NBA Rumors: San Antonio Spurs' LaMarcus Aldridge Beats back Meyers Leonard, Damian Lillard; Tim Duncan, Tony Parker Crush Portland Trailblazers

By Mitch de Leon
LaMarcus Aldridge - San Antonio Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers
Dillon Daniel-Hoffman, a fan of LaMarcus Aldridge watches pregame warmups at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon on Nov. 11, 2015 prior to the Portland Trail Blazers game against the San Antonio Spurs. Photo: Oregon Live

The San Antonio Spurs are on a roll this NBA season. The Tim Duncan basketball squad once again bagged another road win following an emotional homecoming for newly minted team member LaMarcus Aldridge as he plays against the Portland Trailblazers - an NBA team he represented for the majority of his professional basketball career. As expected, the Oregon crowd spared no time letting their feelings known to their nine-year NBA hero as soon as the basketball match started.

"I heard a little bit of both," described Aldridge, referring to the cheers and boos from the crowd during the match of the San Antonio Spurs against the Portland Trailblazers, according to Express News. The prized member of the Tony Parker basketball squad further noted, "I definitely heard the cheers of the fans that showed me love and still supported me and I heard the fans that were mad and rightfully so. It might have been 70-30, cheers to boos."

Although Aldridge admitted to never having been at the receiving end of such an aggressively hostile crowd in any of the NBA games he played in the past, the former Portland Trailblazers All-Star shared that the encouragement he got from the other members of the audience helped him drown out the critics.

He shared, "But the boos didn't hurt so much because the other half of the arena showed me love. I saw signs that said, 'Thank you for your nine years' - That made up for it." Aldridge further said that he has nothing but admiration and respect not only for the Portland Trailblazers but also for the city he once called his home. The now San Antonio Spurs star player recalled how the Oregon team cultivated his skills during his rookie year and first ever NBA match against the Dallas Mavericks as well as the confidence of the fans on his ability to become an MVP. Hence, it came as no surprise when Aldridge admitted that the face off against the Portland Trailblazers had been "hard" for him.

"I love this city," said Aldridge, referring to Portland, according to Fox Sports. The San Antonio Spurs further stated, "I love the fans. I grew up here. I developed as a player, as a man. So I love this city, and that will never change."

Meanwhile, the Portland Trailblazers incurred yet another loss in the said game against the San Antonio Spurs. Forward Meyers Leonard was reported to have suffered from a dislocated shoulder from the match against the returning Aldridge and teammates Duncan, Parker, Manu Ginobili and Patty Mills. The Portland Trailblazers star was seen rushed to the locker room during the third quarter and had not been seen back to the court afterward. No further update on his injury has been revealed. 

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