tlongII
07-14-2010, 12:45 AM
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After LeBron James made it clear he was joining forces with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami, not only did the Heat instantly became the biggest threat to dethrone the two-time defending champion Lakers, but now has the potential to collect a lot more hardware down the road due to the average age of their three-headed monster being only 26. Only before could such a 'Super Team' be created by arm-chair General Managers in virtual reality, duping the computer into accepting lopsided deals where player ratings reign supreme and factors such as youth, contract, and importance to their respective cities fall by the wayside. But what once was an unreal fantasy has now turned into a harsh reality for the rest of the league.
With arguably three of the top 15 players in the league on the same team, at different positions, it's difficult to find a chink in their armor. There are concerns about chemistry, or a lack thereof. Depth must also be taken into consideration, as it looks like it'll be the Big Three and not much else. Lastly, while the Heat could become a nightmare on the perimeter defensively, there is a lot to be desired on the interior. But this isn't the NCAA Tournament where all it takes is one flawless game from the underdog, reminiscent of Villanova over Georgetown in the 1985 championship game, for David to knock off Goliath. It takes a sustained effort over the course of a seven game series to accomplish that feat.
For all of the Trail Blazers fans out there looking for an '85 Delorean and flux capacitor in hopes of heading back to June 28th, 2007 and convincing Portland management to select Kevin Durant instead of Greg Oden, relax, because the choice is becoming increasingly apparent. While Durant is already living up to the 'scoring assassin' label former GM, Kevin Pritchard dubbed him during his pre-draft workout in Portland and is arguably the more talented player than his 2007 draft counterpart, his skill set, added to the current roster, will not send BlazerManiacs storming down Broadway, hanging from light fixtures or filling up Pioneer Square for a championship rally. While Roy, Durant, and Aldridge would undoubtedly be the greatest trifecta in Blazers history, it wouldn't be enough to overthrow the Heat. To conquer the unconquerable, Portland must possess something, someone which is unattainable by any other franchise.
Insert Greg Oden. Centers have become an endangered species over the course of the last 15 years, with only Yao Ming and Dwight Howard holding the banner for the big man fraternity currently. Agile, athletic human beings of such size and stature simply do not grow on trees, but any team possessing a player of those specifications is automatically catapulted to elite championship contender status. Since 1990, only Jordan's Bulls were able to hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy without a superstar post player, and I don't think the greatest player in the history of the game is walking through the NBA turnstile any time soon. Portland has built a team which compliments Oden's game to a tee. Aldridge is a perfect power forward to play alongside Greg, as he is able to spread the floor with his silky, smooth jump shot. Batum's fantastic, perimeter defense keeps players away from barreling into the big man and is a deadly three-point shooter, just waiting to make the defense pay for doubling down. Finally, Roy is everything a franchise could want in a superstar, willing to do whatever it takes to for greater good of the team, even if it means running the show through G.O. instead of himself.
As it stands, there are only two roadblocks standing in Oden's path of being top dog, the aforementioned Howard and Ming. But only experience can slow Greg down at this point, because not only is he bigger than Dwight (7-0, 285 lbs vs. 6-11, 265 lbs), he actually shows potential for post moves. And while Yao is undoubtedly the most gifted 7 footer offensively, Oden's quickness and natural defensive instincts give him a distinct advantage over Ming. If and I stress if healthy, Greg will become the most talented big in the entire NBA. Taking everything into consideration, Greg has the chance to be a player no one in the NBA can stop, similar to Shaq earlier this millennium. Despite the fact Oden has proven he can play, the one enduring question still remains, "Can he stay healthy?" Given his injured past (only 82 games played in three seasons), building around Greg is a risky venture, but it is one the Trail Blazers must continue to make, because he gives Portland the best shot at winning the first NBA championship since 1977.
http://cdn.iamatrailblazersfan.com.s3.amazonaws.com/media/1GregOdenStill.gif
After LeBron James made it clear he was joining forces with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami, not only did the Heat instantly became the biggest threat to dethrone the two-time defending champion Lakers, but now has the potential to collect a lot more hardware down the road due to the average age of their three-headed monster being only 26. Only before could such a 'Super Team' be created by arm-chair General Managers in virtual reality, duping the computer into accepting lopsided deals where player ratings reign supreme and factors such as youth, contract, and importance to their respective cities fall by the wayside. But what once was an unreal fantasy has now turned into a harsh reality for the rest of the league.
With arguably three of the top 15 players in the league on the same team, at different positions, it's difficult to find a chink in their armor. There are concerns about chemistry, or a lack thereof. Depth must also be taken into consideration, as it looks like it'll be the Big Three and not much else. Lastly, while the Heat could become a nightmare on the perimeter defensively, there is a lot to be desired on the interior. But this isn't the NCAA Tournament where all it takes is one flawless game from the underdog, reminiscent of Villanova over Georgetown in the 1985 championship game, for David to knock off Goliath. It takes a sustained effort over the course of a seven game series to accomplish that feat.
For all of the Trail Blazers fans out there looking for an '85 Delorean and flux capacitor in hopes of heading back to June 28th, 2007 and convincing Portland management to select Kevin Durant instead of Greg Oden, relax, because the choice is becoming increasingly apparent. While Durant is already living up to the 'scoring assassin' label former GM, Kevin Pritchard dubbed him during his pre-draft workout in Portland and is arguably the more talented player than his 2007 draft counterpart, his skill set, added to the current roster, will not send BlazerManiacs storming down Broadway, hanging from light fixtures or filling up Pioneer Square for a championship rally. While Roy, Durant, and Aldridge would undoubtedly be the greatest trifecta in Blazers history, it wouldn't be enough to overthrow the Heat. To conquer the unconquerable, Portland must possess something, someone which is unattainable by any other franchise.
Insert Greg Oden. Centers have become an endangered species over the course of the last 15 years, with only Yao Ming and Dwight Howard holding the banner for the big man fraternity currently. Agile, athletic human beings of such size and stature simply do not grow on trees, but any team possessing a player of those specifications is automatically catapulted to elite championship contender status. Since 1990, only Jordan's Bulls were able to hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy without a superstar post player, and I don't think the greatest player in the history of the game is walking through the NBA turnstile any time soon. Portland has built a team which compliments Oden's game to a tee. Aldridge is a perfect power forward to play alongside Greg, as he is able to spread the floor with his silky, smooth jump shot. Batum's fantastic, perimeter defense keeps players away from barreling into the big man and is a deadly three-point shooter, just waiting to make the defense pay for doubling down. Finally, Roy is everything a franchise could want in a superstar, willing to do whatever it takes to for greater good of the team, even if it means running the show through G.O. instead of himself.
As it stands, there are only two roadblocks standing in Oden's path of being top dog, the aforementioned Howard and Ming. But only experience can slow Greg down at this point, because not only is he bigger than Dwight (7-0, 285 lbs vs. 6-11, 265 lbs), he actually shows potential for post moves. And while Yao is undoubtedly the most gifted 7 footer offensively, Oden's quickness and natural defensive instincts give him a distinct advantage over Ming. If and I stress if healthy, Greg will become the most talented big in the entire NBA. Taking everything into consideration, Greg has the chance to be a player no one in the NBA can stop, similar to Shaq earlier this millennium. Despite the fact Oden has proven he can play, the one enduring question still remains, "Can he stay healthy?" Given his injured past (only 82 games played in three seasons), building around Greg is a risky venture, but it is one the Trail Blazers must continue to make, because he gives Portland the best shot at winning the first NBA championship since 1977.