I wasn’t buying it then and I’m not buying it now. Just last week a local sportswriter in Portland refuted the fact LaMarcus Aldridge is as good as he really is. I’m sure that writer changed his tune after Portland beat Detroit on Wednesday night thanks to Aldridge.
But without Aldridge, the Blazers bandwagon might be a little lighter today. Sure it took him 21 shots to get his 26 points – essentially mirroring Detroit’s Tayshaun Prince (13 for 21, 26 points) – but you have to pick your poison.
Do you want an Aldridge – who took a nasty shot to the ear in the win - outing like he had against the Pistons? Or do you want the LaMarcus who looked lost against New Orleans last week when he made a whole five shots in 18 attempts?
He may not be “the man” – we know who owns that title in Portland. Folks may not obsess over him the way they do Greg Oden, Rudy Fernandez and Bayless. You know who you are. But we all know who runs the floor and finishes better than anyone on the Blazers. And we all know that if Portland is going to get where they want to go that L.A. will have to help get them there.
Sorry, but right now LaMarcus Aldridge is that good.
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Shameless Plug: That’s not the outing I thought Allen Iverson was going to have. He finished with 14 points. Thought for sure he’d put up more than 19 shots too, especially after he had Steve Blake and Sergio Rodriguez matched-up against him.
Think Detroit missed the boat there.
But come playoff time you just know the Pistons will be clicking on all cylinders. As I found out, the whole “Detroit and Iverson won’t be able to adjust to each other” argument simply doesn’t hold weight. You can read more about that today over at HOOPSWORLD.
pic via: o-live.com
It was amazing to me. I watched Prince and it seemed like he only missed twice. Maybe cause ALL of his 13 shots were mid to outer-mid range j’s. Either way LA is dat dude sho nuff is. Nop denying it really. When he is off the Blazer’s really struggle. And yes…..Ima Bayless FIEND!! Since day though. Ask my friend. First time i saw him play at UofA i called the Blazer’s getting him instead of Jack. Swear to anything. I’m just that good.
i think prince is so underrated….his too smooth for his own good. i’m gonna pump my breaks on bayless…..but i will say, depending on the night you have to admit la is hard to handle….and he’s only going to get better.
w maxey:
as a blazerfan, how concerned should i be w/ this larry miller memo/d-miles sitch? it’s a shame a feel good story like the blazers is now cast in a negative light once again because of one fool. this blazers threat is understandable but comes off as desperate. people are pissed off. why can’t we avoid drama?
this adds to my stress. i didn’t even properly capitalize, that’s how worried i am.
i’m all about lower case glen….no worries there.
i’ve been in contact with the blazers since yesterday on the miles matter, and now today on the miller memo….and it’s clear this whole situation wasn’t handled properly.
another press release (one that is intended to go the press this time) should be issued later today from the organization on this little “larry miller memo” black eye…..
so stay tuned there.
as an organization, they should have left it alone. that or turned their concerns over to the league office.
but as a fan, you shouldn’t worry about the backlash. the only thing you should be worried about right if how brandon roy bounces back from time off against the golden state warriors tomorrow night.
another quick word on “the memo”…..
perhaps dan gilbert, the owner of the cleveland cavaliers put it best in his email response to “the memo”:
“I fully understand the frustration you and your team’s ownership must be feeling in regards to this situation, but a preemptive threat of ‘litigation’ directed at all of your partners through a group email does not sit well with me and seems to be incongruent with the spirit of keeping a ‘fiduciary duty’ and good ‘partner-like duty’ to your ‘NBA joint venturers.’
“I would think there has got to be a better tactic than this one.”
this is what it has come to glen….an email war of the words where the blazers have already lost.
Hmmm. I agree with you most of the time but not here. Course I could be wrong here, but Miller pretty much stated “if you want the shoes, you better wanna dance with them.” Meaning, of course, if you actually want Miles than play him more than just 2 games to screw Portland over. Sounds like the Cle GM took it a little personal. But i think the email was intended for certain specific audiences who were rumored of having interest of doing that sort of thing towards Portland and Miller just sent his email to everyone as a heads up. I don’t think Portland cares if Miles plays again…..if he CAN. There are not prohibiting him from playing but rather warning people that they shouldn’t pick him up to mess with Portland. This is all a weird happening though i think its not really a big deal in the long run.
w maxey:
thank you for your responses. this is kind of superficial to bring up, but I was thinking that this might affect a deserving brandon roy’s chances of getting selected to the all-star game. i could see other coaches saying, “screw ‘em.” we have amplified a milieu of ill-will, whether it was created/initiated by the other teams’ discussion of the intent to directly mess with our cap or us responding w/ miller’s “threat/warning”. it doesn’t matter how it started or who’s to blame…what is clear is that there now exists bad blood between us and the NBA and we’re the ones that look like douches to the fans, other teams and media. no bueno. this ptbfo has been so smart. what happened? this doesn’t seem well calculated.
bush league, man, bush league. i think the warning was the wrong move, it could have been worded to sound more like a plea or appeal to the rest of the league.
as for dan gilbert, he is right in what he stated, but who the hell is he for standing on his soapbox and appointing himself the spokesman for the rest of the league, especially when he has lebron, his cavs are dominating and will win the finals this year…that’s just extra burn. screw him, i hope lebron bolts.
also, what about how this young “nice guy” team is going to be heckled and mercifully booed at visiting arenas (if the fans are informed and smart enough)?
hey will and glen….
think i will hold my comments on miller and the memo until tomorrow. have a post and story coming out in the morning. we”ll discuss then….
as for roy, you can’t take anything away from him on the court. if voters and or coaches snub portland – and i don’ they will – that’s only hurting the game.
Regrets, Ive had a few;
But then again, too few to mention.
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption.
I planned each charted course;
Each careful step along the byway,
But more, much more than this,
I did it my way.
LET’S BATTLE MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.
very smooth…..perhaps a rival in the making?