http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/sports/ 121790850650380.xml&coll=7 Big man's small step The Blazers center is impressive at times and has no problems with his knee in a full-contact workout TUALATIN -- The rehabilitation of Greg Oden and his right knee is officially over. Now, it's all about basketball. So on Monday, the Blazers' 2007 No. 1 overall draft pick who missed all of last season because of a knee injury, began the latest and most significant step in his comeback. He practiced for the first time in full-contract drills, going up against teammate Channing Frye for 45 minutes at the Blazers' practice facility in Tualatin. For moments, it was awe-inspiring. Early in the workout, Oden took a long stride and ripped at the rim with such ferocity that the shot clock mounted on the backboard shook for more than five seconds punctuating one of his dunks. "I've got tingles," assistant general manager Tom Penn said from his courtside seat. And for longer stretches Monday, it became evident that Oden still has a ways to go before he becomes the dominant force so many Blazers fans envision. The workout, Oden's first against an NBA player since he had season-ending knee surgery last September, revealed that he was decidedly out of game shape. "It just lets you know that I'm not ready to play 82 games right exactly now," a sweat-drenched Oden said. "But if I keep working, I'm eventually going to get there." Nobody with the Blazers was alarmed at Oden's lack of stamina; in fact, it was to be expected. For the past five months, Oden has been on bikes, in pools and on treadmills, but none of that simulates the rigors and demands of playing NBA basketball. "He is in great shape, but he is not in basketball condition," team athletic trainer Jay Jensen said. "He has done everything we have asked, and he has done it hard. But now, it's time to start picking up the pace." Jensen said Oden's recovery has gone very well, particularly because there have been limited instances of pain and no evidence of swelling in the right knee. "His knee looks really good," said Jensen, who also supervised the microfracture rehabilitations of former Blazers Zach Randolph and Darius Miles. The Blazers are less than two months from training camp, during which they expect Oden, 20, to be ready to go full speed, albeit with designated days off to rest his knee. Jensen said Oden will train this month against one, two and three players. By September, the plan is to allow him to play in five-on-five scrimmages, when the rest of the Blazers begin reporting to Portland. What the players and, eventually, fans will see is a 7-foot center who can run like a small forward, move laterally like a power forward and display power like few have seen in this league. It's why Blazers Frye and Steve Blake, not to mention Penn and several other team employees, stopped by to see Oden's workout. "It is an amazing phenomenon, what's going on here with him," said lead assistant Dean Demopoulos, who is running Oden's workouts. "It's a good thing." Hits first three jumpers Slowly and methodically, Oden sauntered onto the practice court for the 10:30 a.m. workout. He shot jumpers, making his first three, and chit-chatted with Frye before the intense and high-strung Demopoulos arrived on the court. "OK, we ready to go?" Demopoulos asked, not waiting for an answer. Oden shrugged his shoulders indifferently, clearly not motivated about the workout ahead of him. Although he would quickly snap out of his lethargy -- Demopoulos forced him to -- Oden sometimes appeared like he was off in his own world, disinterested in the jack-hammer instructions coming from Demopoulos. It was a stark contrast to the mood Oden described later, when asked what he was thinking about as he was dropped off at the facility by his cousin, Chris. "Ready to get some work in, that's what I think every day," Oden said. "Just trying to get myself better. You know, just getting ready for the season. I'm looking forward to it more than anybody else. I put a lot more pressure on myself -- like you see when I miss a layup or something like that -- I think about it worse than anybody else. That's just what is on my mind always -- get myself ready and good when the season comes." From Day One with the Blazers, Oden has carried himself in a casual or relaxed manner, and nobody with the team seemed overly concerned with his demeanor during the workout. In fact, the rap on Oden at Ohio State was that he would often look disinterested in warmups and practices but would snap out of it when the game started. Penn, for one, said Oden looked good Monday. "The important thing is he's moving well and he has the same explosiveness and athleticism as he did before the surgery," Penn said. Oden's most impressive stretch came early in the workout, when Demopoulos instructed Frye to lob passes near the rim as Oden filled the lane. "Everything is a dunk, Greg!" Demopoulos shouted. "Everything is a dunk!" Oden obliged, catching the passes in midair and finishing with mostly soft one-handed dunks. Occasionally, however, he unleashed a violent two-handed dunk, which raised the eyebrows of Demopoulos, Frye and Penn. "That's some nasty stuff," Penn said. "And we're not even going full speed." Midway through the workout, Oden had to be prodded more and more. He often rested his hands on his knees, and several times had to be reminded where to go, all while the superbly conditioned Frye dashed and darted around the court. On one occasion Frye bee-lined toward the basket and was met by an outstretched Oden. The collision resulted in the 6-11, 245-pound Frye barreling backward while Oden held his ground. "That's a big boy, man," Frye said, smiling and shaking his head. Despite his moments, Oden acknowledged that Monday's workout was an adjustment. "That was the first day, and it was different from what I was doing," Oden said. "There was a lot more running around, a lot more pick-and-roll stuff. But it gave me a look at where I'm at right now." After the workout, Demopoulos met with Penn, who was the highest-ranking Blazers official at the workout. General manager Kevin Pritchard is vacationing in Los Angeles, and coach Nate McMillan is in China, where he is serving as an assistant coach with the U.S. Olympic team. Demopoulos started his conversation with Penn by saying, "He's got a ways to go, but (it was) good for a first workout." Later, Demopoulos admitted he could have made Oden look better by making the workout easier. But the point, Demopoulos said, is not to make Oden look good, but rather to make Oden become good. "It's a work in progress," Demopoulos said. He's stronger than ever -- 恭喜Oden恢復訓練 Oden的一小步 拓荒者的一大步 --

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