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“You don’t do that and I think he knows better now,” Aldridge said. “I don’t think he’ll do it going forward. That’s not good basketball etiquette.” Oregonian

Portland Trail Blazers, LaMarcus Aldridge, Damian Lillard 

Chris Haynes: LaMarcus Aldridge says he tweaked his right wrist last night during that fall against Atlanta. Says he woke up in serious pain this morning. Twitter @ChrisBHaynes

Portland Trail Blazers, LaMarcus Aldridge, Injuries 

Chris Haynes: Aldridge says he doesn't expect to miss any time (wrist): "If I payed tonight, I ain't missing no time. Tonight would have been the night." Twitter @ChrisBHaynes

Portland Trail Blazers, LaMarcus Aldridge, Injuries 

John Schuhmann: Just noticed that LaMarcus Aldridge took 22 of his 26 shots from outside the paint on Sat. I guess he didn't get the message from @Jason Quick. Twitter @johnschuhmann

Portland Trail Blazers, LaMarcus Aldridge 

Joe Freeman: #Blazers LaMarcus Aldridge said he was surprised by firing of Lakers coach Mike Brown, but added: "If Kobe isn't happy, that's tough." Twitter @BlazerFreeman

Los Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers, Coaching, Mike Brown, LaMarcus Aldridge 

In a salty postgame interview Thursday after 7-for-17 shooting night, Aldridge said he doesn’t believe he is shooting too many jumpers. “I don’t,’’ Aldridge said. “Obviously you do, you asked the question.’’ Oregonian

Portland Trail Blazers, LaMarcus Aldridge 

Aldridge says he is “taking what the offense gives me.’’ Stotts says he called post-up plays on Thursday, but the Clippers “did a good job forcing him out of the post-ups a little bit.’’ Oregonian

Portland Trail Blazers, LaMarcus Aldridge 

“Why am I shooting jump shots?’’ Aldridge snipped, repeating my question. “The system is designed for movement and flow, and the system is designed to be around the elbow. If you are around the elbow, you don’t post up. But we do have plays for me to post up.’’ Oregonian

Portland Trail Blazers, LaMarcus Aldridge 

Most of the time, when an NBA franchise starts a youth movement and uses the dreaded “rebuilding” word, the veterans who led the previous regime bail quickly in search of greener pastures. That hasn’t been the case in Portland, where LaMarcus Aldridge is all-in with the rebuilding effort and looking forward to new challenges. “A lot of change,” Aldridge tells HOOPSWORLD of this year’s team. “I think it’s all good for us to have new players. We have a bunch of good guys who can play, they’re hungry, they’re trying to prove that they can put their stamp on this game. We have a new GM whose trying to show us that players are first. I think everything has been good so far.” HoopsWorld

Portland Trail Blazers, LaMarcus Aldridge 

Aldridge has always wanted to be more of a post player, but the Blazers haven’t always wanted that to be his role. He welcomes the comparison to Nowitzki, but sees some key differences, too. “I’ve always wanted to be that guy, if the team let me be that guy, that was always a question,” says Aldridge. “But, I’ve grown into that role of being that guy who is trying to make shots for my teammates. We can’t do pick-n-rolls all game, we can’t take jump shots all game, so we’ve got to have that guy that can go down low and make teams double team.” HoopsWorld

Portland Trail Blazers, LaMarcus Aldridge 

Another thing that will help Aldridge this season is having J.J. Hickson next to him in the front court, ready to do some of the dirty work Aldridge isn’t as inclined to do. “He’s just active,” says Aldridge. “I think he compliments me well because he dives hard, he’s active on the boards, back to the rim. I need someone next to me that is high energy because I’m kind of mellow, so I need someone with that high energy. He’s been that so far and it’s been big for us.” There are some around the NBA who look at the Blazers and see a playoff team, and while they do look like a team that isn’t far off, Aldridge isn’t ready to make any such claim. “It’s too early, we’re just going to try and keep building, keep getting better every game,” says Aldridge. “If we keep growing, anything is possible. … I’m a realist. I’ve done this one or two times. When you have a really young team, you can be high and you can be low, so we’re just going to try and be in the middle.” HoopsWorld

Portland Trail Blazers, JJ Hickson, LaMarcus Aldridge 

Aldridge, the 27-year-old who has become the franchise centerpiece in his seventh season in Portland, bought and personally delivered 100 turkey dinners to Northeast Portland families in need. "They needed to see that someone cares about them," Aldridge said. Aldridge is an intensely personal and guarded man. He is more wary than willing while interacting. But behind those barriers lies a huge heart, and a couple of weeks ago, the words of a young Portland woman seeped past his hardened veneer and latched on to that heart, inspiring him to spend the $5,000 to buy the food. Her name is Shayanne Akles, a 17-year-old junior at Parkrose High, who on most days is bouncing about the Police Activities League center on the corner of Northeast 172nd and Glisan, easy with a smile and quick to help tutor a fellow student with English homework. "I'm really good at English," she says. Oregonian

Portland Trail Blazers, LaMarcus Aldridge 

As Aldridge sat in the audience engaged, Akles shifted her story toward herself. Her brother was involved in a gang, and her home at 162nd and Glisan was shot at on three different occasions, the last rendering it unlivable. "This place was my support system," Akles said later at PAL. "It helped me cope." Back on stage, she began to weep, and welcomed the comfort of Blazers veteran Jared Jeffries, who put his arm around her and encouraged her to continue. The PAL center was there for her, but it seemed as if nobody was there for the center. There were holes in the wall. The carpet was ripped. The gym covered in gum. "We need someone to care and show us that we are worth saving," Akles told the crowd. "And a place that is in worse condition than a jail cell can't be the only place that cares about us. It's not fair that we have to suffer. It's not fair that we have to settle for less all because of where we live. People need to realize they can make a difference for us." Oregonian

Portland Trail Blazers, LaMarcus Aldridge 

Are you best power forward in the game? LaMarcus Aldridge: "If I didn't say I was, then it would be weird." Is there a difference between saying that and truly believing it? "I'm a realist. I do feel like I'm the best power forward in the game. But I do also know that I have to be an overall better rebounder. I think that's going to come this year. I still do feel like I'm the best power forward in the game." Blazers Edge

Portland Trail Blazers, LaMarcus Aldridge 

Oh, and as for that new locker room, the Blazers unveiled it before the Nuggets game on Wednesday night. It includes a hydrotherapy room and a smoothie bar. Aldridge, meanwhile, is remaining realistic about the team's chances this season. "I think there's going to be some ups and downs - with any young team you have some ups and downs," Aldridge said. "With me, going through it my first season, we'd win one then lose three or four. I'm not saying it's going to be a down season but it's going to be hard sometimes." NBA.com

Portland Trail Blazers, LaMarcus Aldridge 

All-Star power forward LaMarcus Aldridge disagrees with that line of thinking and says there's no need to bring in a number one guy, he's already in Portland. “I think every team in this league feels that I'm a number one and that's why they double-team me and they scheme me the way they do it,” Aldridge told CSNNW.com. “If I wasn't a number one, teams wouldn't double-team me and teams wouldn't try to take me out. “So I don't think there's no need to bring in a number one. This organization can do whatever they want to do, but I think it's definitely good to keep putting really solid pieces around myself, Dame [Lillard], Meyers [Leonard], and J.J. [Hickson]. But I don't think it's no need to bring in a number one, but if they do, I'll play my role.” CSNNW.com

Portland Trail Blazers, LaMarcus Aldridge 

Aldridge says that won't be an issue with this young team and he also wanted to clear up that misconception that he said nothing. “I talked last year too,” he explained. “It's just when you have older vets, they don't listen as well as young guys. I think people really don't know that I was leading that team last year, too. I was talking to guys, I was getting on guys, but when you have older guys, they're going to choose to listen or not to listen. “When you have a bunch a young guys trying to learn the game, and trying to get their feet wet, they have a tendency to want to listen more. So this year, since day one, I've already been talking, been pulling guys to the side and telling them about the offense and defense and these guys want to learn.” CSNNW.com

Portland Trail Blazers, LaMarcus Aldridge 

Asked by Blazersedge whether he remembered that particular conversation with Stotts, Aldridge chuckled, shook his head and said, "No, there have been so many." He then went on to confirm Stotts' characterization of the conversation. "I'm fine with it," Aldridge said of the rebuilding cycle. "We have some guys who are really, really good. They're young. Give them one or two years and we should be good to go." Blazers Edge

Portland Trail Blazers, LaMarcus Aldridge 

Chris Haynes: #Blazers G Damian Lillard says he has developed a connection on the court with LaMarcus Aldridge, Meyers Leonard and J.J. Hickson thus far. Twitter @ChrisBHaynes

Portland Trail Blazers, LaMarcus Aldridge, Damian Lillard, Meyers Leonard 

Ben Golliver: As expected, Blazers F LaMarcus Aldridge is 100 percent healthy after hip surgery. Twitter @blazersedge

Portland Trail Blazers, LaMarcus Aldridge