Aldridge deserves some love...

[hasoos]

5 blocks is very nice. That had been one thing that had been frustrating me about Aldridge. He averaged almost 2 blocks his first year. Then the next year the number went down. Then it went down again the next year to .85 blocks per game. Everybody knows a 6'11" athletic player who is really long should block more than .85 blocks per game. Maybe somebody finally got his switch turned to "on". That sure would be nice.

 

[maxiep]

He looks great. He's just flat out playing bigger, which is a great thing.

This. I can't wait until he's playing next to GO.

 

[mook]

5 blocks is very nice. That had been one thing that had been frustrating me about Aldridge. He averaged almost 2 blocks his first year. Then the next year the number went down. Then it went down again the next year to .85 blocks per game. Everybody knows a 6'11" athletic player who is really long should block more than .85 blocks per game. Maybe somebody finally got his switch turned to "on". That sure would be nice.

I think in the past Aldridge was really trying to work his way into being an elite offensive player (mostly with the midrange jumper.) Who can blame him? Guys who can score 22-25 ppg get paid the most. He never really succeeded at it, but he did do well enough at it to establish himself in the league. He's clearly no Tyrus Thomas.

Now that he's got his contract sewn up and his place pretty well cemented onto the team, he seems to be forgetting about the "jump shooter" strategy and just trying to be the best true Power Forward he can be.

 

[mook]

I wonder if some of this is also just a function of role models. You are often a product of the people who surround you. If you hang out with fat people, statistics show you are far, far more likely to be overweight.

Who were the other big men on the team early in his career? Jamaal Magloire, Zach Randolph, Przybilla, Channing Frye, Raef LaFrentz. Maybe Outlaw at PF sometimes. What a group of role models for a budding young (he was only 24 last year) power forward. Sure, Przybilla was tough, but Aldridge also could see he wasn't getting paid nearly the money a scorer like Randolph was. He was "the garbage man," not exactly somebody you emulate.

In the last few years you had Przybilla, Pendergraph, Oden and now Camby, with a cameo by a very gritty and grizzled Juwan Howard. It's just a different culture for big men on this team. And I think Aldridge's offseason and his performance so far is starting to reflect that new culture.

 

[maxiep]

5 blocks is very nice. That had been one thing that had been frustrating me about Aldridge. He averaged almost 2 blocks his first year. Then the next year the number went down. Then it went down again the next year to .85 blocks per game. Everybody knows a 6'11" athletic player who is really long should block more than .85 blocks per game. Maybe somebody finally got his switch turned to "on". That sure would be nice.

Agreed. It's like someone said, "You know, you're 6'11", have long arms and can jump. Have you ever thought about blocking some shots?"

 

[Natebishop3]

The shot chart and the box score are definitely telling, but it was also just a different presence from him last night. The guy just played physical. In three seasons I don't think I've ever seen him play like that. Sure, he's had some decent rebounding games, or he's had some games where he's blocked shots, but this was a complete game in the post. I was extremely impressed. He looked like a totally different player last night and I loved it. I really wonder if Luke's death inspired him to play harder...