Le Basketbawl

If you are a regular here at “The House That New York Vinnie Built” Le Basketbawl then you are well aware of my lack of faith in Portland Trail Blazers center Greg Oden to be able to stay healthy for an entire NBA season. The man that New York Vinnie has dubbed “MR. RICKETS” is just one play away from a major injury in my opinion. It is not that New York Vinnie is a “Hater“; if Oden can stay on the floor for all 82 games he has the capability of being a dominant center.

However given his track record of missing his entire rookie season and a good chunk of last season as well as breaking his right arm his one year at Ohio State University New York Vinnie is to say the least skeptical. Now Oden did have a very good preseason; he showed enough that he will be in the starting line-up Tuesday night when the Blazers start the NBA season against the Houston Rockets.

Even though Oden showed he had improved on the offensive end of the floor “The Oregonian” says that Portland head coach Nate McMillan wants his center to concentrate on keeping the opponents from scoring. The Blazers bench boss told reporters “I want Greg to establish us on the defensive end of the floor. 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 position and Greg to focus on establishing our defense; covering that basket, rebounding that ball … really being a monster in the paint.”

There is no question if Oden can stay healthy he could fulfill that role for the Trail Blazers. In the current era of the NBA there is Dwight Howard; and then everybody else. A healthy Oden instead of another year of ”MR. RICKETS” could prove to be the best center in the NBA Western Conference.

Oden told the paper he appreciates the fact that his team has shown patience with him over the first two years of his NBA career. The center said “It takes time. 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.”

Seems like he’s got a pretty good head on his shoulders. Now if he can just keep the shoulders on down in one piece he could begin his process of catching up. And New York Vinnie could retire the name “MR. RICKETS.”