When the Spurs signed LaMarcus Aldridge over the summer, this is what everyone thought they'd be getting.
The talented big man came up big for the Spurs on offense in Monday night's 106-79 win over the Nets, the team's eighth in a row.
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Aldridge scored 25 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for San Antonio. Those numbers were nothing unusual for him in Portland, where he averaged a double-double in each of the last two seasons, but things are different now. For one, his minutes are down from 35.4 per game to 29.7, the least he has been on the court since his rookie season in 2006-07. His shots (13.6 attempts per game) and scoring (15.8 points) are also at their lowest since his first season.
That doesn't mean the 30-year-old's best days are behind him; rather, he can conserve his body and energy for an extended playoff run. That's something he never got to do in Portland, but it's expected in San Antonio.
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Aldridge may be a newcomer to the Spurs, be he already has caught on to the formula that has allowed the franchise to win five championships since 1999.
"It's consistency," Aldridge told reporters after the game, via ESPN.com . "There's no surprises. You know what you're going to get day in and day out, game in game out, so it just makes it easier to do your job for sure."
As the season goes on and playoff time comes, look for Aldridge's role to expand on his new team.
Studs of the Night
The Bulls didn’t win, but Derrick Rose had to feel pretty good about how he shot the ball. Rose scored 23 points on 8-for-13 shooting in the Bulls' 114-100 loss to the Wizards.
Draymond Green was the best player on the court for the Warriors on Monday. He finished with 22 points, 12 rebounds and six assists in Golden State's 111-103 victory over the Heat.
Dud of the Night
The Warriors shot just 27.3 percent from 3-point range in the win. Stephen Curry was one of the main culprits, going just 4 for 11 from long range. Yes, that's nitpicking, but this Warriors team has been so good to this point (36-2), it's about the best we can do.
Tweet of the Night
John Wall did it all for the Wizards on Monday night. He finished with 17 points, 10 assists, five rebounds and three blocks in the win over the Bulls.
John Wall doesn't always have help, but he does so much to help his team win https://t.co/7qFBfMvnfM
— Michael Lee (@MrMichaelLee) January 12, 2016 Looking ahead
Bulls (22-14) at Bucks (15-24), 8 p.m. ET: The once-sizzling Bulls have lost two in a row; they will be looking to get back on track against a Bucks team they beat 117-106 last week. These Bucks are the same ones who ended the Warriors' early-season streak, so it's unlikely they'll be intimidated by their Central Division rivals.