Portland center Greg Oden has been labeled as a "lemon" and a "bust" because of his extreme injury woes, and defended his heart and desire recently.

"I get portrayed wrongly, like I don't have a heart," Oden said. "But I sit there and I try to explain to people what is going on, and it's like they aren't listening to me."

Oden has often defended the severity of the pain he's feeling in his knee, unsure whether or not people are believing him.

"I don't know how else to put it: There's a difference between sore and painful, and this is painful," Oden said.

He's prepared to play through the pain, but he can't run as fast or jump as high, and he's worried about his effectiveness.

"Look, I'm tired of sitting; I want to get out there," Oden said. "But damn, if I did go out there and play, it may be worse having me out there. They'd be playing four-on-five most of the time."