So...what is wrong with LaMarcus Aldridge?

I'm pretty sure whatever it is you're complaining about is because he doesn't do cocaine, doesn't do acid, doesn't believe that Jesus was real, and that he's never read the Book of Mormon.

 

It's pretty simple, he's not attacking the hoop.

The 'game' he's playing is exactly like pre-2010 LaMarcus -- settling for jumpers.

 

Exactly. And Nik- it's not about the numbers. He's making the jumpers. The question is why isn't he attacking the hoop like he did last year? It's not because Andre Miller is gone. People are getting him the ball. He's just not attacking. It looks like something must be affecting him physically. When you're tired or hurt, you settle for jumpers.

 

Exactly. And Nik- it's not about the numbers. He's making the jumpers. The question is why isn't he attacking the hoop like he did last year? It's not because Andre Miller is gone. People are getting him the ball. He's just not attacking. It looks like something must be affecting him physically. When you're tired or hurt, you settle for jumpers.

 

What part of "heart surgery" and "no training camp" do you not understand? It takes time to get your legs under you after almost any surgery and being laid up for a week. If he's still playing like this in two or three weeks you'll be on to something, but right now? C'mon.

 

Seems like he's fumbled a few opportunities in every game where Felton is trying to set him up on the roll. In those situations I think he's used to seeing the ball lobbed up high for him to finish, whereas Felton tends to deliver it more into the breadbasket. They just need to get some games under their belt to develop the timing. Aldridge is thinking a lot out there, whereas he needs to go on instinct more like Amare did. Nate seems intent on forcing those cobwebs off by giving LMA 40 minutes/night.

 

That's the essence of Nate McMillan. He makes the players think all the time, and play defense every second. Shooters are distracted by everything other than shooting. Good shooters are ruined. To compensate, McMillan slows down the game to get more focused shots than other teams require.

McMillan is such a serious guy that he never loosens up.

 

All I'm saying is we need more ball movement and they need to look to LMA over and over.

 

Well not to be argumentative, but it looked like Portland was trying to get the ball into LMA. I also saw him get pushed out of the paint, and get a re-entry for worse position. I do agree with Nic and others about his conditioning, minor surgery and only having 2 practices with the current team.

I didn't even know he's only practiced 2 times with the team

 

Good points, I guess I was just pissed when Blake Griffin was on him numerous times and nobody passed him the rock

 

Brings me to a different point. Blake Griffin has no inside game at all. He only shoots from the perimeter and gets dunks. I didn't see one time he was remotely close to successful in the post.

Also, he has a terrible FT technique. He doesn't dribble the ball. It freaked me out watching it.

 

Won't be any easier vs Perkins/Ibaka/Collison

At least the Thunder are on a b2b

 

Griffin is a lot better than Aldridge at scoring in the paint. He draws more fouls and has a face up game. He made more jumpers than he is used to during the Portland game, but he usually never takes them.

 

He's been good, but not top15 NBA player great. When he's beasting it down low that opens up our outside shooters for wide open jumpers. That's why Wes was averaging 20ppg with Roy out last year, LaMarcus was collapsing defenses and it allowed Nic and Wes to stroke it. LaMarcus is good enough to always be productive, but when he dominates down low the defense is forced to double more often. When LaMarcus settles for the long two instead he still gets his points, but the rest of the team doesn't get wide open shots. LaMarcus can get a good shot from the outside all game, but early in the shot clock he needs to try to go inside, thats where he can get great shots. If nothing develops in the offense and the shot clock is winding down then he should jack up the long 2 pointers.

It's not like LaMarcus is playing bad or anything, he's still been our best player, he's just been playing at borderline all-star level instead of a dominating all-star starter level.

I'd like to see Nate limit his minutes to the 30-35 minute range. Keep him fresh so he has the stamina to battle down low most of the game instead of knowing he has to pace himself. It's going to be a marathon of a season.

I'm hoping LaMarcus does elevate his play more in the upcoming games, but history suggests he mostly ends up playing at this current level as opposed to his beasting Dec-Jan stretch from last season.

 

At this point, I'm more concerned about Aldridge's rebounding that his scoring. His TRB% is a very Bargnani-like 10.4, by far the lowest of his career. But, it's a very small sample size and as long as the team is rebounding well, it's not a big deal. Plus his AST% of 12.7 is at an all-time high. So, he is doing a good job passing out of the double teams.

In any case, no point in getting too excited about any of these things given the small sample size and the fact that Aldridge missed the preason and is still working his way into game shape.

BNM

 

It's lik he read my post. This is the Aldridge we need to win a title.

 

THERE is your beast mode! Awesome.

 

He said he had his legs this game. Maybe he's just tired.

 

Playing himself into Beast Mode.