I say yes. I think their play is extremely similar. - Both are finesse type players that don’t typically bang down low. - Both guys have way above average mid range games that extend beyond the top of the key - Both guys have great hops and can jump out of the gym - Both guys have nice post moves (although I think Landry’s are better) - Both guys are inconsistent rebounders but at times can take over due to athleticism and energy - Biggest difference is that Aldridge has about 3 inches and Landry, plus he is one of the main offensive focal points and Landry is not. IMO if Landry was the second option for the Rockets and they ran plays for him the same way Portland does for Aldridge then Landry could average close to 20 pts a game. Of course with the team Houston has Yao will always be the number one option and Scola will continue to start. That’s just the price for playing on a deep team. If Landry can just stay healthy for a year there is no doubt in my mind that he just continues to get better and better. You could see a difference in Landry’s athleticism as the year wore on. At the beginning of the season it appeared as if his knee had not completely healed from the previous season. About mid way through the year it was obvious that he was jumping higher and quicker. He was blocking shots that Yao Ming could not jump high enough to reach…until the gun shot wound. I know we still have a lot to look forward to this season but Carl Landry just gives all of us plenty to be excited about for many years to come. I keep hearing how our window is so small but with young players like Landry, AB, Lowry and Wafer I think our team is going to be stacked for a long time. But getting back to the main topic of this post, I for one believe that Carl Landry can be as good as LaMarcus Aldridge and he may already be that good.
Aldridge made shots with a hand in his face most of the time from the low-post to the high-post. If Carl could do that, he would be a Top 5 power forward in the league. They are not very alike. Aldridge is a bit soft and takes way too many jumpers. Landry is actually quite aggressive, but he usually only takes open mid-range jumpers not jumpers with hands in his face. Although, We can only hope Carl could be as good as Aldridge. I don't think he will be.
While I love Landry a whole lot, I am convinced Aldridge is going to be the best PF in the league in a year or two and will be the dominant PF in the league for many years. Duncan is fading. Garnett same. Al in Minny is awful good. Stoudemire is good, but oft injured and he does not have the offensive arsenal of one on one moves that Aldridge possesses. Landry, on the other hand, would benefit from playing 2nd fiddle to Yao, much more than Scola does. I'd like to see Landry and Scola flip roles with Scola coming in to spell Yao and playing a good chunk of his minutes in the low post surrounded by 4 guys that can spread the floor so that we can squeeze all the juice out of Scola's low post game. Landry on the other hand, can hammer down the dunks off the Yao doubles and he has great range on that jumper to play off Yao's low post game. Landry's jump shot is superior to Scola's in form, lift, and quickness off the floor. I'd rather have him shooting the 17 footer over Scola. And I'd rather see Scola in the low block as much as possible.
the biggest difference is Aldridge can get his shot over anyone because his arms are so long. Landry has to be wide open.
Carl is disappointing to me. He is not effective against bigger post players and he disappears when the games get physical and clogged around the basket. He is what he is and that is not bad but it isn't that great either. I would not have a problem including him with Brooks in a trade that brought in a big, 6'10"+ player who could back up Yao/Scola. Of course, this is assuming Tslack's contract got us a real PG.
because of aldridge's length he can get his silky jumper off anywhere against almost any defender, which is something Landry will never be able to do. Landry has shown a nice jumper when he's open this year, but we still haven't seen any go to moves from him. You can't just pound the ball into Landry and ask him to score like you can with Scola or Yao. I'm sure he has some moves we haven't seen much, but obviously the coaching staff doesn't think they are consistent enough to be go to moves. So no, unfortunately I don't think Landry will ever be as good, because he doesn't have LMA's innate athleticism. That doesn't mean he can't be very good though. I for one would be disappointed if he never developed into a legit starter.
No. Aldraidge has a physical talent that Carl doesn't Aldridge is long, has looong arms, AND gets high on hish jumpshot. He can pretty much shoot over anyone he wants.
I still think their games are very similar. Yes I think LaMarcus depends on his mid range jumper a bit more than Landry but I think Landry actually is more agressive close to the basket. Landry's FG% and PER are better than LaMarcus. Landry's jump shooting percentage is better as is his rebound rating and his ability to draw fouls. I'm not talking bad about LaMarcus but because I have been a believer in his game since he was at UT. But Landry IMO is 3 inches from being a lottery pick and some teams 1st or second choice on offense.
I see absolutely zero similarity between the two other than the position they play. They are actually opposites. Completely dissimilar body types. One is long and thin/weak. The other is undersized and bulky/strong. Completely dissimilar styles of play. Even though Landry has developed a solid mid-range game, his shot isn't at the same level as Aldridge's and he can't shoot over defenders at will because of his size and shorter reach. Landry's game is still mostly around the basket while Aldridge is all about the perimeter with not much of an inside game. Landry is a great rebounder. Aldridge is subpar. Landry is similar to a Brandon Bass or Jason Maxiell and completely unlike a LaMarcus Aldridge or Rasheed Wallace.
Landry will never be the scorer that Aldridge is. The finesse moves and the shooting touch Aldridge demonstrates is based on pure talent which few have. On the other hand, I don't think Aldridge will develop the grit and physicality that our Mandry is capable of. I don't see Aldridge throwing his body into a crowd under the basket and just outworking his opponents for a rebound and putback. Aldridge doesn't strike me as a "Gimme Dat!" kind of player, and that could be what will keep him from being a truly dominant power forward in the future.
Landry is more similar to David West. Aldridge is someone you can just too the ball to on the block, he can score in iso situations. West is someone who is definitely more effective when being set up in his spots: open 18 footer and rolling to the hoop.
People need to understand the guy is not 100%, he is not even close. After being shot in the leg he doesn't seem to be what he was this season. It will probably be back, but not in those playoffs. He is just not himself, that is probably why he's not effective. One thing about Carl, he has a really nice raneg for a PF spot, he is athletic and is an energy guy. The problem with him is that he really has NO POST UP GAME. That's the problem. He will get some rebounds, he will hit some jumpers, he will dunk the ball but he is not gonna score on the block.
That is an enormous difference. As a result, Aldridge can get EASY shots, Landry has to work hard all the time to get them. Landry will never be able to block shots or guard the rim. This is one of the attributing factors to the Rockets having difficulties in crunch time - their power forwards get blocked constantly when teams clamp down on D. The only post player that can get their shot is Yao, and they can't get the ball to him. Both Scola and Landry can get the ball, they just get stuffed.
