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  1. #1
    License to Lillard tlongII's Avatar
    My Team
    Portland Trail Blazers
    Post Count
    28,727
    http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/ore...cart_big-photo



    HOUSTON --- You'd totally understand if they found pine tar on LaMarcus Aldridge's neck after Wednesday night's performance at the Toyota Center.

    Hold on. I can do better.

    You'd believe it perfectly possible if someone told you that Aldridge walked onto the tarmac after scoring 43 points in Game 2 of the Blazers' playoff series with the Rockets, saw everyone boarding the team plane, and said, "You know, I think I'll ride home in the wheel well."

    Hold up. Let's just keep it simple today, because that's exactly what the Blazers All-Star power forward made it look like for the second game in a row, this time in a 112-105 victory.

    America, meet LaMarcus Aldridge.

    Aldridge, this is America.

    The rest of us know how dominant the Blazers' forward can be, and how laser-focused it feels when he's locked into a groove like the one he's enjoyed in back-to-back games. He's been this good for while. But he's never done it with the country settled in on their couches, watching him drop 17-foot sledgehammers on Dwight Howard's head.

    When the Rockets left the floor after the loss, they filed out in a solemn line. A lot of their fans left long before. Nobody said a word. Howard moved especially slow, and was followed by Rockets legendary center Hakeem Olajuwon. "The Dream" was carrying a rolled up, bright red T-shirt he caught from a cheerleader during a timeout.

    So yeah. The Rockets didn't come out of the first two home games of this series empty-handed. They got that T-shirt. Also, a heart transplant from Aldridge.


    Blazers coach Terry Stotts said after watching Aldridge grab this playoff series with both hands, "He's focused, he's determined, he's leading..."

    Portland is following him. That's a key factor. The Blazers are deferring to their star. It sounds like such a simple thing, but we all know otherwise. Because the Rockets mostly look like a jumbled, frustrated, divided mess that can't figure out what it wants to do. James Harden has missed 33 shots in this series. He's been so bad he might think about a shave, although, he should be careful aiming at anything with a razor right now.

    You're going to hear a lot of talk about Aldridge today. Deservedly so. After he poured in 46 points in Game 1, Jim Taylor, the Blazers VP of communications, in charge of facilitating the postgame media interview for TNT, was told the network wanted point guard Damian Lillard instead. Everyone was puzzled.

    "JT was hot about it," Aldridge said during one of the off days between games. "Yes, I noticed."

    I'll wager you did, too.


    Well, TNT finally noticed Aldridge on Wednesday. He'll, no doubt, become America's new sweetheart power forward and get all the face time he deserves. But what we also know is that he can sometimes turn into the consummate, unselfish teammate, and anyone who has watched this series unfold understands that would be a lousy development.

    Aldridge must continue to carry the Blazers. Portland must continue to recognize that he's playing the greatest basketball of his career, and has become the best power forward in franchise history.

    Best ever, apologies to Maurice Lucas, Rasheed Wallace, Buck Williams, Mychal Thompson and Zach Randolph. But right now, Aldridge is doing something that none of them ever did alone. And he's doing it with the precision of a surgeon while also defending a guy nicknamed "Superman" on the other end of the court for stretches.


    We have all the evidence we need. Aldridge is playing stronger around the basket than ever. He's rebounding better than ever. He's shooting as well as he has. When he caught the ball in the Toyota Center in the third quarter, dribbled, and turned, there was a strange, "WHOOSH" sound that would come over the crowd.

    Catch, dribble, turn, shoot ... "WHOOSH." It was the sound of 18,331 Rockets fans collectively saying, "Oh, (expletive)."

    Lillard told me after the game of Aldridge's performance, "It was amazing. Just like you guys, I was watching it happen." Also, Lillard said, "Just like we came in here and won two, the (Rockets) can do the same thing to us at home."

    I liked hearing that. You should, too. Because Portland has the longest streak in the West of failing to win a playoff series. It's been since 1999-2000 that the Blazers got out of the first round. And what they have here is a solid opportunity, delivered by their best player. He must continue to lead. And the Blazers must continue to follow.


    Give him the ball.

    Keep going to Aldridge until the Rockets send more than one player at him, or front him, consistently. Keep feeding him until the Rockets sell out to stop him. To this point, they haven't made that commitment.


    Keep riding the franchise's fastest horse until someone closes the stable gates. And if Houston ever adjusts, well, then it becomes time for Nicolas Batum, Wesley Matthews and Lillard to stop being patient and punish them. Right now, those guys are like three giggling kids hiding behind a bush waiting to jump out and dog pile Rockets coach Kevin McHale.


    Aldridge is killer bait.


    In no way did I think the Blazers would be ahead 2-0 in this series. I didn't believe they could win it. Aldridge changed my mind. I thought Harden would be better. I figured Robin Lopez was overmatched by Howard. But Aldridge is making all of the above incidental. This is his series right now. He announced that over two brilliant games in Houston. I can't wait to see where he drives this thing next.

  2. #2
    Veteran Killakobe81's Avatar
    My Team
    Los Angeles Lakers
    Post Count
    36,551
    http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/ore...cart_big-photo



    HOUSTON --- You'd totally understand if they found pine tar on LaMarcus Aldridge's neck after Wednesday night's performance at the Toyota Center.

    Hold on. I can do better.

    You'd believe it perfectly possible if someone told you that Aldridge walked onto the tarmac after scoring 43 points in Game 2 of the Blazers' playoff series with the Rockets, saw everyone boarding the team plane, and said, "You know, I think I'll ride home in the wheel well."

    Hold up. Let's just keep it simple today, because that's exactly what the Blazers All-Star power forward made it look like for the second game in a row, this time in a 112-105 victory.

    America, meet LaMarcus Aldridge.

    Aldridge, this is America.

    The rest of us know how dominant the Blazers' forward can be, and how laser-focused it feels when he's locked into a groove like the one he's enjoyed in back-to-back games. He's been this good for while. But he's never done it with the country settled in on their couches, watching him drop 17-foot sledgehammers on Dwight Howard's head.

    When the Rockets left the floor after the loss, they filed out in a solemn line. A lot of their fans left long before. Nobody said a word. Howard moved especially slow, and was followed by Rockets legendary center Hakeem Olajuwon. "The Dream" was carrying a rolled up, bright red T-shirt he caught from a cheerleader during a timeout.

    So yeah. The Rockets didn't come out of the first two home games of this series empty-handed. They got that T-shirt. Also, a heart transplant from Aldridge.


    Blazers coach Terry Stotts said after watching Aldridge grab this playoff series with both hands, "He's focused, he's determined, he's leading..."

    Portland is following him. That's a key factor. The Blazers are deferring to their star. It sounds like such a simple thing, but we all know otherwise. Because the Rockets mostly look like a jumbled, frustrated, divided mess that can't figure out what it wants to do. James Harden has missed 33 shots in this series. He's been so bad he might think about a shave, although, he should be careful aiming at anything with a razor right now.

    You're going to hear a lot of talk about Aldridge today. Deservedly so. After he poured in 46 points in Game 1, Jim Taylor, the Blazers VP of communications, in charge of facilitating the postgame media interview for TNT, was told the network wanted point guard Damian Lillard instead. Everyone was puzzled.

    "JT was hot about it," Aldridge said during one of the off days between games. "Yes, I noticed."

    I'll wager you did, too.


    Well, TNT finally noticed Aldridge on Wednesday. He'll, no doubt, become America's new sweetheart power forward and get all the face time he deserves. But what we also know is that he can sometimes turn into the consummate, unselfish teammate, and anyone who has watched this series unfold understands that would be a lousy development.

    Aldridge must continue to carry the Blazers. Portland must continue to recognize that he's playing the greatest basketball of his career, and has become the best power forward in franchise history.

    Best ever, apologies to Maurice Lucas, Rasheed Wallace, Buck Williams, Mychal Thompson and Zach Randolph. But right now, Aldridge is doing something that none of them ever did alone. And he's doing it with the precision of a surgeon while also defending a guy nicknamed "Superman" on the other end of the court for stretches.


    We have all the evidence we need. Aldridge is playing stronger around the basket than ever. He's rebounding better than ever. He's shooting as well as he has. When he caught the ball in the Toyota Center in the third quarter, dribbled, and turned, there was a strange, "WHOOSH" sound that would come over the crowd.

    Catch, dribble, turn, shoot ... "WHOOSH." It was the sound of 18,331 Rockets fans collectively saying, "Oh, (expletive)."

    Lillard told me after the game of Aldridge's performance, "It was amazing. Just like you guys, I was watching it happen." Also, Lillard said, "Just like we came in here and won two, the (Rockets) can do the same thing to us at home."

    I liked hearing that. You should, too. Because Portland has the longest streak in the West of failing to win a playoff series. It's been since 1999-2000 that the Blazers got out of the first round. And what they have here is a solid opportunity, delivered by their best player. He must continue to lead. And the Blazers must continue to follow.


    Give him the ball.

    Keep going to Aldridge until the Rockets send more than one player at him, or front him, consistently. Keep feeding him until the Rockets sell out to stop him. To this point, they haven't made that commitment.


    Keep riding the franchise's fastest horse until someone closes the stable gates. And if Houston ever adjusts, well, then it becomes time for Nicolas Batum, Wesley Matthews and Lillard to stop being patient and punish them. Right now, those guys are like three giggling kids hiding behind a bush waiting to jump out and dog pile Rockets coach Kevin McHale.


    Aldridge is killer bait.


    In no way did I think the Blazers would be ahead 2-0 in this series. I didn't believe they could win it. Aldridge changed my mind. I thought Harden would be better. I figured Robin Lopez was overmatched by Howard. But Aldridge is making all of the above incidental. This is his series right now. He announced that over two brilliant games in Houston. I can't wait to see where he drives this thing next.
    Nice Article (fluff piece) but good gosh, really?

  3. #3
    License to Lillard tlongII's Avatar
    My Team
    Portland Trail Blazers
    Post Count
    28,727
    Nice Article (fluff piece) but good gosh, really?
    Yep. Been a long time.

  4. #4
    P.E.K.K.A. mode blkroadrunners's Avatar
    My Team
    San Antonio Spurs
    Post Count
    3,680
    Weren't they trying to trade his ass a year or 2 ago?!

    But, but, but he's our savior who will lead us to the Promise Land

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