As expected, Oden is going through rookie growing pains. He doesn’t have a signature offensive move and that’s what he’s trying to develop. He has been working hard on his low-post game. He likes the jump hook, but he still hasn’t become consistent with it so therefore there are games where offensively he looks lost.

Defensively is where Oden is making his most immediate impact. He rebounds, he alters shots, he blocks shots and he’s under the basket with a better-than-fair chance to clean up mistakes or misfires by the Blazers’ perimeter players. He does have an issue with foul trouble on the defensive end and that’s a key part of his game that he must work on.

Veteran Steve Blake has done a steady job at the point. At small forward the Blazers may have a find in rookie Nicolas Batum, who came over from France. He could be a player if he can stay out on the floor. He’s got great footspeed, quickness and length. Also, he’s a decent perimeter player, but he’s not a guy who is beating opponents off the dribble.

The Blazers have a productive bench led by Rudy Fernandez, who is in his first NBA season after starring in Spain. The hype surrounding Fernandez had him being compared to Manu Ginobili. He brings activity onto the court and plays exceptionally well without the ball. He’s constantly on the move and he can make shots. Where most international players come over and struggle from the start, Fernandez has come into the NBA and played at a level that has pretty much matched the hype surrounding his arrival.

Other key contributors are Joel Przybilla and Travis Outlaw. A reserve who has been disappointing is Channing Frye, whose game appears to be going in reverse. He’s not the same player he was with the Knicks and his confidence is lagging.

The Blazers are the NBA’s second-youngest team behind the Warriors. Oden is learning to adjust to the pro game and his teammates are learning to adjust to playing with him. While there is no question they need experience, the Blazers could find that youth serves them well this season — well enough that their improvement over the course of the schedule lands them in the playoffs.

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