Greg Oden

Unfortunately, there has to be a negative half of our rookie Mad/Tough Love combo tonight, and that half is Greg Oden.

After sitting out a full season while undergoing microfracture surgery on his right knee, the anticipation of his first NBA game was at an all-time high.

His Blazers have been ranked near the top half of the Western Conference’s playoff contenders by many publications, and much of that has to do with Oden’s return.

It didn’t last long, though.

After only 13 minutes of action, Oden was 0-for-4 from the floor and 0-for-2 from the free throw line on his way to zero points. He did manage to add five rebounds, but that was just before rolling his right ankle badly late in the first half.

After trying to give it a go shortly afterwards, once the game went to the half, Oden was nowhere to be found again. He didn’t return, and the Blazers were blown out by the Lakers 96-76.

As the Blazer Nation worries about their franchise star yet again, the experts were more worried about why Oden couldn’t score from with five feet of the basket, why he couldn’t make free throws and why he wasn’t more of a force on defense as well.

I’m sure the big man will be fine soon enough, but that doesn’t means he escapes today’s helping of TOUGH LOVE.

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