Who is a better cornerstone for the Blazers? Current LMA or Healthy Roy?

[Sug]

Please vote and/or comment

 

[GrandpaBlaze]

I'd vote but its not a poll.

I'll take C (as long as we're in fantasy land):
* Sabonis came over when he was healthy and the Blazers won 5 championships in a row
* The Blazers never traded away Moses Malone
* The Blazers drafted Bob McAdoo rather than LaRue Martin
* Roy, Oden and LMA are all healthy and at the top of their game

<sigh>

Gramps...

 

[B-Roy]

Roy. People have short memory and forget how good Roy really was.

Aldridge has a chance to surpass him though.

 

[Nikolokolus]

A dominant big who can score in the post and defends or a ball-dominant shooting guard with almost no defense. Roy in his prime was pretty damned amazing to watch, but ultimately that brand of isolation basketball was unlikely to take this team very far in the playoffs unless Brandon was at the Kobe, Wade or Lebron level (and he wasn't).

This version of LMA with a healthier roster would appear to be better suited for doing some good things ... as for that healthier and deeper roster, that may take some time.

 

[julius]

Roy healthy, or "long career" healthy?

that is a tough question. Which LaMarcus would Portland get with a healthy Roy? And what version of Roy would Portland get with LaMarcus being how he is now?

 

[VanillaGorilla]

LaMarcus. Put better complimentary players around him and you've got an elite team.

 

[chris_in_pdx]

Roy. People have short memory and forget how good Roy really was.

This.

 

[HailBlazers]

Oden

B-roy is the face of this franchise but its clear now LMA is the stone!

 

[RoyToy]

This thread was created like a week ago

 

[BBert]

A dominant big who can score in the post and defends or a ball-dominant shooting guard with almost no defense. Roy in his prime was pretty damned amazing to watch, but ultimately that brand of isolation basketball was unlikely to take this team very far in the playoffs unless Brandon was at the Kobe, Wade or Lebron level (and he wasn't).

This version of LMA with a healthier roster would appear to be better suited for doing some good things ... as for that healthier and deeper roster, that may take some time.

Good answer. As clutch as Roy was, his defense was never good. Not only do I prefer playing and watching this current style of basketball, but it is more effective in the playoffs, when you have to have options in order to make adjustments.

 

[JfizzleBlazer]

Definitely Aldridge. Roy was a fantastic offensive player, but he couldn't guard worth a damn. Aldridge is the better two way player and bigs who can play down low help teams in the playoffs more than Iso Shooting guards.

 

[PapaG]

It's like choosing between LMA and the Easter Bunny, isn't it?

 

[Mediocre Man]

Dominant bigs are more rare than SG's who like to ISO and can't play defense. Roy was an amazing player, but probably not the better team player.

In reality, a healthy Oden is probably the answer

 

[Shooter]

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'll take Aldridge. With Roy out, Aldridge has completely revamped his game, which is the best thing for the team. The Blazers are better with Aldridge playing "big" around the basket, and other players filling in around him.

 

[illmatic99]

I disagree with the notion that good big men are rare. If you look at the top PF/Cs, you have Dwight, Bosh, Amare, Horford, Nowitzki, Gasol, ZBo, Griffin, Love, Duncan, Smith, Boozer, KG, West, Scola, Millsap, etc, are all good for at least 20/10 a night.

When you look at SGs, however, few can put up the 20-5-5 every night. You have Bryant, Wade, Ginobili, Evans, Monta, and Iggy. No one else (like Martin, Allen, JRich, VC) has the playmaking ability that Roy does/did. I think his breed is far more rare.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I disagree with the notion that good big men are rare. If you look at the top PF/Cs, you have Dwight, Bosh, Amare, Horford, Nowitzki, Gasol, ZBo, Griffin, Love, Duncan, Smith, Boozer, KG, West, Scola, Millsap, etc, are all good for at least 20/10 a night.

When you look at SGs, however, few can put up the 20-5-5 every night. You have Bryant, Wade, Ginobili, Evans, Monta, and Iggy. No one else (like Martin, Allen, JRich, VC) has the playmaking ability that Roy does/did. I think his breed is far more rare.

The hard truth is that a team probably needs a dominant wing AND a dominant post if they really want to truly contend for a title. Examples 1a, 1b and 1c are the Celtics, Lakers and Spurs in the last decade.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

It's like choosing between LMA and the Easter Bunny, isn't it?

Exactly. One is real, the other is not (anymore).

 

[Natebishop3]

I'd take the current Aldridge. If only Andre Miller were five years younger...

 

[BlazerCaravan]

I'd take the current Aldridge. If only Andre Miller were five years younger...

Miller only jumps once a week; he could play this well until he's 40.

 

[Natebishop3]

Miller only jumps once a week; he could play this well until he's 40.

Yeah... but if he were five years younger, his 40's would be right about when we're making our title run!

 

[Minstrel]

I'd take the current Aldridge. If only Andre Miller were five years younger...

Yeah, that would be awesome.

I'll take the current Aldridge too, mostly because he has a positive defensive presence in addition to being a major force on the offensive end.

Oh what could have been.

 

[PapaG]

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'll take Aldridge. With Roy out, Aldridge has completely revamped his game, which is the best thing for the team. The Blazers are better with Aldridge playing "big" around the basket, and other players filling in around him.

Haha!

You were ripping Roy all preseason and went as far as insinuating that Roy hid his injuries prior to signing his extension.

I'd have been shocked had you have said Roy.

 

[hasoos]

Yeah... but if he were five years younger, his 40's would be right about when we're making our title run!

Whats this with all the pro Miller comments? Oh yea the Blazers won last night....

Everybody knows when Miller hits the playoffs you just sag off him and make him a jump shooter. Game over.

 

[PapaG]

Whats this with all the pro Miller comments? Oh yea the Blazers won last night....

Everybody knows when Miller hits the playoffs you just sag off him and make him a jump shooter. Game over.

He is what he is. Whining about him not being able to shoot was unproductive, so I've stop doing it and will just appreciate the things he does very well.

If he could shoot, would he be an All-Star level PG? I think so, but that's not his game, so I am embracing the positives with every player, and am going back to my old ways as a Blazer Homer who just enjoys the games as entertainment, and not as a measure of who is being correct or incorrect on any given player, depending on the day.

 

[PapaG]

Yeah, that would be awesome.

I'll take the current Aldridge too, mostly because he has a positive defensive presence in addition to being a major force on the offensive end.

Oh what could have been.

Imagine 1977 Bill Walton with 1988 Sabas backing him up, alongside 1991 Terry Porter at PG backed up by 2002 Andre Miller (wait, Miller would probably insist on starting, so switch those two) , 2009 Brandron Roy SG backed up by 1988 Clyde Drexler (an after practice cage match would decide the starter, and Clyde seems a bit soft, IMO), 1994 Scottie Pippen at SF, a PF combo of 1977 Mo Lucas and 2011 LMA, and 2001 Rasheed Wallace thrown into the mix at SF when the Blazers go "big".

Man, kpee really blew it on this one.

 

[Shooter]

Haha!

You were ripping Roy all preseason and went as far as insinuating that Roy hid his injuries prior to signing his extension.

I'd have been shocked had you have said Roy.

I've been a big fan of Roy's ever since he joined the Blazers. I ripped on him in the preseason because he was playing horribly, and because he didn't seem to be taking the games seriously. Eventually, of course, we learned that he was struggling with knee issues.

Roy, in his prime, was amazing, but I always hated the way Aldridge played alongside him. He was quickly turning into a Rashweed Wallace clone. Now that we have the NEW Aldridge, I'm very happy with the idea of building the team around him.

 

[Shooter]

If he could shoot, would he be an All-Star level PG?

He CAN shoot. He proved it last night and the other night in Cleveland, when he made some very big shots down the stretch. The key for Miller is shooting the ball within his comfort zone, which is about 15 feet and in. He's actually pretty accurate from there.

 

[Dirty_F_Baby]

i said current LMA, based on last nights game alone. if he can avg 42 and 8 then he's > roy. lol

 

[PapaG]

He CAN shoot. He proved it last night and the other night in Cleveland, when he made some very big shots down the stretch. The key for Miller is shooting the ball within his comfort zone, which is about 15 feet and in. He's actually pretty accurate from there.

Yeah, that's not really being a good shooter, though, at least for a guard.

Anyhoo, go 'Dre!

 

[Ed O]

I'm loving Aldridge's game lately, but I think that where Roy was when he was healthy, the team was better.

I'd rather go with healthy top-15 Roy and complementary Aldridge than current Aldridge and complementary healthy Roy.

Ed O.