it. Obviously, he has to prove it.
Put down the Laker kool-aid. You ask any other GM in the league who they would rather have as a prospect and I bet 95% of them take Oden. Maybe even 100%.
Blazers fans don't drink Kool-Aid. Our urine is healthy yellow, not artificially coloured yellow. Good try, tho.
More to the point, Dwight Howard is likely to outplay both of them in 08-09. At this point, I don't see where either Bynum or Oden has earned any bragging rights.
strength and athleticsm only means so much...a lot of it is about footwork and greg has a clear advantage..thats one of his most touted skill sets
It seems to me we're looking at this matchup from the wrong perspective. I don't think it's the issue of how Oden is going to do when confronted by Bynum, but how Bynum will do when confronted by Oden. Check out this game log from last season: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/gamelog?playerId=2748 He had some tremendous games, no doubt. However, the only game I can see where he put up good numbers against a big-time defender in the pivot was against Tyson Chandler and NO, where he put up 17 and 9. He doesn't have much of a game outside of five feet. What happens if he can't move Oden off the block?
It is hard to tell from such a limited sample. He didn't do well against Houston or the Spurs. Hopefully Oden's footwork will let him go arounds Bynum, otherwise it may be a wash.
As I looked at the game logs I was coming to the same conclusion. Bynum didn't do didly in two games against the Spurs, one game against Houston and the one Orlando game. There are VERY FEW legit 7 footers that play well on both sides of the floor in the NBA. In the very few shots that Bynum got against that very, very small number, he did not impress. Maybe he will get better. Maybe not. What we do know for sure, is that so far in his career he has not shown the ability to dominate against the elite centers and elite defensive teams in the NBA. Bynum racked up some very big numbers against power forwards playing center, very skinny centers that he could push around, and weak defensive centers. Against the best - not so good. That he went to town against favorable matchups for him is great. That is better than many players. That helps a team. That racks up wins. In the NBA playoffs (something Bynum has no experience in yet) it is about matchups. Unless Bynum can dominate the other top centers in the NBA, he can't be anything more than a nice piece to his team, a contributor. We will all know soon enough how the matchup between Oden and Bynum starts out. Can't wait.
