Greg Oden Makes Strong NBA Debut

Over a year in the making but center Greg Oden has finally played basketball as a Portland Trailblazer. A Rose Garden crowd of over 19,000 gave the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 draft a standing ovation.  Then big No. 52 gave the fans a dunk just two minutes into the game—the Blazers’ first basket of the night. Oden didn’t play last year after undergoing microfracture surgery on his right knee. The former Buckeye finished the Blazers’ first preseason game with 13 points, five rebounds, two blocks, two assists and one turnover.  He played just under 20 minutes.  Oden shot five for eight from the field and four of his five makes were dunks. The fans booed every time he committed one of his four personal fouls. Brandon Roy, who had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in August, had 14 points and seven assists in 23 minutes.  Spanish guard Rudy Fernandez was effective on the defensive end and flashy on the offensive end.  In 20 minutes, ... (link)