PORTLAND — Portland Trail Blazers big man Meyers Leonard is doing better than expected after he sprained his right ankle, causing him to miss the second half of Wednesday’s win in Utah.
Leonard warmed up pre-game on the Moda Center floor and is expected to play in Thursday’s TNT-televised tilt against the Memphis Grizzlies.
“Was he limping?” head coach Terry Stotts joked with reporters. “He’s doing better than we expected. He’ll be available tonight.”
Leonard has opened the season with a horrid shooting slump after being one of the best 3-point shooters in the NBA last season. Through five games, he’s 2-for-18 from the field.
“It’s a long season,” Stotts said. “Everybody has lulls during the season and his just happened to be at the beginning. ”
Blazers pick-and-roll defense “inconsistent”
One of the biggest reasons why the Blazers have jumped out to a 3-2 start to the season has been the consistency of their defense.
Through five games they’ve been in the top-half of the league in defensive rating. Their coach has been pleased with their transition defense overall, which would be even better were it not for their high turnover rate.
“I think we’re getting better with our transition defense,” Stotts said.
But it’s their pick-and-roll defense in particular that is sticking out.
“Our pick-and-roll defense is inconsistent. It can be good,” Stotts said.
According to statistics on NBA.com, the Blazers are in the bottom four in the league in points allowed per possession by pick-and-roll ball handlers and the “roll man,” going to the hoop.
In transition, the Blazers have been in the middle of the road in terms of points allowed per possession according to the same database.
The Blazers pick-and-roll defense, “can be good,” it just hasn’t been yet.
“If they get 100, awesome”
Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger has a bold strategy when it comes to defending the Blazers backcourt duo of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum.
“Let them get all theirs and make sure nobody else gets any. And if they get 100, awesome,” Joerger jested. “You just have to try and get people in front of them or let them get any buckets in transition. You get the ball in the hole a couple of times and you start feeling good.”
Joerger isn’t buying that the Blazers will be tired after having played Wednesday.
“Big game, TNT, second game of a back to back at this point of the season really doesn’t mean anything because everybody’s legs are still fresh.”
