The Portland Trailblazer center Greg Oden has showed a bit more consistency, but not quite enough.

Granted he was injured last year and has returned this year to the court to mixed results, but as a rookie one notices he has some merits. The Portland Trailblazers are hardly the best team in the league but have playoff hopes; with potential MVP candidate Brandon Roy injured, the team needs Oden to produce. The Western Conference is too tough for a team to go on a prolonged losing streak or even lose a few games and not find themselves far out the playoff picture. Yesterday, they lost to the LA Lakers 100-86. The Lakers are one of the NBA’s best teams and even though rookie Nicolas Batum scored 17 points, the Blazers need consistent scoring from Oden if they are to take the next step. He can do it. Blazers fans everywhere are hoping he does.

If you’ve glanced at the Portland Trail Blazers’ roster recently, you’ll know why a lot of NBA fanatics believe that the Blazers may be the next dynasty in basketball. Sure, their championships aren’t going to start pouring in this year, but all the pieces seem to be in place for multiple titles over the next decade.

Here are five reasons why the Blazers may become the NBA’s next dynasty:

1. Bigmen in the Middle - Greg Oden and LaMarcus Aldridge
To date, Oden’s career has been a disappointment. He missed his entire rookie season after undergoing microfracture surgery on his knee. This season, in his second attempt at a rookie season, he got injured in the first quarter of the first game. The sprained foot is to keep him out at least another couple of weeks. All that said, Oden has the body and the talent to become a dominant center in the NBA who could be a dominant defensive force. Next to him will be LaMarcus Aldridge, who has a chance to become one of the best power forwards in the NBA.

2. Superstar Wing – Brandon Roy
Roy is one of the most talented players in the league – and hardly anyone knows his name. Capable of playing point guard, shooting guard or small forward, Roy’s all-around game is breathtaking and he’s already proven to be a clutch performer. Whether he’s scoring in an isolation play or setting up his teammates, he is a player who continually makes an impact when he’s on the court.

3. International Greatness
The Blazers scouts have searched Europe in the last few years and they’ve now landed two very good players in Rudy Fernandez and Nicolas Batum. Fernandez is a player in the mold of Manu Ginobili of the San Antonio Spurs, while Batum is the second coming of Tayshaun Prince of the Detroit Pistons. Although they are both rookies this season, expect Fernandez and Batum to blossom in short order.

4. Athletic Role Players
The NBA continues to draw more and more athleticism to its game. The Blazers are ahead of the curve when it comes to stockpiling a roster full of athletes. Small forward Travis Outlaw is an athletic freak who has an expanded repertoire of skills. Martell Webster mixes athleticism and three-point accuracy.

5. Sideline Sensations
Coach Nate McMillan is one of the best basketball minds on the planet. Even though he’s only 44, McMillan has a lot of head coaching experience and is regarded as one of the premier coaches in the NBA. Not only does McMillan rule the sidelines, but the Blazers also have quite a bit of other Steamy Sports approved talent on the sidelines, as you can see in the picture below.

There is no denying that Greg Oden of the Portland Trail Blazers can potentially be a great NBA player. He’s tall, he’s strong, he’s thick, he’s athletic, he can jump and he’s relatively light on his feet. And, as you can see in the picture below, Oden is also quite good with the ladies – a trait we applaud here at SteamySports.

The problem with Oden is he can’t stay healthy. In his one year at Ohio State, he hurt his wrist and missed a large portion of the season. After being drafted first overall in the 2007 NBA Draft, Oden couldn’t even make it out of the summer unscathed. He suffered a knee injury that forced him to undergo microfracture surgery and miss the season.

This year, Oden was back and looking to get his rookie season off to a good start. He played decently well in preseason, but everyone was waiting for his regular season debut against the defending Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers. However, less than three minutes into the game, Oden hurt his foot.

After limping around the court for much of the first half, Oden would stay in the locker room at halftime. He had an x-ray on his foot that proved to be inconclusive. Right now, the Blazers are calling it a foot sprain.

Although Oden may just be experiencing a lot of bad luck, it might be time to wonder if he’s ever going to withstand the rigors of the NBA season. He’s yet to play three healthy minutes in the NBA. It seems like he’s getting hurt almost constantly.

Can Oden become the NBA star he was destined to be or will he be remembered as potential wasted? Oden still has time but right now it’s not looking good for him or the Trail Blazers.