There is no “it” … It is you. “You” happened again
Greg Oden (photo. Mannion)
What do you even say if you’re part of Greg Oden’s inner circle? After a collision with all 78 pounds of Aaron Brooks in the first quarter of last night’s Blazers/Rockets game, Oden went down clutching his leg, and from a distance it looked like somebody had punched a hole in his right knee. The scene just happened to play out in front of the Portland fans who are already terrified every time Oden so much as grimaces, and some time after G.O. was taken off the court, the reports started to circulate during the game: Fractured kneecap, likely out for the season … Really, what can you say? If Oden’s season really is finished, that means he will have played in 81 regular season games and six playoff games in the three full seasons since he was drafted. Patrick O’Bryant gets more burn than that … As for the game, it was a back-and-forth battle in crunch time between Brandon Roy and Carl Landry. Yes, we said Carl Landry. Three times in the last two minutes, Landry (23 pts, 9 rebs) got himself to the free throw line and hit all six attempts, the last two giving Houston a one-point lead with 37 seconds left. Meanwhile, B-Roy (28 pts, 9-15 FG) scored on a tough lefty layup during that sequence, hit a fadeaway jumper over Trevor Ariza, and after Luis Scola’s elbow jumper with nine seconds left put the Blazers down by one, B-Roy had the ball in his hands one more time. Pulling almost the same exact behind-the-back move he pulled on Ariza on the previous possession, Roy got into the lane and banked in an even tougher right-handed runner/layup as he was falling to the ground for the game-winner … Breaking a three-game skid was big for the Blazers, but the biggest story is still Oden. His injury forces Joel Przybilla into the starting five, which isn’t a crisis since Vanilla Gorilla is probably the best backup center in the League. But then who is his backup? And remember, Travis Outlaw is also sidelined for a few months, so suddenly the Blazers’ frontline is looking thinner than Blake Lively … The Warriors were looking all froggy and ready to leap over the Magic, until Vince Carter sparked a 15-0 run late in the fourth quarter that put GS back in their place. Vince (27 pts, 7 asts, 12-12 FT) broke a tie with a three-pointer at the 3:30 mark, followed it up with two free throws, then drew the defense — or whatever you want to call what the Warriors do when they’re not looking for shots — on a post-up before finding Mickael Pietrus for an open triple that pushed the lead to eight and started a fan stampede for the parking lot … It’s not even that the Spurs are losing games to serious championship contenders like the Celtics and Nuggets; it’s the way they’re losing. Last night’s loss to Denver had shades of the ‘09 playoffs, where Tim Duncan (26 pts) and Tony Parker (27 pts) were forced to carry the entire offense by themselves, but was more alarming in the sense that the Spurs lost a big lead in the second half at home and failed to finish off a team they usually own psychologically … Carmelo scored 34 points and Chauncey hit his big shots down the stretch in an important road win for the Nuggets where the big men were bringing that same energy and nastiness they brought all of last season and J.R. Smith struggled with his shot but saved his only three for a crucial moment, the go-ahead triple in the fourth quarter … Other notable stat lines from Saturday: Joe Johnson scored 31 points to beat Dallas; Amar’e Stoudemire posted 18 points and 21 rebounds in a win over Sacramento; Marcus Camby had 12 points, 17 boards, six assists and three blocks as the Clippers beat the Pacers; Kevin Love had 18 points and 10 boards off the bench in Minnesota’s upset W over Utah; Gerald Wallace put up 24 points, 14 boards and three steals as Charlotte got past Philly on Ray Felton’s game-winning coast-to-coast layup; and Chris Bosh went for 25 and 12 in a rout of the Bulls … We’d say more about DeMar DeRozan’s patently vicious dunk over Brad Miller, but seriously, what did you expect to happen if DeRozan and Miller crossed paths? … Re-Tweet from Brandon Jennings yesterday: “i didn’t know last 2 games, i had 15assist with 1 turnover. in 2 games. yea i told u i like passing.” … We’re out like G.O. …
December 6th, 2009 at 5:24 am
Big Sia says:
VC + Magic = Chips A’ Hoy
December 6th, 2009 at 5:25 am
YW says:
okay, we need to admit right now that the Oden vs Durant debate was crap, as it is not even close. All hail the great Bill Simmons
December 6th, 2009 at 5:25 am
Big Sia says:
All you faggots who underrated vince… Silence is golden
December 6th, 2009 at 5:27 am
Sambuu says:
i’m sure most of the guys in the league follow their stats…
December 6th, 2009 at 5:33 am
Big Sia says:
While all the white people in the media are gassed about 55……..Passing is actually the best part of Brandon Jenning’s game
December 6th, 2009 at 5:44 am
Valenfat says:
id also like to point out to Bill Simmons that Oden got injured in the retro 70’s Bill Walton (i cant stay healthy) era unis….ouch, the curse continues………
December 6th, 2009 at 5:50 am
J.Hicks says:
Forget BS, a bunch of people were saying the Blazers should have taken Durant over Oden in 2007. That’s not exactly Nostradamus work there. What’s next, all hail some random cat who predicted Shelden Williams and Adam Morrison would suck in the NBA?
December 6th, 2009 at 5:52 am
QQ says:
@ 1:
Word.
Finally seeing VC play with the team in mind. Keep it up, bitch.
December 6th, 2009 at 5:58 am
QQ says:
@ 7:
No. 2007 is Oden’s year. Everyone knows he will be the number one pick. Everyone. Oden owned that draft. It’s like in 2003, when I read somewhere that Darko had that outside chance to be number 1, but everyone knows that Lebron will be number 1, no fucking question.
Oden is the first unanimous number one overall pick since Bron in 2003. Let’s just admit that we all just fucking messed up. The talk that we really believed Durant can be number 1 back in the 07 draft? That’s bullshit.
December 6th, 2009 at 5:59 am
Warriorsworld says:
Magic ain’t all that. Warriors win if Morrow does miss the game. Warriors have played Boston, Cleveland, Dallas, San Antonio, LA Lakers, Denver, Phoenix and I must say that Orlando is by far the weakest of the “contenders”.
December 6th, 2009 at 6:03 am
QQ says:
No.
The Magic is indeed all that.
Signed,
A Magic Fan.
December 6th, 2009 at 6:05 am
Nautic says:
Dime
Two miracles happened in the NBA last night and you barely give any coverage about it except for a short oneliner. That’s not right. Toronto is never gonna beat an opponent by 32 again (even an injury depleted nets) and Amare isn’t gonna come close to getting a 20-20 line again cause he never rebounds enough. I expected more about those two miracles but alas, you disappointed me dime.
December 6th, 2009 at 6:08 am
J.Hicks says:
@QQ — Speak for yourself. I remember reading more than a couple 2007 draft articles where media was saying Portland should take Durant, and hearing plenty of word on the street that Oden hadn’t shown anything in college while KD was killing everything in his path. Forget that Portland already had some players at SF before Durant. The Bulls did the right thing and took the best player (Rose) in 2008 even if Beasley was supposed to be their biggest “need.”
December 6th, 2009 at 6:43 am
Soopa says:
I feel so sorry for Oden. Imaging how frustrating it must be for him!
I dont play anywhere near pro level basketball, but i do play, and i have been “blessed” with ankles made of popcorn. I’ve wrecked them more times then i can remember and its so depressing and frustrating every time – and basketball its not even the main thing in my life.
Keep your head up Oden. Work yourself back in time for next season.
December 6th, 2009 at 7:00 am
sans says:
I feel you Soopa–I have no nerves left in my right ankle after 14+ sprains…at least five of them on the same spot in my driveway that I forget about everytime I fly home to my parents house…
and Austin Burton wrote a couple articles on why Durant should have been #1 back when…
December 6th, 2009 at 7:00 am
prince of leisure says:
big ups to big sia.
… and vanilla gorilla is a total LOLZ.
December 6th, 2009 at 7:02 am
QQ says:
@13:
You said a ‘bunch of people’. It’s like you thought there’s really a question about Oden not being number one. There’s none. That overall landscape, the overall feel of the draft is ‘Who’s going to be drafted 2nd?’.
Just think about 2007. You really thought there would be a number one pick other than Oden back then? Honestly?
December 6th, 2009 at 7:17 am
J.Hicks says:
@QQ — I think you’re thinking of 2006 when Oden was coming out of high school headed for Ohio State and everyone assumed he’d be the #1 pick because there was no clear-cut dominant player in college. (I remember Dime did an issue back then where they said Joakim was the best player in college.) Then the season happened and Durant had one of the best seasons by any college player ever and swept all the National POY awards. Durant looked like a lock to be a future MVP, scoring champ, etc. You better believe there was a serious debate on who would go #1.
December 6th, 2009 at 7:38 am
ponky_alolor says:
@QQ, Magic and VC balling. SVG really has a great system. ball movement great to watch. what hapenned 2 white chocolate?
oden should be able to bounce back like camby, ilgauskas, bynum. he was posting decent numbers pre-injury.
December 6th, 2009 at 7:44 am
RPFROMSURREY says:
PLEASE, EVERYONE JUST TAKE A MOMENT AND VISUALIZE THIS STARTING 5 RIGHT NOW.
1. ANDRE MILLER
2. BRANDON ROY
3. KEVIN DURANT
4. LAMARCUZ ALDRIDGE
5. PRYZB……
THAT RIGHT THERE IS CHAMPIONSHIP MATERIAL.
AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, PORTLAND “WE HAVE A BUST!”. JUST IMAGINE YOUR CITY WITH KD. OWWOWW, YA’LL MISSED OUT!!!
December 6th, 2009 at 7:54 am
Name (required) says:
back in 07 i think a lot of people liked the idea of Durant as a primary scorer next to Roy, alot of people were saying he was the better player and even a better fit in Portland, but still no one taking that pick would have taken him ahead of Oden. Oden was viewed as the next Shaq, the next dominant Center. He wasnt some raw meat bigman like bynum, Jefferson or Thabeet, he was a cooked and ready to go as the guy who was gonna make a team relevant for the next decade. 30 out of 30 GMs would have taken Oden………. shit just hasnt worked out.
December 6th, 2009 at 8:07 am
vince says:
http://www.faniq.com/blog/Jarrett-Jack-Ties-His-Shoes-In-The-Middle-Of-An-NBA-Game-Blog-33478
missed that one dime! worth mentioning
December 6th, 2009 at 8:54 am
Gabriel Brogden says:
It’s a damn shame what happened to Flip.
I meant, GO. Damn!
Feel sorry for the brother. SMH. He can’t catch a ‘break.’ Well, u know what I mean.
As much as I’m high on GO, I still ALWAYS qualify it with…”KD’s still looking like The Man.”
And he is. And Basketball Enthusiasts everywhere were split down the middle with GO or KD getting picked 1st.
Orlando’s gotta strong squad. But they rely on the 3ball sometimes to their detriment.
Last night, those 3s were wet. Good win for them.
I’m ’bout to start bettin’ against the Pacers.
They’re stinkin’ it up this year.
INDY = GUARANTEED MUUUHNEE!
Say it just like i wrote it and when you get to the ‘money’ part, say it with a lil’ base in your voice.
December 6th, 2009 at 8:58 am
ab_40 says:
man it wasn’t even the collision that made his knee fracture it was him jumping so that means the fracture was already in the knee probably a small one but it was there. thanks portland doctors for F’in this young man’s career up. so now portland goes from playing big to playing small ball all the time.
haha utah. melo still hasn’t scored under 20 points… wow. and danny granger got injured again as well. amare didn’t have a 20 20 game he had an 18 20 who cares he’s not even a top 5 pf anymore anyway.
and where is the love for anthony randolph 28,13,5 and 2 blocks
you can’t teach height but you can teach tall guys how to take care of their body from a young age. which isn’t happening the big man is a dying breed and the ones that are playing in the nba are either injured or over the top (shaq, yao, Z) don’t tell me bynum got next because he doesn’t.
December 6th, 2009 at 9:47 am
leoabetas says:
Sad day for hoops fans definitely.
December 6th, 2009 at 10:06 am
emory says:
i feel bad for g.o. i can’t fault him for getting hurt though….nobody goes out with the intention of getting injured…some are just unlucky i guess.
December 6th, 2009 at 10:29 am
robmo35 says:
Dime should do an article on centers who get hurt early in their career and then end up injury plagued throughout their career. Walton, Sampson, Oden, Yao, and maybe Bynum off the top of my head. I’m sure there are many more.
December 6th, 2009 at 10:35 am
Collaboro says:
Demar vs B. Miller dunk was just vicious…same with his one handed oop just before that.
Too bad about O-Deezy, unlucky.
December 6th, 2009 at 11:37 am
jimmy (cawter) says:
Who the hell is talkin about oden being unaminously number 1 pick back then?? what an idiot, he was on a stacked team that LOST the championship game even though they were given an easy route to the chip. If i remember correctly, it was all the other oh. state players that helped get them to the national championship. Oden just decided to show up in the las game, and what happened?? They lost.
Btw, he’s had injury problems in high school too. Durant was a beast in college, and the man on his team. some people don’t know shiiit.
December 6th, 2009 at 11:43 am
BUFFALO BRAVE says:
As a Buffalo native and huge Oden backer, this is very depressing to hear.
As a owner of him in 2 fantasy leagues, I’m screwed.
But not as screwed as the blazers are. Lmao @ them chasing guards and wing players despite having ZERO depth at the 4-5 positions.
Don’t pull up the fact that they signed milsap cause even my deceased grandmother, God rest her soul, knew that Utah would match.
As far as Oden going #1 over Durant, if you look at the diva bitch that’s coming out of Roy this season there’s no way in the world they could’ve co-existed. Already having a very good young sf in outlaw, if his idiot coach would start and play him, they absolutely made the best choice.
Its a tough situation anyway you look at it.
RIP to Olden’s career.
Gone too soon.
*TEARS*
December 6th, 2009 at 11:57 am
nola says:
he was starting to do really well too. i mean what more do you want from a young center playing on a stacked team? he was getting double doubles with 2 blocks or so. i feel really sorry for him. but he’ll be back
December 6th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
Thype says:
Nobody, and I mean nobody, really thought Durant should go ahead of Oden.
That was media circus stuff, the shock jock stuff that gets people to read your nonsense stories.
The word was Durant was talented but he weighed a buck seventy five. Nobody with a need in the middle (IE just about everyone in the league these days) would of went with the skinny kid that can put the ball in the hole. Durant wasn’t proven at that point, he was just another promising, young wing man.
So give me a break, if anyone on these boards preached Durant over Oden it was because you aren’t an NBA GM. The fact that you may be right at this point is like me saying I told George W. Bush to watch the airports, I just knew it.
Give me a fucking break.
December 6th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
QQ says:
@ 29:
Preach, kid, preach.
December 6th, 2009 at 2:19 pm
BigSnacks says:
@ Thype, gotta go wit J. Hicks on this…I remember the same stuff about KD killin it while everyone talkin bout how Oden looks and moves like a 55 year old…
GO should retire…make it ez on hisself an everybody else…
I’m out.
-BigSnacks
December 6th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
hahns says:
@Dime
love the title to today’s smack.
December 6th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
Da_Griff says:
@robmo35
Any list like that has to include Sam Bowie (the first Odom) and Zo. Not to mention Pervis Ellison. What a waste.
December 6th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
LakeShow84 says:
“The Warriors were looking all froggy and ready to leap over the Magic, until Vince Carter sparked a 15-0 run late in the fourth quarter that put GS back in their place.”
lol they were too.. i was watching the game thinking if they keep it up they’re golden.. but then i remembered they were the golden state Warriors and Vince hit the trey and of course the Magic went on the run to win.. lol..
And damn that Oden shit is sad.. i cant believe that.. he’s always been a different kind of get hurt players.. some have bad luck and some cant handle their own bodies.. sad..
December 6th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
LakeShow84 says:
And i agree with Hahns lol love the title..
You shouldve thrown in the “Billy”.. who cares its a famous quote lol..
December 6th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
Legend says:
I don’t understand the amount of joy some of these people get when they see Oden get injured or fail….I mean damn,if you’re a fan of basketball, it seems you would want as many great players to succeed as possible. Put your egos aside, who cares who you said should have gone number 1. Greg’s one of the nicest dudes in the league, hope you can climb back from this one big guy!
December 6th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
POPPI GEE says:
I bet Roy Hibbert is looking much better than G.O. right about now lol.
Should have traded dude when he appeared to be valuable.
Now honeslty who gonna want him(G.O.)?
Dude seems more like a Houston Rocket with all the injuries.
Battle of the fragile Yao vs. G.O.
Anyway feel sorry for dude, but Portland should have seen the signs, I mean the rest of the world did.
Houston is doing well in staying in games but they gotta …win them!
Houston Up!
December 6th, 2009 at 4:45 pm
baron says:
No manz
I am from Austin, TX. We saw Durant killin’ records and shtuff @ UT.
So it was obvious to some of us that Durant looked like a relatively sure bet to be some form of TMAC/KG Hybrid with mad range, a sure born assassin on the court. Oden was still a question mark, and didn’t make a more definite impact in college nor the Championship game than Durant did in his season.
History kinda repeats itself with these GM’s convincing themselves that a big man has the potential to be the next Shaq, Duncan, Dirk, whatever. Darko over Wade, Bosh, and Carmelo who looked like the best player in college basketball at the time is all I’m sayin’, and that’s within 5 damn years of the Oden/Durant draft to serve as a recent reminder.
Who do most people consider to be the GOAT? I don’t think he plays Center. If I were a GM I may be more concerned about not drafting the next MJ and making that mistake all over again.
I knew which one I would take, even if it was only for Dynasty Mode on Live.
Don’t doubt it!
December 6th, 2009 at 5:43 pm
flegman says:
poor Black Moses.
December 6th, 2009 at 5:54 pm
. says:
lol at the White Men Can’t Jump reference…props, Dime
December 6th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
iain. says:
White men can’t Jump.. damn that lines been pissing me off all day just remembered where it was from.. Haha
December 6th, 2009 at 7:56 pm
jOv says:
todays smack title looks like a title from a LOST episode
December 6th, 2009 at 10:44 pm
weng santos says:
There’s this 7-foot supposedly physical specimen hard-body and inside he’s actually made of dried pasta for bones and has jello for muscles. He can’t hit a free throw and something’s always broken with him.
Then there’s this kid drafted after him, who’s 6-10 but thinner than a fishing rod, but more durable and lights up the competition on the court. This kid is averaging superstar scorer numbers and is the man on his team.
Life’s not fair like that.
December 6th, 2009 at 11:38 pm
That's what's up says:
Greg O-Done
If it wasn’t for bad luck he’d have no luck at all
December 6th, 2009 at 11:38 pm
AaYyear says:
December 6th, 2009 at 10:44 pm
weng santos says:
There’s this 7-foot supposedly physical specimen hard-body and inside he’s actually made of dried pasta for bones and has jello for muscles. He can’t hit a free throw and something’s always broken with him.
Then there’s this kid drafted after him, who’s 6-10 but thinner than a fishing rod, but more durable and lights up the competition on the court. This kid is averaging superstar scorer numbers and is the man on his team.
^^^^^^^^^^^^LMAO! Classic breakdown.
December 6th, 2009 at 11:39 pm
Singharaj says:
Nice “White Men Can’t Jump” reference Dime.
December 7th, 2009 at 12:32 am
j says:
there was a point in time when jordan got hurt(heel in his second year) and people were saying that bowie looked like a great pick over jordan. Oden still has plenty of time. He will be back. Oden 08 was worth the wait. now its oden in 2,thats what u do
December 7th, 2009 at 1:27 am
sh!tfaced says:
Walton, Bowie, Oden… Bowie over MJ because they already had Clyde, Oden over Durant because they already had Outlaw…??? Ugh. The great Trailblazer tradition.
December 7th, 2009 at 1:29 am
Nevacare says:
Greg Oden=Sam Bowie,I knew since he was in High School he was destined to flop.He lacked the mean streak it takes to be competitive. Its a shame I don’t wish injury on anybody. I just think what if Portland had gotten it right and picked Durant.Wow.@ Big Sia,Magic do look good