Horforf vs. Oden

[Wurider05]

What do you guys think about them so far? Horf has the better EFF at this point in time. But he plays more minutes due to Oden's foul trouble.

Greg Oden

2008-09 Statistics

PPG 9.0

RPG 7.2

APG 0.7

SPG 0.5

BPG 1.1

FG% 0.568

FT% 0.634

3P% 0.000

MPG 22.9

AL Horford

2008-09 Statistics

PPG 10.4

RPG 8.4

APG 2.5

SPG 0.7

BPG 1.5

FG% 0.518

FT% 0.724

3P% 0.000

MPG 31.9

[High5]

Oden is going to be a monster if injuries don't destroy his career.

[JackB1]

Oden is going to be a monster if injuries don't destroy his career.

All other things being equal, I would take Al in a heartbeat due to these things:

-his winning attitude

-his basketball smarts

-his work ethic

-the intangibles he brings to the locker room...his enthusiasm, etc.

[Chris18]

I'll take Al because Oden can't stay healthy.

[tonegully]

I'll take Al because Oden can't stay healthy.

Oden is trash.

[capstone21]

Oden is trash.

Oden is starting to figure it out. He is figuring out how to score and rebound to go along with his d.

I like Al but I think Oden is going to be the true all star.

[TheTruth]

Cant argue with that. I like Al, I really do, but I dont see him ever becoming an All-Star.

Oden likely will if he can just stay healthy.

[tonegully]

Nope will be bust. Mainly because of the injuries. I dont give him 5 years until is a nobody.

[NJHAWK]

There was no doubt and still is no doubt in my mind that Oden will be a bust in terms of what people projected him to be. I always saw nothing more than a defensive role player who at his ceiling would be a Mutumbo type but I dont even think he will ever be that good. He wasnt anything special in college but he sure did get alot of hype.

[DrReality]

Al would be a different player if he had a true big to play with him.

And Oden is UGLY.

[capstone21]

There was no doubt and still is no doubt in my mind that Oden will be a bust in terms of what people projected him to be. I always saw nothing more than a defensive role player who at his ceiling would be a Mutumbo type but I dont even think he will ever be that good. He wasnt anything special in college but he sure did get alot of hype.

He already has better offensive skills then Mutumbo

[NJHAWK]

He already has better offensive skills then Mutumbo

Better than Deke right now, well yeah deke is like 50 now. However during his career Deke had a solid post game which was ugly but very effective, which is better than anything Oden has shown so far. Oden still has alot of time so we will see.

[capstone21]

Better than Deke right now, well yeah deke is like 50 now. However during his career Deke had a solid post game which was ugly but very effective, which is better than anything Oden has shown so far. Oden still has alot of time so we will see.

no I mean ever. Deke had a terrible post game. He was a rebounder/defender but his game was ugly

[crimedog]

Al would be a different player if he had a true big to play with him.

And Oden is UGLY.

Interesting, how do you mean?

The way I see it is that if he were playing with a "true big" who played in the post, Al would get even fewer touches down low than he gets now (which isn't very many) because this "true big" would need the space. Defensively, he'd probably benefit but I think Al has as much trouble with KG as he does Dwight Howard.

Al is a quality player, but I don't know why people expect that he would suddenly become a different player if he were next to someone who would reduce his role.

[BusBoyIsBack]

Oh how times have changed.

Remembering everyone whining when we got the 3rd pick over the top 2?

[HawksFan87]

I'd take AL all day everyday.. Even though I am a huge Oden fan.. He's been hurt a lot..

[tonegully]

I think AL will get better. He should link up with Ewing or Duncan and learn from some of the best during the offseason. If he puts in the work in off season he could be a force next year.

[frankthetank966]

Before the draft I called in a local Atlanta radio (680 The Fan) and suggested that Horford was the best center in the draft and the Hawks would take him and move him to C rather than PF. I compared him to players like Amare and Boozer (who occasionaly plays C) and was laughed at. I still think he will be the better C.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

There was no doubt and still is no doubt in my mind that Oden will be a bust in terms of what people projected him to be. I always saw nothing more than a defensive role player who at his ceiling would be a Mutumbo type but I dont even think he will ever be that good. He wasnt anything special in college but he sure did get alot of hype.

I tell you what NJ. People can say what they want, but you're looking like a genius right now. Because your description of Oden from 2 years ago is exactly on point right now, even when he is healthy.

Most of your great big men, were great right from their rookie seasons. There was no "learning curve" when they came into the league. They immeadiately stepped in and dominated.

The injuries are definitely limiting what he can do. But like Horford, it wasn't like Oden was a dominant offensive force to begin with. NBA centers aren't going to let you get point blank at the rim all the time . . unless you're as powerful as Shaq, and can move them out of your way. Oden might have to put on 30 - 40 lbs, to be a truly dominant force on the inside.

But you seem to be right NJ. Oden is looking more like Mutumbo-lite, than anything else.

[crimedog]

I tell you what NJ. People can say what they want, but you're looking like a genius right now. Because your description of Oden from 2 years ago is exactly on point right now, even when he is healthy.

Most of your great big men, were great right from their rookie seasons. There was no "learning curve" when they came into the league. They immeadiately stepped in and dominated.

The injuries are definitely limiting what he can do. But like Horford, it wasn't like Oden was a dominant offensive force to begin with. NBA centers aren't going to let you get point blank at the rim all the time . . unless you're as powerful as Shaq, and can move them out of your way. Oden might have to put on 30 - 40 lbs, to be a truly dominant force on the inside.

But you seem to be right NJ. Oden is looking more like Mutumbo-lite, than anything else.

Just as a counterpoint, which great pivots in history came into the league after one year or less in college and immediately produced? Pat, Zo, Hakeem, Shaq, Duncan, Walton, KAJ, Malone, McHale, Parish, and Admiral all played 3 or 4 years in college. Even Webber played 2.

Yao and Pau played pro-ball before they came.

If we are talking purely about "learning curve" its not really fair to judge Bynum, Oden, Howard, Garnett, etc. to any of those guys except Moses Malone, who was very nasty in the ABA from the get go.

So if we want to talk about "learning curve", especially offensively, how far behind Dwight is Oden this season? Answer would be he's ahead of him actually, draws fouls at the same rate but scores at a higher %... just plays fewer minutes.

Now it is a very very very legitimate question about whether or not he'll ever be healthy enough to play a full season or whether knee and ankle injuries will destroy his career. Still though, comparing his skill to a rookie Tim Duncan is like wondering why Kobe wasn't as skilled as Ray Ray his first year in the league. They started their pro-careers at different points on the learning curve.