Oden vs. Durant

[endzoneBucki]

I'm going to inject my 2 cents. Clearly Durant is great player, but unless you feel you can project him to be on MJs level of dominance how can you take him over Oden? MJ is the, one count them: one, dominant wing player who won without a dominant big man. Even if you're projecting Durant as Lebron, Kobe, McGrady they haven't won anything without a big man. On the other hand if you t think Oden can be Duncan you can put quality players like Ginobili and Parker around and are more likely to win a championship.

It is simple enough, if you want interior play and Rebounds take Greg, if you want scoring and playmaking take Durant

 

[zBuckeye10z]

Ok this is what I have to say about the Center position. The center on the basketball court is mainly used to be an inside player. He gets rebounds, easy buckets, and dunks. The reason you have guards is for the outside shot. Obviously Oden is more of an inside guy and does his job as a center. As for Durant, he isnt a true center. If he wants to shoot outside more, be more of a Lebron James and work on guard play. But if you list as a center, play as a center

 

[MaxBuck]

As for Durant, he isnt a true center.

No, he is a small forward. I have not heard anyone posit that Durant could play center. He could probably, though, play any of the 2, 3, 4 positions.

 

[OregonBuckeye]

SI.com is having a lovefest with Durant.

 

[osugrad21]

Link

Oden or Durant: Which one's better?

FRESHMEN PROVE DOMINANCE DESPITE DIFFERENT STYLES

By Jeff Shelman

MCCLATCHY NEWS SERVICE

The best debates are often the ones that lack a right answer. Stuff like: Is figure skating a sport? Deep dish or thin crust? Gorilla or grizzly bear?
Here's a new one: Oden or Durant?
When this basketball season began, there was little question of the freshman hierarchy. Ohio State center Greg Oden was No. 1, Texas wing Kevin Durant was No. 2.
Things, since then, have become a bit muddled.
There was Oden missing seven games because of off- season wrist surgery and playing with a brace on his shooting hand. There was Durant recording six 30-plus-point performances since the beginning of the Big 12 season. Oden plays on a balanced Ohio State team that has four players averaging in double figures and is ranked second nationally. Durant, by contrast, has almost singlehandedly carried the Longhorns this season.
So which is it? Oden or Durant?

Cont'd...

 

[Thump]

If I was starting a team, I'd draft Oden 11 out of 10 times b/c of his defense and altering of nearly 80% of the shots on the floor.

Lots of immeasurables with Oden.

 

[BB73]

Sorry I missed all of that good discussion last week.

I haven't seen the comparison of Durant to Kevin Garnett mentioned in the last few pages of the thread. He seems like a mix of Garnett and T-Mac to me. But his reported 7'6" wingspan will make him more valuable on defense than most wing players.

Oden's ability to use either hand will make him an effective offensive threat in the NBA. We still haven't seen what he can do with a healthy right hand.

Oden does need to get better at hedging (or showing) on screens and getting back to his man. He'll see that all day long in the NBA, with many more pick-n-pop guys.

I'd have to take Oden for an NBA team, though. I think the ability to plug the middle, and pose a serious inside scoring threat is still more valuable in today's NBA. Even with the 3-point line and and the revised rules on hand-checking in the "evolved" NBA.

 

[BuckeyeNation27]

Pistons...is Wallace a classic 5 as defined? Last year's Heat? That was Wade's show. The Bulls dynasty? Who was their dominant 5?

I'll give you Duncan...he is dominant, but he could also run a 4 all day.

I would hardly call it "undeniable." JO says its a big man's game...I agree, but the big men are now doing things that they couldn't do 20 years ago...that is what I call evolution of the game. An old school 5 is a rarity because most of them can morph from 3-5 depending on the lineup.

call my girlfriend a slut all you want, but downplay the importance of Bill Wennington and Luc Longly? That's the line.

 

[BB73]

call my girlfriend a slut all you want, but downplay the importance of Bill Wennington and Luc Longly? That's the line.

Don't forget Will Perdue and Stacey King. (I'm giving Cartwright a little credit).

 

[billmac91]

i still don't understand the comparisons to McGrady w/ Durant..they aren't even close to the same player....I think Durant will become very effective in the NBA.....His body will continue to develop and he'll be able to defend at the 3 or 4 at the next level...the guy is extremely athletic and will create so many mis-matches

 

[Mike80]

i still don't understand the comparisons to McGrady w/ Durant..they aren't even close to the same player....I think Durant will become very effective in the NBA.....His body will continue to develop and he'll be able to defend at the 3 or 4 at the next level...the guy is extremely athletic and will create so many mis-matches

Actually they are very similar, especially right now with Durant's style of play. The only real difference is that Durant is an inch taller and Texas doesn't run the offense through him like the Rockets do McGrady.

 

[osugrad21]

call my girlfriend a slut all you want, but downplay the importance of Bill Wennington and Luc Longly? That's the line.

Slut...

 

[billmac91]

McGrady handles the ball like a PG, and plays mostly on the perimeter...Durant plays out of the post and does a great job on the offesnive glass but also plays on the perimeter very well....Durant is definately more versatile than McGrady, and plays inside a whole lot more.....I don't think theres a superstar in the league that you can really say Durant plays like...the guy is 6'10 and can play just about any position on the court..i'm more inclined to call him Garnett with more range than McGrady without the same handle, even a Dirk comparison makes more sense than McGrady

 

[Mike80]

McGrady handles the ball like a PG, and has a great handle and perimeter gane...Durant plays out of the post and does a great job on the offesnive glass but also plays on the perimeter verey well....Durant is definately more versatile than McGrady, and plays inside a whole lot more.....I don't theres a superstar in the league that you can really say Durant plays like...the guy is 610 and can play just about any position on the court..i'm more inclined to call him Garnett with more range than McGrady without the same handle....maybe a Tim Thomas but less slashing more jump shooting

Durant plays the post?

Since when?

It seems to me that he's all over the floor, not just on the post.....

And he isn't 6'10" either.

 

[zincfinger]

Durant plays the post?

Since when?

It seems to me that he's all over the floor, not just on the post.....

And he isn't 6'10" either.

I think what billmac was saying is essentially the same as what you're saying. Durant plays out of the post at times, but also plays the perimeter well, i.e. he's all over the floor. In that sense, his best comparison would probably be to Magic, although he doesn't have Magic's ball-handling and passing ability. At least not yet.