What Was Up w/ Aldridge Tonight?

[sasaint]

This. Riley gave the Spurs an unintentional selling point by telling LMA how Bosh had to sacrifice personal numbers and accolades to win les. And then Pop told him that you won't see any billboards of Kawhi or Tim Duncan (referring to how Portland shunned LMA in favor of promoting Lollard) because the billboards you see will be of the team, no player put above another. LMA knows he's now a part of process bigger than himself, and with the way he's working his ass off on defense and on the glass, he believes in it.

His offense will come around. Not worried about him on that end.

Yeah, I like how he is coming along. Hustling on D and hitting the boards - what's not to like? So far, he's like Tiago on steroids. The offense will come. Heck, tonight if he hadn't missed some bunnies, his point total would have been 6-8 points higher.

[MaNu4Tres]

He could really benefit from watching early tapes of his teammate in the 21 jersey.

Teams respected Tim's mid-range off the glass, so they had to try to contest and play up on Tim -- which worked in Tims favor as he had a monster face up game created by jab steps. Tim would take the shot off the jab step or he would take his man off the dribble from 10-15 feet out. Aldridge could use a face up game and use the jab step to A) create space to take a jumper when defended or B) use jab step to take his man off the dribble to get an easier shot around the rim.

Really wish Aldridge could try to incorporate a face up game of some sort instead of just trying to post up/back up his man every time he gets the ball in an ISO situation.

[midnightpulp]

Yeah, I like how he is coming along. Hustling on D and hitting the boards - what's not to like? So far, he's like Tiago on steroids. The offense will come. Heck, tonight if he hadn't missed some bunnies, his point total would have been 6-8 points higher.

Yep. Tiago has never averaged over 7 boards per game and didn't have the kind of offense that can space the floor. Opponents still need to respect LMA's 18 footer, even if he is having some trouble this season It's why Parker, Duncan, and Leonard are all having career year FG% so far.

[GSH]

You're a huge got. Tbh

Wow, that really stings.


The Spurs have 10 double-doubles this season. LMA has five of them.

[GSH]

The Spurs have 10 double-doubles this season. LMA has five of them.

LOL... ing RD2191 frantically checking the stats. "That can't be right!"

[sasaint]

Yep. Tiago has never averaged over 7 boards per game and didn't have the kind of offense that can space the floor. Opponents still need to respect LMA's 18 footer, even if he is having some trouble this season It's why Parker, Duncan, and Leonard are all having career year FG% so far.

This is huge. I also like how DWest can similarly space the floor.

[Kawhitstorm]

He could really benefit from watching early tapes of his teammate in the 21 jersey.

Teams respected Tim's mid-range off the glass, so they had to try to contest and play up on Tim -- which worked in Tims favor as he had a monster face up game created by jab steps. Tim would take the shot off the jab step or he would take his man off the dribble from 10-15 feet out. Aldridge could use a face up game and use the jab step to A) create space to take a jumper when defended or B) use jab step to take his man off the dribble to get an easier shot around the rim.

Really wish Aldridge could try to incorporate a face up game of some sort instead of just trying to post up/back up his man every time he gets the ball in an ISO situation.

He actually has a nice face up game but he rarely resorts to driving unless the defenders are riding up on him. He usually throws up a right handed running hook when he drives & ends up getting fouled b/c the defenders are trying to recover after being unexpectedly left in the dust. I haven't seen him attempt many of these in a Spurs uniform but they are quit effective & impossible to block:



He hasn't step-through much b/c he usually uses it as a counter when he's posting up on a consistent basis so his full repertoire still hasn't been reveled:



LeBron was looking old at this point last season, LMA should be fine once he gets in tip-top shape.

[SAGirl]

He actually has a nice face up game but he rarely resorts to driving unless the defenders are riding up on him. He usually throws up a right handed running hook when he drives & ends up getting fouled b/c the defenders are trying to recover after being unexpectedly left in the dust. I haven't seen him attempt many of these in a Spurs uniform but they are quit effective & impossible to block:



He hasn't step-through much b/c he usually uses it as a counter when he's posting up on a consistent basis so his full repertoire still hasn't been reveled:



LeBron was looking old at this point last season, LMA should be fine once he gets in tip-top shape.

Just looking at that makes me think, he probably is not even posting enough to get in rhythm. Pops is not having him post up too much and its not like he's asking to post up either, but he does have his moves. The fact he gets doubled quickly makes some of this moves not realistic right now, maybe?

[z0sa]

I dont care how well he does personally. Long as we win.

9 and 2, think were ok.

[Kawhitstorm]

Just looking at that makes me think, he probably is not even posting enough to get in rhythm. Pops is not having him post up too much and its not like he's asking to post up either, but he does have his moves. The fact he gets doubled quickly makes some of this moves not realistic right now, maybe?

The issue right now is that he's posting up too deep & Tim insists on the high-low pass or throwing lobs while he's being fronted. It seems to me like Pop wants him to pound the offense glass & spread the floor thus he has to be either around the rim or at the elbow instead of getting touches from his favorite spots: the left block. I guess come playoff time if there is a clear mismatch he will be given the green light to postup on the left block consistently until then he has to perfect his niche as the garbage man/stretch 4/decoy.

[SAGirl]

The issue right now is that he's posting up too deep & Tim insist on the high-low pass or throwing lobs while he's being fronted. It seems to me like Pop wants him to pound the offense glass & spread the floor thus he has to be either around the rim or at the elbow instead of getting touches from his favorite spots: the left block.

You are very right on the O glass. The fact he's there and he's a handful rebounding requires the other team to have more than a couple of guys to go for the board, no. 1 to box him out, no. 2 to grab the board or preventing a tip in. All of that helps the Spurs transition defense I think.

Ultimately, yes he has sacrificed his game for the sake of the team. He's getting far too many jumpshots too, from the top and all over, like you say to space out. Occasionally they go to him in a post up, I think only if Pop has noticed that the team is ignoring him too much and he's starting to loose his aggressiveness.

[JeffDuncan]

So far a real disappointment in offense.
...

Actually not.

His lowest FG% was .250, 2 of 8, in the second Portland game. His highest FG% was .600, 6 of 10, against Charlotte. Overall shot percentage of .443, on a new team with all new players around him, but that'll improve.

Best points production was on 9 of 18 in the first Portland game, obviously .500. He shot 8 of 18 against Boston.

Excellent FT% of .848.

He's scored in double digits in all except the second Portland game.

He's doing better than people think. The psychology is funny, in that people see a player who's supposed to be a big scorer, and all they notice are his misses.

You'd be disappointed if you expect 30 ppg from him, in the Spurs system. Do you?

[Fireball]

He's doing better than people think. The psychology is funny, in that people see a player who's supposed to be a big scorer, and all they notice are his misses.

You'd be disappointed if you expect 30 ppg from him, in the Spurs system. Do you?

Its just from watching him in Portland it seemed like he hit far more shots like he does now. His jump shot just does not look automatic right now, but as you said it will improve ...

[dweaver99027]

He needs to play more with a Mills/Manu/Green lineup to get more spacing for his post ups. He also has to get in better shape. Other than that, a 15/10 player with good to great defense and the ability to get his own on occasion (which is pretty much his floor as a player) is worth 15-20 mil per year in the NBA nowadays so we're fine even if he never improves this season.

[Dex]

has pop played lma with diaw or turnoboli?

dude needs someone to feed him the ball...

You have obviously been watching the games.

[ceperez]

You are very right on the O glass. The fact he's there and he's a handful rebounding requires the other team to have more than a couple of guys to go for the board, no. 1 to box him out, no. 2 to grab the board or preventing a tip in. All of that helps the Spurs transition defense I think.

Ultimately, yes he has sacrificed his game for the sake of the team. He's getting far too many jumpshots too, from the top and all over, like you say to space out. Occasionally they go to him in a post up, I think only if Pop has noticed that the team is ignoring him too much and he's starting to loose his aggressiveness.

Until the last game, I haven't see LMA playing well with any of the starters.

I don't see a two man game with Leonard.
I don't see the kind of passing between bigs like I saw with Splitter and Duncan.
I don't see him screening well for Green.

Parker really is the core of the starters offense. He's dribbling around looking for opportunities and there really is a ton of them for LMA.

He'll get better over time though. He's also changing a lot of shots in the paint.

[FkLA]

Most of the people here don't jump to conclusions - they stumble into them like a ing drunk.

"My sources tell me... that Aldridge is so pissed about not getting enough touches that he's demanding a trade."

It's because they spent the whole summer making up, and it didn't become reality in the first week of the season.

The sky must be falling.

^anger issues

[G-Dawgg]

Aldridge's value will be realized when we play Golden State in the playoffs and he goes ape on their tiny front line. He's got 5 years to play here. He's going to get comfortable at some point. It doesn't have to be overnight... I just think Popivich should be making more of a conscious effort to get him involved.

[T_L_P]

He's fit in quite well defensively and he's passing the ball.

Don't really get the criticisms. He was a terribly inefficient scorer in Portland and he's a terribly inefficient one on the Spurs. Why would we have expected that to change?

[MaNu4Tres]

He actually has a nice face up game but he rarely resorts to driving unless the defenders are riding up on him. He usually throws up a right handed running hook when he drives & ends up getting fouled b/c the defenders are trying to recover after being unexpectedly left in the dust. I haven't seen him attempt many of these in a Spurs uniform but they are quit effective & impossible to block:



He hasn't step-through much b/c he usually uses it as a counter when he's posting up on a consistent basis so his full repertoire still hasn't been reveled:



LeBron was looking old at this point last season, LMA should be fine once he gets in tip-top shape.

None of these videos are examples of a face up game of any sort.

The face up game is when the post player receives the ball from 12-18 feet out on either side of the court, pivots to where he's facing up without starting his dribble and "measures" up his defender and the defense. From this position, there's multiple ways to create opportunities for yourself and others as your in a triple threat position essentially. If you need any ideas of what I'm talking about, go youtube Duncan in his prime.

And the reason why I bring this up is because Aldridge has the shot to really benefit from a face up game -- where a simple pump fake can create free throw opportunities or uncontested opportunities around the rim for himself or Tim as Tim's man would have to come to help.

A face up game is a lot more +EV than the back to the basket fade-away possessions LaMarcus has been resorting to.

[InRareForm]

Lamarcus TAMALEridge

[skulls138]

None of these videos are examples of a face up game of any sort.

The face up game is when the post player receives the ball from 12-18 feet out on either side of the court, pivots to where he's facing up without starting his dribble and "measures" up his defender and the defense. From this position, there's multiple ways to create opportunities for yourself and others as your in a triple threat position essentially. If you need any ideas of what I'm talking about, go youtube Duncan in his prime.

And the reason why I bring this up is because Aldridge has the shot to really benefit from a face up game -- where a simple pump fake can create free throw opportunities or uncontested opportunities around the rim for himself or Tim as Tim's man would have to come to help.

A face up game is a lot more +EV type of game than the back to the basket fade-away possessions LaMarcus has been resorting to.

The turn around fade away is only good if you make it. I remember Ewing getting criticized for it back in the day because you dont draw a double team so you cant pass from it and you cant get an offensive rebound from it if you miss. LMA needs to either drive more from the back to the basket game or have more of a face up game or a little of both. Now when you really need a bucket the turn around is great ala Paul Pierce because its hard to defend.

[Kawhitstorm]

None of these videos are examples of a face up game of any sort.

The face up game is when the post player receives the ball from 12-18 feet out on either side of the court, pivots to where he's facing up without starting his dribble and "measures" up his defender and the defense. From this position, there's multiple ways to create opportunities for yourself and others as your in a triple threat position essentially. If you need any ideas of what I'm talking about, go youtube Duncan in his prime.

And the reason why I bring this up is because Aldridge has the shot to really benefit from a face up game -- where a simple pump fake can create free throw opportunities or uncontested opportunities around the rim for himself or Tim as Tim's man would have to come to help.

A face up game is a lot more +EV than the back to the basket fade-away possessions LaMarcus has been resorting to.

Big dummy, those clips weren't necessarily about his face up game but about facets of his post-up game that he hasn't shown in a Spurs uniform. His face up game is a simple pump fake then drive but he does finish either w/ a dunk or running hook (I couldn't find clips of it which is why I posted a clip of him shooting running hook on postups). He usually doesn't pump fake unless he's is white hot & defenders are running at him which explains why we haven't seen any of it this season.

[Big Empty]

All*Drudge

drudge
drəj/
noun
noun: drudge; plural noun: drudges
1.
a person made to do hard, menial, or dull work

[MaNu4Tres]

Big dummy, those clips weren't necessarily about his face up game but about facets of his post-up game that he hasn't shown in a Spurs uniform. His face up game is a simple pump fake then drive but he does finish either w/ a dunk or running hook (I couldn't find clips of it which is why I posted a clip of him shooting running hook on postups). He usually doesn't pump fake unless he's is white hot & defenders are running at him which explains why we haven't seen any of it this season.

Okay.