LaMarcus named to USA National Team program

[BoBoBREWSKI]

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/olybb/news/story?id=4902362

 

[BlazerBeav]

How is that possible? Didn't they watch his performance last night, where he was completely exposed with a paltry 15 points, 15 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals and 1 block? Weak.

 

[LittleAlex]

How is that possible? Didn't they watch his performance last night, where he was completely exposed with a paltry 15 points, 15 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals and 1 block? Weak.

Only 4 of those points game in the second half.

He got owned by a guy who is shorter, smaller and slower.


So it IS kind of surprising he would be named to the program.

 

[hasoos]

Aldridge is quickly becoming a 1 quarter wonder. He plays for one quarter, and then you never hear from him for the rest of the game. It is becoming a very bad pattern. That one quarter will be great mind you. But better buckle up, because it is the only one he is going to register in.

 

[OSUBlazerfan]

Aldridge is SOFT, and should have never been given 65 mil, 55 mil or less would have been apropriate

 

[GriLtCheeZ]

Aldridge gets double teamed a lot, none of you guys that constantly bitch about him ever bring that up.
He'll be excellent in the international game.

 

[OSUBlazerfan]

Aldridge gets double teamed a lot, none of you guys that constantly bitch about him ever bring that up.
He'll be excellent in the international game.

In the 4th, he couldnt establish position on "ONE" player, a 20 year-old

 

[e_blazer]

The recipe for beating the Blazers without Brandon is to deny LaMarcus the ball and the Thunder did a nice job of that last night. Their job was made easier by the fact that none of the Blazers perimeter players could hit an open shot. Give a decent defensive team only one guy to worry about and they'll shut him down almost every night.

LaMarcus is good at what he does, which primarily is scoring from midrange, and he's a good complement to Brandon. In the overall scheme of things, Brandon, LaMarcus and Greg are a solid core of guys whose games fit well together. Take away two of the three of them and it's unrealistic to expect Aldridge's game not to be affected.

 

[OSUBlazerfan]

The recipe for beating the Blazers without Brandon is to deny LaMarcus the ball and the Thunder did a nice job of that last night. Their job was made easier by the fact that none of the Blazers perimeter players could hit an open shot. Give a decent defensive team only one guy to worry about and they'll shut him down almost every night.

LaMarcus is good at what he does, which primarily is scoring from midrange, and he's a good complement to Brandon. In the overall scheme of things, Brandon, LaMarcus and Greg are a solid core of guys whose games fit well together. Take away two of the three of them and it's unrealistic to expect Aldridge's game not to be affected.

Unlike Randolph who could get his shot up from the inside outside and who actually battles

 

[STOMP]

In the 4th, he couldnt establish position on "ONE" player, a 20 year-old

come on... they brought the double as soon as he'd put it on the floor. The guards/wings not making their outside shots allowed the Thunder to do this for the 2nd half.

Congrats to LA

STOMP

 

[Wheels]

First congrats to him. 2nd... he has been angering me some this year, but I am trying super hard to think how much we will love him and how much he will compliment a rugged Center. Right now we need him to be something he is not. He isnt a great rugged guy... and that is something we DESPERATELY need right now. But he isnt and probably will never be that guy. As a healthy team he is a perfect PF IMO. Its just hard right now with how the team is going.

 

[Blazer_Hippie]

Anybody else bummed?

He's like the one core guy on the team that hasn't missed a ton of time due to injury lately...so now he's going to go wear himself down playing in the summers...dammit...

I hate USA/International basketball...death** to america!*




*meaning america's international team if it includes LA.

**meaning I hope LA doesn't actually play.

 

[BlazerBeav]

Unlike Randolph who could get his shot up from the inside outside and who actually battles

Ah, yes, Randolph - he never struggled with being double teamed. Oh, wait, did you see the 2004-2005 season?

 

[hasoos]

Aldridge gets double teamed a lot, none of you guys that constantly bitch about him ever bring that up.
He'll be excellent in the international game.

Do other "stars" get double teamed? Yep. Do you see Chris Bosh bitching about it, or do you see him producing? What about Boozer? What about Milsap? What about Nowitzki? What about Stoudemire? All of them get double teamed. They still make it happen.

 

[GriLtCheeZ]

Do other "stars" get double teamed? Yep. Do you see Chris Bosh bitching about it, or do you see him producing? What about Boozer? What about Milsap? What about Nowitzki? What about Stoudemire? All of them get double teamed. They still make it happen.

I don't consider LA a "star". I think he'll be an excellent international player kinda like Rudy. Milsap certainly isn't a "star", why'd you put him amongst those perennial All Stars?

 

[e_blazer]

Do other "stars" get double teamed? Yep. Do you see Chris Bosh bitching about it, or do you see him producing? What about Boozer? What about Milsap? What about Nowitzki? What about Stoudemire? All of them get double teamed. They still make it happen.

Are any of those teams missing the key players that are on their team's roster specifically to open things up for them to operate? It's a team sport and good GM's fill their rosters with an eye as to how the individual pieces mesh and complement each other. The Blazers' roster has gaping holes in it at the present time. Even with that, LA has had some very nice nights when the rest of the perimeter players are able to open things up a bit by hitting their shots. Last night they couldn't make a shot so there was no pressure for the Thunder to lay off of the doubles on LA at all.

 

[hasoos]

I don't consider LA a "star". I think he'll be an excellent international player kinda like Rudy. Milsap certainly isn't a "star", why'd you put him amongst those perennial All Stars?

I was pointing out the fact that a guy drafted late in the draft is turning out better than a #2 pick. I think that is important. It means the guy we drafted, isn't working hard enough on his game. Did we not draft Aldridge to make us competitive with the elite power forwards of the league? Did we not sign him to a large contract for him to be competitive at that level?

I can tell you I sure as hell didn't want Aldridge drafted so he could become a role player and show up for 1 quarter a game. I wanted him drafted so we could finally be competitive at PF with all those other teams in our conference who have a good PF.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Ah, yes, Randolph - he never struggled with being double teamed. Oh, wait, did you see the 2004-2005 season?

"Z-Bo can't pass out of a double-team" was the mantra.

 

[LameR]

Bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch.

 

[NJNetz]

European teams have pretty soft big men, so Aldridge should fit right in.

 

[STOMP]

"Z-Bo won't pass out of a double-team" was the mantra.

fixed

STOMP

 

[WillG]

Hopefully under a real coach, the USA program can whip LaSoftie into shape.
(USA program minus Nate of course)

 

[Nikolokolus]

Hopefully under a real coach, the USA program can whip LaSoftie into shape.
(USA program minus Nate of course)

Nope. There's nothing a coach can do for him, if LMA is going to change it's going to have to come from him wanting to change and a big part of that is seeking contact. In my experience, that's an in-born trait and not something you develop as you get older -- either you like to get hit and deliver hits or you don't.

 

[MickZagger]

I've come to the conclusion that Aldridge is a good player, just not one that thrives when put into a situation where he's the focal point of his teams offense. This can be said about a lot of bigs in the league.

 

[BGrantFan]

Colangelo said Lakers center Andrew Bynum and Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo were among the only players who were asked to participate but declined.

Brandon Roy wasn't even asked to be on the roster?

 

[GriLtCheeZ]

Brandon Roy wasn't even asked to be on the roster?

I believe Brandon has turned down an invitation twice, so maybe they stopped inviting him?