LaMarcus Aldridge vs. Tim Duncan
San Antonio’s Tim Duncan has more playoff rebounds than any player still in the game today (2,605). His 221 games and 4,776 points during the postseason trail only one active player in the NBA (Derek Fisher and Kobe Bryant, respectively). But his sensational playoff career, which includes four NBA Championships and three NBA Finals MVP awards, does not include something Portland’s LaMarcus Aldridge accomplished – twice – to begin the 2014 NBA Playoffs. You see, Duncan’s 4,776 points have never come more than 41 at a time (his playoff career high). In one of the best, back-to-back performances in playoff history, Aldridge scored 46 points and then 43 points at Houston in Games 1 and 2 during the first round. The 46 points represented a Trail Blazers playoff record, while the 43 points rank third (Bonzi Wells, 45). And the incredible start resulted in a 29.8 scoring average in six games vs. Houston, second all-time by a Trail Blazer in a playoff series (Drexler, 31.4). Aldridge’s performance propelled Rip City into the Western Conference Semifinals to face Duncan and his gaudy playoff resumé. And Aldridge is all too familiar with that document’s contents. Portland’s three-time All-Star grew up in Dallas following Duncan from less than 300 miles away. They’ll be standing face-to-face tonight.
LaMarcus Aldridge
• His 29.8 points per game vs. Houston rank second for scoring in a playoff series in Trail Blazers history (Clyde Drexler, 31.4)
• Posted two of Portland’s three highest single-game scoring totals in the playoffs in Games 1 and 2 vs. Houston (46 and 43 points)
• Joins Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant and LeBron James as only NBA players to rank in the top 10 in scoring each of the last three seasons
Tim Duncan
• Scored in double figures in all 10 playoff games so far this year while averaging 8.3 rebounds and 1.80 blocked shots
• Among active NBA players, ranks first in playoff rebounds (2,605) and second to Kobe Bryant in playoff points (4,776)
• Won four NBA Championships, named NBA Finals MVP three times and earned All-Star honors 14 times during his 17-year NBA career