The Nearly Mid-Season Review

Highlights, lowlights, and things to keep in mind as we near the midway point… LaMarcus Aldridge has made his first All-Star team, and deservedly so. As of the writing of this column, he’s fifth in the league in scoring and in the top 25 in rebounding, shooting 51% from the floor and 80% from the line. He’s had big moments in big games: LA scored 33 in Saturday night’s double-OT loss to the Mavericks and hit some clutch shots, including a double-clutch over Shawn Marion, to keep the team alive in game in which the team shot under 40%; or take the OT loss to Oklahoma City last week, where LaMarcus scored 39 and had would should have been a game-clinching blocked shot, had the referees not botched the call (as the league later admitted they did). LaMarcus is becoming the marquee player the franchise needs with the early retirement of Brandon Roy. And yet… The team is 15-13. They’re 4-10 on the road, including losses in very winnable games against Detroit, Sacramento, and Houston. No...