NBA NOTEBOOK: Oden Struggling to Stay Healthy

Greg Oden has to be the biggest league tragedy in recent history. He hasn’t lived up to expectations of being a future top center for the NBA.

            After just returning from season-ending surgery, he is expected to miss another two to four weeks with a sprained foot. Oden just can’t catch a break. It couldn’t have happened to someone least deserving either as he has been very humble about playing in the NBA.

            But injuries don’t care about what type of person you are.

            Hopefully Oden can play this season. The Portland Trailblazers are sure going to need him. Without Oden, the Blazers are with a bunch of lanky big-men who aren’t real centers.

            For now, Portland will likely have LaMarcus Aldridge and Channing Frye upfront. Both are solid post players. When Oden comes back, it would be in Blazers coach Nate McMillan’s best interest to treat his No. 1 pick from last season with kid gloves.

            For the first few months of the season, he doesn’t need to play more than 20 minutes a game. Portland fans may want Oden to play 40 minutes a game, but he first needs to prove that he can stay healthy.

            If you picked Oden in your Rookie of the Year pool, you likely aren’t going to be happy with his results. Even if he starts, it’s going to take awhile for him to shake off the uneasiness that players have when they are hurt so often.

            Knicks having buyer’s remorse over Curry

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