Delaying surgery means LaMarcus Aldridge could take twice as long to heal

No risk of permanent damage. So, worst case, Aldridge might miss the start of training camp next October after a deep playoff run. And that's only if he requires a tendon graft. Seems like a no brainer, as long as he can play through the pain.

BNM

 

Better to take a little longer in the summer than blow a championship run. Those rings aren't worn on the thumb anyway! I'm thrilled LA believes enough in this season to play through it.

 

Agreed. The article was very informative and well written. Basically, Aldridge can get the surgery done now and miss 6 - 8 weeks of the regular season. Which would most likely mean losing HCA and having a much lower seed and tougher first round match up - or possibly even missing the playoffs. Or, playing through the pain and potentially needing a tendon graft and missing the start of training camp, after a deep playoff run that extends into mid-June.

Mad props to Aldridge for putting the team first and playing through this injury in a contract year. He will still get multiple max offers. I don't know their cap specifics, but you knows Dallas, Houston and San Antonio would all LOVE to have Aldridge, as would the Knicks and Lakers. I just hope the Blazers reward him with the max amount for the max number if seasons. If there was ever a Blazers who deserved to be maxed out, it is LaMarcus Aldridge.

BNM

 

LMAEC!!!

BNM

 

The rest in summer will do him good

 

And by that point it will be the lakers problem.

 

I thought he did great last night.

 

Yep, he was a real difference maker. We do not win that game without him - and would have won the PHO and BOS games with him. Anyone who fails, or refuses, to see the overwhelmingly positive impact LaMarcus Aldridge has on this team's won:loss record is blind, an idiot, or likely both.

BNM

 

Now that he has proven himself a manly man, maybe just a few less jumpers a game huh? Please please? Guy can score in the paint on anybody in the world, I can shoot 20 footers.

 

This team can win with him taking those jumpers and him not changing a thing except for maybe playing with a lil more sense urgency each and every game. But dynamically, how he goes about it is fine in IMO.

Stotts would agree. He has won as an assistant with a similar type of player.

 

I can beat my girlfriend at arm wrestling without trying, if I gave it my all I'd break her arm. I'd rather LMA go to his strengths and people quit comparing his outside shot to Dirk.

It is as if Sinobas has cried wolf so much people are blind to the obvious benefit of Aldridge going beast on people.

 

But LA is what he is. And when he is playing with a sense of urgency, he is very good at what he is. If you need proof, go back to the Rocket series last year. He 'beasted' on them.

The team can win that way. In the end, I don't feel it matters as much on how you score but more how you defend.

 

At 357 pounds, your ass should be on the low block!

So, can you MAKE those 20 footers with some of the best shock blockers in the game in your face? I'm guessing no, or we'd be having the same debate about your shot selection...

BNM

 

The variety of Aldridge's offense is the key. He's not one dimensional. That's what makes his such a tough cover. Team's MUST challenge his shot all the way out to 20 feet. If they don't, he will KILL them (see POR vs. HOU Games 1 and 2). If they do challenge his shot out to 20 feet (which most teams do, including HOU after Aldridge KILLED them in Games 1 and 2), it opens up the lane for Lillard to penetrate and finish and Wes to post up. If Aldridge ONLY posted up, it would take limits Lillard's penetration and finishing at the rm - which is his biggest area of improvement, and Wesley's low post game.

BNM

 

Thing I'm most scared about is dicks in the NBA targeting his thumb and slapping it on purpose.

 

The biggest concern for me is that LA tries this for a few weeks and then decides it's just not possible to keep playing effectively and shuts it down. Instead of losing him for 6-8 weeks and getting him back for the playoffs, we're now in a situation where he's done for the year because of the delay in getting surgery.

That said, it's probably still worth the risk because doing the surgery now would probably mean the Blazers falling so far behind that his return wouldn't matter anyway.

 

Did you read the article? The source is the surgeon who performed the surgery on Chris Paul's thumb. Paul played for four weeks after he tore the same ligament in his thumb, decided to have the surgery at that time, and was fully recovered in 7 weeks. Postponing the surgery by a couple weeks is not likely to lengthen the recovery period. Postponing it by 5 months is more likely, if a tendon graft is required, to require an extended recovery time.

BNM