Blazers looked GOOD

[xmuscularghandix]

That's the first time I watched the T Blazers and was really impressed with them as a team.

Oden was a BEAST, and his FT shooting is very valuable.

[wdleehi]

Oden can be more of an offensive weapon then many think.  Get in deep (like Shaq) and either it is a dunk or a FT with a good FT shooter.

[Who]

Portland always look good against Chicago. The Bulls can't handle their beef in the paint.

The Blazers do look very good. Unsure whether they're on the same plain as the other Contenders though ... maybe, maybe not ... I want to see them against those teams first.

[scoop]

Their lack of a couple of good defensive guards + Oden slowness makes them very vulnerable to the high ball-screen. Eventually that factor will lead to their demise.

[PosImpos]

Oden could be the best center in the league if he could just stay on the floor.  He's averaging a little less than 25 minutes a game but still almost at a double double. 

Provided he stays healthy he could actually live up to the potential that made him a #1 pick, as long as he works on cutting down on the personal fouls.  As he gains in notoriety, the fouls will go down too (I doubt Dwight Howard fouls that much less than Oden does).

[Greenbean]

Their lack of a couple of good defensive guards + Oden slowness makes them very vulnerable to the high ball-screen. Eventually that factor will lead to their demise.

Exactly. They're young and young teams get burned in the play-offs by experienced teams who will pick n roll them to death.

They will gain from the experience though, work hard and contend next year and for 5 years after that. They have scary good young talent.

[Brickowski]

Blacke and Roy defend just fine, and Oden is one of the quickest 7 footers in the league.

They simply lack experience, and the loss of Outlaw hurt them, because he provided scoring off the bench.  That's why they can't compete with the Lakers this year.  But next year-- watch out.

[Who]

Oden could be the best center in the league if he could just stay on the floor.  He's averaging a little less than 25 minutes a game but still almost at a double double. 

Provided he stays healthy he could actually live up to the potential that made him a #1 pick, as long as he works on cutting down on the personal fouls.  As he gains in notoriety, the fouls will go down too (I doubt Dwight Howard fouls that much less than Oden does).

Most of Oden's fouls are mental lapses. Easy to fix.

Surprised there hasn't been more progress in that from his rookie season to second season though. I was expecting more growth there.

[wdleehi]

Oden could be the best center in the league if he could just stay on the floor.  He's averaging a little less than 25 minutes a game but still almost at a double double. 

Provided he stays healthy he could actually live up to the potential that made him a #1 pick, as long as he works on cutting down on the personal fouls.  As he gains in notoriety, the fouls will go down too (I doubt Dwight Howard fouls that much less than Oden does).

Most of Oden's fouls are mental lapses. Easy to fix.

Surprised there hasn't been more progress in that from his rookie season to second season though. I was expecting more growth there.

Who do they have to teach him?  As we have seen, a good big man coach can mean a lot to a young C. 

[Who]

Blacke and Roy defend just fine, and Oden is one of the quickest 7 footers in the league.

They simply lack experience, and the loss of Outlaw hurt them, because he provided scoring off the bench.  That's why they can't compete with the Lakers this year.  But next year-- watch out.

Travis Outlaw and Nic Batum are back before the playoffs start. I think it's March that they're due back in.

I agree that they couldn't beat LA without those two guys though ... whether they end up remaining out with injury or struggle for form once they come back ... The Blazers look short-handed without them + their bigs can't change style of play or create different matchups nearly as well without Outlaw.

[Chris]

Blacke and Roy defend just fine, and Oden is one of the quickest 7 footers in the league.

Is Oden really that quick?  I haven't seen him this season yet, but last year he looked like he was moving in quicksand most of the time.  If he really has regained that much quickness, then that team could be in great shape.  

I personally was not a fan of them going all in with the Aldridge extension, essentially locking them into the core they currently have, but if Oden can become the elite player he was touted as before the injuries started piling up, I will have no problem admitting I was wrong.

[Who]

Oden could be the best center in the league if he could just stay on the floor.  He's averaging a little less than 25 minutes a game but still almost at a double double. 

Provided he stays healthy he could actually live up to the potential that made him a #1 pick, as long as he works on cutting down on the personal fouls.  As he gains in notoriety, the fouls will go down too (I doubt Dwight Howard fouls that much less than Oden does).

Most of Oden's fouls are mental lapses. Easy to fix.

Surprised there hasn't been more progress in that from his rookie season to second season though. I was expecting more growth there.

Who do they have to teach him?  As we have seen, a good big man coach can mean a lot to a young C. 

Maurice Lucas was their big man coach but he was out with illness for most of last season. He's back now though. Oh, I think.

Brian Grant took Oden under his wing during the offseason and was said to have a very good impact on Oden. I think that's a continuing relationship but I'm not sure.

And there was one other coach, not a big man coach but a developmental coach, relatively famous name. Ah, can't think of the name.

Edit: Bayno, that's the coach. Bill Bayno? Yeah, I think that's it.

[Who]

Blacke and Roy defend just fine, and Oden is one of the quickest 7 footers in the league.

Is Oden really that quick?  I haven't seen him this season yet, but last year he looked like he was moving in quicksand most of the time.  If he really has regained that much quickness, then that team could be in great shape.  

I haven't seen Oden challenged enough defensively in the Blazers games that I've watched this season to be offer a decent judgment on the improved defense/quickness ... but he did lose 15lbs in the offseason which reportedly has improved his mobility.

[Who]

Links -- On Oden's summer workouts

http://blog.oregonlive.com/blazers/2009/07/trail-blazers-greg-oden-gets-an-a-plus-in-summer-workouts.html

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2009/07/brian_grant_toughening_up_greg.html

[chelsearules]

roy is a stud oden is a beast and rest of the team is ballin'