Is Aldridge now the face of the franchise?

The transition has begun . . . You could see it last night. Aldridge was playing with new passion, driving to the hoop at every opportunity, skying for rebounds, blocking shots, running the court. Did he already know what we now know, that Roy has become a jump shooter and a secondary player on the team?

Without Oden and Przy (and who knows if they will ever regain their former skills), I think that Aldridge has now officially become THE MAN in Portland.

 

Re: Is Aldrich now the face of the franchise?

Aldridge.

LaMarcus Aldridge.

And personally, if you ask me, I think it's either Markus Candy or Andrei Mueller.

 

Re: Is Aldrich now the face of the franchise?

Got me. It's still too early in the morning and I guess I'm half-asleep.

 

Re: Is Aldrich now the face of the franchise?

Durant is the face of that franchise, not Cole Aldrich

 

Re: Is Aldrich now the face of the franchise?

Hahaha, oh Hubie

 

Re: Is Aldrich now the face of the franchise?

Or maybe we'll get former Trail Blazer Bo Outlaw back.

 

Re: Is Aldrich now the face of the franchise?

Cole Aldrich sucks.

 

Re: Is Aldrich now the face of the franchise?

all-star spot there for the taking if LMA can do 20/10. currently 18.3/8.9

 

Re: Is Aldrich now the face of the franchise?

I think LMA is adjusting to becoming the 1st option though. It's obvious he's being a lot more aggressive this year, even though it's not exactly translating into the box scores just yet. I think it will take him awhile to figure it out. He's still our best player so far this season.

 

Re: Is Aldrich now the face of the franchise?

I'm still annoyed that all the contact LMA draws going through the middle, he gets so few foul calls on. He gets bumped hard, and gets a call one of every like 5 or 6 times. I know he isn't going right into a guy, but more name players get those calls. He'd be getting 8 FTAs per night. Still, I loved what I saw out of him last night. Beasting all over. Rebounding, attempting blocks like we haven't seen in a while.

 

Re: Is Aldrich now the face of the franchise?

Also, really, Aldrich? Obviously, he won't become the face of the franchise if you don't even know his name. It's been what, 5 years with him now? Aldrich?

 

Re: Is Aldrich now the face of the franchise?

I can understand the confusion. Aldrich and Aldridge have very similar appearances

Aldridge has been fun to watch thus far, I really like the adjustments he has made to his game. His time with Bayno definitely has paid off.

 

Re: Is Aldrich now the face of the franchise?

I do like what Aldridge has been doing this year. He has really surprised me.

 

Re: Is Aldrich now the face of the franchise?

This Pistons game might be the night that we'll look back on at the end of the season and say, "That's when it became Aldridge's team." But really it might have more to do with Roy submerging in this game than Aldridge emerging.

LA has kind of quietly taken 18+ shots/night in 6 of the last 8 games. (The two he didn't shoot that much were the blowout loss against the Lakers and the blowout win to Milwaukee.)

Roy, by comparison, has never averaged even 17 FGA's/night.

When you take that many shots, you quickly become (for good or bad) the face of a franchise. It'll be interesting to see how long it takes refs to recognize this and start rewarding him with more FTA's.

 

Re: Is Aldrich now the face of the franchise?

Which brings up another interesting comparison--a lot of people are dogging on Bosh because he put up big numbers on a destitute team, but has now become pedestrian playing next to superstars. Aldridge is in the exact opposite position. He put up pedestrian numbers on a team with a legit superstar, and now that the team doesn't really have one he's starting to emerge.

 

Re: Is Aldrich now the face of the franchise?

Well one of the problems I have had with the team is that they go to Aldridge for a quarter at the begining of the game, and then they seem to go a couple of quarters without really going to him, then when the team gets in trouble in the 4th, they try to go to him again. Often times, he hasn't taken a shot in so long that it doesn't work out the best until he gets going again. Just get him going, and keep him going. It's that simple. If they can't stop it, don't stop going to it.

 

Re: Is Aldrich now the face of the franchise?

Also, really, what, uh? . . . OK. I've spent way too much time with you, and I don't know your name, either.

 

I think you have a point, hasoos. But really, 18 shots/night isn't a bad number. He's still getting touches in those second and third quarters, it's just that defenses learn they have to collapse and so he passes it out or it can't be fed into him.

The troubling thing for me is the lack of free throws he's able to garner out of those shots. 4 FTA's/night just doesn't cut it.

 

no. if he is... lotto for 5 years