I'm not sure about that brother. He was considered ZBO's backup and also they were going to try to get him minutes as the backup center.
I remember the reports from the time. He was drafted as a "project". It was a surprise that he got as many minutes as he did that season.
LMA got only 22MPG (in 63 games only as he started and ended the year on the injury list) - but most of his big-minute games came when ZBo, Magloire and Joel were injured... until the end of the season when it was pretty clear that he was the 2nd best big-man on the roster after ZBo - whatever big minutes he got at the start of "his" year were in garbage time - and there were plenty of those that year... But, I do remember the "project" label as well. Of course, when your big-men are ZBo (offense only), Magloire (just a big body) and Joel (defense only) - it was not that big of a surprise that LMA's project status was short-lived. For all his faults - LMA has tons of talent...
Correct. Not much was expected of LA that year, which was my point. These days, a player picked that high is expected to start immediately, especially on a team coming off of a 21-win season. The injuries gave LA a chance to earn minutes, and it ultimately led to ZBO's trade after the season.
Stoudemire - 20.5 ppg in that series, 23.1 ppg in the regular season Aldridge - 19 ppg in that series, 17.8 ppg in the regular season Plus, LA shot more FTs than Stoudemire in that series. I guess I don't see how Stoudemire "beasted" LA when he averaged less ppg and less FTA/g than he did in the regular season. ADD - LA also averaged more bpg and less TO/g than Stoudemire that series. Missing a healthy Roy was why the Blazers lost that series, IMO.
At the very most, LA vs. Stoudemire was a very, very small edge to PHX. Not bad considering that Stoudemire was a gold-medal USA player on a max contract and playing with a two-time MVP, while LA was still on his rookie contract for a team missing its All-NBA SG.
[video=youtube;5hYXT14cEWs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hYXT14cEWs[/video] Aldridge was never the same psychologically after that play.
That's absurd. He was going to back up Zach AND Joel, and he was expected to make an immediate impact. Remember, he was stepping into Brian Skinner's role, for cry sakes. I, for one, remember more people speculating that he would make Zach expendable than people doubting he would make an impact.
I think you are wrong. I also don't that that your opinion is absurd. I just think it is wrong historically. You admitting that our top pick on a 21-win team was going to play the "Brian Skinner role" strengthens my argument, but no biggie.
As I remember it, both are right. Around these parts (blazer boards), most thought that he would get some good burn and some speculated that one day he would start. But in most national coverings of the blazers Aldridge was talked about as a good prospect but not quite ready. Not to the degree of Favors this year or Bargnani in LA's draft, but not far behind. It was considered a weak draft with few ready-to-go players, and that included LA.
Aldridge was the most polished out of the bigs taken in the lottery in that draft. More so than T. Thomas, Bargnani, O'Bryant, H. Armstrong. I remember from watching him at Texas thinking, solid player but a tendency to disappear in games and soft. More finesse than anything else. Some things never change.
Hopefully this isn't the same "LaMarcus Aldridge is huge and ripped" like the way people used to say "Zach Randolph is toned down and slim".
IDK, a lot of people regarded him as raw. KP himself was surprised that LA seemed so skilled initially. I always thought Bargnani was the most skilled big of that draft. Even in his first game, he showed some of that great touch, but was nowhere near as refined as he is now (sad that this improvement in fluidity hasn't translated to production, though. [video=youtube;aThIbBJH_tc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aThIbBJH_tc[/video]
Here's one of his best games early in his sophomore season: [video=youtube;S12zbSIAUrE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S12zbSIAUrE&feature=related[/video] One more: [video=youtube;nfjAtmJTCgQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfjAtmJTCgQ&feature=player_embedded[/video]
