Last seven games before he went down he was averaging 15pts/G. Now put another 5 months of playing and experience on top of that. He'd be pretty good right now.
It doesn't really have to be a PG. I was going with the notion that we were set at SG-SF-PF-C* We could go all out and package LaMarcus with a few other assets for Chris Bosh. I could live with a frontcourt of Batum/Bosh/Camby!
Moreso from three. Blake had it last year, but he certainly didn't have it this year. Same goes for Rudy. I don't know if I would even say Aldridge has the "better not leave him open" feel. He's too inconsistent for that. When he's on he's unstoppable, but when he's off he is ice cold.
The perfect fit would be Devin Harris. I doubt Grant Hill could render him ineffective guarding him straight up. Get that #1 pick Nets!
A James Jones-type? You're right, we are missing that right now. I wonder what Ray Allen would say about the MLE and 25 minutes a game? As for Aldridge being inconsistent, most #2 scorers are going to be inconsistent. Then again, most players are inconsistent. Fans of teams just see their own players be inconsistent more often than they see players on other teams.
current teams: Josh Smith (2) vs. Joe Joshnson (1) Steve Nash (2) vs. Amare (1) Pau (2) vs. Kobe (1) Billups (2) vs. Melo (1) Williams (2) vs. Boozer (1) Past: Kevin Garnett (2) vs. Paul Pierce (1) -- healthy Garnett Antawn Jamison (2) vs. Arenas (1) Parker or Ginobli (2) vs. Duncan (1) etc. The bottom line is that when LMA is featured as the number 1 guy without Brandon drawing some heat from him, he's not able to consistently get his shot no matter what and cannot deal with a double team effectively -- if a double team nullifies a player or otherwise frequently befuddles them, then that player need not apply for the number 1 option title.
What about Josh Smith has shown he can be an effective #1 scorer? Or even Steve Nash? Pau was a #1 in Memphis, but they were garbage, and then after they weren't garbage, they couldn't even win a playoff game, let alone a series. Smith is the one that really stands out to me, though. LA is a better #1 than Smith, IMO.
No, not kidding at all. I've yet to see Josh Smith double-teamed on every possession, and his production is very close to LA's. Tell me how I'm wrong about Josh Smith?
maybe I just dont watch ATL enough.. but isnt Smith just an open court player.. Like I said it could be my ignorance, but I never thought of him as someone who could take over a game scoring and get his own shot when needed.
Smith shot over 50% from the field (mostly close in), he can actually dribble the ball in traffic, his PER was 21 vs. LMA's 18, he finally abandoned the ridiculous 3 point attempts he used to throw up at the rim ... his issue has never been his ability to get his, his issue used to be knowing when to get his. PS. I know it's like a fucking ritual to argue over minutiae around here, can we just can that and stick to the topic? (myself included).
My concern was calling Smith a #1 option when he's the #3 scorer on that team behind Johnson and Crawford. That's all.
Crawford is a sixth man and does most of his damage when the starters sit. IN THE NORMAL FLOW OF THEIR OFFENSE, Smith is a the number two guy, and he can create his own high percentage shot from the baseline or off the dribble.
I really think it's just health. We'd be a better team had we not sustained so many injuries to so many players. We'd be in better shape, better chemistry, etc.
Why would this piss anyone off. Right now Amare is playing WAY better then LaMarcus. He is significantly more aggressive in the paint. I think the comparison isn't really even close right now outside of the one game LaMarcus played well in.
Simple...we are missing a Bad-Ass Leader. BRoy is extremely talented but soft. If he were a Bad-Ass Leader who would stand up to anyone and MAKE IT OBVIOUS HOW BAD HE WANTS TO WIN ALL THE TIME (Kobe, LeBron, Durant is getting there, Pierce) then all these other 2nd and 3rd options would play bigger and with the swagger necessary. BRoy doesn't like defense. He doesn't want to roll up his sleeves every night. He doesn't even want to bend his knees on defense which is why he hurt his knees v the Lakers...get in stance and be a basketball player on both ends of the floor. The Blazers have become his team and taken on his personality which means they are EXTREMELY INCONSISTENT in their effort...just like BRoy. Same issue that Dallas has w/ Dirk and Miami has w/ DWade...among others. That's your answer. Simple. The team w/ the best Bad-Ass wins in the end.
It's a pipedream but the answer to that is easy: CHRIS PAUL. He's a straight up asshole to his teammates when they screw up.
Roy will be the badass in Game 6. He's demanding to start. He wants the ball. He will lead us. We don't win Game 4 without those two big shots in the 4th. He will lead us.
