Blazer PER watch

[Fez Hammersticks]

LMA: 16.4 PER

Roy: 16.5 PER

It's obvious why Roy's PER took a nose dive this season but what the hell is up with LaMarcus?

LaMarcus' WS went from 8.8 to 1.8. The season is early but it looks like someone is sandbagging it and it's not Rudy Fernandez!

 

[VanillaGorilla]

LaMarcus Aldridge's eFG% by type of shot:

Last year:
Jumpshots: 42%
Close shots: 57%
Dunks: 97%
Inside: 64%

This year:
Jump shots: 40%
Close shots: 48%
Dunks: 83%
Inside shots: 50%

This is the first time I've actually taken a look at the stats, but I could tell from watching that Aldridge just wasn't making as many shots as last year - from anywhere.

 

[Jayps15]

LMA: 16.4 PER

Roy: 16.5 PER

It's obvious why Roy's PER took a nose dive this season but what the hell is up with LaMarcus?

LaMarcus' WS went from 8.8 to 1.8. The season is early but it looks like someone is sandbagging it and it's not Rudy Fernandez!

I'm with you on LMA playing pretty awfully this year, but comparing his WS from a 78 game season to 23 games isn't a very accurate dig. WS/48 still shows a marked decline, from .145 to .100, and accounts for the difference in in games played.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

Another thing I found interesting was that when Aldridge takes a shot when there are between 16 and 20 seconds in the shot clock, he only makes that shot 29% of the time. To me, this means he is terribly inefficient when we go to him at the beginning of the possession. Last year, he shot 46% on those shots. Maybe it's just my interpretation though.

 

[MickZagger]

Its certainly telling. I'm sure certain posters are going to find away to deflect the warranted criticism of Aldridge and make excuses. Fact is, Aldridge has not been good this year. I think we need to look in a different direction when it comes to using him as one of the pillars of the franchise.

Miller has a PER of 19.5

While Matthews has a PER of 16.9 and rising.

 

[MIXUM]

he always starts slow.

show me numbers by march

 

[jlprk]

I'm sure certain posters are going to find away to deflect the warranted criticism of Aldridge and make excuses.

The obvious reason is that Aldridge is the main guy the opponent team plans to guard, not Roy anymore.

 

[MARIS61]

Show me numbers in June.

 

[Natebishop3]

The obvious reason is that Aldridge is the main guy the opponent team plans to guard, not Roy anymore.

That's a good point.

 

[MickZagger]

That's a good point.

His numbers weren't really great last year when we had a healthy Roy.

 

[KingSpeed]

I will give Aldridge this. He is TRYING to take it to the basket. A few less pick and pops, a few less fadeaways, and a few more head down barrel into the lane for a score close to the basket. His shot from there and everywhere else has been off so far this season, no doubt. BUT right now, he is all we got. He's our only big man with a post game. For better or worse, he is one of our most valuable players. Without him, the whole season falls apart.

 

[Chuck Taylor]

I will give Aldridge this. He is TRYING to take it to the basket. A few less pick and pops, a few less fadeaways, and a few more head down barrel into the lane for a score close to the basket. His shot from there and everywhere else has been off so far this season, no doubt. BUT right now, he is all we got. He's our only big man with a post game. For better or worse, he is one of our most valuable players. Without him, the whole season falls apart.

I agree - he does seem to be trying to take it to the hoop more. If he continues to work on that, the shots will start falling, and I'll be content with him.

 

[Minstrel]

LaMarcus' WS went from 8.8 to 1.8.

Win shares are a cumulative stat...of course win shares will be wildly different when you're comparing 1.5 months of it to an entire season.

Chris Paul's win shares have "fallen" from 7.3 last season to 4.5 this season.

At his current pace, Aldridge would end up with about 8.5 win shares for the season.

 

[hasoos]

I've said this a bazillion times now. Lamarcus is an above average PF, no more, no less. If you don't expect more out of him then that, you won't be disappointed.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Funny: it seems to me that Aldridge is a much more essential player to us this year than last. Which of course goes with the observation that he's the focus of the defense this year. One thing I noticed: Aldridge is in the top ten in the league in offensive rebounds. I don't think that's ever been true before, has it?

Another thing: his alley-oop dunks in the halfcourt are a regular feature of games this year, and they're another thing I don't remember happening before. It seems to me he's a good deal less soft than he used to be.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Funny: it seems to me that Aldridge is a much more essential player to us this year than last. Which of course goes with the observation that he's the focus of the defense this year. One thing I noticed: Aldridge is in the top ten in the league in offensive rebounds. I don't think that's ever been true before, has it?

Another thing: his alley-oop dunks in the halfcourt are a regular feature of games this year, and they're another thing I don't remember happening before. It seems to me he's a good deal less soft than he used to be.

I'd agree with all of that, unfortunately he's also a good deal less efficient and accurate with his close in stuff this year than he has been in years past. Maybe he's due for getting hot like he usually does as the season wears on.

 

[Minstrel]

I think that Aldridge is probably the player who has the most to adjust to with Roy no longer being the franchise player. I could see where that would slow him in the early-going.

 

[espn_hall_of_famer]

I'd be curious to see Armon Johnson's PER after today's San Antonio game. Think he was on pace for a 50 pt / 20 rebound game if he had played starters minutes.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

Funny: it seems to me that Aldridge is a much more essential player to us this year than last. Which of course goes with the observation that he's the focus of the defense this year. One thing I noticed: Aldridge is in the top ten in the league in offensive rebounds. I don't think that's ever been true before, has it?

Another thing: his alley-oop dunks in the halfcourt are a regular feature of games this year, and they're another thing I don't remember happening before. It seems to me he's a good deal less soft than he used to be.

The alley-oop dunks are one thing I like; however, 8% of Aldridge's shot attempts last year were dunks, and only 4% this year. He is also taking just as many outside jumpers.

 

[jlprk]

That's a good point.

Thank you, the same to you, and Merry Christmas. You make many good points.

Another thing: his alley-oop dunks in the halfcourt are a regular feature of games this year, and they're another thing I don't remember happening before.

Thank Andre Miller and the new assistant coaches for those plays.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

LMA = 18.9 PER, 3.1 WS (0.133 WS/48)

Over the last 6 games (since 12/12 at 1AM), he's averaged a 28.5 PER; this includes two mediocre outings before the 4-game streak, mind.

 

[jlprk]

Two causes of his decreased inside shot percentage--he's taking a lot more of them in the new faster system, and he's the focus of the defense--have a common source. He replaced Roy as the main man. A third source is McMillan's inability, as follows:

Throughout the McMillan years we've asked for a faster style, and this year we've gotten it. It involves who the target of passes is--the safe vs. the risky target. Passers make it happen.

Thank Andre Miller and the new assistant coaches, as I said. Aldridge benefits. Alley-ooping is his most visible benefit, but not the only one.

If McMillan knew how to manage this, he'd be yelling about which situations for Aldridge to avoid, where his percentages are low. But Miller is behind it, and I bet it's the assistants who are teaching the habits to the pass receivers in practices, not McMillan. He doesn't know how.

 

[THE HCP]

I thought this thread was about a time piece you wear with Hollinger's grill on it!

 

[Blaze01]

What a concept....

As soon as Aldridge starts banging in the paint more and initiating offense from inside 10ft his play improves....

I pointed this out last year in the playoffs...that Aldridge was too tentative\passed up shots in crunch time and that his shot selection skewed far too heavily on outside jumpers....

Good for him, I seriously hope that he continues this style of play...Roy's injury may have a golden lining here in freeing Aldridge from that 2nd fiddle status\complex he had, and sahowing POR mgmt that maybe thier best player was Aldridge all along....

 

[BlazerCaravan]

What a concept....

As soon as Aldridge starts banging in the paint more and initiating offense from inside 10ft his play improves....

I know sarcasm is hip and cool (see, even I use it!), but his recent play should not be downplayed as simply "playing inside more"; the last four games aren't just an improvement; they are play at a level well beyond even his previous best. There may be something else at play beyond strength and inside touches. Like you said elsewhere, he may be seeing himself as the Number One option for the first time ever.

 

[Blaze01]

It is not just playing inside more, but it is a big part of it...it is also an uptempo offense that is running a little more...nice screen passes with him rolling to the basket....and yes, being that #1 option instead of the dump off jump shooter when Roy needs a bail out or the here you take the ball, when he is tired....

I am curious to see if he can keep this style of play up or if he will revert to more passive/jumpshot/deferring shots that he has been doing while playing with Roy....

I hope that Nate continues to use him as the #1 option....if he keeps producing like he has, then Nate would be crazy not to...

 

[oldmangrouch]

LMA reminds me of James Worthy. He had the talent to be a decent #1 option, but he was happy to defer to Magic and Kareem. LMA doesn't have that luxury.

In some ways, LMA is facing as big a psychological transition as Roy.

 

[jlprk]

Worthy moved more quickly than Aldridge. He was in a hurry more.

Worthy played like Amare, totally dependent on the passer. He couldn't do much without receiving a good pass. He was overrated because national reporters live in LA, NY, and Washington.

 

[Sug]

I know sarcasm is hip and cool (see, even I use it!), but his recent play should not be downplayed as simply "playing inside more"; the last four games aren't just an improvement; they are play at a level well beyond even his previous best. There may be something else at play beyond strength and inside touches. Like you said elsewhere, he may be seeing himself as the Number One option for the first time ever.

LMA has a very passive attitude and I think it was clear he was very comfortable being the #2 guy behind Roy. Now that those days are over it will be interesting to see what happens. Coming out of college most people viewed LMA as one of the most talented players in the class. He is 25 and has more to offer as a #1 guy. Let's all hope he does see himself as the main man now, and let's hope he continues to blossom. In the long run it might turn out better than having Roy as the #1 simply because you get more inside touches.

 

[Sug]

LMA reminds me of James Worthy. He had the talent to be a decent #1 option, but he was happy to defer to Magic and Kareem. LMA doesn't have that luxury.

In some ways, LMA is facing as big a psychological transition as Roy.

I still think LMA is the Sheed we always wanted to see develop. I can accept that Sheed was a better defender, but I think LMA is better on the offensive end. In addition he has a much better overall attitude and approach to being prepared. Sheed could have been a top 10 player with the right attitude and work ethic. I think LMA has that chance, but he needs to get after it every game.