Six post players that proved the Detroit Pistons must improve interior defense
By Joe Dexter
LaMarcus Aldridge
[table id=20 /]
He is one of the most consistent players in the post, and LaMarcus Aldridge made his game known against the Pistons last season.
Especially in December, where he struggled at times from the floor, but still found ways to help his team. Dave Deckard at Blazer’s Edge recalled back in December just how dangerous it is for a team to leave Aldridge in single coverage.
"LaMarcus Aldridge has to love nights when the opponent stays in single coverage. He was great tonight, as usual. Still, don’t you have to pick that poison over the three-point barrage? Detroit had this game in hand single-covering Aldridge. They got wounded every time they did anything else. I suspect more and more teams will catch onto this as the Blazers cycle through. You could tell the Pistons were more ready for Portland this time than they were in the first meeting, though admittedly they played Portland tough both times. I just wish for the Pistons’ sake that they had more reliable and team-oriented guards. They’re free to get them now that their two games with Portland are history."
Aldridge is hard to stop even with a good game plan to stop him. He is a double double machine that will torch you inside, or use his range game to spread out your defense. As Deckard pointed out when he recapped the Blazers/Pistons game in November — it’s not just stats that set Aldridge apart.
"LaMarcus Aldridge had another big rebounding night with 12, 11 defensive. The Blazers needed that against a big Detroit lineup that ended up with 18 offensive rebounds as it was. If LMA wasn’t committed to winning this game on both ends of the floor the Blazers wouldn’t have won it. 18 points and 8-19 shooting are both slightly below his average this year, but that hardly matters."