LaMarcus Aldridge named Western Conference Player of the Week
LaMarcus Aldridge has been nothing short of sensational this season.
The 6ft-11in forward has scorched the courts of NBA with a dazzling average of 22.1 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game this season. On Monday, the sharp-shooting stalwart added yet another laurel to his credit as the NBA crowned him the ‘Western
Conference Player of the Week’.
LaMarcus has been the cornerstone of the Portland Trail Blazers’ campaign this fall. The season in which he has set career-highs in terms of points scored, field goals, rebounds and blocks; Aldridge is the very reason the Trail Blazers are currently eighth
in the Western Conference with a 30-24 record. The Trail Blazers are 15-5 when Aldridge scores at least 25 points, 8-4 when he scores between 20 and 24 and 7-15 when he’s held below 20.
He was however, superb during the week under the spotlight.
Leading the Trail Blazers to a perfect 3-0 outcome, Aldridge has scored at least 36 points in each game. The achievement makes Aldridge the first Portland player in franchise history to score at least 36 points in three straight games, and the second in
the NBA, behind Monta Ellis to do so this season. His coach, Nate McMillan was all praise.
He said, "LaMarcus is having a career year and has established himself as one of the best big men in the game, to do what he did over the last three games is a rare feat, and this is an honour well deserved."
In the week, Aldridge paced the league with an awesome average of 38.3 points. In addition to that Portland’s’ torch bearing forward also grabbed 7.3 rebounds, dished out 2.0 assists, accounted for 1.67 blocked shots and snatched 1.33 steals.
Leading Portland to wins over Chicago, Toronto and Detroit, the fifth-year Trail Blazer shot 63.1 percent from the floor and 84.6 percent from the free throw line during the week.
He started the week with a bang as he posted a career high 42 points, shooting 15-of-23 against one of the titans of the Eastern Conference, the Chicago Bulls. He also tied a personal high with 12 free throws and complemented it with eight rebounds and
two steals, sparking the Trail Blazers to a 109-103 win.
A fortnight later against the Toronto Raptors, Aldridge once again turned on the heat with 37 points on a 14-of-25 shooting. He also had 10 rebounds and two blocks as he single-handedly propelled the Trail Blazers to a 102-96 victory.
In the final game of the week, Portland got another big night from LaMarcus Aldridge, who scored 36 points on 12-of-17 shooting. The small forward also chipped in with four rebounds and three assists, helping the Trail Blazers to squeak past the Detroit
Pistons with a 105-100 win. Aldridge went 12-of-13 from the free throw line in that game to again tie his career-best.
The award makes him the 10th player in franchise history to have bagged the coveted honour. After garnering the honour for the week ending January 23rd as well, he joins Clyde Drexler and Brandon Roy as the only Trail Blazers to have won the award
twice in one season, and the fourth player in the Western Conference to do so.
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