tlongII
10-26-2009, 10:04 AM
http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2009/10/greg_oden_gets_offensive_chang.html
http://media.oregonlive.com/oregonian/photo/greg-oden-030b674260c1424d.jpg
Portland Trail Blazers center Greg Oden looks on from the bench during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis, Wednesday, March 18, 2009.
Coach Nate McMillan was eager to make one thing unequivocally clear less than 48 hours before the Trail Blazers were scheduled to open the regular season against the Houston Rockets.
Even though center Greg Oden has revealed a pretty low-post spin move, improved jump hook and an offensive arsenal that, all in all, has undergone a top-to-bottom transformation since last season, offense is the last thing he should be focused on.
“I want Greg to establish us on the defensive end of the floor,” McMillan said. “I don’t want him concerned so much about the offensive end of the floor. Last year, we were able to score and we’ll be able to score this year. But I want that (center) position and Greg to focus on establishing our defense — covering that basket, rebounding that ball … really being a monster in the paint.”
Perhaps the most important development of the exhibition season was the emergence of Oden, who played so well he has prompted McMillan to insert him into the Blazers’ starting lineup for Tuesday night’s opener. So while McMillan is urging Oden to concentrate on defense, it’s hard not to imagine the possibilities his newfound offensive swagger could generate this season.
Oden ended the preseason as the Blazers’ leading scorer and rebounder, averaging 13.6 points and 9.3 rebounds per game in seven exhibition appearances. He shot 52.5 percent from the field and 72.1 percent from the free throw line.
But Oden’s value on offense goes beyond the numbers.
Perhaps the most obvious impact involves offensive rebounding. Oden can create more possessions, and potentially more points, by giving the Blazers’ second and third chances. And if his strong free throw shooting continues, Oden can also become a difference-maker in tight fourth quarters
But even more, Oden’s offensive maturation could take pressure off of Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge.
“If he does what he’s capable of, he becomes a weapon and there’s more attention on him,” assistant coach Monty Williams said. “If he can do that, he becomes an option, one more person on the floor. That would give us three guys that (opponents) have to double team in our starting lineup.”
Without question, the Blazers’ offensive focus in the starting lineup will begin and end with proven commodities Roy and Aldridge. But if Oden can prove to be an offensive threat, he will draw more defensive attention, which will, in turn, create more driving lanes and more open shots for Roy and stimulate free space for Aldridge to post up or shoot his buttery jump shot.
Roy already has seen a difference.
“I can just feel the game getting easier so I know LaMarcus has to feel the same thing,” Roy said. “Right now Greg’s just scratching the surface of what he’s going to be able to do out there and that’s why I’m excited about it. There are times where he doesn’t even notice that he’s dominating. As soon as he starts to realize it more … we’re going to be a really, really good team. Because there’s a lot he can do for us.”
An offensively capable Oden creates the three-headed monster the Blazers envisioned when the drafted him with the No. 1 overall pick.
“It can be pretty unstoppable,” Aldridge said. “As Greg gets better and as I continue to grow, we could be a pretty dynamic threesome.”
One facet that remains a work in progress is one that could develop into one of the Blazers’ biggest weapons down the road: the high-low game between Aldridge and Oden. The two revealed a hint of high-low ability in spurts late last season and the Blazers have been working on it regularly in practice throughout the preseason.
Aldridge and Oden are continuing to become comfortable with the set, so the Blazers did not feature it much during exhibition games. But in time, Aldridge says, the two could become as feared as the old San Antonio Spurs connection of Tim Duncan and David Robinson.
“We’re definitely working on it,” Oden said. “It’s going to take some time for us to build that chemistry, but we’re still working at it and he’s still looking at it. We’ll get there.”
But beyond high-low sets, offensive rebounding and other technical developments is this: Oden acknowledges that he’s never been more confident and it seems his teammates have never been more confident in him. The byproduct is trust.
“The guys respect how much he worked over the summer, they appreciate that and they trust him,” Williams said. “When you have the trust of the guys in your locker room it changes things for you. Last year we knew he was big and he had a presence. Now guys are like, ‘Snap, this guy is a force,’ and they are trusting him more that ever.”
Added Roy: “I have that trust in him. We’ll come down at practice … in a game-winning situation and we’ll be like, ‘Let’s go inside to Greg.’ Last year, he shied away from it. Now, he’s accepting it and he’s like, ‘All right, come to me,’ and he tries to make a play. We have some weapons and he’s one of them.”
McMillan says he wants Oden to focus on defense. Oden insists his main focus is just that.
But if the Blazers are to fulfill their lofty expectations and experience a deep playoff run, it could be a multi-faceted Oden that helps them get there.
“It takes time,” Oden said. “Those guys always had faith in me, even last year when my game wasn’t what I wanted it to be. But they always gave me the ball and said, ‘Greg, go to work.’ So they’ve always had faith in me. It’s just me being able to do something with it. Those guys have developed games and they do things with it. I’m just trying to catch up.”
http://media.oregonlive.com/oregonian/photo/greg-oden-030b674260c1424d.jpg
Portland Trail Blazers center Greg Oden looks on from the bench during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis, Wednesday, March 18, 2009.
Coach Nate McMillan was eager to make one thing unequivocally clear less than 48 hours before the Trail Blazers were scheduled to open the regular season against the Houston Rockets.
Even though center Greg Oden has revealed a pretty low-post spin move, improved jump hook and an offensive arsenal that, all in all, has undergone a top-to-bottom transformation since last season, offense is the last thing he should be focused on.
“I want Greg to establish us on the defensive end of the floor,” McMillan said. “I don’t want him concerned so much about the offensive end of the floor. Last year, we were able to score and we’ll be able to score this year. But I want that (center) position and Greg to focus on establishing our defense — covering that basket, rebounding that ball … really being a monster in the paint.”
Perhaps the most important development of the exhibition season was the emergence of Oden, who played so well he has prompted McMillan to insert him into the Blazers’ starting lineup for Tuesday night’s opener. So while McMillan is urging Oden to concentrate on defense, it’s hard not to imagine the possibilities his newfound offensive swagger could generate this season.
Oden ended the preseason as the Blazers’ leading scorer and rebounder, averaging 13.6 points and 9.3 rebounds per game in seven exhibition appearances. He shot 52.5 percent from the field and 72.1 percent from the free throw line.
But Oden’s value on offense goes beyond the numbers.
Perhaps the most obvious impact involves offensive rebounding. Oden can create more possessions, and potentially more points, by giving the Blazers’ second and third chances. And if his strong free throw shooting continues, Oden can also become a difference-maker in tight fourth quarters
But even more, Oden’s offensive maturation could take pressure off of Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge.
“If he does what he’s capable of, he becomes a weapon and there’s more attention on him,” assistant coach Monty Williams said. “If he can do that, he becomes an option, one more person on the floor. That would give us three guys that (opponents) have to double team in our starting lineup.”
Without question, the Blazers’ offensive focus in the starting lineup will begin and end with proven commodities Roy and Aldridge. But if Oden can prove to be an offensive threat, he will draw more defensive attention, which will, in turn, create more driving lanes and more open shots for Roy and stimulate free space for Aldridge to post up or shoot his buttery jump shot.
Roy already has seen a difference.
“I can just feel the game getting easier so I know LaMarcus has to feel the same thing,” Roy said. “Right now Greg’s just scratching the surface of what he’s going to be able to do out there and that’s why I’m excited about it. There are times where he doesn’t even notice that he’s dominating. As soon as he starts to realize it more … we’re going to be a really, really good team. Because there’s a lot he can do for us.”
An offensively capable Oden creates the three-headed monster the Blazers envisioned when the drafted him with the No. 1 overall pick.
“It can be pretty unstoppable,” Aldridge said. “As Greg gets better and as I continue to grow, we could be a pretty dynamic threesome.”
One facet that remains a work in progress is one that could develop into one of the Blazers’ biggest weapons down the road: the high-low game between Aldridge and Oden. The two revealed a hint of high-low ability in spurts late last season and the Blazers have been working on it regularly in practice throughout the preseason.
Aldridge and Oden are continuing to become comfortable with the set, so the Blazers did not feature it much during exhibition games. But in time, Aldridge says, the two could become as feared as the old San Antonio Spurs connection of Tim Duncan and David Robinson.
“We’re definitely working on it,” Oden said. “It’s going to take some time for us to build that chemistry, but we’re still working at it and he’s still looking at it. We’ll get there.”
But beyond high-low sets, offensive rebounding and other technical developments is this: Oden acknowledges that he’s never been more confident and it seems his teammates have never been more confident in him. The byproduct is trust.
“The guys respect how much he worked over the summer, they appreciate that and they trust him,” Williams said. “When you have the trust of the guys in your locker room it changes things for you. Last year we knew he was big and he had a presence. Now guys are like, ‘Snap, this guy is a force,’ and they are trusting him more that ever.”
Added Roy: “I have that trust in him. We’ll come down at practice … in a game-winning situation and we’ll be like, ‘Let’s go inside to Greg.’ Last year, he shied away from it. Now, he’s accepting it and he’s like, ‘All right, come to me,’ and he tries to make a play. We have some weapons and he’s one of them.”
McMillan says he wants Oden to focus on defense. Oden insists his main focus is just that.
But if the Blazers are to fulfill their lofty expectations and experience a deep playoff run, it could be a multi-faceted Oden that helps them get there.
“It takes time,” Oden said. “Those guys always had faith in me, even last year when my game wasn’t what I wanted it to be. But they always gave me the ball and said, ‘Greg, go to work.’ So they’ve always had faith in me. It’s just me being able to do something with it. Those guys have developed games and they do things with it. I’m just trying to catch up.”