LaMarcus Aldridge’s comments and performance woke up Steve Nash

After fans had been calling for LaMarcus Aldridge to be put in the starting lineup for the Brooklyn Nets, it finally happened last Wednesday against Boston. He finished with 17 points and 9 rebounds in 29 minutes as the Nets beat the Celtics, 123-104. Was Steve Nash persuaded by what Aldridge had to say three nights prior to Brooklyn taking on Boston?

Nash said that he wanted to preserve Aldridge’s minutes so that the veteran wouldn’t be worn down by the time that the playoffs start in April. Aldridge responded to that and said that he was willing to do whatever Nash asked of him, but included that he still wasn’t entirely comfortable coming off the bench.

It was probably a mix of Nash taking what Aldridge said into consideration, as well as looking at how poorly Blake Griffin has started out the season. Either way, Aldridge got his wish.

The 36-year-old went from retiring due to a heart condition last April, to now making his presence known in the Nets’ starting lineup. There’s no denying that he earned the right to no longer come off the bench.

LaMarcus Aldridge is now a starter for the Brooklyn Nets.

So far, Aldridge’s level of play has remained the same and his minutes haven’t jumped up. He’s averaging 13.6 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. His average of 22.6 minutes per game is the lowest (and the exact same) number since he entered the league in the 2006-07 season … but he’s the third-highest scorer on the team. And we can bet he’ll score more playing alongside Kevin Durant and James Harden.

Aldridge played 29 minutes against the Celtics, 28 minutes against the Suns, and 32 minutes against the Knicks. His season-high is 34 minutes, which took place on Nov. 22 against the Cavaliers. His minutes are the sixth-highest average on the team, so he’s been able to do a lot in a relatively short amount of time.

That makes Nash limiting Aldridge’s minutes that much more impressive. He’s the third-highest scorer on the team and his 57.1% shooting from the field is only second on the team to DeAndre’ Bembry, who take six fewer shots per game on average. Aldridge has shot higher than 80% from the field twice so far this season: 10-of-12 on Oct. 22 and 7-of-8 on Oct. 31. His mid-range jumper has been a saving grace for the Nets’ offense.

For an offense that’s without Kyrie Irving’s production, Aldridge’s numbers and consistency have been an unexpected surprise. He was only supposed to be a depth piece and now he’s an integral starter.

However, Nash’s concerns about monitoring his minutes are still valid. As long as he remains in good health and continues to be an anchor for Brooklyn’s offense, he should remain with the starting five.

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