If both healthy, who's better LMA or Roy?

I saw Marc Spears of Yahoo on CSN New England tonight and he said he spoke with Marcus Camby, and Camby told him regardless of injury, Aldridge is better than Roy.

 

This is already established. Roy is more versatile. He dribbles. He gets around the court. He makes the pass, he doesn't depend upon receiving it. He's clutch. Camby arrived when Roy's problems began. Maybe he's a jinx. Maybe Roy will improve when Camby leaves.

 

A team built around LMA > team built around B-Roy.

 

The one that has been an all-star a couple times.

 

I have always said LMA is more talented, so I will stick with that

 

I don't think there is even a question about it. Roy has proven to be an unguardable NBA player when healthy. Camby really never got to play with that Roy.

LMA is on a great stretch, though. I hope he continues to be that player over a two-to-three season stretch, and that Roy can be the 18ish PER player that LMA has been for most of his career. Then, Oden comes back and throws down a bunch of rebounds and blocks, and The Dream Is Still Alive!

 

Based on what? I mean, I hope that's true, and that LMA is the next Tim Duncan, but title teams built around an elite PF are few and far between.

 

Stupid question, IMHO. They play two different positions. How can you compare? Why bother? I want them both to be good. Who was better? Stockton or Malone?

 

Stop trying to be a conversation killer. Just because people play different positions, doesn't mean they can't be compared as better or worse. If you're asking me about Stockton or Malone, it would basically be asking who meant more to the team. Obviously, Stockton/Malone is a very difficult one to dissect. So is Roy/Aldridge. But it's fun to try and discuss anyway.

I say LMA is a better player to build around because he's the first PF since Duncan that can post, shoot, and defend well. KG is another example. When the T'Wolves actually put some decent players around him, they had a great season. Even after his prime, he helped the Celtics win a championship (almost two). If you look at the league for the past ten years, there actually hasn't been a lot of PF's like Aldridge (assuming this new Aldridge is permanent). Chris Webber is another good example.

All-Star SG's are quite common. Roy was unguardable 1 on 1, yes. But the Blazers were much too dependent on him. And his defense was "suspect". His versatility is pretty overrated IMO.

 

Michael Jordan and Bill Wennington played different positions, I'm not sure which was better.

 

Artest said the Roy was his most difficult match-up, and Kobe Bryant said the player closest to him in all-around game was Brandon Roy.

It's a shame we'll never get to see what would have come out a healthy Roy.

 

Rasheed Wallace and Pau Gasol disagree with you.

Also, like you said, Kevin Garnett. Perennial All Star, 2004 NBA MVP, 2008 NBA Champion.

So how can Aldridge be the first PF that can post/shoot/defend since Duncan?

 

I'd go with Roy. He had an established, elite level while Aldridge's elite play is still too short a stretch to be sure it'll last long-term.

However, the way Aldridge is playing right now is superior to even a fully healthy Roy. Largely because while his production is similar to Roy's, his defensive presence is much more valuable. So I can understand why Camby said Aldridge is better, health aside.

 

Forgot about Gasol. Rasheed? Meh, as talented as he is, you can't build around an attitude like that.

But that just further proves my point of PF's winning big.

 

Cause KG came before Duncan.

 

Aldridge of the last month is better because he's not a ball-stopper and plays far superior defense. If he reverts back to old LMA then there's no question that Brandon (fully healthy) is the superior player.

I'm calling it a toss-up right now based on the fact that we don't know if LMA can keep this up.

 

Aldridge has been nice, but it's Roy. Roy had the killer instinct and was statistically one of the top 10 players in the NBA in the 4th Q. The best defenders in the NBA couldn't stop him most nights and Kobe and Artest said as much. He could break down the entire defense and get any shot from the 3pt line to finishing at the rim.

His pull-up jumper is what really set him apart from being just a nice SG. It forced people to play right on him and when he was fully healthy that was when he would shake them and blow right by them.

I miss that Roy. It'll be a long, long time until the Blazers are lucky enough to get another player like that. Hopefully Roy can make it work as a 6th man. He could still close games.