LaMarcus breaks out in playoffs

LOS ANGELES – As the playoffs unravel in the NBA this season, the man of the moment isn’t Kevin Durant or LeBron James or Chris Paul or Blake Griffin or Tim Duncan. It’s a 6-11, 240-pound power forward who has undergone two ablation procedures to correct a heart ailment known as the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.

LaMarcus Aldridge, 28, has so far scored a total of 136 points in four games to lead No. 5 Portland to a 3-1 series lead over No. 4 Houston in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. Game 5 is scheduled tomorrow (Thursday morning, Manila time) at Houston. Aldridge was diagnosed with the heart problem as a rookie in 2006-07. The ailment is an electrical malfunction in the heart which causes a rapid and irregular beat, dizziness, palpitations, fainting and even cardiac arrest if not treated.

Aldridge, who played two years with the University of Texas varsity, was the NBA’s second overall pick in the 2006 draft behind Andrea Bargnani. Over the last four seasons, he has scored at least 20 points a game. This campaign, Aldridge averaged 23.2 points and 11.1 rebounds and shot 82.2% from the line – all career highs. He’s gone several notches up in the playoffs.

Of 30 playoff games in the books, 16 were won on the road. It’s incredible that over 50 percent of the contests have been won by “away” teams. In the Portland-Houston series, three of the four games were won by road teams. The first, third and fourth games were decided in overtime. Seven of the 30 games went into extension and five were won on the road. The Oklahoma City-Memphis series, now tied at 2-all, has also registered three overtime wins, two on the road.

The top seeds in the East and West are in danger of early elimination. Indiana, the East top seed with a 56-26 record, lost to Atlanta in Game 1 at home and was down 2-1 before evening the count, 91-88, in Game 4 on the road. The Pacers have regained the homecourt advantage but are not out of the woods particularly as there is talk of internal dissension, finger-pointing and even scuffling among players.

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San Antonio finished the regular season on top of the heap with a 62-20 record but in Game 2 at home, was crushed by Dallas, 113-92. The Mavericks made it two in a row over the Spurs, 109-108, on Vince Carter’s last-second triple in Game 3. In 2011, the No. 1 Spurs were dismissed by No. 8 Memphis in the first round.  Gregg Popovich, recently named Coach of the Year, hopes the nightmare doesn’t recur. Against the rejuvenated state rival Mavericks, San Antonio must play a step ahead in defense and that means the Spurs can’t afford to be outrun. Dallas has made San Antonio look old so far and unless Popovich is able to dictate tempo, the Mavs could become the sixth eighth-seed in NBA history to overcome a top seed after Denver over Seattle in 1994, New York over Miami in 1999, Golden State over Dallas in 2007, Memphis over San Antonio in 2011 and Philadelphia over Chicago in 2012.

The only team not to encounter rough sailing in the first round is three-peat seeking Miami, sitting on a 3-0 lead over Charlotte. On the verge of closing out with 3-1 leads are No. 5 Washington over No. 4 Chicago and No. 5 Portland over No. 4 Houston.

Of the eight series openers, home teams lost five, including No. 3 Toronto to No. 6 Brooklyn in the East and No. 3 Los Angeles Clippers to No. 6 Golden State in the West. The Nets led, 2-1, before the Raptors took Game 4, 87-79, on the road. Brooklyn appears to be in the same boat as San Antonio – they both rely on veterans who like to play the slow-down, deliberate style and are vulnerable to being run over. The Warriors surprised the Clippers, 109-105, in Game 1 and could’ve opened up a 2-1 lead but lost, 98-96, in Game 3 as Steph Curry’s triple attempt with no time left fell out. Chris Paul could’ve been called for a foul on the three-point shot as he appeared to throw Curry off-balance with a forearm to the waist but the referees didn’t blow their whistles. Golden State levelled the series count, 118-97, in Game 4.

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Aldridge played a major role in Game 4 of the Portland-Houston series with three blocked shots in the fourth period and a crucial defensive stop on James Harden late in overtime. The Blazers protected a two-point lead as Harden attempted a three with seconds to go. Aldridge stayed on top of the Bearded One and forced a miss. Aldridge has led the Blazers in scoring in three of the four playoff games. The exception was guard Damian Lillard who compiled 30 points, six rebounds and six assists in Game 3.

Aldridge’s back-to-back 40-point eruptions in Games 1 and 2 on the road are only the third recorded in NBA history after Michael Jordan and Tracy McGrady. His 89 points in the first two playoff outings are the fourth highest in 50 years after Jordan in 1986 and 1988 and Jerry West in 1965. Aldridge’s stats of 43 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots are the most by a player in those departments since Shaquille O’Neal in 2001.

Aldridge’s emergence as a star coincided with 7-foot center Robin Lopez establishing himself as a first-rate center. “If you look at LA’s career, he has been remarkably consistent,” said Blazers coach Terry Stotts. “Home and road. Win or lose. Year-to-year. Last year, he made a jump in rebounding and this year, he’s made a jump in scoring. His desire to get better shows.” Aldridge, who has earned over $70 Million in eight NBA seasons, said, “I just understand who I am and what my game is about … I know where my shots come from, as you get older and understand the game at a different level, you can take your game to a different level.”