Are mid range jumpers to blame for LA sucking?

I am specifically referring to his performance in the all star games which have been less than stellar. Is his preference for pick and roll and shooting 18-20 foot jumpers the reason he has struggled, while people like Griffin who are a little more above the rim much more successful?

I personally believe that Portland can live with LA shooting 40% from mid range during the regular season but when everyone shoots around 55-60% in the all star game LA's shooting a long jumper is a pretty terrible possession.

 

I didn't see the game, did they suck it up?

 

His mid-range game is what sets him apart given his length. They may not be all that exciting in an all-star game, but in an actual game where he can get rhythm they can be deadly. I have also seen games where he is off too and it hurts the team, but this is a Stotts offense combined with an LMA strength. Don't expect it to change.

 

Now LA sucks based on his all-star performances? What the hell has happened to this forum? Who are these people?


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LA doesn't suck. Ergo </thread>

 

Everyone is entitled to their opinion.... bro.

 

You could have just typed "Yes".

 

You're asking this seriously? The relationship between the All-Star game and NBA basketball is about the same as between home-run hitting contests and major league baseball. Yeah, the great players are great regardless of whether it's a real NBA game or the fluff-fest that is the All-Star Game. But it's also a chance for the second-tier guys whose games are built around the flash of the slam dunk to show off. If you were to engineer the perfect second-tier player for the All-Star game you'd get Blake Griffin. What ticks me off is when people confuse what a player like Griffin does in the All-Star Game as being indicative of being a great NBA player. Not saying Griffin isn't really good, just that him getting fed innumerable lobs and dunking against no defense isn't much of an indication of how important his contributions may be in a real NBA game.

Aldridge's game is the center of the Blazers' offense and it has lead to a record that's far better than anybody expected. His mid-range game is the most important reason that the Blazers have been so successful. If he played the way Griffin does (pretty much dunks with a few open jumpers thrown in), the Blazers would have a doughnut hole offense with nothing in the middle to open up the play for the perimeter players and the occasional finish at the rim. In an All-Star Game, nobody's going to give him the ball and watch him work setting up his man for his trademarked turn-around jumper or an up-and-under move to the rim. First, there's no defender there for him to work against, and second, in an All-Star game it's all catch-and-shoot or dunks. LMA's game is not what the current All-Star Game is all about. That shouldn't be confused with the fact that it's something that every coach in the league would want to have in his team's arsenal.

 

Based on the all star game? You couldn't have a smaller sample size if you tried.

 

All star game doesn't mean shit to me. It's the real games that are bugging me

I don't mind him shooting those jumpers if he mixed up his game and went inside once in a while. His shot charts over the last few weeks have been so ugly because he's been exclusively shooting 15-20' Js. Most of those heavily contested. It's annoying because we've all seen LaMonster and know what he's capable of, but he reverts back to LaMarshmellow too often.

 

I'm just tired of people stomping on each other over their opinion.

Think LA shoots too many jumpers? Cool.

Don't think the team should make a trade and should stick with what we've got? Cool.

I find it extremely annoying how a few people get to define what a real fan is.

 

Oh dear...

 

now this is true!

 

Not sure what the stats say, but out of all the guys averaging 20ppg +, I'd say LA's points per shot # is among the worst in the group. He doesn't really get to the line or shoot threes, and he's shooting a career low FG%.

If his reasoning for taking those shots is fatigue, then I'd rather play him 30mpg going hard than 38mins of subpar play.

 

Relax guys the whole point was to suggest LA sucks in All Star games not in real life. Want to discuss whether LA or Griffin is better in real NBA games go for but one thing is for sure Griffin style is much better suited for the All Star game than LA's. Of course LA is quite athletic and capable of dunking on people not sure why he refuses to adapt to that style at least for the All Star game.

 

All star games are on the interwebs?!

 

This.

 

I hear what you are saying. A 45% chance of making a shot is a good shot in a regular NBA game but not in an all star game. Therefore LA's midrange game doesn't really translate into a good all star performance (unless LA shoots 75%) so it is hard for LA to really stand out in an all star game.

What I found interesting in this all star game was how much more pub Lillard got over Aldridge. Blazers finally have a player the NBA is trying to make one of the future faces of the NBA . . . and that player is Damien Lillard.

 

Ditto.

 

Someone told me Aldridge has shot more midrange jumpers than than the entire Houston Rockets team this season. Is this true?