God, I really hope they keep this physical type of game up. I've seen them do it before, where they get into a really physical game with a team they want to beat badly, then in future games they just don't play like that. I really, really want them to do this every game.
Also, Joel going after his teammates telling them what to do, screaming at them sometimes. I want more of that.
I've been saying LMA is a finesse PF but he is not soft. He likes to shoot his jumpers, but he CAN bang down low, and he won't back down. One of my favorite players.
Another thing Aldridge did tonight that I have never seen him do before is dribble. He actually drove a bit instead of settling for his jumper in the second half. If he can understand how effective that is he might start to so it more often.
Yeah, that is the type of leadership we need. CP3 barks at his players all the time and tries to motivate them.
Exactly. People who say he is soft show their lack of basketball knowledge. You know the type, they use the box score to form their opinion instead of looking at the whole picture. I hate hearing the soft label because we don't need LMA getting in foul trouble just to prove a point. We need him on the floor. Having a versatile skill level does not mean you are soft.
I like this part from Quicks article: With 22.6 seconds left and the Blazers leading 87-86, both teams headed to the sidelines for a timeout. Garnett elbowed Aldridge from behind as he passed. So Aldridge slapped Garnett in the back of the head. Luckily for the Blazers, referee Mike Callahan saw both infractions. He called a double technical. "You can only take so much," Aldridge said of Garnett's elbows. How many elbows did he take before that? "Many of them," Aldridge said. "But that was going to be the final one."
Oh comon. You know you would love to have Zbo, being soft and smushy on defense, not running the floor or getting back on D. Moping when you don't get him the rock.
He still plays soft to me. He doesn't rebound and he can't overpower people on the post... he relies on spot-up jumpers and fadeaways. He doesn't get to the line that often as a result. It's OK. He's a good player. But whether he gets a T for not putting up with KG's nonsense or not, he still plays soft in my opinion. I think his clear oversensitivity to the mere adjective is probably an indication that there's some truth. Ed O.
Hopefully this is a big turning point in LMA's career to show him that he can stand up to the NBA's best. I think he's had a mental hurdle to overcome, but last night, he proved it to himself that no one will intimidate him. Go LaMarcus!
He's not soft, but he's no low-post banger either. That's becoming a lost art in the NBA these days at the PF spot it seems. I'm having a tough time thinking of a lot of legit scoring, post forwards outside of Al Jefferson and Amare anyway. LMA is more in the mold of versatile scoring big men like KG, Gasol and Bosh IMHO. Dudes that have an inside/outside game.
It really depends on how one is defining terms. I tend to agree with MrJayremmie, that Aldridge plays a "finesse" game but isn't "soft." To me, soft is a question of avoiding contact, not wanting to be physical. Finesse involves playing a game that relies more on skill than on power. Aldridge isn't a low-post beast who powers his way to the hoop, because that isn't his talent. His talent is in shooting out of the post and playing a face-up game. It does lead to fewer rebounds, since he's further from the hoop. But on defense, he's willing to play physical defense and if he's around the hoop, he fights for rebounds. I think those talents work for Portland. With Oden and Przybilla, Aldridge doesn't have to be a rebounding machine, because both of them are. Portland is one of the best rebounding teams. And another low-post player would eventually get in the way of Oden. Aldridge being a classic high-post player will complement Oden's eventual low-post game perfectly. Where softness or toughness manifests, to me, is on the defensive end and while I think Aldridge can definitely improve there, I'd place him on the tougher end, rather than the softer end.
He leads the team in offensive rebounds, and with Oden and Przybilla grabbing most of the defensive boards, there aren't that many left for LaMarcus. He's been more aggressive lately, and he does break out the driving hook shot across the middle a couple times a game. As others have said, his skill set is a good compliment to our two centers. We all saw how well the Zach + Eddie experiment worked out for the Knicks. LaMarcus can score from the low block, but I don't want him camped out there all the time getting in Oden's and Joel's way. John Wooden always preached that the three keys to a successful offense are spacing, screening and passing. With a very solid mid-range game, Aldridge creates space for our other big men to also be successful. BNM
LaMarcus may not be a bulk rebounder like Zach, but if anything, he does get key boards when we need them down the stretch. He does pound the offensive boards late in games, and a stat that doesn't get recorded, is the tips he has that keeps balls alive for us to get extra possessions. Aldridge has really brought it and manned up lately, and I'm really glad to see him continue to improve.
