Pelton: Blazers F LaMarcus Aldridge Boasts All-Star Consistency

As promised last night, here's Kevin Pelton of Basketball Prospectus breaking down the remarkable scoring consistency of Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge.
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Last season, a hobbled [Brandon] Roy was physically unable to produce consistent efforts, forcing Aldridge into the role of go-to scorer. Really, last year’s mark for Aldridge doesn’t do his performance justice. In this as in most everything else, Aldridge had two different seasons–a relatively disappointing start followed by an All-NBA finish. From Dec. 15 onward, Aldridge’s shake was 23.1, as compared to 28.1 over the full campaign. This year, Aldridge’s shake has dropped again to 18.1, making him far more consistent as a scorer than Roy ever was.
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The Blazers are a good team that has in practice been wildly inconsistent, alternating blowout wins and close losses. But that has been an issue with role players and can’t be blamed on Aldridge, who is giving Portland an All-Star effort every night.
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The chart in the post really helps reinforce exactly how consistent Aldridge has been this year. It's an entire level of consistency better than Roy's best.

Following Monday night's 39-point output, Aldridge is now No. 5 in the NBA in scoring at 23.7 points per game, trailing only Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Kevin Love.

I left this analysis thinking that PDXBuckeye hit the nail on the head in his FanPost: Aldridge, despite the fact that he has emerged as an All-Star lock, is not getting sufficient credit for his level of play this season.

-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter

4 months ago Ben Golliver 19 comments 0 recs |

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Comments

LMA is having a truly remarkable season

Most definitely under-appreciated – perhaps even by Blazer fans.

Law of Logical Argument
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.

by blacknoiseNW on Feb 7, 2012 12:44 PM PST reply actions

He's been awesome

I hope he feels the appreciation from us fans. Just imagine where we’d be without him! He also plays with a great attitude, seldom gets T’d up, complains, … just a stud right now.

by aces_dad on Feb 7, 2012 2:07 PM PST up reply actions

Fifth in the league in scoring???

Wow. That’s pretty impressive. I don’t know the last time a Blazer was that high on the list…I don’t think B-Roy ever eclipsed that mark. You’d probably have to go back to the days of #22 to find a Blazer that high on the scoring list. Now, let’s get some W’s!

by abobo84 on Feb 7, 2012 1:02 PM PST reply actions

The last time a Blazer was in the top 5 in PPG for an entire season...

was 91-92 when drexler averaged a shade over 25ppg – good for 4th in the league that year. I’d be happy to see LMA keep this up! Despite the shortened season, its still a pretty remarkable feat.

by abobo84 on Feb 7, 2012 1:07 PM PST up reply actions

Only 2 top 5 scorers hitting at 50%+

Aldridge getting to the rim is starting to pick up his FTAs too. 12 of 12 just another impressive aspect of his game last night.

by poorwebguy on Feb 7, 2012 1:13 PM PST reply actions

Aldridge's improved play began with his emphasis on an inside game

Last night showed that he can be dominant against good post defenders, hit the long two – and put the ball on the floor. The ability to score off the dribble is a new facet of LMA’s game that is adding to his transcendent season….

Law of Logical Argument
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.

by blacknoiseNW on Feb 7, 2012 1:18 PM PST up reply actions

I show Durant at 50.55.

i keep dancing on my own.

by atomiccafe on Feb 7, 2012 3:38 PM PST up reply actions

yeah you're right on that

by poorwebguy on Feb 7, 2012 3:56 PM PST up reply actions

all good and love

Aldridge is so consistantly good that it is easy to nit pick at little things because they dont happen that often.
When they do happen it always seems to be in clutch situations. 2 examples: he lost the ball of the dribble down the streatch last night and anther instance where he passed it right to okc player.
He deserves better recognition from me no doubt! I want to serenade him with a rg chant so if he could beast in clutch it would help alot.
L-Train is very impressive

by DonttrashCrash on Feb 7, 2012 1:27 PM PST reply actions

lol, I can’t believe Ben convinced KP2 to use “shake” over variance and, if variation relative to mean performance is desirable, Coefficient of Variation.

by jksnake99 on Feb 7, 2012 1:45 PM PST reply actions

variance-to-mean ratio really seems like the best.

by jnewhouse on Feb 7, 2012 7:51 PM PST up reply actions

LMA will end the season 4th in ppg.

I just have a feeling.

"Brandon Roy has done this before."

by sabonis11 on Feb 7, 2012 2:05 PM PST reply actions

Early in the year he did not really have his legs

Now he does and has the oomph to push it inside more and more – Is what truly separates him from Aldridge 1.0. He played like a man last night.

by T.O. on Feb 7, 2012 2:09 PM PST reply actions

While he has much more stamina than earlier in the season...

he noticeably tired in the latter stages of last night’s OKC game. The OKC blog site quotes Kendrick Perkins saying that LA was a beast for the first three quarters but was gassed during the last quarter and OT. LA’s stats reflect that.

Last season LA slowed down toward the end of the season, as you might expect from one who played at or near the most minutes in the league. It looked like it affected his playoff performance as well. He’s playing fewer minutes this season but does tend to produce less at the end of games – a big reason in my mind why he hasn’t become the closer we need and are looking for. If his stamina continues to improve we have a good shot at the 2nd round – and then who knows. If not, I don’t see us getting out of the first round once again, regardless of how our guards develop.

by HiPo Steve on Feb 7, 2012 10:30 PM PST up reply actions

We need someone that can help carry the team through the first half

LMA starts running out of batteries at a bit over 30 minutes. By 40 minutes it seems like he can’t hit jump shots anymore and he has to score right at the rim to get it to go down.

by poorwebguy on Feb 7, 2012 3:00 PM PST reply actions

Lol

I left this analysis thinking that PDXBuckeye hit the nail on the head in his FanPost: Aldridge, despite the fact that he has emerged as an All-Star lock, is not getting sufficient credit for his level of play this season.

I think he’s gotten sufficient credit. He’s going to be an all-star, and he’s the cornerstone of the franchise. However, he has yet to prove he’s a go to guy at the end of the game, which is why he’s probably not getting his “due” credit the certain people think he deserves.

He’ll most likely be on an all-NBA team too.
How can he not be getting his sufficient credit?

lol. He’s not Lebron. He’s closer to Kevin Love, and though good, he is not a top 5 player in the league by any means. Top 15, probably. But not top 5, no matter what his shake or scoring averages say.

"If you can do a half-assed job of anything, you're a one-eyed man in a kingdom of the blind."

by thankyouforblaze on Feb 7, 2012 3:15 PM PST reply actions

#8 in PER, #6 in EWA, #8 in WS/48, #4 in total Win Shares

Not top 5, but easily top 10 and closing.

Phase 1: Collect underpants
Phase 2: ???
Phase 3: Profit!

by HailOden! on Feb 7, 2012 5:12 PM PST up reply actions

this

and when he leaves for the Mavs in free agency it will dawn on Blazers fans that continue to undervalue him. Cuban would roll out the big bucks to give him some help. No more dragging around a team with no #2 option.

by poorwebguy on Feb 7, 2012 6:20 PM PST up reply actions

Agreed: top 10 and closing.

For him to get the respect he deserves both from national media and from many Blazer fans, he must lead us out of the first round of the playoffs. I believe that if his stamina continues to improve, he can do it – with the team we have right now.

by HiPo Steve on Feb 7, 2012 10:34 PM PST up reply actions