LMA Opens up about being a leader this year...

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/lamarcus-aldridge-s-role-change--trail-blazers-forward-leads-with-authority-071506149.html

Interesting read, delves into his mistrust with people, as well, and how he has had to "grow" into the role of being a leader.

 

Nice article. Thanks for posting the link.

Repped.

Gramps...

 

Awesome article. A lot of things make sense now! I hope Aldridge keeps it up and trusts his teammates better in process!

 

Thanks for the quality story! Repped as well

 

M-V-P

Moda needs to start chanting that at games, he's our MVP in the least

 

I love seeing these types of stories about the realness of players. I often think we (as fans of any team) forget that these are living, breathing human beings, as odd as that sounds.

 

I like the article and, more importantly, what it has to say, but haven't we read pretty much the same thing each of the past three or four years?

 

Yep, he's deserved crowd respect for years. We tend to embrace scrappy role players because they lay it on the line, but la has laid it on the line for years. I got an MVP chant started for him in the comeback game but most around me seemed reluctant to chant it. I don't care if he's not MVP of the league, he's our MVP.

 

Here is what I take out of it:

I laugh at the people who did and still claim Aldridge wanted a trade. He never did. At this rate, I don't think he will.

 

Yea it was/is comical. This is his team.

Welcome to ripcitytwo

 

LaMarcus was the vet leader tonight, calming the Blazers down and hitting key shots to stem the tide.

 

The bucket he had late, with us up one at the time, was huge. He slowed it down, kicked it out, battled for slightly better position, then received the ball back, took a second, then took the shot. Seems small, aside from pushin the lead back to three, but I thought that calm coolness showed me how he's grown as a leader an player.

 

That was when I started feeling like we had the game.

 

Exactly my point. If we can get that feeling from that moment, I imagine the players recognize and feel it on the court.

 

Totally, and to their credit, when LMA was in there he was getting the ball a lot more than I'd ever seen him get it before. They definitely know the score.

 

Yep yep!

 

Sibonas will claim Live would have done a better job winning the game for us

 

Okay Sinobas…. Let's seriously compare Aldridge vs. Love, now that I am on a computer….

Tracking Touches - Love in one of the league leaders in touches per possessions. He is averaging 0.27 points per touch (meaning the team scores 0.27 points every time he touches the ball). Aldridge is averaging 0.33 points per touch.
Point Aldridge

In the half court game, Love has 0.47 points per touch and Aldridge 0.52.
Point Aldridge.

Now let's look at passing, which you said Love is better at. - Aldridge has better Assisted opportunities, plus secondary assisted opportunities.

Point Aldridge

Shooting - You claimed that Love is better around the basket. According to NBA player tracker, this is false. Aldridge is shooting 54.3% from close, hitting 3.8 shots per game, while love is shooting 47.3% with 4.4 a game.

Point Aldridge

Then you said that Aldridge is only a "catch and shoot" player. Funny how Love actually catches and shoots more times than Aldridge.

Point Aldridge.

 

One thing I noticed last night: When the Blakers were making their run and we were only up 2 points, it was the first time I really sensed a "gimme the damn ball" body language from LMA and he hit a huge turnaround jumper to put us up 4. Really great to see that.

 

I better hear MVP chants tonight in the 4th.