Portland Trail Blazers: LaMarcus Aldridge
Position: Power Forward
Age: 29
2013-14 Season Averages: 21.84 PER, 36.2 MPG, 23.2 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.0 BPG, 0.9 SPG
2013-14 Slash Line: .458/.200/.822
The Portland Trail Blazers improved by a tremendous 21 games from 2012-13 to 2013-14. Portland capped off its first postseason appearance since 2011 with its first playoff series win since 2000.
The team MVP comes down to one of two players: point guard Damian Lillard and power forward LaMarcus Aldridge. For now, it’s Aldridge.
That could change at any second.
Aldridge was sensational during the 2013-14 regular season, but he took his game to another level during the playoffs. He averaged 26.2 points per game and scored at least 29 points in four of Portland’s six games against the Houston Rockets.
Aldridge also ripped off consecutive games with 40 points to join some quality company.
LaMarcus Aldridge: 1st player with consecutive 40-point playoff games since LeBron James in 2009
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 24, 2014
The question is, will that success carry over to 2014-15?
The good news for Portland is that Aldridge has made three consecutive All-Star Game appearances. He was also honored as Third Team All-NBA in 2014, which many project him to repeat or improve upon as one of the game’s premier power forwards.
Lillard is rising fast, but as it presently stands, the nod goes to Aldridge.