LaMarcus Aldridge returned to Portland as a visitor to play against his old team, the Portland Trail Blazers for the first time. Some fans gave him a warm welcome while others gave him cold boos. Still he managed to help the San Antonio Spurs claim a 113-101 victory against the Blazers on Nov. 11, Wednesday.
The game against the Portland Trail Blazers is an emotional one for its former forward, Aldridge. He played for the team for nine years before signing a four-year contract worth $80 million for the San Antonio Spurs in July.
The Spurs arrived in Portland, Oregon on Monday and had an off day Tuesday. Yet, Aldridge stayed in the hotel room and did not spend the day roaming around his old hometown, The Oregonian reported.
"I was in the hotel the most of the time. I didn't want to test my luck out on the streets so I just stayed in the hotel," said Aldridge during the San Antonio Spurs shoot-around on Wednesday morning.
The noise erupted at the Moda Center as 19, 000 fans sent their cheers and boos after the PA announcer called Aldridge's name during the pre-game introduction. "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," the Spurs power forward said.
"It might have been like 70-30, cheers to boos," he added. According to ESPN, Aldridge remained calmed despite the experience. He played for 35 minutes and scored 23 points.
In July 2014, Aldridge expressed his commitment to the Portland Trail Blazers and said he wanted to be "the best Blazer ever" and that he had so much history in Portland that it would just make sense to stay. He left the team after a year and that made the Blazers' fans unhappy.
