With the absence of superstar Kawhi Leonard, the Spurs needed All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge to step up if they wanted to give themselves a viable opportunity to steal a win on the road in Games 1 and 2 of the Western Conference Finals. Aldridge was not up to the task, registering a combined plus-minus differential of -34 between the two contests.
SiriusXM NBA Host Brian Geltzeiler told the Audible Wednesday that the defensive adjustments made by Warriors interim coach Mike Brown after left Game 1, significantly hampered Aldridge’s ability to score effectively.
“The second Kawhi Leonard left the game, every time Aldridge touched the ball he was assaulted with a double [team],” Geltzeiler said. “They forced Aldridge into being a passer, which is not his strength. Quite frankly, the way they’ve defended Aldridge, in the last game and a half in terms of the aggression and double [teams], for lack of a better term it’s castrated Aldridge and he doesn’t know what to do. He’s kinda wilting [like] a flower in a way that the Spurs cannot have him do.”
With the looming possibility that Kawhi may not be able to return for any games in the series, Geltzeiler stressed how important it is for Aldridge to take his game to another level.
“If they want to have any chance of staying in any games in the absence of Kawhi Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge does not have the luxury of not coming up big,” Geltzeiler said. “Last night, 8 points, 4 rebounds, 4 of 11 shooting, he wilted. Do they need LaMarcus Aldridge to be the alpha dog and all that stuff to stay in games? There’s no doubt they do.”
Listen to the full interview below. To hear Geltzeiler’s comments on Aldridge go to the 4:19 mark.
