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Does Meyers Leonard Deserve More Playing Time?

By Spencer Gordon

Jan 21, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Meyers Leonard (11) dunks the ball past Boston Celtics forward Jordan Mickey (55) during the first half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 21, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Meyers Leonard (11) dunks the ball past Boston Celtics forward Jordan Mickey (55) during the first half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Blazers Received a Much Needed Boost from the Bench with a Great Game from Meyers Leonard

In last night’s clutch victory over the Boston Celtics, the Trail Blazers got some help off the bench. It wasn’t a 20 point outburst from Allen Crabbe, Al-Farouq Aminu or any of our wings. Instead, it was arguably Meyers Leonard’s best game as a Blazer this season.

Yes, the scoring was great. A perfect 4-4 from three, 6-7 from the field. But it was the style and vigor that he played with that stuck out the most. Something you can’t see in a box score.

To begin, the seven footer stretched the floor with his three point shooting. It was apparent early that Boston would allow Leonard room to shoot. We don’t know if they thought Leonard was rusty after not playing a few games. Or if they decided the paint was more important to defend than the perimeter. Either way, Leonard took advantage and hit every shot, creating open lanes for Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum to score near the basket.

Related Story: Inconsistency Theme for Portland

By leaving Leonard alone out at the three point line, he found room to posterize Jordan Mickey twice. Both times he had room for a running start to the rim, and both times he made Boston pay. We’ve seen flashes of his dunk skills earlier this season, like this gem against Sacramento. It’s always a momentum booster, it’s the reason why the Clippers strive for big dunks constantly.

After this past game, the easy answer is that we need to give Leonard more playing time. I mean look what he can do! But the same could be said about a lot of the Blazers right now. We all know what Crabbe, Aminu or Leonard can do, but the consistency just isn’t there. The only Blazers we can count on are Lillard, McCollum and Mason Plumlee. You know what to expect from each of those three players every night, while the rest of the team is a wild card.

So yeah, let’s put Leonard in the starting lineup and see if he can carry this momentum into more games. We’re at the point where we just need to change something and see if it sticks. What do you think, should Leonard be awarded more playing time after his game against Boston?

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