"I've felt really good out there," Oden said. "They still haven't thrown me into playing every game, but I play every other game and every other day. Getting out there just got me really excited for when the season starts."

--In a recent column, NBA writer Charley Rosen puts Nate McMillan in the company of such luminaries Gregg Popovich, Phil Jackson and Jerry Sloan among the NBA's top coaches.

"By virtue of his dignity, his honesty, his insistence on team play with an emphasis on defense, his talent for developing young players and his ability to make both in-game and between-game adjustments, McMillan is not-so-quietly building a potential dynasty in Portland. In fact, McMillan is destined to become the outstanding coach of his generation."

QUOTE TO NOTE: "Trust me, this guy comes in and works, and works, and works. I'm convinced that, in the long run, (missing all of) last season will help him. It was a great training year for him, it helped him get a handle on his diet and it allowed him to understand time management. He's a rookie with a year of experience behind him." -- Portland strength and conditioning coach Bobby Medina, on Greg Oden.