Thought I'd point this out

[Fez Hammersticks]

LaMarcus Aldridge looks like an All-Star caliber player when he bangs down low in the post.

Tonight against the Utah Jazz frontcourt he was backing down his man and actually drop-stepping into the paint rather than fading or stepping back for a jumper.

He has the talent to do this every night but still settles for that jumper.

It drives me nuts.

 

[BrianFromWA]

Dunno, guess I see it a bit differently.

I was happy that he brought the drop-step out today, but for the last 3 weeks it seems that we've been trying to force him the ball in the post, and he's physically incapable of either backing his man down and shooting effectively over him OR driving through the lane and putting down the running hook shot. He does a lot of spin-around fade-aways, and long jumpers. Don't like those as much.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I tend to look at who was covering him. Okur is as soft as he is and did nothing to really deny him deep post position. But in general, I do agree that LMA should have this in him more than he does. The fact that he aggressively went for up and under moves and did more than just try that running hook across the lane and got to the line 15 times should happen a whole helluva lot more than once every ten games.

 

[Darkwebs]

Great game by Aldridge. But that might have been because he was playing against a Euro that is softer than the average power forward. Still, I have to give LaMarcus props for raising his level of play. 27 and 12 with 5 assists! I love the rebounds and the fact that he wasn't settling for 20 footers, or fadeaways in the post. If only he could play like this more.

 

[B-Roy]

It's a lot easier to back down Okur and Kirilenko than it is to back down Duncan/Amare, etc.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

It's not really who he was backing down it's that he was utilizing a drop-step into the paint. He's so much more effective when he goes to that rather than a step back jumper. He's a lot harder to guard when he's doing this, IMO.

 

[EGame]

I tend to look at who was covering him. Okur is as soft as he is and did nothing to really deny him deep post position. But in general, I do agree that LMA should have this in him more than he does. The fact that he aggressively went for up and under moves and did more than just try that running hook across the lane and got to the line 15 times should happen a whole helluva lot more than once every ten games.

Once every ten games? Try once every season.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Once every ten games? Try once every season.

I guess I was referring to these 20+ and 10 games. Not necessarily the 15 FTAs

 

[EGame]

I guess I was referring to these 20+ and 10 games. Not necessarily the 15 FTAs

Oh okay. I agree with that assessment then, but I also think he can get to the free throw line more than he is/has been. Not necessarily as much as tonight, but at least get there 4, 5 times or something like that. He hardly gets to the free throw line because of how many times he fades away and shoots jumpers.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Oh okay. I agree with that assessment then, but I also think he can get to the free throw line more than he is/has been. Not necessarily as much as tonight, but at least get there 4, 5 times or something like that. He hardly gets to the free throw line because of how many times he fades away and shoots jumpers.

Well I wasn't very clear in my post above, so it was easy to see why I didn't convey what I wanted to say. In any case. Aldridge currently averages about 3.5 attempts per game ... let that sink in ... 3.5 attempts per game for a guy averaging 37 minutes per game ... AT THE POWER FORWARD SPOT?!!!!

I've been a pretty staunch LMA supporter since he was drafted, and I still think he's got improvement left in him, but damn, that just isn't going to cut it for a guy that (supposedly) plays in the frontcourt on offense. (to put that in perspective Jerryd averages 4 per game in 18 minutes a night).

 

[VanillaGorilla]

LaMarcus Aldridge looks like an All-Star caliber player when he bangs down low in the post.

Tonight against the Utah Jazz frontcourt he was backing down his man and actually drop-stepping into the paint rather than fading or stepping back for a jumper.

He has the talent to do this every night but still settles for that jumper.

It drives me nuts.

He still can't finish around the hoop worth shit.

 

[KingSpeed]

Well I wasn't very clear in my post above, so it was easy to see why I didn't convey what I wanted to say. In any case. Aldridge currently averages about 3.5 attempts per game ... let that sink in ... 3.5 attempts per game for a guy averaging 37 minutes per game ... AT THE POWER FORWARD SPOT?!!!!

I've been a pretty staunch LMA supporter since he was drafted, and I still think he's got improvement left in him, but damn, that just isn't going to cut it for a guy that (supposedly) plays in the frontcourt on offense. (to put that in perspective Jerryd averages 4 per game in 18 minutes a night).

It's all about how Nate chooses to utilize guys. Bayless' role is to get to the basket and draw fouls. LMA's role, most of the time, is to set screens and hit outside jumpers.

 

[Nikolokolus]

It's all about how Nate chooses to utilize guys. Bayless' role is to get to the basket and draw fouls. LMA's role, most of the time, is to set screens and hit outside jumpers.

Except LMA is a terrible pick setter. I'm not haing on the guy (much) but his problems are mostly his; it's not because Nate wants him fading away on those turnaround 15 footers of his.

 

[hasoos]

I have been trying to figure out what is up with Aldridge all season. His past several seasons he hasn't played this way. But I noticed a few games ago that his elevation doesn't seem right. He wasn't able to get up and put a rebound back that he would have easily done last year. He also played in the paint/post a lot more last year. There is no Oden to make excuses about. I sense something is wrong physcially with him.

Now as for the picks mentioned up above, I would point out that our player using the picks aren't using the picks the best either. When making a pick, it is up to the guy with the ball to use the pick correctly. Oftentimes, Brandon doesn't even use the pick, he just uses it as a ruse to get somebodies attention so he can go another way. In fact, I would go so far as to say as he probably only uses the pick maybe 1 out of 4 times.