If I were smart, I would've given up candy for Lent. I barely eat it. Instead, masochistic genius that I am, I decided to give up my all-time favorite sports Web site: ESPN.com.
For those of you unfamiliar with this really fantastic 40 days in the Christian calendar, Lent is a period during which a person is supposed to give up something of value to him or her. Most of us give up candy or soda. Unfortunately, I'm either incredibly pious, or just an idiot. Probably the latter. Needless to say, it's been a tough month. No Bill Simmons. No Peter Gammons. Not even any Buster Olney.
In my self-induced month of torture, I've noticed only one truly worthwhile benefit: I've had a lot more time to think. And since I'm a Boston sports fan and have little else on my mind, I'll address the question we all have on our minds: Oden or Durant?
There's a lot of information to make a case for drafting either of the freshman phenoms, assuming the Celtics are bad (or lucky) enough to get the No. 1 pick in the draft.
Anointed by some as the next Bill Russell, Greg Oden has led Ohio State to the Final Four in his first season as a Buckeye. While not yet a dominant offensive force, Oden still averaged 15 points and nine rebounds despite playing most of the year with his dominant right hand in a brace because of wrist surgery during the summer. The injury had the unintended benefit of improving Oden's left hand, though, and he can now finish with both hands around the basket.
Oden's defense is his strong suit. Even when he isn't swatting shots, he's altering them. Watching Ohio State is like watching two teams: one with Oden's presence in the lane, and the other without. With all due respect to Othella Hunter, OSU would have been knocked out of the tourney by the second round if it wasn't for its freshman center.
Kevin Durant, on the other hand, is perhaps even more important to his team, the Texas Longhorns. The 6-foot-9-inch freshman is still getting taller, and he has a pterodactyl-like seven-foot wingspan. Durant has been compared to everyone from Kevin Garnett to Tracy McGrady. What stands out about him is his versatility: if Texas needed a point guard, he could play there. Likewise for any position on the floor.
If I had a vote for the Naismith Award, given to the collegiate player of the year, it would go to Durant. Not only are his numbers phenomenal (26 points and 11 rebounds per game), but he is also more important to his team than any of the other contenders - as witnessed by Texas' second round loss to USC.
This is not to say that either of them is flawless. Both could use another year of college coaching to improve various aspects of their games. But let's be honest with ourselves: the lure of the NBA's millions is pretty strong. Plus, as a Celtics fan, I have to believe that they'll both come out. Otherwise this could be the Tim Duncan nightmare all over again.
But the relevant question isn't who is the better college player - it's who will take the Celtics to a championship. And that's where the debate becomes simple: Celtics general manager Danny Ainge would be a fool not to take Oden, should the ping-pong balls bounce the Celtics' way.
Despite the emergence of smaller athletic lineups in today's NBA, the old adage remains: championships are won in the paint. The quickest way to improve a team is to add a dominant big man, and Greg Oden will be a dominant NBA big man.
This is not to say that Durant won't be a perennial All-Star. I think he will be. But there are far more athletic small forwards in the league right now than there are dominant centers. Carmelo Anthony, KG and T-Mac will all go down as some of the NBA's greatest all-time players. That doesn't mean they're capable of carrying their teams to a title.
Last but certainly not least, Oden fits in much better with the team that the Celtics have been building. Al Jefferson has developed into a 20-10 forward. Pair Jefferson with Oden and the Celtics would have a dominant front line. Throw in Paul Pierce (who's still got it) and Gerald Green (who soon will), and the Men in Green will be primed for a title run in the next five years, assuming everyone develops as they should.
If the Celtics end up with Durant, you won't hear me crying foul. But trust me: Oden is absolutely the smarter pick.
