Is hickson rubbing off on Aldridge?

http://portlandtribune.com/pt/12-sports/130083-la-story-as-blazers-pinch-pistons

Personally I think he has. Hickson has been a great example for Aldridge on fighting for the rebounds. There have been many games where we saw solid rebounding performances from both Aldridge and hickson.

I wish we had the money and space to keep hickson as a backup; but I think he wants to start and will want more money.

Regardless, hickson's time in Portland was definitely a blessing. If he leaves Portland for another team; I wish him nothing but the best.

 

I just wish Hickson put out the same amount of energy on defense that he does on rebounding and scoring.

 

I think also that Aldridge became a better defender from having Hickson instead of Camby alongside him, we're still very poor in interior defense but I think Aldridge personaly has improved in that aspect.
As for Hickson, I also would like to keep him, at a reasonable contract. He has some traits you can't teach, the comparison to Zach Randolph isn't too far off. I think most of us would keep Randolph, in retrospect, I think we should keep Hickson too.

 

Randolph was so much more polished on offense though. Much of Hickson's game is reliant on his athleticism. Zach has very little athleticism to speak of.

 

Yes, Zach was more finesse and more skilled. There are other differences - Zach's athletic legs and ridiculously long arms, JJ being stronger - but both provide similiar numbers, are good offensive rebounders and score at a very high FG%. Both are not very good defenders, though Zach seems to be a bit less clueless.

 

I see Aldridge as he always has been.

 

eww

 

Which is why I've said that I think we can expect very little growth from him at this point. He is what he is.

 

Rodman put in zero effort on offense, and toward the end of his career when his rebounding numbers peaked, very little effort on defense. Ben Wallace totally ignored offense, and Dwight Howard has pretty much been stagnant there his whole career. Only the absolute best of the best have done what you're asking for from a role player.

 

I don't understand... I asked that Hickson play defense and you listed off three guys who were known for defense and rebounding. I would prefer Hickson defend and rebound, honestly. I couldn't care less if he scores more than ten points per game. If he avereaged 10 and 10 while playing even solid defense, I'd be psyched.

 

That's not what he said. He works hard every summer to add things to his game. He is having a career high in rebounds this year.

 

Also, he develops more and more post moves

 

No he isn't. Not quite anyway. His stats from 2010-2011 are still better. He is averaging a career high in assists and blocks though (just barely).

2010-2011 - 21.8 ppg, 8.8 boards, 2.1 assists, 1.2 blocks

2012-2013 - 20.9 ppg, 8.7 boards, 2.6 assists, 1.3 blocks

 

In fairness; that was when Roy was injured most the season and we had no other real offensive option. Aldridge is doing well with a much better offensive unit

 

To counter that point, he's actually taking slightly more shots than he was in 2010-2011, and he's making less of them.

2010-2011 - 17.5 FGA, 50% from the field.

2012-2013 - 17.7 FGA, 48% from the field.

 

Two percent isn't really killing me. He's shooting 50% in March, and we know his averages go up as the season progresses; he's always done his best work after the All-Star Break.

 

Well, the point was that Mags said he had better stats in 2010-2011 because Roy was injured and we had no other offensive option. I was just pointing out that he's actually taking more shots per game this season, but shooting a lower percentage overall.

 

Regardless of the shots, I am saying he was asked to dominate in the paint because there was no pick and pop player. So more high % shot attempts equal better efficiency.

When Roy was injured, he wasn't asked to spread the floor. Nate was forced to use Aldridge as the go to guy


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The original point was that, by and large, he's done growing as a player. That may or may not be true. He's doing slightly better in assists and blocks this year, which is encouraging, but his FG% has dropped while his shots have gone slightly up. I just think we've reached a point where this is pretty much what we can expect him from. 20 ppg, 8 boards, and 1 block per game. That's not bad for a 2nd option, but he'll be paid like a #1 when his deal is up.

 

So what you are saying is Aldridge can't progress? Aldridge is getting less than bosh and he's the third option on Miami.

Also, I bet I can find a bunch of players that had a drop year, only to come back the next season much stronger. And we keep forgetting two things.

1.) at the beginning of the season, he was recovering from surgery. There was a lot of missed shot at the beginning of the season.

2.) even now he has injured ankles and still plays strong.


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