Yeah, I know. It's been a while. Miracles never cease. But to be honest I just wasn't adequately inspired to write about basketball. But since I picked my fantasy teams, I'm starting to warm up to the idea. I even watched the Bulls play New York last week. Go figure?
I have two things to say about that game. I have absolutely no idea why New York won. And I have even less of an idea how the Bulls lost. It was really telling in my book to see the Bulls offense running like a finely tuned machine, the spacing, the crisp passes and backdoor cuts to the basket. This is a team with a losing record? All I can say is some times the basketball goddess is a fickle mistress.
Then we have the Knicks. And their coach. What the hell was that? It certainly wasn't an offense. I watched the Knicks play and I thought I was watching a pickup game in a local recreation center. If there were ever five players in need of an introduction, it would be the Knicks. Now I'm being purposefully sarcastic here. Actually, on paper I believe the Knicks have one of the most talented rosters in the NBA. Yep I said it. The Knicks have one the most talented rosters in the NBA. The problem I saw as I watched them "somehow" beat the Bulls was there really wasn't an offense in place as far as I could tell. There were five guys, well actually four guys, who went one on one every time the ball was in their hands (the fifth player, Balkman, was there to run down loose balls for the other four).
But that isn't really the fault of the players. The responsibility for the semblance of an offense rests in the coach's hands. After watching that game, I was never surer of one thing: Isiah Thomas wants to get fired. No offense. A rotation that looks as though it came from a ouija board. A sex scandal. A player throwing a punch at him. And a losing record. What puzzles me is why he would have to work so hard given the results he's been creating. Curiouser and curiouser...
Monday, December 3, 2007
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Some organizations just get it...
And some don't. But we won't be talking about those today. This is a day for positive speculation about an article concerning the #2 pick in the 2007 NBA draft Kevin Durant.
The article can be found here.
The Sonics are talking about playing Durant at the 2 position. This is nothing short of shear genius. One point in its favor is it gets Durant on the floor in a starting role now. It also means instead of him getting worked over and worn down on the low block by older more physical players, he will actually have a size advantage at the position.
For the team it means their starting line up will probably present one of the most difficult defensive match ups in the league, looking more like a center, a power forward, two small forwards and a point. It will give other teams similar match up issues to the ones faced when Magic was running the show for the Lakers.
I applaud the Sonics coach for recognizing something that many people who didn't follow basketball to closely seem to forget. Carlesimo notes in the article that a lot of people forget Michael Jordan came into the NBA as a very slender 6'5" ish version of the 6'6" monster he would grow into later. In recognizing this Carlesimo is giving Durant an opportunity to play at a less physical position where he can see success instantly. As he grows into that 6'9" body physically and fills out (unless his genetics are more on the variety of a Tayshaun Prince than those of a Jordan), Durant can move comfortably from the 2 to the 3 to the 4.
There is nothing but upside here. Like I said at the outset, some coaches and front offices just get it...
The article can be found here.
The Sonics are talking about playing Durant at the 2 position. This is nothing short of shear genius. One point in its favor is it gets Durant on the floor in a starting role now. It also means instead of him getting worked over and worn down on the low block by older more physical players, he will actually have a size advantage at the position.
For the team it means their starting line up will probably present one of the most difficult defensive match ups in the league, looking more like a center, a power forward, two small forwards and a point. It will give other teams similar match up issues to the ones faced when Magic was running the show for the Lakers.
I applaud the Sonics coach for recognizing something that many people who didn't follow basketball to closely seem to forget. Carlesimo notes in the article that a lot of people forget Michael Jordan came into the NBA as a very slender 6'5" ish version of the 6'6" monster he would grow into later. In recognizing this Carlesimo is giving Durant an opportunity to play at a less physical position where he can see success instantly. As he grows into that 6'9" body physically and fills out (unless his genetics are more on the variety of a Tayshaun Prince than those of a Jordan), Durant can move comfortably from the 2 to the 3 to the 4.
There is nothing but upside here. Like I said at the outset, some coaches and front offices just get it...
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Lets set the record straight
Okay. So I'm running through some basketball articles today and I come across one from Adrian Wojnarowski titled "Keeping the peace." Here is a link.
In this article the Wojnarowski is basically saying that Phoenix Suns forward Shawn Marion is a spoiled, disgruntled trouble maker for requesting either a contract extension or a trade. While it is true that a trade is unlikely purely for financial reasons, I don't feel Marion's request is enough of a reason to label him a trouble maker. And what I really feel is way off base is this observation, "Still, Marion would be wise stay in Phoenix for as long as the Suns will have him. No matter what he has there – a great team, the best point guard in the sport to get him the ball, a perfect offensive system for him – he always wants something else. In so many ways, he reminds you of Larry Brown. You get the feeling that going elsewhere for more money and more plays would not make him happier..."
It is quotes like this one that have me seriously doubting how much this guy really knows about basketball on the player side of the equation. Strip away all the dollars and the contracts and the caps and lets just look at the player. I don't think Wojnarowski's observation is valid from this pure player standpoint for a couple of reasons.
Marion is a journeyman All Star. But a lot of people don't stop to think about what that means. Before Nash and Stoudemire, Marion was in Phoenix doing his thing. And what was his thing you might ask? His thing was 35 minutes a night, 19 points, 9 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, 2.5 assists per game. 79 games a year for 7 years. How many teams can get that type of production and durability from their stars? Marion isn't flashy, he doesn't growl when he dunks, he doesn't walk on a high wire without a net, or thread laser passes through needle stingy defenses. But what he does do is show up day in, day out and give you superior numbers on both ends of the court. That is not something you can say about any of the other Suns who start. And personally if he wants more money for that, I think you figure out ways to give it to him.
Here is why. I think the Suns owe more of their success to Marion than many are willing to acknowledge. Sure, since Nash showed up the Suns offense has been one of the leagues most prolific scoring machines. But one of the main reasons these guys don't wear rings yet is that while offense packs the house, defense wins championships. Without Marion, the Suns already sieve-like paper charade defense disappears like morning mist when the sun comes up.
Another quote I don't agree with and for the life of me have to wonder has this guy ever seen Marion play?
"And whatever his not-so-veiled resentment of Nash's MVP seasons, just wait until the Matrix is no longer playing with Nash, until he sees how the rest of the league lives without a superstar playmaker to get him the ball, and he'll long to be back where he is now..."
Marion is probably the one Sun who doesn't rely on Nash or set plays to be productive. He isn't the first, the second, or the third option in that offense. And anyone with any legitimate basketball IQ can watch game film and see it. No I think if Marion leaves the Suns will be the ones longing to have what they didn't appreciate. Anytime anyone starts talking about trading Marion vs Stoudemire, it just blows me away. Look at the numbers. Marion was productive before Nash or Stoudemire ever came to Phoenix. When Stoudemire was out, his production went up in one of the most successful Suns' campaigns ever. When Nash is out Marion's numbers do not suffer. This leads me to ask the question, "what the heck gives here, and why is it that no one wants to give this guy the respect and probably the money he deserves?"
To be honest, if Marion is disgruntled, looking at what is being said in the article, I get it. I wouldn't want to stay somewhere that I wasn't fully appreciated either, where they obviously have forgotten how coming to work and producing day in, day out, season in, season out is nothing to sneeze at even if these sports experts don't get it unless they see a highlight on Sportscenter. Lets set the record straight. Phoenix doesn't get past San Antonio, or Dallas unless Marion is wearing one of their jerseys.
In this article the Wojnarowski is basically saying that Phoenix Suns forward Shawn Marion is a spoiled, disgruntled trouble maker for requesting either a contract extension or a trade. While it is true that a trade is unlikely purely for financial reasons, I don't feel Marion's request is enough of a reason to label him a trouble maker. And what I really feel is way off base is this observation, "Still, Marion would be wise stay in Phoenix for as long as the Suns will have him. No matter what he has there – a great team, the best point guard in the sport to get him the ball, a perfect offensive system for him – he always wants something else. In so many ways, he reminds you of Larry Brown. You get the feeling that going elsewhere for more money and more plays would not make him happier..."
It is quotes like this one that have me seriously doubting how much this guy really knows about basketball on the player side of the equation. Strip away all the dollars and the contracts and the caps and lets just look at the player. I don't think Wojnarowski's observation is valid from this pure player standpoint for a couple of reasons.
Marion is a journeyman All Star. But a lot of people don't stop to think about what that means. Before Nash and Stoudemire, Marion was in Phoenix doing his thing. And what was his thing you might ask? His thing was 35 minutes a night, 19 points, 9 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, 2.5 assists per game. 79 games a year for 7 years. How many teams can get that type of production and durability from their stars? Marion isn't flashy, he doesn't growl when he dunks, he doesn't walk on a high wire without a net, or thread laser passes through needle stingy defenses. But what he does do is show up day in, day out and give you superior numbers on both ends of the court. That is not something you can say about any of the other Suns who start. And personally if he wants more money for that, I think you figure out ways to give it to him.
Here is why. I think the Suns owe more of their success to Marion than many are willing to acknowledge. Sure, since Nash showed up the Suns offense has been one of the leagues most prolific scoring machines. But one of the main reasons these guys don't wear rings yet is that while offense packs the house, defense wins championships. Without Marion, the Suns already sieve-like paper charade defense disappears like morning mist when the sun comes up.
Another quote I don't agree with and for the life of me have to wonder has this guy ever seen Marion play?
"And whatever his not-so-veiled resentment of Nash's MVP seasons, just wait until the Matrix is no longer playing with Nash, until he sees how the rest of the league lives without a superstar playmaker to get him the ball, and he'll long to be back where he is now..."
Marion is probably the one Sun who doesn't rely on Nash or set plays to be productive. He isn't the first, the second, or the third option in that offense. And anyone with any legitimate basketball IQ can watch game film and see it. No I think if Marion leaves the Suns will be the ones longing to have what they didn't appreciate. Anytime anyone starts talking about trading Marion vs Stoudemire, it just blows me away. Look at the numbers. Marion was productive before Nash or Stoudemire ever came to Phoenix. When Stoudemire was out, his production went up in one of the most successful Suns' campaigns ever. When Nash is out Marion's numbers do not suffer. This leads me to ask the question, "what the heck gives here, and why is it that no one wants to give this guy the respect and probably the money he deserves?"
To be honest, if Marion is disgruntled, looking at what is being said in the article, I get it. I wouldn't want to stay somewhere that I wasn't fully appreciated either, where they obviously have forgotten how coming to work and producing day in, day out, season in, season out is nothing to sneeze at even if these sports experts don't get it unless they see a highlight on Sportscenter. Lets set the record straight. Phoenix doesn't get past San Antonio, or Dallas unless Marion is wearing one of their jerseys.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Wow. The more I read about the Blazers and Oden...
The more I see this whole situation as a microcosm of of the human condition. Humans you see, want to believe something -- something big. We want to believe something so big that it makes our lives somehow seem -- well, seem like they are more than they are. There are all sorts of examples when you think about it. Once I was listening to a show on NPR about why people who had the least to gain from a Bush presidency were willing to vote for him even if it meant voting against their own self interests. In the story there was this young couple, the wife didn't work, they had 3 kids all under the age of five, and the husband might have had a job at a McDonald's. These people were barely making ends meet. When the reporter asked the husband why he supported Bush the kid answered, "Because he's a self made man. Just like me."
Last week reporters asked the Blazers front office some pretty penetrating questions. Not questions that were in any sense derogatory, but questions that needed answers given the Oden situation. Here is what Kevin Pritchard, Blazers GM had to say.
"We picked the right player. Greg is a world-class human being. He is going to be a great basketball player."
But lets examine these 3 sentences one at a time. Pritchard says the Blazers picked the right player. That means the right player for the Number 1 pick of this year's draft is a player with one leg noticeably longer than the other, has bad knees, wrists, and ankles, has a bulging disk in his back, is 19 and has already had a tonsillectomy and wrist surgery to repair something similar to a torn ACL in his wrist (see my earlier posts) before he has played one single NBA game.
"Greg is a world-class human being." Well Ghandi and Mother Teresa and the Dali Llama are world class human beings too and no one is wasting a lottery pick on them.
"He is going to be a great basketball player." Dude. Every time I read that quote, I want to scream. I want to scream because I look at the list of medical concerns that were known about this kid, I think of the stuff I noticed about him just by watching him play and all I can do is just shake my head in utter disbelief. How bad do you have to want something to be something it isn't to overlook this stuff, then come out of a hospital and say into a bank of microphones, "He's going to be a great basketball player." ? Sigh. Apparently, the kid can't even walk. And how do you see Oden, watch him limp around the gym, then within days watch a healthy Kevin Durant practically glide by you like he's some sort of basketball supermodel and go out with your coveted number 1 pick and use it on Oden? How?
Pritchard also maintains that a "bank" of doctors looked at Oden's physicals, including his knee and they all came back clean. Like I said you see what you want to see. Just like when some folks really wanted to find WMD's in Iraq. All those people wanting something to be the way it had to be. Probably happened in Portland. No one wanted to be the odd man/woman out saying hey, "This intelligence on Oden just isn't adding up." Well when you pay for yes men, this is what you get -- a number 1 draft pick that can't walk without a limp.
Last week reporters asked the Blazers front office some pretty penetrating questions. Not questions that were in any sense derogatory, but questions that needed answers given the Oden situation. Here is what Kevin Pritchard, Blazers GM had to say.
"We picked the right player. Greg is a world-class human being. He is going to be a great basketball player."
But lets examine these 3 sentences one at a time. Pritchard says the Blazers picked the right player. That means the right player for the Number 1 pick of this year's draft is a player with one leg noticeably longer than the other, has bad knees, wrists, and ankles, has a bulging disk in his back, is 19 and has already had a tonsillectomy and wrist surgery to repair something similar to a torn ACL in his wrist (see my earlier posts) before he has played one single NBA game.
"Greg is a world-class human being." Well Ghandi and Mother Teresa and the Dali Llama are world class human beings too and no one is wasting a lottery pick on them.
"He is going to be a great basketball player." Dude. Every time I read that quote, I want to scream. I want to scream because I look at the list of medical concerns that were known about this kid, I think of the stuff I noticed about him just by watching him play and all I can do is just shake my head in utter disbelief. How bad do you have to want something to be something it isn't to overlook this stuff, then come out of a hospital and say into a bank of microphones, "He's going to be a great basketball player." ? Sigh. Apparently, the kid can't even walk. And how do you see Oden, watch him limp around the gym, then within days watch a healthy Kevin Durant practically glide by you like he's some sort of basketball supermodel and go out with your coveted number 1 pick and use it on Oden? How?
Pritchard also maintains that a "bank" of doctors looked at Oden's physicals, including his knee and they all came back clean. Like I said you see what you want to see. Just like when some folks really wanted to find WMD's in Iraq. All those people wanting something to be the way it had to be. Probably happened in Portland. No one wanted to be the odd man/woman out saying hey, "This intelligence on Oden just isn't adding up." Well when you pay for yes men, this is what you get -- a number 1 draft pick that can't walk without a limp.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Top pick Oden out for season after knee surgery
Yep.
So let me say this now. I was going to write this blog this morning and didn't get to so I missed my chance to say Oden probably wouldn't play this season before the news came out. So, I'll just let my next prediction fly. Greg Oden will never play a full season in the NBA. If he plays a game, I'll be shocked. There I said it. That is my prediction. If you haven't seen the news here is a link.
You know the only way anyone with any real sense about basketball missed this is if they weren't paying attention. Everyone got so caught up in the hype they just threw out all the information about this kid staring them in the face. Like one of my friends, the one who called to let me know the news thus stealing my blog's thunder, said to me, "It's like they dated the hottest girl on campus -- the one with super grades, great parents, awesome in bed etcetera, and decided to ignore the fact she was HIV positive." This would describe not only the Portland Trailblazers, the NBA at large, but also everyone in the media and the whole sports universe. As the saying goes, "The emperor has no clothes and he's just flat out naked."
So let me say this now. I was going to write this blog this morning and didn't get to so I missed my chance to say Oden probably wouldn't play this season before the news came out. So, I'll just let my next prediction fly. Greg Oden will never play a full season in the NBA. If he plays a game, I'll be shocked. There I said it. That is my prediction. If you haven't seen the news here is a link.
You know the only way anyone with any real sense about basketball missed this is if they weren't paying attention. Everyone got so caught up in the hype they just threw out all the information about this kid staring them in the face. Like one of my friends, the one who called to let me know the news thus stealing my blog's thunder, said to me, "It's like they dated the hottest girl on campus -- the one with super grades, great parents, awesome in bed etcetera, and decided to ignore the fact she was HIV positive." This would describe not only the Portland Trailblazers, the NBA at large, but also everyone in the media and the whole sports universe. As the saying goes, "The emperor has no clothes and he's just flat out naked."
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Oden to have arthroscopic knee surgery? WTF?
I really don't know how to say this. The man hasn't even played in a single NBA game and he has a week immune system and suspect knees already? Sigh... I don't know what the deal is here. But it is becoming real clear that something is amiss. How else do you explain this?
Anyway, the story so far is that Oden felt pain in his knee while working out. An MRI revealed some cartilage issues. No timetable for his return has been set as this will be determined after the surgery is completed.
It is the last thing that worries me. So far there is no timetable for Oden's return. That makes me think this could be more serious than they are reporting. I honestly hope Oden is going to be ok. But it does make me wonder about some things. Oden is still really young and already he has been under the knife twice in one year. Three times if you count the tonsillectomy. The wrist surgery was in June of 2006.
When he underwent surgery in 2006, there was also no timetable. Could this be because something was amiss back then? I wonder? Remember T.J. Ford? One of the reasons that played heavily in Ford's decision to turn pro early was his back. He got the contract first then dealt with the issue in the pros. I wonder if the same thing is happening here? Could it be there is something wrong with Oden's connective tissues that the wrist injury was a precursor for?
Even more intriguing is how they described Oden's wrist injury back then. "The coach compared the injury to a torn ACL in the knee and said the ligament in the wrist is what gives a player the ability to grip the basketball." If you want to see the whole story on this quote, here is a link.
Whatever happens, this is a story worth looking into more deeply.
Anyway, the story so far is that Oden felt pain in his knee while working out. An MRI revealed some cartilage issues. No timetable for his return has been set as this will be determined after the surgery is completed.
It is the last thing that worries me. So far there is no timetable for Oden's return. That makes me think this could be more serious than they are reporting. I honestly hope Oden is going to be ok. But it does make me wonder about some things. Oden is still really young and already he has been under the knife twice in one year. Three times if you count the tonsillectomy. The wrist surgery was in June of 2006.
When he underwent surgery in 2006, there was also no timetable. Could this be because something was amiss back then? I wonder? Remember T.J. Ford? One of the reasons that played heavily in Ford's decision to turn pro early was his back. He got the contract first then dealt with the issue in the pros. I wonder if the same thing is happening here? Could it be there is something wrong with Oden's connective tissues that the wrist injury was a precursor for?
Even more intriguing is how they described Oden's wrist injury back then. "The coach compared the injury to a torn ACL in the knee and said the ligament in the wrist is what gives a player the ability to grip the basketball." If you want to see the whole story on this quote, here is a link.
Whatever happens, this is a story worth looking into more deeply.
Monday, July 30, 2007
This Just In...
"Greg Oden says he will probably skip U.S. training camp next month after tonsillectomy"
You know I really don't need to say anything about this. Really I don't. But I will post more Oden comments because I think they say way more than I ever could.
"It was a lot of traveling, but just had to do it," Oden said. "I never got worn out traveling until this summer. It was a lot."
Oden is talking about how much he traveled this summer following the 2007 draft. What goes without saying however is that he will be traveling even more this fall. As to why this is important, see my previous blog and the points I make concerning Oden's overall health. All I can say is it is a good thing he's in the NBA and not a cyclist riding for 3 weeks in the Tour de France.
You know I really don't need to say anything about this. Really I don't. But I will post more Oden comments because I think they say way more than I ever could.
"It was a lot of traveling, but just had to do it," Oden said. "I never got worn out traveling until this summer. It was a lot."
Oden is talking about how much he traveled this summer following the 2007 draft. What goes without saying however is that he will be traveling even more this fall. As to why this is important, see my previous blog and the points I make concerning Oden's overall health. All I can say is it is a good thing he's in the NBA and not a cyclist riding for 3 weeks in the Tour de France.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Hold the Mayo plyssss... O J Mayo that is.
So since there is no real basketball to be found ANYWHERE, I've been forced to watch video of some up and coming NBA Lottery picks. What I'm hoping is to see that what ever blinded the NBA and the Portland Trailblazers on their 2007 draft premonitions will be absent in future drafts. I know, I know, I might as well be holding my breath. People see what they want to see. Me included. But knowing that, and wanting to see things as they are versus how I wish them to be just might be my salvation. I'm still waiting on the NBA power's that be. And apparently, I've got a long wait coming as I sit here looking at videos of O J Mayo.
And here is what I see. I see an athletically gifted 6'5" basketball player with good shooting range and a decent head and shoulder fake. What I do not see is a point guard. Given his range and the way he tends to look to score first versus getting other players involved in the offense, I see him at the next level being a much more effective at shooting guard. I also would be hard pressed to find any evidence of a defensive bone in his body, let alone his consciousness. Given his size, length and "relative" quickness he could be a monster on the defensive end if he chose to apply himself. (Gary Payton back in the day comes to mind). But all I've been able to see on the web points to a player with an obsessive scorers mindset. This is great if you've got a team full of guys who can't seem to put the ball in the hole, but even in the NBA the four others guys you put on the court around him will only put up with so much "Kobesizing" from a rookie.
What most people tend to watch when someone plays basketball, especially someone with the notoriety O J Mayo enjoys, is how many times the ball goes through the hoop. But for me what is also of interest is how he chooses to get it there. And I will admit when discussing Mayo, the basketball does go through the hoop with incredible frequency. But I was amazed (and I must admit annoyed) with how many times the ball goes through the hoop when there are multiple defenders on him. In much of the video I watched his team is watching him and waiting for something to happen. Contrast this to what you would see watching some old Jason Kidd footage when he was Mayo's age and you will understand where I'm going here. There are a lot of ways to score points and Mayo appears to choose the route of highest resistance.
What also should be noted is Mayo's jumpshot is more often than not taken off balance. Again while I can agree it goes down with frequency, an off balance shot is one that sooner or later will be in some real need of correction. If he is going to use that shot, which I noticed neither a great deal of elevation nor a quick release on in the NBA where the players defending him will be almost as blessed as he is athletically, working on setting and squaring his feet will be imperative.
According to DraftExpress, "People putting out “pre-preseason” All-America teams and not including Mayo just aren’t thinking clearly. Mayo is an instant 20-5-5." But I have a really hard time imagining Mayo doing the number he did on high school cagers to teams like UCLA, Arizona and Stanford -- or the rest of the PAC 10 for that matter. Honestly, unless Mayo has a spectacular college season I wouldn't be surprised to see his draft stock drop drastically. Mid first round would seem to be the logical place. But hey, this is the NBA we are talking about and invisible clothes being sighted are common and miracles happen simply because they want them to ala Shawn Bradley. And everyone knows what a great idea it was to draft him.
And here is what I see. I see an athletically gifted 6'5" basketball player with good shooting range and a decent head and shoulder fake. What I do not see is a point guard. Given his range and the way he tends to look to score first versus getting other players involved in the offense, I see him at the next level being a much more effective at shooting guard. I also would be hard pressed to find any evidence of a defensive bone in his body, let alone his consciousness. Given his size, length and "relative" quickness he could be a monster on the defensive end if he chose to apply himself. (Gary Payton back in the day comes to mind). But all I've been able to see on the web points to a player with an obsessive scorers mindset. This is great if you've got a team full of guys who can't seem to put the ball in the hole, but even in the NBA the four others guys you put on the court around him will only put up with so much "Kobesizing" from a rookie.
What most people tend to watch when someone plays basketball, especially someone with the notoriety O J Mayo enjoys, is how many times the ball goes through the hoop. But for me what is also of interest is how he chooses to get it there. And I will admit when discussing Mayo, the basketball does go through the hoop with incredible frequency. But I was amazed (and I must admit annoyed) with how many times the ball goes through the hoop when there are multiple defenders on him. In much of the video I watched his team is watching him and waiting for something to happen. Contrast this to what you would see watching some old Jason Kidd footage when he was Mayo's age and you will understand where I'm going here. There are a lot of ways to score points and Mayo appears to choose the route of highest resistance.
What also should be noted is Mayo's jumpshot is more often than not taken off balance. Again while I can agree it goes down with frequency, an off balance shot is one that sooner or later will be in some real need of correction. If he is going to use that shot, which I noticed neither a great deal of elevation nor a quick release on in the NBA where the players defending him will be almost as blessed as he is athletically, working on setting and squaring his feet will be imperative.
According to DraftExpress, "People putting out “pre-preseason” All-America teams and not including Mayo just aren’t thinking clearly. Mayo is an instant 20-5-5." But I have a really hard time imagining Mayo doing the number he did on high school cagers to teams like UCLA, Arizona and Stanford -- or the rest of the PAC 10 for that matter. Honestly, unless Mayo has a spectacular college season I wouldn't be surprised to see his draft stock drop drastically. Mid first round would seem to be the logical place. But hey, this is the NBA we are talking about and invisible clothes being sighted are common and miracles happen simply because they want them to ala Shawn Bradley. And everyone knows what a great idea it was to draft him.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Some things not being considered about Greg Oden...
And why he wouldn't have been my first pick in the 2007 NBA Draft...
Look at any of the press concerning Greg Oden following Ohio State's loss to Florida in the NCAA finals this year and you would swear Oden was the second coming of a guy who allegedly walked on water and fed a large crowd of people fish and chips while standing on the top a mountain.
The performance by Oden confirmed in the minds of many top bball pundits Oden's dominance on the collegiate level because he was matched against two of the premiere big men in the country in Joakim Noah and Al Horford. And his stat line was impressive - 25 points, 12 rebounds, 4 blocks in 38 minutes. What these same pundits fail mention however, is the obvious game plan used by the Gators to insure their bigs were present and accounted for in the final moments of the contest. If you watch the game film closely, you will notice two things. First, and most obvious is that Oden rarely takes a contested shot the entire game. Once the ball went to Oden in the paint, or he grabbed an offensive rebound, all of the Florida players cleared the area. The 10 for 15 shooting from Oden came mostly from all these uncontested dunks. The Gator game plan here was obviously to allow Oden to have his points and defend his teammates. So while Oden's numbers look impressive in the box score, his affect on the overall outcome of the game was nil. To put his game in perspective, look at Al Horford's box. Horford played 34 minutes, had 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 blocks.
Another point of interest that seems to go unnoticed by many of the pundits pushing Oden's talent is his apparent lack of stamina. In many games I watched during the year and at his predraft workout in Portland, Oden is visibly winded. This concerns me. It would surely bother me if I was about to make the kid one of the richest athletes on the planet. Especially since Oden's predraft workout didn't include any scrimmaging.
I also have some doubts about Oden's overall health. No I am not a doctor. But I am a keen observer and Oden's features and size remind me somewhat of the characteristics you commonly see in great danes. Danes are high energy, athletic animals with poor overall stamina and very short lifespans even with the best physical care. I just read that Oden missed a team USA scrimmage because of a tonsillectomy. This once common surgical procedure, is now very rare. For a doctor to consider it as an option there has to be a frequent recurrence of tonsillitis or other infection such as strep throat. From this I would guess there have been several antibiotic courses which would have destroyed the probiotic flora in Oden's stomach also rendering him more susceptible to infection.
Given all this, it will be interesting to see how his first season in the NBA goes. How will his body respond to the pressure of constant air travel and an 80+ game schedule? And more importantly over the course of an 80 game season, will he be able to stand and go toe to toe with the likes of Yao Ming, Amare Stoudemire, Tim Duncan or Pau Gasol? Only time will tell.
Look at any of the press concerning Greg Oden following Ohio State's loss to Florida in the NCAA finals this year and you would swear Oden was the second coming of a guy who allegedly walked on water and fed a large crowd of people fish and chips while standing on the top a mountain.
The performance by Oden confirmed in the minds of many top bball pundits Oden's dominance on the collegiate level because he was matched against two of the premiere big men in the country in Joakim Noah and Al Horford. And his stat line was impressive - 25 points, 12 rebounds, 4 blocks in 38 minutes. What these same pundits fail mention however, is the obvious game plan used by the Gators to insure their bigs were present and accounted for in the final moments of the contest. If you watch the game film closely, you will notice two things. First, and most obvious is that Oden rarely takes a contested shot the entire game. Once the ball went to Oden in the paint, or he grabbed an offensive rebound, all of the Florida players cleared the area. The 10 for 15 shooting from Oden came mostly from all these uncontested dunks. The Gator game plan here was obviously to allow Oden to have his points and defend his teammates. So while Oden's numbers look impressive in the box score, his affect on the overall outcome of the game was nil. To put his game in perspective, look at Al Horford's box. Horford played 34 minutes, had 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 blocks.
Another point of interest that seems to go unnoticed by many of the pundits pushing Oden's talent is his apparent lack of stamina. In many games I watched during the year and at his predraft workout in Portland, Oden is visibly winded. This concerns me. It would surely bother me if I was about to make the kid one of the richest athletes on the planet. Especially since Oden's predraft workout didn't include any scrimmaging.
I also have some doubts about Oden's overall health. No I am not a doctor. But I am a keen observer and Oden's features and size remind me somewhat of the characteristics you commonly see in great danes. Danes are high energy, athletic animals with poor overall stamina and very short lifespans even with the best physical care. I just read that Oden missed a team USA scrimmage because of a tonsillectomy. This once common surgical procedure, is now very rare. For a doctor to consider it as an option there has to be a frequent recurrence of tonsillitis or other infection such as strep throat. From this I would guess there have been several antibiotic courses which would have destroyed the probiotic flora in Oden's stomach also rendering him more susceptible to infection.
Given all this, it will be interesting to see how his first season in the NBA goes. How will his body respond to the pressure of constant air travel and an 80+ game schedule? And more importantly over the course of an 80 game season, will he be able to stand and go toe to toe with the likes of Yao Ming, Amare Stoudemire, Tim Duncan or Pau Gasol? Only time will tell.
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