Props to Aldridge on his D and rebounding tonight, but...

[Webster's Dictionary]

Damn if he doesn't seem to be playing with any kind of intensity. He's been going for boards, and getting in good position. But especially on the offensive end, what has been up with him lately, or really, all season? I see little to no aggressiveness, and hardly any fire what so ever. Even on some of his big ally oops he gives a nod and a point to the initiator of said lob, and sadles back down the court without hardly a show of emotion. That used to get him fired up.

On offense, he very rarely takes it inside this year. Last year he seemed to be developing that inside game so well as the season went on. His little running hook was money, and occasionally he'd spin into the lane for a nice little 3 ft floater/lay in.

I have hardly seen that once this year. Just jumper, jumper, jumper. Maybe when Oden was in it was more understandable. He would be trying to feel out his roll and letting Oden work down low, but with both Oden and Joel gone there is no excuse.

Really, right now he looks a lot like Channing Frye with a little more toughness on defense.

I honestly wonder if all the contract talk made him feel slighted in some way (we've all heard of his sensitivity) or if he's just happy with his contract and is now content to just go to work and put in his time. Or is it something else? Whatever it is, this is not what I expected to see this year, and I can only imagine how much better we'd be doing, even now despite our injuries, if Lamarcus was playing better than last year instead of worse.

 

[MIXUM]

all i can say is... i agree. i was gonna post something about this bum tonight. he stunk...and he seems like he gives 2 shits out there. if you have ever heard the phrase "going through the motions".... this is LA. somebody call rebecca.

anyhow.... lets hope hes hurt and tahts the reason because LA has regressed BADLY. Maybe thats why we wanted Millsap so bad. Hell I would rather have Millsap or Lee over LA. Lee infact is soooooo much better. We are stuck with a mediocre PF for 5 years. Anotehr nice job by kpee. Even Zach would be nasty next to roy... sure as hell isnt aldridge.

 

[alex42083]

I have to think some of it was his ankle still bothering him. The guy was moving pretty gingerly out there, and was barely jumping for anything. You saw that alley oop pass in the first half to him and he just couldn't get any lift and he let it sail over his head.

Aldridge is battling out there, but yes, he could take it inside a little bit more.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

I hate watching Aldridge play. I do not want him here for 5 more years.

 

[Webster's Dictionary]

I hate watching Aldridge play. I do not want him here for 5 more years.

But it wasn't like this last year. I loved watching him play. Sure, at times, he played a little soft, but especially as the season progressed, he seemed to show more and more toughness. This year's version just hasn't done anything to excite me.

Going back and looking at his game logs, he has had some good games I didn't remember, but most of them were earlier in the year. But beyond that, he just doesn't look like the same Lamarcus as last year.

I hope it is just his foot bothering him and that he'll come back and prove me wrong. Let's go LA! Bang down low, get your hands dirty and show a little fire big man!

 

[MrJayremmie]

Odd thread. LMA is the man and one of my favorite Blazers.

I believe that his recent injury has affected his play. Give him a few games to get back into playing mode and he will be fine. He doesn't seem like that type of guy (Eddy Curry - Jerome James , etc..) to get paid and then just not care. He will continue to get better.

He should be killin' it by the end of the year... One of the best up and coming PFs in the game.

 

[Nikolokolus]

The guy has had each ankle sprained, a bum knee and has been jerked around since the beginning of the season -- first it was, "we need you to drift even further out now that Oden needs his touches" then after Oden went down it was, "Hey buddy, we need you to start going back inside again."

He definitely looks a little 'disinterested' out there at times on the offensive end, but part of me can't help but wonder if a lot of this has to do with the guards taking it upon themselves to put up so many shots. I rarely ever see Brandon, Jerryd, Martell, and even Miller look for him in a half-court set, unless it's on a pick and pop. Part of this is on LMA for not demanding the ball more (when healthy, which I'm not so sure he is right now) but I'm not so sure he's all that happy with his on court situation here. It's not like LMA is less efficient with his shot, he's just getting far fewer touches within the offense right now -- blame whomever you like.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

The guy has had each ankle sprained, a bum knee and has been jerked around since the beginning of the season -- first it was, "we need you to drift even further out now that Oden needs his touches" then after Oden went down it was, "Hey buddy, we need you to start going back inside again."

He definitely looks a little 'disinterested' out there at times on the offensive end, but part of me can't help but wonder if a lot of this has to do with the guards taking it upon themselves to put up so many shots. I rarely ever see Brandon, Jerryd, Martell, and even Miller look for him in a half-court set, unless it's on a pick and pop. Part of this is on LMA for not demanding the ball more (when healthy, which I'm not so sure he is right now) but I'm not so sure he's all that happy with his on court situation here. It's not like LMA is less efficient with his shot, he's just getting far fewer touches within the offense right now -- blame whomever you like.

Fuck, lets just blame Nate for this shit, too. Oh and LMA for being a softy out there playing completely injured. Maybe he looks disinterested because he's in a shitload of pain? Maybe he's not the focus on offense because he went 1-4 in the first because he's in a shitload of pain?

And really is "sorry but everybody taller than 6'9" except you is injured, could you play post?" being jerked around? It's called being flexible. You gotta wear multiple hats when the team is injured. If the coach isn't allowed to ask a player to do something for the good of the team because it interferes with the very narrow role he's willing to play, what the hell is he allowed to do in your eyes.

Since you guys like to piss on Nate come rain or shine, I should have expected this. But really, to call out LMA for playing a little worse while beat up? Fuck this thread. You're acting like jerks.

 

[MrJayremmie]

I definitely think we need to get LMA involved more. He is effective in a pick and roll/pop and even straight up one-on-one post ups down low. If we get him in a position to score, which is what we need Miller to do, he will start becoming the LMA of old again, IMO.

 

[hasoos]

I have been worried about what I call Lamarcus Aldridge "Motor". He has all the other tools. The one he doesn't seem to have it motivation. If he was to ever be the 2nd scorer on the team, he needs to get the ball. But right now, he never calls for the ball, and he isn't working to get great position. I can't remember the last time I saw him establish deep post position from the start of a play. I hope he turns stuff around soon, because he has been a much better player the last few seasons than he is right now. He seems to be a shell of himself right now.

 

[Public Defender]

I'm not worried about Aldridge. He's averaging 16 ppg and 8 rpg, as the Blazers only inside scoring threat (meaning he always draws the toughest frontcourt defender, and often gets double-teamed, if the Blazers aren't hitting jump shots). He's got 11 games of at least 20 points, including a few with over 25. He's beaten up, like most players, and if he defers to the hot hand from time to time and spends more energy on the defensive end, more power to him. If LMA's scoring average dips much more, I'll start to be worried - but not if his rebounding goes up. The Blazers need him at both ends - if some nights it's more at one end than the other, fine.

 

[the ob]

I think a lot of his problem has to do with the injuries. I can imagine that Nate does not want to call plays for him if he is not mobile. also it would be harder to play with intensity if he is in a large amount of pain.

I think we should wait and see how he is when healthy before throwing him under the bus.

 

[hasoos]

I think a lot of his problem has to do with the injuries. I can imagine that Nate does not want to call plays for him if he is not mobile. also it would be harder to play with intensity if he is in a large amount of pain.

I think we should wait and see how he is when healthy before throwing him under the bus.

Yea I have been wondering how bad that "bad wheel" he has is. I have seen him wincing in several games when he comes down on it. When the wince is visible from the 300 level of the Rose Garden, he is in some serious pain.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Fuck, lets just blame Nate for this shit, too. Oh and LMA for being a softy out there playing completely injured. Maybe he looks disinterested because he's in a shitload of pain? Maybe he's not the focus on offense because he went 1-4 in the first because he's in a shitload of pain?

And really is "sorry but everybody taller than 6'9" except you is injured, could you play post?" being jerked around? It's called being flexible. You gotta wear multiple hats when the team is injured. If the coach isn't allowed to ask a player to do something for the good of the team because it interferes with the very narrow role he's willing to play, what the hell is he allowed to do in your eyes.

Since you guys like to piss on Nate come rain or shine, I should have expected this. But really, to call out LMA for playing a little worse while beat up? Fuck this thread. You're acting like jerks.

Have you have lost your fucking mind? I was mostly looking for a way to say I don't think you can lay all this at LMA's feet and I certainly wasn't blaming Nate. Get a grip.

 

[oldmangrouch]

And really is "sorry but everybody taller than 6'9" except you is injured, could you play post?" being jerked around? It's called being flexible. You gotta wear multiple hats when the team is injured. If the coach isn't allowed to ask a player to do something for the good of the team because it interferes with the very narrow role he's willing to play, what the hell is he allowed to do in your eyes.

Agreed. I have been hard on Nate lately, but asking LMA to adjust his game because, you know, things have changed since opening day, is hardly unreasonable.

 

[RR7]

Meh, his offense wasn't really there last night, but I wasn't bothered by it at all, because I thought he did a great job on Bynum. A lot of people saw us without a legit C last night, and assumed we'd get killed inside. But Aldridge did a great job playing Bynum, a guy who is supposed to be one of the top young Cs, and who probably has 30 pounds on Aldridge. Game's played on two sides of the court, and we were doing well enough on one side with our guards that I'm glad LMA gave us that good effort on the other end. If he was out, even though it doesn't show p in the box score, we lose that game.

 

[e_blazer]

I really don't understand the seeming need of some folks on this board to have something to bitch about and some player to kick after each game no matter how well the Blazers have played. Here are a couple of clues:

1. People don't play as well when they're injured as when they're not.

2. When players are injured, teams look elsewhere for scoring.

3. Even the best players have times when they're not at the top of their games.

4. No team now in this league or in the past has had All Stars at every position...stop fricking whining because the Blazers don't.

5. We just beat the Lakers!

 

[Pritchslap Madness]

Odd thread. LMA is the man and one of my favorite Blazers.

Yeah, he out there playing injured give him a fucking break! My guess is if we had more healthy players on the roaster he would still be out. He out there playing pretty much on one leg. I'm proud of LMA for at least being out there. Give him a few weeks and people will be back to loving him.

 

[drexlersdad]

he is injured and playing 40 mpg and he is soft?

 

[Crimson the Cat]

The dude is trying to contribute this season the best he can. Injure any power forward, take away their field goal attempts, move them away from the basket, and see how much they can contribute on either end of the court. His PER is still above average. His defense is fucking great.

Anyone that would call him a bum has something mentally wrong going on inside their cranium. Seriously.

Mixim, you do realize how reactionary you are, right?

 

[Nikolokolus]

Agreed. I have been hard on Nate lately, but asking LMA to adjust his game because, you know, things have changed since opening day, is hardly unreasonable.

It's not about laying blame on Nate or the coaching staff, I'm just saying circumstances have been less than ideal for LaMarcus this year. Certainly the team needs him to be adaptable, but on the other hand I think the constant shifting of his role (and the injuries) have taken a toll on his game and his confidence.

 

[andalusian]

LMA usually gets in a groove at the 2nd half of the season, after the all-star snub gets to him. Add the injury issues - and he will be fine.

 

[BenDavis503]

Juwan had a far better game. That is why he passed LA his shirt at the end of the game.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Juwan had a far better game. That is why he passed LA his shirt at the end of the game.

That was fucking hilarious, btw. Juwan's a crackup.

 

[THE HCP]

This is crazy! How quickly we forget. He is a very important piece to this team and is playing on a bad ankle. Relax.