Aldridge biggest disappointment in the NBA

I know. And I was saying 17 & 9 would be better. Throw in a block more a game and he'd be pretty decent and a borderline All Star.

 

This. Plus he's been injured lately.

 

I disagree. Vince Carter is #1. I don't know what he is watching, but he is shooting under 40% and looks like ass out there. When you are replacing Hedo Turkoglu, you should at least come in and not stink.

 

I tend to give LMA a little bit of a pass, part of this is because he's my favorite Blazer, so I'm biased, another part is that I think he's been somewhat hobbled by injuries, but the biggest thing that jumps out at me is that I can look at his splits before and after Greg went down with injury and it becomes apparent that he's been a much more productive player, particularly in the rebounding category, which tells me that it's not all about Aldridge being soft and squidgy, but that circumstances and his role on the team have not been particularly kind to him.

I still contend that he's not getting nearly enough shot attempts (he's down to 13 per game vs. a 15 FGA average the previous two seasons) and part of this is on the guards for not feeding him and LMA not demanding the ball enough.

Maybe it's jut me projecting my hopes a little, but I kind of expect LMA to have a really strong second half like he has the past two years -- definitely not enough to make the all-star game, but hopefully enough to give this team a legitimate shot at the playoffs.

 

I know what you are saying, but there are problems with his game. The problem being, during the early parts of the posessions he fails to establish a deep position in the post. He always ends up way outside, but then attempts to play a back to the basket game but starting 18 feet out. If you are going to start 18 feet out you need to have a face up game. The facts are that guards won't pass you the ball if your established post position is 15 to 18 feet out. It needs to be 12 feet and in. That way it is a single stride or pivot for a close in shot at the hoop. Once there, it is a lot easier to get the rebound off of a miss.

 

I'm not concerned about LA. He isn't 100% and he is asked to do different things on the court this year.

Being responsible for a big portion of the rebounds can really take it out of a player. Couple that with bum ankles and I think Aldridge is filling his new role the best that can be expected.

I'm hoping and expecting he will develop a more physical game as he matures, but for now, he is a solid PF and a great team guy.

Edit: A little slow this morning . . . Nik basically said what I did (only better) . . . but I swear I was typing the same thoughts before I read Nik's post . .

 

I don't buy that. Other guys score and rebound both, and it doesn't effect their game, and Lamarcus has always talked about being wanting to be an all star. All stars do it all. They score, rebound, defend, and generally, kick ass. Does Chris Bosh not score when he rebounds? How about Carlos Boozer?

 

Not totally accurate. He's been in general decline for years and isn't close to the player he once was, but he actually had a pretty good season last year (by anyone else's standards). He had a PER of 22.3 and was rightfully chosen an all-star by the coaches and made 3rd team all-NBA (his first appearance on the all-NBA teams since 2005-06).

Last year reversed a 4-year trend of steady decline. This year, he's back on his previous trajectory.

Here's his PERs over that time span:

2004-05 - 27.0
2005-06 - 24.4
2006-07 - 21.7
2007-08 - 17.1
2008-09 - 22.3
2009-10 - 16.2

If Cleveland thought they were getting the 2008-09 version of Shaq (last year's model), they must be very disappointed.

BNM

 

I think it's fair to say he's been the biggest disapointment. This was the year he should have become an all-star. Instead his game has regressed.

He's a good player, and he plays hard, but he's a finesse player and he'll always be that way. You can't teach toughness. Maybe he'll have some kind of epiphany and spend the offseason putting on 15 pounds of muscle and start becoming a banger.

 

He hasn't regressed. Less focus of the team's offense and the team hasn't pushed the pace like some here thought, which we all know would help out LMA production wise.

2008-2009: 19.1 PER 23.7 USG%

2009-2010: 17.5 PER 21.2 USG%

Plus he's been hobbled which I would assume has effected his block numbers, even though it seems he's trending from the solid shotblocker we saw his rookie year, to one more apt to swipe the ball away then meet a guy at the rim. It would be nice to hear an opinion from somebody on the Blazers coaching staff about this.

 

Lists like this are frankly so arbitrary that they're hard to take seriously. Why doesn't Milicic appear anywhere on this list? Wasn't he chosen at the same point in the draft as Aldridge, yet is on the verge of playing his way out of the NBA entirely? Didn't Eddie Curry and Kwame Brown get chosen at the same point in the draft as LaMarcus? Those guys absolutely suck compared to the Blazers' starting power forward. And that's just talking about other guys who play frontcourt positions.

I have to confess, I do like Aldridge's game, but if there's one really disappointing stat, it's that he's had only 11 free throw attempts in the last six games. He's got to play in the paint a little more - especially with no other big with any kind of post moves as an alternative.

 

Uh, you don't see those guys because the list is about players not living up to their expectations this year. Or at least that's how I see it.

 

most of the guys on Eddie's list are, or have been, injured. From that respect I'm far more disappointed in Greg then LA. Why did he have to go off and suffer an injury??? How many I's in team?

LaMarcus hasn't set the world on fire this season, but he's also been sacrificing for his team and (of course) playing injured. Opinions and assholes... Eddie is entitled, but it's stupid list probably compiled to fill a deadline

STOMP

 

LMA is only in the middle of the pack of those PF's listed on the current All Star ballot.

If he was traded to Toronto for Bosh - I'd be one of the happiest Blazer fans around!

 

I am a little disappointed in our man this year. Canzano makes some points. I didn't see a Canzano post about this yet
http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/or...f/2010/01/canzano_lamarcus_aldridge_need.html