Game Thread GAME# 46: BLAZERS @ CAVALIERS - JANUARY 28, 2015 - WEDNESDAY, 4:00 PM (PST), KGW

I'm not saying it's LMA's fault that the defense sniffed that play out - that's on Stotts for not adding new wrinkles. But lately, I see LMA forcing up shots rather than passing the ball out and that IS on LMA. If the double comes, or if he's well defended in single coverage he needs to kick it out for a secondary option.

 

...

Really now? lately? as in the four games he's been back?
vs the Wiz he made 8/8 from the FT line after his thumb injury and went 9-22. Can attribute a few of the misses due to his thumb.. how often does Aldridge air ball any shot? However outside of a couple midrange jumpers when he had Gortat on him I don't remember him forcing a lot of jumpers due to the fact that NENE was playing him for that jumper, and giving up the middle.
This game the team actually shot decent from 3 at 41.9% Wes was 5-11, Lillard 2-6, Nards 3-3, Wright 3-5.
But like I said previously he did pass out in this game when the double came. I don't remember a single time when he had Nene on him of him going for that turn around jumper. But they also didn't really double team him except when Wall made a huge mistake and left Lillard for a warm up 3 from the top.


vs Cavs he went 10/10 from the FT line and 13-23 from the field, 2-3 from deep. This game I remember two plays where he had Nards wide open from behind the 3. When he could have passed it when the double came. Instead he got a fadeaway 2 away with very little defense. Missed both, but those double teams sucked badly as they weren't in Aldridge's space.
In this game the Blazers went 10-31 from 3. Lillard missed 7 threes and shot 10. Wesley missed 5 threes and shot 8. Nards who was wide open twice when Aldridge took the jumper instead was 1-3 from deep. Batum missed 4 threes and shot 5.
If I was Aldridge I wouldn't be passing it out to people who keep chucking either. Especially if I were to have it going like he did in that game.

vs Hawks he went 5-5 from the FT line and 15-24 from the field, 2-3 from deep. I wasn't able to watch this game as closely as I would have wanted to but.... Honestly? looking at just the box score it looks like Lillard and Wes were just chucking. They went a combined 4-18 from 3. That's really bad. I do remember one play I got to watch that made me shake my head.
Lillard drove by his defender and hit Wes. Wes pump faked and his defender bit, leaving a WIDE OPEN LANE TO THE RIM. Instead of driving he hits Lillard to his right for the corner 3... Who also has a WIDE OPEN LANE, but he shoots the 3 and bricks. Believe they were down by 5? here? why not just get the 2 and force the hawks to score? perhaps get an 3 point play the old fashion way?

I didn't get a real chance to watch any of the game last night so I won't go into it. But Lillard did go 1-10, Batum 1-4, blake 0-2, Wes made 4 missed 3.
From the looks of the box score no one really had it going last night vs the bucks.

But regardless all of this doesn't matter. My point is if I were Aldridge and my teammates were just chucking up 3's while shooting a very poor %. I'd take my turn around jumper regardless of the double team... if I had it going.

Maybe it is on Stotts to tell the guys to get to the rim and foul line. But it certainly isn't on Aldridge. Nor is it on his turn around jumper with the % he's been shooting in all of the games minus vs the bucks last night.

 

I think he has tried to pass out but his teammates aren't hitting the jumper. Because of that, who else do we have to score consistently other than Aldridge?

I would much rather see Aldridge and Leonard play a two man game. It seems Leonard can at least hit a jumper efficiently right now.

Something has to change until Dame and Wes get their jumper back. Batum has been a lost cause all season offensively, so I'm not even including him in this scenario