LaMarcus Aldridge plays valiantly in loss, prefers to avoid polarizing Kawhi Leonard topic

Sam Amick | USA TODAY

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OAKLAND — When San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich spent his postgame press time raving about LaMarcus Aldridge, it was impossible not to wonder if there were a coded Kawhi Leonard message in there.

One key member of the Spurs’ grand plans was here, with Aldridge fighting for 34 points and 12 rebounds in a 116-101 loss to Golden State in their first-round playoff series as the Warriors took the 2-0 lead. The other was in New York, where Kawhi Leonard continues to rehab the right quadricep that is expected to keep him out of the postseason and, perhaps, remove him from the Spurs blueprint. And there was Popovich, heaping praise on Aldridge in defeat while bringing this story full circle in a way no one saw coming.

“LaMarcus has been a monster all year long,” said Popovich, whose team went 47-35 during the regular season despite having Leonard for nine games. “He’s led our team at both ends of the floor. He doesn't complain about a darn thing out on the court. He just plays through everything. I can't imagine being more proud of a player as far as playing through adversity and being there for his teammates night after night after night. He’s been fantastic."

What a difference a year makes.

When Aldridge struggled during the Western Conference Finals against the Warriors last May after Leonard went down with a season-ending ankle injury in Game 1, Popovich didn’t hesitate to call him out. He used words like “timid,” and ultimately sparked a trade request from the big man who wasn’t happy with the way he was being used.

But the broken fence between them was mended soon thereafter, with Popovich and Aldridge sitting down for clear-the-air meeting in the offseason that they say was crucial. By the time October rolled around, Aldridge was signing a three-year, $72.3 million extension that led to his sixth All-Star Game appearance and a season in which he was worthy of fringe MVP consideration (he averaged 23.1 points and 8.5 rebounds).

As Aldridge remembers, his revamped attitude and approach to the game in October — as opposed to the meeting — truly put Popovich back in his corner.

“The talk (with Popovich) was cool, but when I got back, and he saw how much work that I put in — camp time — that’s when he saw how much work that I put in to being ready to lead guys, and I came in with a different mindset,” Aldridge told USA TODAY Sports after Game 2. “I thought he could see that I came in with the mindset of who I used to be, and I thought he welcomed that. He let me be myself, be vocal and lead, and I’ve been better ever since then.

“(The praise) means a lot coming from him, you know? Pop’s a shoot-you-straight-forward type guy. He’s not going to sugarcoat, and I think he’s been with me the whole way. He’s seen the process. He’s watched me grow in this system, in this organization, and try to do more, so I’m definitely not satisfied with tonight, but I’m going to keep trying to do my job and try to make guys better.”

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Yet when it comes to understanding these Spurs, there’s a six-degrees-of-Kawhi component that won’t go away until his situation is resolved. The Spurs can offer him a five-year, $215 million extension this July, but there is increasing hope around the league they might trade him instead. His absence is only mysterious because of the breakdown in communication between the sides, with the Spurs having cleared Leonard to return only to see him stay away because his outside medical group — “his group,” as Popovich has repeatedly called them — has advised otherwise.

Along the way, there’s an inevitable ripple effect on his teammates — on and off the floor.

“It’s tough,” Aldridge said of the circumstances of this season. “We’re depending on guys who really aren’t offensive guys, and I think that showed tonight. We have guys who really don’t score, and teams are exposing that and trying to make those guys score. ... But every guy in the locker room has grinded, and tried to get better, and you’ve got to consider that.”

The ones who were there, anyway.

When asked about his view on the Leonard situation, Aldridge made it clear that’s a topic he won't touch.

“I have no comment,” he said as he walked away. “He has to do what’s best for him. That’s it. Nice to see you.”

Follow USA TODAY Sports' Sam Amick on Twitter @sam_amick.