Tuesday, March 25, 2008

More Duncan, less dunking

ESPN.com's David Thorpe has some advice for the rookies of the NBA: Study the veterans. Thorpe runs down who the top 22 rookies should attempt to emulate in order to improve their games. David's advice to Greg Oden: Check out the Big Fundamental:
When Oden returns next season, we'll all be reminded of just how athletic and big he is. But he's still somewhat raw offensively. So learning the low-post game from the fundamental master, Duncan, would go a long way towards getting Oden closer to being the offensive force he's destined to become. Oden should also mix in some Amare Stoudemire tapes, reminding him that sometimes he can just dominate people with his physical talent.

That's great advice, as long as Oden doesn't try to mimic Tim Duncan's eye-bulging look of disbelief every time he's called for a foul.

Like him or not (and aside from the whining, how could you not like TD?) Tim Duncan has arguably been the most valuable player in the league for the past decade, making him the perfect role model for any aspiring bigman. If Oden, whose athleticism is far and away superior to that of TD's (past or present), could add Duncan's repertoire of bank shots and up-and-under moves to his game, he'd be unstoppable.

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