LaMarcus Aldridge (Part 2)

LaMarcus Aldridge significantly improved his performance in his second NBA season, achieving career highs in various statistical categories including points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals. His notable progress earned him recognition, finishing third in the voting for the NBA Most Improved Player Award.
However, Aldridge faced challenges during the season due to injury troubles caused by plantar fasciitis. This condition sidelined him from December 11 to December 18, 2007, causing him to miss several games. Despite returning to play after this period, Aldridge continued to experience discomfort and difficulty with his foot. Nevertheless, he managed to contribute effectively on the court despite the ongoing issues with his injury.


LaMarcus Aldridge faced challenges at the beginning of the season, struggling with inconsistency as he adjusted to increased defensive pressure. He described the first 15 games as "the worst funk" of his life but gradually found his rhythm and improved as the season progressed.
Throughout the season, Aldridge focused on refining his offensive skills, particularly relying on his midrange fadeaway shot. Despite the initial difficulties, he ended the season with solid averages of 18.1 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Aldridge showcased his scoring ability by surpassing the 20-point mark in half of the last 28 games of the season. Remarkably, he nearly played a full season, missing only one game due to injury.


In late October, Aldridge secured his future with the Portland Trail Blazers by signing a lucrative five-year, $65 million contract extension. This commitment came after the Trail Blazers had already finalized a significant deal with All-Star Brandon Roy, further solidifying their core roster.
The trajectory of Aldridge's season took a turn when Greg Oden, a key teammate, suffered a season-ending injury in early December. This unfortunate event resulted in Aldridge receiving increased playing time and offensive opportunities as he stepped up to fill the void left by Oden's absence.


During the 2010-2011 season, LaMarcus Aldridge took on a more prominent role both on the court and as a leader for the Portland Trail Blazers, especially after Brandon Roy encountered knee issues in December. Despite his significant contributions to the team's success, Aldridge faced disappointment when he was not selected to represent the Western Conference in the NBA All-Star Game, which was held in Los Angeles. This omission led LeBron James to describe it as "the biggest snub in All-Star history."


Nevertheless, Aldridge continued to showcase his skills and leadership throughout the season. He earned recognition as the NBA Player of the Week for two separate weeks in January and February. Additionally, he achieved a career-high 42 points in a game against the Chicago Bulls on February 7, 2011. Furthermore, on March 2, Aldridge joined the elite company of Clyde Drexler and Kelvin Ransey as the only Trail Blazers to receive the NBA Player of the Month award.
Despite narrowly missing out on the Most Improved Player Award, Aldridge's outstanding performance earned him a spot on the All-NBA Third Team, receiving 135 votes from the league. His contributions both on and off the court solidified his status as a key player for the Trail Blazers and underscored his importance to the team's success.


During the 2013 offseason, LaMarcus Aldridge faced trade rumors, but he expressed his desire to remain with the Portland Trail Blazers while also urging for improvements to the team's roster. He kicked off his eighth NBA season on a strong note, notching five consecutive double-doubles from November 9 to 17. However, on November 23, 2013, he found himself embroiled in an altercation during a game against the Golden State Warriors, resulting in a fine of $45,000 for his role in escalating the incident.
Despite the incident, Aldridge continued to excel on the court, earning his fourth Western Conference Player of the Week award on November 25. His performance was pivotal during an 11-game win streak for the Trail Blazers, during which he averaged impressive stats including 21.1 points, 11.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.5 blocks per game.


On December 12, 2013, Aldridge made history by scoring 31 points and grabbing a career-high 25 rebounds in a victory over the Houston Rockets, becoming the first player in Trail Blazers franchise history to achieve at least 30 points and 25 rebounds in a single game.
Aldridge's stellar play continued into the new year, highlighted by a career-high 44 points along with 13 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks in a win over the Denver Nuggets on January 23, 2014.
The Trail Blazers enjoyed success throughout the first half of the 2014 season, maintaining a strong position in the Western Conference and making a push for the playoffs. Aldridge, alongside teammate Damian Lillard, earned a spot as a reserve in the 2014 NBA All-Star Game, marking his third consecutive appearance.


However, Aldridge faced adversity when he suffered a lower back contusion during a game against the San Antonio Spurs on March 12, 2014, causing him to miss seven games. Despite his absence, Aldridge returned in time to help secure the Trail Blazers' playoff berth, their first since 2011.
Aldridge continued his impressive performance in the playoffs, setting a new career high and franchise playoff high of 46 points in Game 1 of the opening round against the Houston Rockets. He followed up with 43 points in Game 2, joining elite company in NBA history. Despite a strong showing against the Rockets, the Trail Blazers fell to the Spurs in the subsequent series, ending their playoff run. Overall, Aldridge had a career-best season in 2014, marked by numerous accolades and statistical milestones.

References

1.  Mills, Marshall (January 20, 2009). "A changed Aldridge: Blazers' unassuming forward blossoms into an impact player". The Blazers Beat, OregonLive. Retrieved January 25, 2011.
2. ^ "Player Stats: LaMarcus Aldridge". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 25, 2011.
3. ^ Deckard, Dave (May 6, 2009). "The Season in Review: LaMarcus Aldridge". Blazersedge. Retrieved January 25, 2011.
4. ^ Ford, Chad. "Source: Aldridge to get $65M extension". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 25, 2011.
5. ^ Freeman, Joe (December 5, 2009). "Greg Oden suffers major knee injury". The Oregonian. Retrieved January 25, 2011.
6. ^ Golliver, Ben (July 17, 2013). "Haynes: Blazers, LaMarcus Aldridge's Camp Discuss Trade Possibilities; No Move Imminent". Blazer's Edge. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
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10. ^ Golliver, Ben (January 30, 2014). "Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, LaMarcus Aldridge headline 2014 All-Star Game reserves". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
11. ^ Meagher, Sean (March 13, 2014). "Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge to miss next two games with back injury". oregonlive. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
12. ^ "LaMarcus Aldridge paces Blazers to victory over Hawks in return". ESPN.com. March 27, 2014. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
13. ^ Freeman, Joe (April 7, 2014). "Trail Blazers clinch playoff spot with win over New Orleans, but say they're not satisfied". oregonlive. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
14. ^ Tomik, Jeffrey (April 24, 2014). "LaMarcus Aldridge scores 89 points in two NBA playoff games, joins elite group". Washington Post. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
15. ^ Koivisto, Kris (December 9, 2014). "LaMarcus Aldridge Becomes Second-Leading Scorer in Franchise History". NBA.com. Archived from the original on May 14, 2019. Retrieved March 31, 2021.