If you're not on the L-Train, what are you waiting for?

Since December 1st, with a road victory versus LAL and followed with home wins against IND and OKC, Aldridge has been on a tear. It was the OKC game LA heard his first “MVP” chants of the season.

Aldridge is averaging exactly 1 minute per game less than he did last season, and his numbers since Dec 1st have been the best stretch of his career:

25.1 PPG .489 FG% .848 FT% 12.4 RPG 3.4 APG 1.01 BPG

 

Those are amazing numbers.

In with the obligatory: Suck It, Hatrs!!1!

 

http://www.oregonsportsnews.com/tea...marcus-aldridge-is-a-legit-mvp-candidate.html

LaMarcus Aldridge is a legit MVP candidate

 

What? I've almost never seen fans do that during games I've watched. According to that quote, it happens at every game, in every arena? Huh?

 

@ Brian

Sometimes I think the team gets too carried away with trying to establish LA in the post, especially when there's a hot hand like Dame or Wes that should probably be getting the ball. With that said, I think this is all part of Stott's plan because he wants LA to fill the same role that Dirk filled on the championship Mavs team. The problem is that Dirk is a much better outside shooter.

 

Does saying "29-9" work in this argument?

 

Let me put it this way.... I would rather have Dirk shooting jumpers for my team than LA.

 

I just figured LaMarcus doesn't get offensive rebounds because he's not in position to get them because that's not how the offense is designed. Although I'll admit, when the game is on the line, he is often the one down there in the trenches digging them out.

As for not increasing the team's offensive efficiency because his jump shots aren't very efficient, I figured making Aldridge the focal point is by design to open up the offense for our highly efficient three point shooters and offensive rebounders. In that sense I figure he's indirectly helping to increase efficiency.

 

+1 To everything Brian wrote.

I haven't wanted to harp on it too much (mainly just in game threads) because there are very few people that are receptive to the message. But also because I'm still holding out a small amount of hope that we'll see a change after the All Star break. I can understand "taking it easy" for the first half of the season so that we're not beat up going into the POs. But something that's concerning is that on the rare occasion when LMA does go to work in the paint his moves don't look good, and often result in a badly missed shot. It makes sense - he's out of practice. We're going to need him to push that FG% up above 50% and increase his FTA if we're going to have success in the POs. But first he needs to reorient himself with the inside game.

I'll add that I've noticed significant improvement in his defense. He still doesn't rotate on help-D very well, but his man-D has definitely gotten better. It's great that both his rebounding and man-D have improved, but otherwise he has actually regressed.

 

This just has never made any sense to me. How does an 18' jump shooter open up space for 23' jump shooters? Wouldn't it be far more effective, in both FG% AND creating space, to have him close to the basket? Put him within 10' of the hoop and that's 13' of space to the nearest possible 3-point shooter, vs 5' from where he typically shoots.

 

If you're looking specifically at where he shoots from, then sure. But then again, if he's shooting from there, he doesn't really need to create space for others. I dunno where you can find a stat of where he otherwise is touching the ball, and the space it'd create. Meaning, how often is he on the block, and then kicking out to open shooters? I dunno what stat you'll find for it, but that'd be where he's creating space.

 

That's how I look at it. LaMarcus is like Westbrook, his individual stats aren't impressive efficiently. But he puts the team in a position where others can be extremely effective. The teammates play so much better with those guys on the floor. It's like the "Lopez" effect but for scoring.

 

That would be interesting to see.

 

Quick reply to Brian's post: Lots of stuff to address in that post, but I'll start with the word inconsistent being used to describe any aspect of LA's game. Inconsistent is antonym, not a synonym for LA. He has 21 double-doubles, and 15 games of at least 20 points and 10 rebounds speaks for itself - as do the line I posted in the OP.

Rebounding:

He’s getting more boards… a lot more - which was the big knock on LA from people who didn’t appreciate his game. I would argue he’s really not a better rebounder. I would simply say that having a center and playing his natural position has been the greatest difference. Furthermore, I would submit that people who were critical of LA’s rebounding before, and are not critical now, are arguing from a bias position to begin with. I think it’s important to identify this bias when looking at other arguments.

FG%

Cherry picking, micro-managed shooting stats from a shot chart is too short on context to get so wordy about why this paints an accurate picture of LA's value or career best combined-line. What is the role of each of the players you listed to start your argument? And how much do they contribute to team wins? How do they perform in the clutch, and how often has each of them taken over games in the 4th to lead their respective teams to victory?

Klay (60.4%), Dirk (57.5%), Ryan Anderson (61.0%) and Kyle Korver (71.8%)

We'll ignore Klay and Korver, because they do more to distract than help your argument. At last look, they weren't PFs averaging 25 PPG. Dirk and Anderson are great shooters, who shoot the 3 ball which greatly enhances eFG% and TS%, but again, Brian's argument fail to paint the context well at all. What is the affect on the team? LA puts the Blazers on his back, and they are 30-9 as a result. That is the key to appreciating LA's game this season. Without that, it's just more stat geek noise. Granted, it was more difficult to appreciate his game in the past because of his role, and the tallent. But this team, built by Olshey, Coached by Stotts, is all about LA, and Portland and Blazer fans are reaping the fruits of this perfect storm.

Comparing him to Kobe, another SG that shoots 3s? Yikes... Brian is REALLY reaching to discredit LA's MVP candidate performance the past 2 months with this gem. Currently ranked 3 on NBA.com. Bueller... Bueller?

I also find the assumption Brain makes, that shooting percentages should remain constant regardless of volume of shots, role, or situation, disingenuous.

Wes killed it from 3 tonight, primarily because LA draws a LOT of attention. Take nothing away from Wes, but it's a team game, and the Blazers play it better than any team in the NBA on offense. LA is THE man on this Blazer team. Period.

I don't really understand the goal, or purpose of Brian's post, other than to discredit support for LA having the best stretch in his career. I can only assume he is not "on the L-train" - a synonym for being on the LA bandwagon, or being a fan of his. I didn't bring up other players in my OP, although I'd be happy to do so at a later point in time. I didn't say he was the best player in the NBA, or even the MVP of the NBA. But he is in the conversation whether Brian likes it or not.

And the vitriol reaches it's climax... bravo.

"You don't watch games, you don't understand basketball, you don't study the games..." Blah, Blah, Blah. All this for posting LA's line since Dec 1st? This has been building up for a long time I suspect. lol

I don't want to get into this or the following paragraph much. This is an opinion, which Brian is entitled to, and I completely disagree with. But it does clarify for anyone reading, a bias Brain has that runs counter to what 30-9 shows. 30-9 is a good thing... if you're a Blazer fan anyway.

It makes LA feel APPRECIATED. It is how Blazer fans show their APPRECIATION.

Brain doesn't like it. Alrighty then...

I would suggest taking some empathy classes, and perhaps a few on how to show appreciation for things and people. I might also suggest not attending Blazer games till that course work is completed and passed, to avoid any anger issues and stress that may occur as a result of hearing said chants at the game.

Like it or not, chanting MVP for LA is well deserved. Feel free to carry on any crusade to discourage BLAZER fans from doing so.

I shutter to think the arguments Brian made in previous years. I'm glad I wasn't around here for that. Yikes.