Oden vs. Durant

[endzoneBucki]

Originally Posted by t_BuckeyeScott

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]

Originally Posted by zBuckeye10z

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.