Griffen had 16 pts vs Indy. Where are those 10 missing points LA has on him? Post moves. Neither Love, nor Griffin can hold a candle to LA on the block.
For a six year period I had to read newspapers from all over the country every night for work, and I learned from that experience that 90% of sports writers are exactly the same and write exactly the same crap. There is very little originality in that industry, and I'm sure Sekou Smith was just throwing something together last minute and put very little effort into it. Dame is the flashy player on our team. He's the one with commercials, he's the one who just won the ROY, and he will most likely end up being the face of the franchise regardless of whether Aldridge stays beyond his current contract. If the Blazers keep winning, the world will find out about the Portland Trail Blazers.
Aldridge is #1 pf in game right now and easily top 10 all around player. If all star games were based on skill he'd be starting in west. He will be voted in by coaches and David lee will cry some more. He will play 4 minutes tops which is fine because he needs to save himself for a long playoff run.
The pay is crap, the pickens are slim, and the competition is fierce. There's a reason why I got out of sports writing. It's a tough racket.
ESPN first take just advertised talking about Portland before the commercial. When they returned from the break, Smith and that Ginger spent about 60 seconds on it and onto the Jets. LOL It must kill them to have to talk about the Blazers.
First, those 10 missing points weren't from post moves. They were from 6 more shots LMA took from the perimeter. Last night, LMA was 3-4 in the paint (with 3 more shots that got fouled, so he shot FTs). He was 8-15 on jumpers (2-5 from paint-to-15 feet, 6-10 from 16-23'). No one likes LMA in the post/paint than I do. I think he's one of the best in the NBA. Yet no one hates LMA taking contested fadeaways and 19-footers more than I do. Last night his 6-10 shooting was above-average (and above his average) and it helped us. I'd submit (and have multiple times) that LMA is better for the team in the paint than taking contested fadeaways and 19-footers, open or not. I showed in some threads earlier in the summer that if LMA took a step inside on a few of his jumpers, and a step back (to 3pt line) on a few of his jumpers, then he'd get an extra point or two a game with no increase in shots or skill level. But while I think his post game has improved, and he's taking an extra 2.5 shots a game this year (in fewer minutes), because they're long jumpers rather than more shots in the paint, he's only getting 1.9 points per game more with those extra 2.5 shots (over the last two years). Yes, he has the skills to be the best PF in the NBA. When LaMonster comes out, no one disputes that. But to say that his post game is what separates him from Love and Griffin is a bit disingenuous. Over the last 3 years he's doubled the amount of 16-23' jumpers he's taking, and perhaps coincidentally, his shooting percentages have done the following (while his FT/g has stayed right at 5): FG%/eFG%: 51%, 48.2%, 46.5% TS%: 56%, 53%, 50.8%
Shooting fewer shots is a fair argument, so lets look at that. How is Griffen shooting from outside the restricted area? In the paint/outside RA: 32% 8ft-24 ft 30% LA? 44.7% 42% I'm certain someone with Synergy could look up Griffen's assisted dunks and put backs out of his restricted area numbers and paint a similar picture. Does Love or Griffin command a double team, and make teams pay who don't? LA's turn around jumper is his post game. Granted, it's not ON the block, but they are back to the basket post moves nevertheless. It's not your "at the rim" perception of a post game. But it is back to the basket, bump and grind, work the opposing teams bigs, iso ball, post game. It's ingenious, not disingenuous.
No it really doesn't. They talk about what pays the bills and satisfies ratings requirements. There's no conspiracy.
There's definitely a reason why there's an ESPN New York, ESPN Boston, and ESPN LA, but no ESPN Portland
Wow. I guess we'll agree to disagree, because if you take a back-to-the-basket turnaround J from halfcourt, I don't consider that a "post game". I don't consider a turnaround 3 "post game" because you started out not looking at the basket. I don't consider a jump shot from the high post as a "post game" because the word "post" is in it. I feel like I'm being generous in giving LMA 14-footers in the paint b/c it's "paint" area and there's precedent for fouls being called on it. Jumpers 16 feet and out is NOT a post game by any stretch of any analysis. And they're 65% + of LMA's offensive game. Just because you brought up Blake (not b/c I think he's better): Griffin sucks shooting long range jumpers. He wisely chooses not to shoot the highest number of them in the entire NBA, and consequently his FG% is 8% higher than LMA and has a similar PER (and 1.5 PPG less) on 5 fewer shots (and one more FT) a game. As I said, I totally agree that LMA has a much higher skill level in the paint than Griffin. But because he rarely uses it, Griffin is a much more efficient player right now.
You lost me at "if you take a back-to-the-basket turnaround J from halfcourt, I don't consider that a "post game"." Griffin is more efficient "at the rim", and quite literally "under the basket." Is that a product of post moves, or Chris Paul and being a very athletic rebounder? There simply isn't a legitimate argument to be made that Griffin is in the same class as LA in scoring the ball, in iso situations, and while being doubled at times. If I wanted to splash a bit of hyperbole, Griffin is all athlete and no skill. Is outside the restricted area to 8ft "long range"? 32 PERCENT lol
