Gotta give LA some love!

[daslicer]

LMA's offense has been "Portland like" 2 of the 3 years he's been here and his defense has been far better than advertised every year. An argument can be made that LMA has played his best all around basketball as a Spur. Yes, his personality is quirky, and he's more of a normal NBA star who cares about touches, which is a shock after selfless guys like David, Tim, Manu and even Tony, but that's really a return to the NBA personality mean rather than a flaw. LMA is a likely HOFer, and the best thing we've had this season. Spurs are likely going to be a playoff team this year and our second best player is either, yikes, Pau, Danny or Kyle. That should tell you how much he's shouldered.

I have said it for while but 99 percent of NBA superstars care about their stats. Jordan whose the GOAT was obsessed in leading the league in scoring even when the bulls were winning les. Kerr plays Curry,Durant in garbage time so they can pad their numbers.

[r0drig0lac]

I've always liked Aldridge better than most, but I see no credible argument for him being as good as Davis, Cousins (pre Achilles tear; the jury is obviously out on post) or Towns. He clearly still gets up to play them though and more often than not seems to outplay them head to head.

Embiid and Jokic are debatable. Most would probably reflexively say the former is, but the advanced stats don't definitively suggest as much, while the latter would probably draw closer to a 50/50 response, yet the advanced stats suggest he clearly is.

healthy embiid is better than Cousins and Davis (and is not even close imo), the other two players (KAT and Jokic) are not at that level

[BillMc]

I have said it for while but 99 percent of NBA superstars care about their stats. Jordan whose the GOAT was obsessed in leading the league in scoring even when the bulls were winning les. Kerr plays Curry,Durant in garbage time so they can pad their numbers.

Agreed. So LMA's actions are the norm. Pop and co had to adjust and have.

[TimDunkem]

I don't know how anybody can applaud a player who asked for a trade for no legitimate reason, tbh..60 wins, WCF appearance, would have been leading GS 1-0 if Kawhi hadn't been attacked, yet he still asked for a trade during the off-season because he wasn't getting enough touches?

He's a , regardless of how well he has played this season..

This ×1000000

[TimDunkem]

Also

Davis
Embiid
Cousins
LMA
KAT/Jokic (can't pick one over the other, tbh)

In that order.

[offset formation]

Anyone who opposed LA being a Spur
Anyone who thought he was done
Eat

[offset formation]

LMA's offense has been "Portland like" 2 of the 3 years he's been here and his defense has been far better than advertised every year. An argument can be made that LMA has played his best all around basketball as a Spur. Yes, his personality is quirky, and he's more of a normal NBA star who cares about touches, which is a shock after selfless guys like David, Tim, Manu and even Tony, but that's really a return to the NBA personality mean rather than a flaw. LMA is a likely HOFer, and the best thing we've had this season. Spurs are likely going to be a playoff team this year and our second best player is either, yikes, Pau, Danny or Kyle. That should tell you how much he's shouldered.

[duncan2k5]

KAT is better than LA...especially factoring his age...anyone who disagrees doesnt watch outside of the spurs, and only judges players based on when the spurs plays them

[TimDunkem]

KAT is better than LA...especially factoring his age...anyone who disagrees doesnt watch outside of the spurs, and only judges players based on when the spurs plays them

Skillwise, as a one-on-one player, LMA probably takes it here, but -yes - you would have to be a moron to take him over KAT if you had a choice.

[TD 21]

healthy embiid is better than Cousins and Davis (and is not even close imo), the other two players (KAT and Jokic) are not at that level

Embiid is like a better Porzingis, in the sense that his combination of extreme size, skills and specifically in his case, self promotion, makes him seem better than he is at the moment. I'm open to the notion of him having the highest upside (though I don't think he'll ever be able to handle the workload of the others), but not being the best currently. I don't see how anyone could credibly argue that Davis is not the clear best big in the league.

[duncan2k5]

Skillwise, as a one-on-one player, LMA probably takes it here, but -yes - you would have to be a moron to take him over KAT if you had a choice.

I dont even think LA is better 1 in 1...KAT is better at almost everything offensively...better passer, ballhandler, off the dribble shooter, three point shooter, etc...he has two other high volume scorers on his team and still manages to score 20 a game because he shoots a high percentage...matter of fact, even as a rookie, i think he has shot a higher percentage from the field than aldridge ever has in his life...aldridge was pouting with just kawhi...is he played with 2 high volume scorers, he would probably lose his in the middle of a game

[offset formation]

I dont even think LA is better 1 in 1...KAT is better at almost everything offensively...better passer, ballhandler, off the dribble shooter, three point shooter, etc...he has two other high volume scorers on his team and still manages to score 20 a game because he shoots a high percentage...matter of fact, even as a rookie, i think he has shot a higher percentage from the field than aldridge ever has in his life...aldridge was pouting with just kawhi...is he played with 2 high volume scorers, he would probably lose his in the middle of a game

Lillard, McCollum say o.

[TimDunkem]

I dont even think LA is better 1 in 1...KAT is better at almost everything offensively...better passer, ballhandler, off the dribble shooter, three point shooter, etc...he has two other high volume scorers on his team and still manages to score 20 a game because he shoots a high percentage...matter of fact, even as a rookie, i think he has shot a higher percentage from the field than aldridge ever has in his life...aldridge was pouting with just kawhi...is he played with 2 high volume scorers, he would probably lose his in the middle of a game

It could go either way, imo. It is so close. But, again, I'd definitely take KAT no question. LMA is a , tbh.

[offset formation]

It could go either way, imo. It is so close. But, again, I'd definitely take KAT no question. LMA is a , tbh.

And you're a dumbass. Aldridge has been the one lone bright spot this entire year. Brings it on both ends, every damn nite. I feel sorry for how miserable some of you SOBs are. Nothing is ever good enough. It's All-World or they're trash. Pathetic.

[Pavlov]

So the big controversy is whether the Spurs have the fourth or fifth best big man in the NBA?

[Chinook]

I find it hilarious that most of the same people trying to on Aldridge for wanting a trade after essentially getting none of the credit and all of the blame for the first two years in SA were almost begging for Kawhi to demand a trade just because the Spurs re-upped Patty.

Also, no Aldridge didn't choke in 2016. He outplayed Leonard in that series. Folks wanna qualify it by saying "after the first two games", but take away Kawhi's two best games and look at his totals. Not pretty either. If Leonard hadn't let Roberson "impose his will" on him in Game 2, the Spurs probably get to the WCF.

[duncan2k5]

Lillard, McCollum say o.

Umm...yea...and he high tailed it out of there as soon as he could

[duncan2k5]

I find it hilarious that most of the same people trying to on Aldridge for wanting a trade after essentially getting none of the credit and all of the blame for the first two years in SA were almost begging for Kawhi to demand a trade just because the Spurs re-upped Patty.

Also, no Aldridge didn't choke in 2016. He outplayed Leonard in that series. Folks wanna qualify it by saying "after the first two games", but take away Kawhi's two best games and look at his totals. Not pretty either. If Leonard hadn't let Roberson "impose his will" on him in Game 2, the Spurs probably get to the WCF.

Fake news...how quickly we forget the reason we lost...OKC bigs were destroying ours on the boards...we couldnt rebound for ...and a lot of that is on LA being soft...Kawhi wasnt even the focal point of our offense in 2016...2017 was his first real season as the go-to guy

[Chinook]

Fake news...how quickly we forget the reason we lost...OKC bigs were destroying ours on the boards...we couldnt rebound for ...and a lot of that is on LA being soft...Kawhi wasnt even the focal point of our offense in 2016...2017 was his first real season as the go-to guy

Kawhi used 22 possessions a game compared to LMA's 24. Either way, acting like Kawhi being the "second option" matters is silly, seeing as people have been ing for two years about LMA despite him being the second option now.

Aldridge also had the highest rebound rate on the team excepting Boban who almost exclusively played in garbage time. He wasn't the problem on the boards -- literally everyone else in the big rotation was. No other big besides LMA was even on the team the next season, to put into perspective what he had to work with.

[weeks]

So how much do you think Aldridge would cry inside if we got bounced from the playoffs by Portland?
i think between that and being picked last for the all star team he might just rope

[TD 21]

I find it hilarious that most of the same people trying to on Aldridge for wanting a trade after essentially getting none of the credit and all of the blame for the first two years in SA were almost begging for Kawhi to demand a trade just because the Spurs re-upped Patty.

Also, no Aldridge didn't choke in 2016. He outplayed Leonard in that series. Folks wanna qualify it by saying "after the first two games", but take away Kawhi's two best games and look at his totals. Not pretty either. If Leonard hadn't let Roberson "impose his will" on him in Game 2, the Spurs probably get to the WCF.

and regression to the mean. The criticism he's received for that series reminds me of the criticism Green received in the '12 WCF.

From around the start of '16 on, Aldridge had been playing out of his mind, culminating with the first two games of the WCSF. Between that, the Thunder obviously focusing even more on him thereafter and his tendency to be streaky (par for the course given a lot of the shots he attempts), he was bound to cool off.

[coachmac87]

I find it hilarious that most of the same people trying to on Aldridge for wanting a trade after essentially getting none of the credit and all of the blame for the first two years in SA were almost begging for Kawhi to demand a trade just because the Spurs re-upped Patty.

Also, no Aldridge didn't choke in 2016. He outplayed Leonard in that series. Folks wanna qualify it by saying "after the first two games", but take away Kawhi's two best games and look at his totals. Not pretty either. If Leonard hadn't let Roberson "impose his will" on him in Game 2, the Spurs probably get to the WCF.

Duncan knee was shot...and David West, Diaw aren’t “rebounders” that was pretty much the start of Adams coming out party as well...

Kawhi has never put up performances like LMA did in Game 1-2 of that series...and he didn’t become the “superstar” until Game 1 of the following regular season.


People can say what they want about him but LMA is NOW committed and the mystery is around Kawhi..never thought that would be the case tbh

[TimDunkem]

And you're a dumbass. Aldridge has been the one lone bright spot this entire year. Brings it on both ends, every damn nite. I feel sorry for how miserable some of you SOBs are. Nothing is ever good enough. It's All-World or they're trash. Pathetic.

LMA, is that you?!

[TimDunkem]

Only a dumbass wouldn't take the slighty worse, but much younger player in KAT, tbh.

But, yeah, if I don't have any offense, one lone defender on the team with Kawhi gone, and I need to barely squeak into the playoffs, then I'll take LMA.

[Chinook]

Only a dumbass wouldn't take the slighty worse, but much younger player in KAT, tbh.

This shouldn't be controversial. KAT is younger and could get so much better if developed in the right way.

But

But, yeah, if I don't have any offense, one lone defender on the team with Kawhi gone, and I need to barely squeak into the playoffs, then I'll take LMA.

This is pretty weak. 1) The Spurs' D has been very good this year despite Kawhi. It's certainly better than that Minny's been running. 2)They are only "squeeking" into the playoffs due to all the other injuries they've had (including a number of losses where LMA sat).

LMA with the Wolves' talent around him probably gets the third-seed without difficulty and may even be better than that. I think there are many reasons to pick KAT, but that the Spurs might finish with a better record than Minnesota isn't one of them.