Blazer Beef
The Blazers had a regression game defensively against the Utah Jazz after a stretch of three straight games with more-or-less solid defense. The defense being better than it has been over the course of the year helped the Blazers get more offense in transition and give their sometimes sticky half court offense more room to breathe.
The Blazers couldn’t get stops against the Jazz as Utah proved that good team offense and ball movement are a much more efficient way to attack this Blazers team. Head coach Terry Stotts mentioned that the ball movement gave Portland trouble and that hurt Portland’s ability to score.
Also, whether it’s role or recovery from major surgery, Gerald Henderson hasn’t been a positive influence on the Blazers on a nightly basis. Hendo is averaging a season-low field-goal percentage, his worst assist rate since his rookie year and a career-high turnover percentage.
The Blazers are giving him roughly the same share of the offense has he got in Charlotte when he is in the game, but it’s mostly been unproductive for the Blazers. His career-best 37.5 percent 3- point percentage is promising but likely not going to force a team give up good assets for his services.
Blazer Bravo
CJ McCollum obviously deserves the most praise for the Blazers stretch of success without Damian Lillard. His near triple-double in a win over Sacramento on Dec. 27 with 35 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists, is one of the best performances from someone in a Blazers uniform.
If McCollum’s recent stretch results in more defensive attention, Damian Lillard and the rest of the offense will reap the benefits. McCollum’s emergence as a potential All-Star has almost already guaranteed this season as a success for the Blazers. That he and Lillard are close and play off each other with a kind of telepathy only adds to their threat.
Allen Crabbe, Meyers Leonard, Moe Harkless and other players like each made major contributions. But over the last week, McCollum has shown the Blazers are not just Lillard and teams should worry just as much about him taking over the game.
How it all plays out will be the most interesting with over half of the season to go.
By The Numbers
21 — The Blazers have the 21st ranked defensive rating according to Basketball-Reference.
131.0 — According to Basketball-Reference, the Blazers posted their worst single-game defensive rating in Thursday’s New Year’s Eve loss to the Utah Jazz, who were without Derrick Favors.
2 — Even after Lillard missed two weeks, he and McCollum are one of two pairs of teammates in total points scored this season along with Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.
The Week Ahead
Monday vs. Memphis Grizzlies (7 p.m., CSN, NBATV): The Grizz are over .500 but Zach Randolph has been taken out of the starting line-up, ditto for Tony Allen. The grit-and-grind Grizzlies as we knew them are officially on the endangered species list.
Wednesday vs. Los Angeles Clippers (7 p.m., KGW): Blake Griffin tore his left quadriceps and is expected to be out a little longer but Chris Paul, Paul Pierce and DeAndre Jordan can still get it done.
Friday vs. Golden State Warriors (7 p.m., CSN): The Warriors are 31-2 through 33 games. Michael Jordan’s 72-10 Chicago Bulls were 26-3 through 29 games. But the Dubs may still be without 2015 MVP Stephen Curry as he nurses a shin injury.
