Aldridge NBA's best young post players
Chris Palmer over at ESPN (ESPN INsider sub needed to view)
Wrote this week about Trailblazers LaMarcus Aldridge as a VERY likely First-time All-Star candidate.
Quote:
1. LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland Trail Blazers
Projection: 21.1 pts, 8.6 reb, 2.1 ast per 40 min; 20.76 PER
Save for Blake Griffin, no power forward in the game is improving as rapidly as Aldridge. And when considering post moves and 18-foot jump shots, Aldridge is well ahead of Griffin. In fact, the only reason he didn't make the All-Star team last season was due to the glut of talented power forwards in the conference. (The league's leading rebounder, Kevin Love, was named last season as a replacement for Yao Ming.)
His turnaround jumper and jump hook are among the best in the game and his length causes a great deal of difficulty for contemporaries Griffin and Love. Winning the head-to-head battle against those two would greatly improve his chances.
Who he'd replace: Dirk Nowitzki
Why he wouldn't make it: For the same reason he was the odd man out last year: There are simply more quality power forwards out West than there are available All-Star roster spots.
Lets hope this pans out eh?
Your thoughts blazers fan?
