Has it been reached? He looks exactly the same as he did in his second year. 07-08: 17.8 PPG | 7.6 RPG | 1.6 APG | 18.5 PER | Defensive rating: 107 | 34.9 MPG 09-10: 17.5 PPG | 8.1 RPG | 2.0 APG | 18.1 PER | Defensive rating: 107 | 37.4 MPG He's still not assertive. He's been aggressive on the block maybe three or four times this season. He's a steady 18/8 player but I can't see LMA ever stepping up and being that 23+ PPG scorer. Like Rasheed, he just doesn't have it in him.
Yep. I thought he might have another jump in performance in him and this year's circumstances have dictated that he's played out of position (at center) which probably hasn't helped his numbers, but alas I think this might be the player we can expect for the rest of his career ... I hate to presume, but the big money contract may have taken some of the wind out of his sails; I hope I'm wrong about that.
I think when Greg is healthy on the floor with Aldridge he plays a little bit better. Greg attracts the attention inside and it helps LaMarcus get his jump shot easier.
Actually the opposite was true through twenty games this year ... Greg getting more touches and looks on offense had LMA on the outside looking in.
Sadly, I would have to say "yes." I was one of the first on the "draft LMA" bandwagon, and I honestly thought this kid could be a star. It seems something is just missing.
*raises hand* Ooh, ooh, I know this one, I'm pretty sure it starts with the inability to dribble the ball in any kind of traffic, and the fact that he never gets low enough when he tries to establish post position, meaning no leverage.
Big difference between Sheed and LA. Sheed COULD have been the best, and run the league. He just didn't give a damn. Whitey paid him, and he was happy, as long as Whitey "cut the check". Shoulda, coulda run the City of Roses. LA just doesn't have the balls. Flat out. He just won't bang down low. He won't try to run the team. He wants it, at least on the surface. He wants all that comes with the fame. Inside, though, he just can't dig deep enough to put it together. Don't get me wrong. They are similar in a lot of ways. But Sheed, he had everything except the desire. LA has all that, except the MANHOOD.
Yep dude full on. Lamarcus has what I call motor issues. The problem being his motor is not running all the time. He will have a good quarter here and there, and then dissappear for the rest of the game. He will play in the post one game, and then not for several games. When his motor is running he is great, everything you want. I don't think it's too late for him to turn a corner. Josh Smith turned that corner this year when he stopped taking outside jumpers. He was a 47% shooter last year and before because he shot over 50% from inside the paint, but shot about 25% from the 3 point line and outside. So this year (his 5th) he made a commitment to stop taking outside jumpers. His field goal percentage is .514 this year. All his numbers are up. All because he started playing the right way. Every number that is important for a power forward involves dominating the paint. High percentage shots come in the paint. Rebounds happen in the paint. Blocked shots happen in the paint. When you don't play in the paint, you don't do what you need to do as a power forward to succeed at the highest level in this league.
LMA isn't even in his prime yet, and we're debating if he's reached his ceiling as a player? The 'now, now, now' crowd on here is so tiresome. The fact that his numbers haven't fallen despite being the ONLY low-post threat we've had since Greg went down would seem like a positive to me, but I suppose he is 24 and as good as he'll ever be.
I too think he'll basically be an 18-20 PER player the rest of his young prime/prime years. Not worth the money we gave him, but if your third best (after Oden and Roy) or maybe fourth best (after Oden, Roy and Batum) player is him, you're contending for a title. And if Oden doesn't get healthy, it doesn't matter anyway (in terms of championships).
The thing I notice more and more about him is that he just doesn't seem to have the power and/or finesse to finish when he's got dominant inside position. When you see Zach Randolph, Amare, Oden, Duncan, Bosh, Landry, Boozer, etc near the rim with the ball, you pretty much expect them to get a bucket or force a foul. With Aldridge you kind of expect a weak spinning turnaround hook that avoids contact and may or may not go in, or if that isn't open a pass out to the perimeter. It's more noticeable to me after having Oden and then losing him. This difference is about 3-5 points and 2-3 drawn fouls per game that Aldridge just doesn't create. However, like Sheed, I like him for what he is, not who I imagine he could be. I'm glad we picked him, and I think he can still be the perfect compliment to Oden.
Aldridge is a gazelle playing in an offense that doesn't like to run. This is the worst possible offense he could be playing in, and he still averages good numbers.
Good point. Kenyon Martin used to put up 17 ppg playing next to Jason Kidd. Imagine Aldridge on a team with those kind of opportunities...
It is true that they miss him all the time for fast break opportunities. But that doesn't explain why he just dissappears for quarters at a time.
