NBA Playoffs 2017: 5 big questions for Warriors vs. Spurs matchup

2. Which LaMarcus Aldridge is going to show up?

When San Antonio went out and signed LaMarcus Aldridge two summers ago, it seemed like a natural fit. The Spurs’ greatest player, Tim Duncan, was on his way out and Aldridge seemed to be a player in the same mold. They’re both power forwards who have the ability to consistently hit jump shots, have a strong post game and be effective on the glass. One key difference was that Duncan was an elite defender around the rim and Aldridge has yet to show that.

But now, in his second season with the Spurs, Aldridge has been turned into somewhat of a running joke in the playoffs on social media. In the Spurs’ losses against Houston, Aldridge was mostly a no-show, averaging 10 points on 45 percent shooting. Spurs’ fans would turn to social media and say “LMAo,” combining an abbreviation of Aldridge’s name (LMA) and LMAO (laughing my a** off, for those who don’t know).

The Spurs’ power forward hasn’t been able to thrive in his secondary role behind Kawhi Leonard and his defensive woes were commonly pointed out. The Rockets tried to get James Harden on a switch against Aldridge and let him go to work. But in a potential close-out Game 6, without Leonard, the Spurs’ big man showed what his real abilities are. He came out and dropped 34 points and 12 rebounds on 16-for-26 shooting. He was unstoppable on both ends of the floor and decided the game for the Spurs.

For the season, Aldridge has been averaging 17.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game in his starting role. Against the Warriors, the Spurs’ big man has been somewhat hit-or-miss. In the first win, Aldridge scored 26 points on 50 percent shooting from the field. In the loss against the Dubs, the ex-Blazer had 17 points for a minus-2 performance.

If the Spurs are going to have any chance in this series, they are going to need the non-LMAo version of Aldridge. He’s going to have to be effective scoring and also on the defensive glass. Aldridge will likely struggle defensively on the perimeter against smaller players, but the Spurs will have to limit those as much as possible.