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Who Should Be Portland Trail Blazers’ Closer Down Stretch?

By Nathan Grubel

Mar 27, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) celebrates with guard Damian Lillard (0) after making a basket against the Phoenix Suns during the second half at US Airways Center. The Trail Blazers won the game 87-81. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 27, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) celebrates with guard Damian Lillard (0) after making a basket against the Phoenix Suns during the second half at US Airways Center. The Trail Blazers won the game 87-81. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /
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For the Portland Trail Blazers, life hasn’t been as easy on both ends of the floor without the consistent presence of shooting guard Wesley Matthews.

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Since he went down for the season due to injury, the Blazers have had to insert guard Arron Afflalo into the starting lineup, and stars Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge have been forced to play more minutes and amp up their production.

So far, Aldridge and Lillard have done that and much more, as they’ve also been fighting harder on the defensive end. They both haven’t been afraid of grinding games out and having to play a more physical brand of basketball without their best floor spacer in Matthews.

Portland certainly grinded out their latest victory, as they beat the Phoenix Suns in a close game Friday night by the score of 87-81.

Seeing as though Lillard is generally thought of as the go-to guy down the stretch because of his duties as the primary ball-handler as well as his three-point shot, it was a little different to see Aldridge really take over late in the game for the Blazers.

Aldridge is generally the guy Portland feeds the ball to towards the beginning of the game and whenever the offense stalls out because he’s so good scoring inside in the arc, whether it’s with his back-to-the-basket or facing up his man for a mid-range shot.

Aldridge led his team to the victory in the end, converting on five straight shot attempts late in the fourth quarter to help the Blazers pull away from Phoenix and seal the win.

Lillard, however, didn’t have as good of a night as Aldridge, who also led the team in scoring with 27 points. Lillard only scored 11 points on dismal 4-of-15 shooting from the floor.

Generally Lillard doesn’t have any problems with playing within himself and shooting the ball with more efficiency. He simply had an off night and couldn’t be counted on when the team needed him the most. For a player who’s been one of the best scorers in the fourth quarter this season, it’s ok for Lillard to be off with his shot every once in a while.

That’s why Portland can get away with having one of its two stars have an off night or two because they have another star right there to take the reins and be a leader in tight games. Aldridge was that man against the Suns, and he’s not exactly showing any signs of slowing down despite his struggles with injuries this season.

But is Aldridge the better weapon late in games?

Aldridge very well might be the better player to run plays for when the game is on the line because of how he scores his points. Aldridge is a better scorer and finisher inside than Lillard, and efficiency is everything late in the game, as every possession is magnified the more minutes run off the clock.

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    • Lillard gets a lot of his points from three-point shooting and deep two-point looks, something that the Blazers shouldn’t exactly be endorsing when the game comes down to its final shots.

    Because Lillard is the point guard, he tends to have the ball in his hands more times than not, but that doesn’t mean he should be shooting every time up and down the floor. Lillard backed off against the Suns when he figured out it just wasn’t his night, and his deferring to Aldridge when his team needed the scores says a lot about his character both as a player and as a floor general.

    The best players know when they’re hot and know when to defer, and that’s exactly what Lillard did when his shot wasn’t falling. Late when his team needed baskets, he didn’t choose to force things, so he went to the player in Aldridge who was converting all game long.

    I’m not saying that Lillard can’t hit big-time shots, but maybe it’s time he starts feeding Aldridge more late in the game instead of just early on to get the offense rolling. Yes, Aldridge’s style of basketball can open the floor for shooters like Lillard, but getting more looks inside is also a more efficient brand of basketball, something that head coach Terry Stotts should get more behind.

    Aldridge isn’t afraid of the big moment, just like Lillard. It’s time the Blazers go to a player who can be relied upon in the post, instead of taking all of these gambles outside with jump shots.

    Next: How Good is Portland's Arron Afflalo?

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