Lamarcus Aldridge best 4 in the league?

[rhythmic]

22 ppg, 5.5 rpg. 3-5 record including getting blown out all 3 times. It's safe to say RIGHT NOW Dirk is far from the best PF . Ironic you'd say this considering how bad he played today as well. His averages of 22 and 5.5 are from before today's atrocious game.

[Clippersfan86]

He's far from perfect...I even doubt if he can be the #1 option on a championship player but he's a terrific player and can fill it up. To me power foward is currently the hardest position in the NBA to rank.

I personally would rank him 3rd or 4th this season, especially with Amare looking so weak and Dirk declining. By season end it won't surprise me to see Love, Griffin and Aldridge as the top 3 PF's and for that to continue for the next nearly decade.

[Fiasco]

[QUOTE=rhythmic

[knickswin]

he is not really best player on a championship team material in any case, but neither is any other four right now other than dirk (who is playing like garbage, but i doubt that trend continues). he is very good though, and his rebounding issues get overstated. he plays with a very good rebounding front court, and it's not like his rebounding really hurts his team.

[Clippersfan86]

The way I see it it that LMA lack of rebounding numbers don't hurt his team, so why is it any issue. If they didn't have Camby and Crash and he still wasn't rebounding then yes it would be a problem. Ill take LMA defense over Love's any day as well. You also note Griffin so far, I think, so far, that he was been quite unremarkable (this season). Stats are just numbers, you can't fully capture one's impact and talent on stats alone. Put it this way, Love's number would indicate that he has a similar offensive impact to say, Prime Duncan. If someone really believed that they would belong in a room with padded walls. Stats can give an indication but will not paint the whole picture. I respect your opinion but I have to go with LMA this season.

Well the difference is Aldridge is in what his 6th season? When you look at synergy stats and watch the games it's clear Love is a MUCH improved defender so far this season. Aldridge literally doesn't have a single advantage over Love this year besides being on a much better team.

Love scores a good amount more and in more ways. Love is holding it down better defensively this year. Love is the best rebounder this year once again. Love is better at involving teammates with passes. If Love keeps playing defense like this.. Aldridge doesn't have a case whatsoever.

As for Griffin... his D is still suspect but he's 5 games into his second season. Love is a 4th year player, Aldridge a 6th. It's fair to give Griffin at least till the end of this season to see if he puts more effort into the defensive side of things. His scoring, rebounding and passing is better than Aldridge though.

[Clippersfan86]

Find the thread where CF has Griffin ranked as the #1 PF this year and you might have a point.

Yea I've never declared him THE best. I personally feel Love is the best PF right now and Griffin is 2nd. Dirk and Amare are playing like sh** and Aldridge is once again being overhyped because his team is surprising people. I'm sorry but 22 and 7.5 isn't that great for a PF. It's not all about the numbers but Aldridge doesn't scare anybody. Dude stands outside and shoots 18 footers and 15 foot turnarounds.

BTW Thesis nothing your saying is news. Of course Aldridge is longer, shoots better and is a better defender. All facts. Just like Griffin is a better scorer, rebounder and passer.

[rhythmic]

Find the thread where CF has Griffin ranked as the #1 PF this year and you might have a point.

Uhm reading comprehension much?
Read the original post first, no one claimed LA is the best right now. He projected that he could be the #1 PF by season end. Same shit CP spews every day about Griffin:

1) Could be the next Karl Malone or Charles Barkley.
2) Definitely wouldn't trade him for Howard.
3) Has a bigger upside then Howard etc.

And the countless overreactions whenever Griffin does something impressive in a game and so forth.

95% of his posts has Griffin in it it seems, consistently trying to boost his stock. He's a damn good player and all but just don't call-out other posters for trying to do the same damn thing.

[Tha Catalyst]

Well the difference is Aldridge is in what his 6th season? When you look at synergy stats and watch the games it's clear Love is a MUCH improved defender so far this season. Aldridge literally doesn't have a single advantage over Love this year besides being on a much better team.

Love scores a good amount more and in more ways. Love is holding it down better defensively this year. Love is the best rebounder this year once again. Love is better at involving teammates with passes. If Love keeps playing defense like this.. Aldridge doesn't have a case whatsoever.

As for Griffin... his D is still suspect but he's 5 games into his second season. Love is a 4th year player, Aldridge a 6th. It's fair to give Griffin at least till the end of this season to see if he puts more effort into the defensive side of things. His scoring, rebounding and passing is better than Aldridge though.

Once again respect your opinion but if I'm picking a power forward in my team for a playoff run it's definitely Aldridge over Love. I still think Love doesn't impact games hugely like star players do. He will get his stats regardless of the result within the flow of them game, I want my players to control the flow of the game.

[rhythmic]

Yea I've never declared him THE best. I personally feel Love is the best PF right now and Griffin is 2nd. Dirk and Amare are playing like sh** and Aldridge is once again being overhyped because his team is surprising people. I'm sorry but 22 and 7.5 isn't that great for a PF. It's not all about the numbers but Aldridge doesn't scare anybody. Dude stands outside and shoots 18 footers and 15 foot turnarounds.

BTW Thesis nothing your saying is news. Of course Aldridge is longer, shoots better and is a better defender. All facts. Just like Griffin is a better scorer, rebounder and passer.

Uhm he's also pretty clutch and is a good defender; something that isn't reflected in stats. He isn't the best or better then Griffin but you're not giving him enough credit.

[TheGreatBlaze]

It's too early to call him the best but I think it's important to note that Aldridge has always been a slow starter, and he's always gotten stronger as the season goes on. Not to mention he's still working himself into shape after missing time before the season started. The fact that he's still putting up 23/8 on 50+% is pretty scary.

[rhythmic]

Yea I've never declared him THE best. I personally feel Love is the best PF right now and Griffin is 2nd. Dirk and Amare are playing like sh** and Aldridge is once again being overhyped because his team is surprising people. I'm sorry but 22 and 7.5 isn't that great for a PF. It's not all about the numbers but Aldridge doesn't scare anybody. Dude stands outside and shoots 18 footers and 15 foot turnarounds.

BTW Thesis nothing your saying is news. Of course Aldridge is longer, shoots better and is a better defender. All facts. Just like Griffin is a better scorer, rebounder and passer.

Then say those things, instead of posting "22 PPG and 7.5 RPG" as the highlight of your posts.

Having a size advantage, being a better shooter & better defender did not reflect in what you said earlier; so I had no idea if you truly "knew" that.

[Clippersfan86]

Uhm reading comprehension much?
Read the original post first, no one claimed LA is the best right now. He projected that he could be the #1 PF by season end. Same shit CP spews every day about Griffin:

1) Could be the next Karl Malone or Charles Barkley.
2) Definitely wouldn't trade him for Howard.
3) Has a bigger upside then Howard etc.

And the countless overreactions whenever Griffin does something impressive in a game and so forth.

95% of his posts has Griffin in it it seems, consistently trying to boost his stock. He's a damn good player and all but just don't call-out other posters for trying to do the same damn thing.

Many non Clippers fans feel Griffin can be the best PF by season end, or start of next season. Nothing is farfetched considering many would consider him the 2nd or 3rd best PF RIGHT NOW. You're having a little bit*h fit aren't you? I've actually toned it down a TON since the offseason. The only Clippers thread I recently made was yesterday about the scuffle that happened.

90 percent of my posts lately are in NON CLIPPER threads. I'm not calling people out for speaking highly of Aldridge. I'm calling people out for doing what they did last year and making ridiculous claims based off small samples. Aldridge is the best why? What does Aldridge do that makes him the best PF? Rebound? No. Score? No. Defend? No. Pass? No.

The ONLY reason people are making this thread is because the Blazers are playing great now. This isn't because of Aldridge though. This is because they have a really nice, deep, well coached squad. Last year I got sick of people trying to say Aldridge carried the Blazers. Only tools who don't watch basketball would underestimate the depth that team had/has.

BTW you're abusing what I've said.

1. His MAX upside could be Barkley/Malone. This is what scouts and league execs have always said before draft and still say now. Nothing is ridiculous about this. I never said he WILL. I said he COULD be.

2. I explained WHY you don't trade Griffin for Howard from a GM's perspective and it wasn't about Griffin being a better player because he's not. I explained it had to do with contract, upside, marketability etc. Nobody knows how good Griffin can be and he's going to be much cheaper for the next 6 years than Howard. Not worth trading considering all of this from perspective of GM/owner.

3. I feel Griffin has more upside because he's so raw and is already a franchise player. He has more room for growth than Howard obviously who's made pretty slow improvements over his career for the most part. I feel Dwight is as good as he's going to get pretty much.

[BankShot]

more than two weeks into the season >>>>> less than 2 weeks into the season...... when trying to seriously debate who is the best anything in the league if you're only going to compare this season's statistical output

[Clippersfan86]

I'm not like Joyner who feels Durant can do no wrong... or Nathan who acts like Rose can do no wrong. I'm 100 percent willing to admit and agree with Griffin's shortcomings. In game threads I make fun of Griffin's defense with everybody else. I just think we need to keep it in perspective. 6th year player vs 2nd year player.

[StateOfMind12]

Aldridge really has no weakness. Love and Griffin on the other hand clearly do have weaknesses and it is defense. You could say Aldridge needs to average more rebounds per game but I still don't think it is really a weakness of his. Aldridge plays with Gerald Wallace and Marcus Camby on the starting lineup, two elite rebounders in the league and at their position.