Report Card + Resolutions for Portland’s 109-96 Loss to Utah
A report card for the top 6 contributors in the Trail Blazers 109-96 loss to Trey Burke and the Jazz.
Starters
CJ McCollum: 32 points/6 assists/7 rebounds
In a night full of disappointment and regression, McCollum certainly was a bright spot. He had 32 points in the loss to the Jazz, making it three straight games scoring at least 29. That’s something that Damian Lillard hasn’t even done this year. McCollum has taken full advantage of Lillard’s injury, posting an MVP caliber line of 26 PPG/6 APG/6 RPG. While it’s exciting to see him put up big numbers and get attention from the media, it’s clear that Damian Lillard is needed if this team has aspirations of making the playoffs. For McCollum, it’s segments of the season like this that stand out when it’s time to vote for Most Improved Player. In fact, these last five games might have sealed up the award for him. A+
New Year’s Resolution: Let Damian Lillard take over all of the ball handling duties, and take 15-20 shots a game.
Allen Crabbe: 15 points/2 assists/3 rebounds
Allen Crabbe is fun to watch nowadays isn’t he? The small forward has been enjoying his starting role over the past week, and it only got sweeter with another big performance. Crabbe nailed 3 shots from downtown, making it four straight games with at least two three pointers, after doing so just eight times earlier in the year. The Trail Blazers struggled to score during parts of last night’s game, mostly because McCollum and Crabbe couldn’t play 48 minutes (sadly). McCollum might get all the attention, but no one has stepped up offensively more than Allen Crabbe. Once Lillard comes back, AC will be sent back to the bench, but look for his production to continue at a high level. A-
New Year’s Resolution: Lead the bench to 35 points a game, and be considered for Sixth Man of the Year.
Al-Farouq Aminu: 5 points/1 assist/6 rebounds
Coming off a great outing against the Nuggets, Aminu flopped on New Year’s Eve. He only managed 5 points on 2-7 shooting, and didn’t register a single block or steal. Aminu played the worst of any starter, as even Noah Vonleh scored more points than the Wake Forest product. Aminu might be the most consistently inconsistent player on the roster. On one hand, he hasn’t missed a game and plays solid defense every night, but on the other hand, his shots per night are sporadic along with his scoring outputs. *Cough* Nicolas Batum *cough*. C-
New Year’s Resolution: Be more consistent offensively, and leave the dribbling to the guards (and Mason Plumlee).
Noah Vonleh: 6 points/2 assists/4 rebounds
Vonleh had more positives than negatives in last night’s game, which might be a first for him. The big man went 4-4 from the free throw line, showing more aggression and physicality than I’ve seen out of him the entire year. His other positive came with less than two minutes to go in the game. Finishing what was one of the most insane alley oops in NBA history, Vonleh dunked a ball that Tim Frazier heaved from behind the backboard with one hand. If you haven’t seen it yet, go watch it for goodness sake. It will make your Friday. B-
New Year’s Resolution: Be more confident in your shot, and take every opportunity that is handed to you.
Mason Plumlee: 3 points/2 assists/9 rebounds
It wasn’t the strongest game for Mason Plumlee, who trailed all starters in scoring. Although we’ve come to expect big games from him each night, his offensive skill set doesn’t lend itself to consistent production. In fact, his longest streak of double figure points this season is just three games. What he offers more than most centers is his ability to pass the ball. Only Marc Gasol (135), Al Horford (99), and Joakim Noah (96) have more assists than Mason Plumlee, who currently has 95 on the season. C+
New Year’s Resolution: Continue to bring passion and effort night after night, and average double digits in rebounding.
Sixth Man of the Game
Meyers Leonard: 17 points/2 assists/3 rebounds
To anyone who still doubted that Meyers Leonard had broken out of his slump: Meyers Leonard has broken out of his slump. “The Legend” was an absolute menace off the bench for the Blazers last night, hitting 5 of his 6 three point attempts (.833%). Before Monday the 21st, Leonard had made a total of 11 three’s in the month of December. In the last 5 games alone, he has made a whopping 15 three pointers. Like Allen Crabbe, Leonard should be a consistent spark for Portland’s offense whenever he’s in the game. A
New Year’s Resolution: Reclaim the starting power forward spot from Noah Vonleh.