Greg Oden may not be participating in this weekend's All-Star game, but the Portland Trail Blazers are starting to see why they made him the top overall pick of the draft two years ago.
In their final game before the break, Oden looks to continue his solid play and help the Blazers win their third straight game on Thursday night when they visit the Golden State Warriors, who have not lost at home to Portland in more than four years.After finishing in 10th place in the West in 2007-08, Portland (32-19) has the fourth-best record in the conference this season.
Oden, the No. 1 overall pick in 2007, sat out last season after undergoing microfracture surgery on his right knee but has been a big part of the Blazers' turnaround. He had 16 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots in Wednesday's 106-92 victory over Oklahoma City, after having 17 points, 12 boards and a career-high six blocks in Sunday's 109-108 win over New York.
"Oden is learning how to play in this league," Portland coach Nate McMillan said.
The 7-foot center had 10 points and six rebounds combined in Portland's previous two games - both losses.
The Blazers, who have won seven of nine, are 11-2 when Oden scores at least 13, but one of the losses came against the Warriors (18-35).
Oden had 22 points and 10 rebounds in a 111-106 loss at Golden State on Nov. 18, the Blazers' seventh straight defeat in Oakland.
The Blazers, who beat the Warriors at home 113-100 on Jan. 10, have not won at Golden State since Nov. 3, 2004.
Two-time All-Star Brandon Roy, Portland's only representative this season, is averaging 22.3 points in his last three games against Golden State.
The Warriors have won three straight home games and racked up the highest point total in the NBA this season in their last game at Oracle Arena.
Golden State rolled to a 144-127 victory over defenseless New York on Tuesday, surpassing Orlando's previous high of 139 points.
The Warriors scored 79 points on 27-of-40 shooting in the second half while mostly running just one play, called one-up, which sets up Stephen Jackson for a low-post basket or creates an open jumper for Jamal Crawford or Monta Ellis. Coach Don Nelson thought the Warriors, who had eight players in double figures, must have run it 30 times.
"Until they stopped it, we were going to continue to run it, and they never stopped it," Nelson said. "The extra pass was good for us - 29 assists."
Jackson led the Warriors with a season-high 35 points with 10 assists and six rebounds. Crawford added 21 points and seven assists and Ellis added 17.
While Tuesday's outburst was atypical, Golden State's offense has been tough to slow down at home lately. The Warriors are averaging 128.0 points on 53.2 percent shooting, including 49.2 percent from beyond the arc, during their winning streak there.
Jackson is averaging 29.5 points and 9.8 assists in four home games this month, and had 20 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in Golden State's home win over the Blazers this season. He missed the loss at Portland with a strained right hamstring.
