OK Aldridge Bashers...

[oldguy]

Feel free to bow down to his beastliness.

Go Blazers

 

[Nikolokolus]

Aldridge deserved every bit of criticism he received over the past 2 or 3 years for his soft, fade-away, "unclutch," no-rebounding game ... that he's turning it around now is great, but don't pretend that somehow people were out of line for being a disappointed in him.

 

[RR7]

I know quite a few, myself included, mentioned the system being a reason why he had low rebound numbers. Odd that as he plays closer to the basket, and is a focal point on offense instead of playing primarily pick and pop, his rebounding numbers have gone up. Also odd that when he plays C and Camby sits, his rebound numbers look better.

 

[STOMP]

a drum I've been beating throughout LA's time in Portland is that he's been staying out of the low box as part of the design of the offense. Roy needed the paint uncluttered as possible for his drives to the hoop and Joel or Greg were incapable of playing anywhere else... someone has to pull the other Big guarding them outside. With those others out injured, the low block is now his and he's flourishing in the bigger role. He always had this sort of capability, but the needs of the team had him playing much more of a supporting role.

it turns out being featured matters... who'd have thunk it???

STOMP

 

[THE HCP]

Once again, I've been a huge LA fan and supporter since he came to our team. You realize how many people are gone that used to shoot the rock right? With Brandon, Bayless, Travis, Blake, Marty all gone there are more shots to be had. I like that he is in the post, but that is because he always had to float because Brandon was taking it to the rack. With Camby as the only other rebounder we have and no Joel, LA is getting more boards as well. Supporters and Bashers need to just take a look at the circumstances.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Was it just this summer when people were on his case for turning down Team USA and scoffing at reports that he'd put on muscle?

It's between him and Rondo now for best remaining player from the draft class of 2006.

 

[illmatic99]

Gay is playing really well also.

 

[hasoos]

Aldrige has been playing great. He is now playing like I expected him to play when we got him. I don't know what switch they flipped, but as I have said in past threads, somehow they finally got his "Motor Running".

What I have noticed about Aldridge these last couple of weeks, is that now when teams run a double team at Aldridge, he is more patient, and he always has an answer for them. Even earlier this yeaar, teams would run a double team at him and he would immediately pass out. Now he doesn't. He also has options in the post he didn't have before. Opposing teams would often just over play him with a smaller player. Now if they over play him, he reverses for the alley oop. He is no longer over thinking everything. He looks relaxed, and looks like he knows exactly what to do, no matter how the defense handles him.

I guess my question is, what took you so long big fella? This was the Lamarcus I was waiting to start to appear in year 2.

Yesterday I think one of the biggest chuckles I got was when Aldridge took an outside jumper and I realized, I couldn't remember the last time I saw him take an outside shot, and I laughed out loud. Earlier this year I thought I would never see that day. So to say this season doesn't have it's bright spots, is definitely wrong. This one alone gives me optimism for the future.

 

[BBert]

I'm one of those who thought his style and production was due to the offense -- he was doing what his coach wanted him to do -- and clearing out for Brandon. Even so, there have been times in the past when I've been frustrated by what I saw as opportunties to take it to the hoop where he shot the turnaround instead. I love having LaMarcus in the post.

The big bonus of having Brandon sit out and LaMarcus take over the offense is that now, when (if) Brandon comes back, we won't be clearing LaMarcus out of the middle any more. Brandon will have to work from the outside, like a shooting guard, like I've said he should for two years. This will be much better for Brandon and his health.

 

[STOMP]

So to say this season doesn't have it's bright spots, is definitely wrong.

the team is 8-3 (or winning 73% of the time) without Brandon... only 4 teams in the league are winning above that clip.

it's almost like they might be capable of more then the 8th seed as we go forward

STOMP

 

[hasoos]

the team is 8-3 (or winning 73% of the time) without Brandon... only 4 teams in the league are winning above that clip.

it's almost like they might be capable of more then the 8th seed as we go forward

STOMP

Yea you never know, especially with New Orleans. It seems to me New Orleans is having some problems due to the storm cloud hanging above the franchise. They were playing good, but if you look at it, they started having problems as soon as the NBA said they were taking ownership and talks of moving started. As soon as that started, all of the team started playing like it was looking over it's shoulder the whole time. Player worrying about having to sell million dollar houses and moving. Players wondering what will happen with ownership and player procurement now that the team is owned by the NBA. That is a lot of stuff on the minds of the players and coaching staff.

We might just be able to catch them. Hell who knows. Maybe that first round pick for Bayless might just turn out ok after all.

 

[THE HCP]

the team is 8-3 (or winning 73% of the time) without Brandon... only 4 teams in the league are winning above that clip.

it's almost like they might be capable of more then the 8th seed as we go forward

STOMP

Easy there Chachi!

 

[Natebishop3]

Easy there Chachi!

You don't see a difference without Brandon?

 

[THE HCP]

You don't see a difference without Brandon?

Yes, but we are NOT better because of his absence I promise you.

 

[STOMP]

Yes, but we are NOT better because of his absence I promise you.

of course the club is better without the broken down version of Roy that we've seen this year. Better then the healthy AS Roy? Of course not... has anyone contended otherwise?

STOMP

 

[Wheels]

Yes, but we are NOT better because of his absence I promise you.

we are not better because the absence of a healthy Roy no... but with Roy in his present condition, and the team trying to play the role with him being the man... yes we are better cause they arent doing that. If Roy was in here with a support role, maybe even off the bench, hell yes we would be even better.

 

[Wheels]

damn helps if I refresh lol

 

[Ed O]

I am delighted by Aldridge's play... but he's playing out of his mind. As good as he has been/is/is capable of, there are just not many players that can keep up an MVP-like level of production.

I bring this up because when he slows down a bit (and he will... because he's human) this burst of awesome play will be used by the Aldridge bashers to "prove" what he can do if he just tries harder.

Ed O.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

I am delighted by Aldridge's play... but he's playing out of his mind. As good as he has been/is/is capable of, there are just not many players that can keep up an MVP-like level of production.

I bring this up because when he slows down a bit (and he will... because he's human) this burst of awesome play will be used by the Aldridge bashers to "prove" what he can do if he just tries harder.

Ed O.

How many games does a burst last before it's a streak or before it's "the new normal"? He's been maintaining these crazy MVP numbers for 9 games now, which is longer than any streak I remember from a Blazer.

From 12-15-10 through 1-2-11 (9 games), LMA is averaging: 25.3 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 2 BPG. That's 11% of the season.

I'm not saying this is the new normal, but he's been pretty consistent since the 15th, to the point where, against Houston, his 25/11 was an "average" game and he got those stats in 32 minutes through 3 quarters, 6 minutes less than the last time he scored 25+ (the game before). It's almost like he's getting better at playing at this level.

 

[HailBlazers]

I guess my question is, what took you so long big fella? This was the Lamarcus I was waiting to start to appear in year 2.

YEAR 2? kinda like how Greg Oden was gonna when us 15 championships by now? Perception is Reality my friend, and in my perception becoming an elite scoring PF in the World's best Basketball league takes many many years. People who claim he had reached his ceiling are ridiculous. He's come along ways, still has along ways to go, but luckily has a ton in the tank and I having nothing but confidence that he will become Elite, and so will the Blazers. You just have some foresight to look beyond your twitterz

 

[oldguy]

When Brandon and LA were drafted, there were a number of posters on this board that believed that Brandon would be the most help right away, but that LA could turn out to be the better player. (I wasn't one of them, because I don't follow college ball.) Now that Roy is having knee problems and out of the way as the go to guy, LA is showing that he is a hell of a player.

Where would the team be today without him?

Go Blazers

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Where would the team be today without him?

I know it's a rhetorical question but...

About 8 games under .500 -- we have 10 wins when LMA scores 20 or more; I think we can safely pencil those as L's without him.

 

[Ed O]

How many games does a burst last before it's a streak or before it's "the new normal"? He's been maintaining these crazy MVP numbers for 9 games now, which is longer than any streak I remember from a Blazer.

From 12-15-10 through 1-2-11 (9 games), LMA is averaging: 25.3 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 2 BPG. That's 11% of the season.

I'm not saying this is the new normal, but he's been pretty consistent since the 15th, to the point where, against Houston, his 25/11 was an "average" game and he got those stats in 32 minutes through 3 quarters, 6 minutes less than the last time he scored 25+ (the game before). It's almost like he's getting better at playing at this level.

If he does it for a season, I'll consider it to be the new normal.

People tend to put much too much stock in what's happened lately... it's why I was flogged on this board for not agreeing Roy is a top-10 player.

If Aldridge turns this into the new normal: awesome. I hope he does.

If he does not: I won't see it as a failure on his part.

Ed O.

 

[handiman]

If he does it for a season, I'll consider it to be the new normal.

Keep in mind, Aldridge always starts the season slow and hits his stride about this time. There's a very good chance that what we're seeing now is the Aldridge we'll enjoy for the remainder of the season.

And barring any evidence to the contrary, I think Buck Williams deserves a huge amount of the credit in Aldridge's new and improved game. Other than Roy being down, Buck's presence is the most significant change from a year ago.

 

[hasoos]

YEAR 2? kinda like how Greg Oden was gonna when us 15 championships by now? Perception is Reality my friend, and in my perception becoming an elite scoring PF in the World's best Basketball league takes many many years. People who claim he had reached his ceiling are ridiculous. He's come along ways, still has along ways to go, but luckily has a ton in the tank and I having nothing but confidence that he will become Elite, and so will the Blazers. You just have some foresight to look beyond your twitterz

Yes that is nice and all. But look at the history. Lamarcus was no better than his rookie year from all the way to his rookie year until this year, when this streak started. That is like a 3 year plateu. For the first 3 years, it was the same Lamarcus that came in his rookie year, but with just more minutes. I have a feeling that a lot of this has to do the fact that he came in with Roy, and immediately was 2nd fiddle. The team just flat out defered to Roy too much, and it hurt some guys games. That is the way I see it.

By the way, there have been plenty of power forwards who have rolled into the league and enjoyed success from year 1. It doesn't take years in the NBA to become good if you put in the work before you got there.

 

[mook]

I don't really buy the idea that Aldridge took all those jumpers until this year just because Roy needed the center of the court clear for driving lanes. Shaq won three championships with Kobe with both of them playing out of their minds, dropping 25+/night.

I think he's just grown as a person. It happens. Things that seemed really hard a few years ago become easier. The game slows down. You develop a bag of tricks that you know works 90% of the time, and when it doesn't you don't give up on them because they've proven themselves. You see somebody else be the cornerstone of the franchise and everything it takes, and over time a light switch goes off in your head that says, "Yeah, I could do that too." Maybe you need a special teammate or two who helps you see the light, as Steve Nash did for Amare and Camby/Miller have done here.

Roy (and Oden) going down seemed to have pushed him along. But I just don't think he had the skills or intelligence or instincts or comfort level a year or two ago to do what he's doing now.

Carlos Boozer hit his stride at 25. Karl Malone did at 24. Jermaine O'neal did at 23 (after being in the league for 6 years). Aldridge is 25. Not every big man gets to be a guy like Garnett or Duncan or Stoudamire or Bosh where you can see your upper limits within a year or two of hitting the league.

I'm glad to see him finally getting into high gear, because he's definitely at the tail end of when you see big men begin to reach All Star quality. But he's there, and I'm happy.

 

[MickZagger]

Aldridge deserved every bit of criticism he received over the past 2 or 3 years for his soft, fade-away, "unclutch," no-rebounding game ... that he's turning it around now is great, but don't pretend that somehow people were out of line for being a disappointed in him.

Basically.

I'm happy for Aldridge. I feel like he's finally realizing his potential. Someone must have sat him down sometime during the Roy's knees debacle and said, "look, this is your team now". Because he's certainly acting like it.

 

[MickZagger]

Yea you never know, especially with New Orleans. It seems to me New Orleans is having some problems due to the storm cloud hanging above the franchise. They were playing good, but if you look at it, they started having problems as soon as the NBA said they were taking ownership and talks of moving started. As soon as that started, all of the team started playing like it was looking over it's shoulder the whole time. Player worrying about having to sell million dollar houses and moving. Players wondering what will happen with ownership and player procurement now that the team is owned by the NBA. That is a lot of stuff on the minds of the players and coaching staff.

We might just be able to catch them. Hell who knows. Maybe that first round pick for Bayless might just turn out ok after all.

Or, they just came back down to earth after getting off to a really hot start. I knew they wouldn't keep it up. You look up and down that roster and its just not that great outside CP3 and West.

Kind of like how Houston started out horribly, I knew it wouldn't last. They have talent and Adelman coached teams are always competitive.

 

[PapaG]

I know quite a few, myself included, mentioned the system being a reason why he had low rebound numbers. Odd that as he plays closer to the basket, and is a focal point on offense instead of playing primarily pick and pop, his rebounding numbers have gone up. Also odd that when he plays C and Camby sits, his rebound numbers look better.

That's been my position for years. The team led the NBA in rebound % with "soft" LMA, yet the bashers were bashing him. Now, he's needed closer to the basket, and he is producing. I love reading the "well, he deserved it back then" posts. They make me laugh.

 

[PapaG]

I am delighted by Aldridge's play... but he's playing out of his mind. As good as he has been/is/is capable of, there are just not many players that can keep up an MVP-like level of production.

I bring this up because when he slows down a bit (and he will... because he's human) this burst of awesome play will be used by the Aldridge bashers to "prove" what he can do if he just tries harder.

Ed O.

His FG%, TS%, and his eFG% are below his career averages, yet his PER is at 19.7. He's simply a much better player this season, and if/when his shooting improves to even his career norm, there is no reason to think he can't be a 20+ PER player this year.