Training Camp Countdown: Keeping Marcus Camby Healthy Written by Nick Poust Monday, 27 September 2010 00:00 After being traded to the Portland Trail Blazers, Marcus Camby brought the size, rebounding, and defense their depleted team had lacked with Greg Oden and Joel Przybilla on the sidelines nursing season-ending injuries. Juwan Howard was forced to masquerade as a center prior to Camby’s arrival, and performed admirably. Now, with Howard in Miami, Przybilla’s future in doubt, and uncertainty surrounding Oden's return, the team would have the most difficult of uphill climbs if Camby went down. After his acquisition in mid-February, Camby put up numbers the Blazers expected, averaging seven points, 11 rebounds, and two blocks per game in helping secure the playoffs sixth seed. He was as important to their success as anyone, and he should be again, barring injury. Injury: a word that was attached to far too many Blazers last season. Too many are still injured, as Oden isn’t even playing basketball yet and Przybilla hopes to return in November. Even when Camby is joined by that duo, Oden has never shown to be durable and who knows how effective Przybilla can be coming off a twice-ruptured patella tendon. That doubt leaves the Blazers with Camby, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Jeff Pendergraph as frontcourt depth. Aldridge has bulked up this offseason and Pendergraph is a very physical player, but Portland can’t afford to rely solely on those two. This is why keeping Camby healthy is possibly the most important thing for the Blazers this season. If Portland would have re-signed Howard they wouldn’t be in this position. He was one of their more valuable players. He didn’t put up big numbers, but he was a dependable, fiery veteran who could hit a 15-foot jumper and foul hard when need be. Now, in the event of an injury to Camby, Portland would need to trade a young player for a replacement if Oden and Przybilla can’t stay on the floor. And, pickings would be slim on the trade market, as good, available centers are hard to come by during the season. Clearly, they need either Oden or Przybilla to give Camby a break from time to time. He can’t play 40 minutes a night. Last season showed that Portland needs a low-post presence to reach the next level. The guards and shooting forwards found ways to create space, but having someone who demands attention down low forces defenses to converge and leaves scorers open enough to solidly contribute. Since Przybilla isn’t much of an offensive player, that guy could be Oden, who has developed some consistent post moves. Chad Buchannan, their team director of college scouting, hopes Oden can play 60-65 games this year. If he does that and is healthy for the postseason, Portland can make some serious noise. But that’s a big if. That’s the problem. And if Camby goes down, Portland has an even bigger problem on their hands. http://www.beyondthebeat.net/ 大意： 拓荒者這季的首要任務，保持福祿壽之一的Camby健康。走掉了福祿壽之一的朱王 又面臨開季只有三隻內線的窘境。加上老的老、小的小，還有一隻往外跑。 Camby的健康左右著當前拓荒者的命根子。 之後可能還是需要補根大棒子，萬一之後Oden跟大P有什麼三長兩短，Camby他老人家 可經不起每場40分鐘這樣操。 有錯再麻煩各位指教哩 -- http://blazersdesktop.pixnet.net/album/folder/14835809 拓仔桌布專區 --

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