Notebook | Oden has "gotten big," Durant says of top pick

PORTLAND — While Greg Oden playfully admonished Kevin Durant for not calling him on Christmas Eve when he arrived to town, the Sonics rookie couldn't help but to marvel at how much the Portland Trail Blazers' top pick had grown since their last meeting.

"Man, you've gotten big," Durant said when the two met in the Rose Garden hallways Tuesday.

Dressed in a ruby red blazer, dress shirt and blue jeans, it was easy to see how the 7-foot, 250-pound center has added weight during his seasonlong recovery from microfracture surgery on his right knee. The Blazers brass were concerned when Oden ballooned from 252 pounds to 282 several weeks ago and told him he doesn't need to add any more weight.

Oden declined to say specifically how much he weighs, but many around the team believe he's about 290 pounds.

"I won't get any bigger, that's for sure," Oden said. "I'm good right now."

The last time Durant and Oden saw each other was during an October exhibition game when Oden was still using crutches.

"It's good seeing him walking around," Durant said. "But he's big though."

Defensive stopper

Given his pedigree, rookie Jeff Green is more apt to win a Defensive MVP award than an MVP award.

Just 28 games into his first season, the Sonics are already beginning to nurture the former Georgetown standout into a defensive stopper who is capable of defending shooting guards, small forwards and power forwards.

"Long range, he's going to be an above-average defender," coach P.J. Carlesimo said. "That's something you can build on. The good news for us is you can put him on anybody. The bad news for him is that's a tough cover. I see him long term as someone who can cover the really good players."

The Sonics are hoping Green develops as a defensive specialist while pushing fellow rookie Durant to hone his offensive skills.

Durant plays Santa

So what do you give the multimillionaire 19-year-old who seemingly has everything?

Belts and hats.

Wanda Pratt showered her son, Durant, with several belts and hats on Christmas.

"She knows what I like to wear," he said. "But she also got me a better present than that. She had all of my family come out for Christmas, and that was better than any other gift."

Durant has about seven to eight family members visiting his Mercer Island home. For the first time in his life, he was able to play Santa to many of his relatives who received assorted pieces of diamond-encrusted jewelry.

"I never really had enough money growing up to buy people anything so it felt good to do that," Durant said.

Notes

• G Earl Watson collected a technical foul with 2:35 remaining in the fourth quarter when he threw the basketball at Portland center Joel Przybilla. The infraction will cost Watson $500.

• Carlesimo and forward Chris Wilcox wore microphones for the ESPN telecast. Said Wilcox: "Some of the guys were calling me a snitch because I'm wearing a wire. ... I never say too much bad stuff, so I'm not worried."

• G Delonte West, who hadn't played since Nov. 30 and missed 10 games because of plantar fasciitis in his right foot, checked in during the second quarter. He played just 2:46 and did not register a statistic.