All the Trailblazer fans unimpressed with rookie Greg Oden's first summer-league showing (10 fouls, six points) can get down from the ledges of buildings in downtown Portland. All is not lost. Former Portland coach Maurice Cheeks would like you to know that a current NBA Hall of Fame lock struggled in his first summer league game, too. His name? Tim Duncan."I remember Tim Duncan's first summer league game, and Greg Ostertag killed him. Just killed him. Now, who do you think the better player is? The kid is going to be fine.''Anyone who puts stock in summer league games needs to get their head checked. The games amount to less than an NBA preseason game, if that's possible. Oden could commit 10 fouls in each of the next three summer league games and I wouldn't be think for a moment that he's not going to be an NBA force.
I'm predicting that Oden ends his rookie season with averages of about 10 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. Not otherworldly, and probably not good enough to warrant rookie of the year honors. But more importantly, the Blazers will probably win 40 games, and set things up quite nicely for the 2008-2009 campaign, when I anticipate the start of a lengthy playoff run. And yes, I do expect championships.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-08-2007 @ 2:00PM
Carl said...
You expect championships?..That's why you a blogger,son
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7-08-2007 @ 2:03PM
TheBigLead said...
He's got at least 15 seasons ahead of him. At least. You're out of mind if you don't think Portland is on its way to building a dynasty.
Oden/Aldridge COULD be on the path toward becoming a Olajuwon/Sampson or Admiral/Duncan. Obviously pending health issues. And Brandon Roy is the guard those teams never had.
Might be smart for Portland to think lockdown defender at the three and a solid yet unspectacular PG, because the aforementioned three will command big bucks.
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7-08-2007 @ 2:25PM
Derrick said...
The guy stayed in foul trouble in college. Why would things change in the pro game. He will barely play 25mins a gome this season. Remember you read it here first.
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7-08-2007 @ 2:35PM
Unsilent Majority said...
They've got three of the best young guys in the league at key positions. Why shouldn't people expect a championship down the road?
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7-08-2007 @ 3:19PM
B-ball fan 11 said...
Derrick a lot of big men have to learn how to stay out of foul trouble in this league, Oden wouldn't be the first. I think the double double with two blocks in right, but Portland isn't get in the playoffs in the West.
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7-08-2007 @ 4:13PM
mookie said...
How on earth has Brandon Roy gotten so overrated already? Jesus. How much potential never pans out in this league?
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7-08-2007 @ 4:20PM
The U is dead said...
Can you say.........Sam Bowie?....
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7-09-2007 @ 12:59AM
Scott said...
Coach Maurice Cheeks needs a history lesson.
Tim Duncan's first Summer League game was at the Rocky Mountain Revue in Salt Lake City. The date was July 27, 1997 at 7 PM against **Dallas**.
Greg Ostertag never played with Dallas. His rookie year in Utah was 95-96.
Duncan's first pre-season game was against Washington Wizards on October 11, 1997. Spurs won the game 99-87. Duncan went 9 of 13 from the field and finished with 19 points, 4 rebs, 2 assists in 22 minutes of playing time. Again, no Ostertag. The Wizards had former #1 pick Chris Webber who went 5 of 13 and finished with 13 points.
Duncan's first regular season game was in Denver on October 31, 1997. Duncan finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks. Denver's Danny Fortson was the opposing PF.
So, don't know what Cheeks was talking about regarding Ostertag. Tim didn't play against Ostertag in his first Summer League game, his first pre-season game or his very first NBA game.
How come you guys didn't check out the validity of Cheeks' statement?
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7-09-2007 @ 11:01AM
Sports Memorabilia said...
Duncan had four years of college experience compared to Oden's one injury shortened season. Hyping draft picks is always fun, but it is just as likely that Oden will be the next Joe Smith instead of the next Tim Duncan.
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7-09-2007 @ 1:24PM
GUS said...
Scott, maybe you need to recheck your facts also.
P.J. Carlesio was quoted in The Seattle Times when talking about Durant and summer league play
Friday, July 6, 2007
"Perhaps to ease concerns about Durant, new coach P.J. Carlesimo shared a story about San Antonio's Tim Duncan.
"I happened to coach against Timmy in his first [summer-league] game," he said. "I was at Golden State. They got off the plane and we played them at Salt Lake City. Greg Ostertag outplayed Tim in a couple of those games."
So, P.J. seems to remember the Duncan /Ostertag situation. Weather it was the first game or not is sort of nitpicking. It was during the summer league and it was duncan's first experience with the big Leagues.
Cheeks and P.J. usually know what they are talking about, so I'll go with their version
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7-09-2007 @ 10:24PM
Charles said...
No Gus, the point is Cheeks said his 1st summer league game but hey i can understand sticking up for my star player/#1 draft pick who just stunk it up. In my opinion Oden is over-rated and will never be anywhere near a Tim Duncan. I have this gut feeling that Portland will wish they had taken Durant. He's the better athlete and a true scorer/rebounder with enough speed that in time will make him also a great defender, as well. Oden may swat some balls but he isn't going to go out and challenge anyone on the perimeter.
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7-10-2007 @ 9:25AM
Doug said...
Jeez, guys, lighten up; it's only a summer league game!!! Give this kid a chance to grow! Though I believe another couple of years in college would have been his best choice, he is a very talented work in progress!! As for comparisons to Tim Duncan, let's wait about five years. By then a comparison will be much more accurate; at this time, it's worse than comparing apples to oranges!!
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7-10-2007 @ 7:42PM
Salt said...
Nobody is mentioning the fact that this guy is playing with tonsilitis, a sinus infection, and has been a walking media circus for out about a month. He is EXHAUSTED, out of shape, and stepping up to a new level of talent all at the same time. This guy is a winner, a talent, a team player, and Portland will never regret drafting him.
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7-11-2007 @ 2:24AM
Patrick F. Smith said...
Already experts are labeling Greg Oden as GREAT!!! which is a label that is utilized too liberal. He has not even played his first NBA game. What has he accomplihed to be labeld GREAT !!!!! Let's just give him some time and put too pressure on him. It will take time for this team and Grehg oden to come together. So everyone just be patient.
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7-11-2007 @ 7:58AM
GUS said...
No Charles, the point is not weather it was the "first" game or not. The point was that when Duncan played in the summer league, he was taken to school by someone who in hindsight, is not even close to the caliber player he is now. The "point" is/was that you can't put too much weight on the results these guys are showing right now.
Charlie Brown,know the facts before trying to take someone to school.
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7-11-2007 @ 8:08AM
Charles said...
No Gus Gus, the point i was making on the Cheeks statement was that he had spoken out of context with the facts and he was implying that Oden would be better than Duncan. Whether Oden lives up to the hype or not remains to be seen but he has many Championships to go before we can even start to compare him to Tim Duncan.
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