Oden still battling foul, sinus troubles

This time, Greg Oden avoided fouling out. But it was close.

The 7-foot rookie center, who fouled out Friday in his debut with the Portland Trail Blazers, got whistled nine times Sunday during a 27-minute stint in his second NBA Summer League game as the Blazers lost to Dallas 72-68 at Cox Pavilion.

Oden still is incurring the wrath of the referees and came close to picking up disqualifications in back-to-back games. In the summer league, a player is eliminated after his 10th foul.

"The guys who've played tell me it's not like that in the regular season," Oden said. "The referees are out there trying new stuff, so all I have to do is still play physical but be smart about it."

Despite the foul trouble, he played much more relaxed Sunday, scoring 13 points, grabbing five rebounds and blocking four shots.

"I felt more comfortable out there, but we lost, so it really doesn't matter," Oden said. "I'm all about winning, so whatever I do individually, it really doesn't matter."

Oden, who has been battling a sinus infection since he arrived Thursday, said he has had problems breathing, and that could be cutting into his energy level and making him susceptible to reaching and collecting a few cheap fouls.

"I'm definitely not 100 percent (physically)," Oden said. "But it's no excuse. I just have to be smarter out there and not foul. I know everyone's going to be coming for me because I'm the No. 1 pick. I have to be ready to bring it."

• NO DREAM SHOWDOWN -- The highly anticipated battle between Oden and fellow rookie Kevin Durant scheduled for next Sunday will have to wait until the regular season. When the Blazers and Seattle SuperSonics play each other at Cox Pavilion on the final day of the summer league, Oden will be in Los Angeles attending the ESPY Awards. Oden is set to be a presenter for the Gatorade Player of the Year award.

• FIRST WIN -- The Chinese National Team, which is competing in the summer league and has struggled, had its best effort to date, getting a turnaround bank shot in the key from Yi Jianlian with four-tenths of a second left to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers, 85-84.

The Chinese squad (1-2), which will play the New York Knicks at 7 p.m. Tuesday, will be honored tonight at a dinner sponsored by the Las Vegas World Affairs Council.