Amidst the injury bug that is threatening to engulf the Blazers’ season, it’s been a rough stretch for Blazer fans. Robin Lopez and Joel Freeland are still out. LaMarcus Aldridge’s thumb was injured so badly he will require surgery, although he has put it off for the moment. Chris Kaman is reportedly suffering from a thumb injury himself. Nicolas Batum has been playing with a torn ligament in his wrist.
You can notice the common trend – thus far it is mostly the Blazers’ big man rotation that has been decimated. Despite all this bad news, there is a bit of a bright spot. As is often the case when starters and veterans go down, the perfect opportunity for young guys to step up presents itself. And in the Blazers’ case, a certain Meyers Leonard has been rising admirably to the occasion.
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Owing to the deluge of injuries besetting the team, Head Coach Terry Stotts has been turning towards the third-year center more and more, especially as of late. To the surprise of many, not only has Leonard not looked like the mistake-prone player he has been perceived as, but on the contrary, he has been playing like a definite net positive for the team.
Over the last 11 games (starting with the Lakers at home through Saturday’s tilt with the Wizards), Leonard has been receiving an average of 21 minutes per game from Stotts. In return for the playing time, Leonard has put up 7.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, while only turning the ball over eight times total during that whole stretch (as compared to nine assists). It is worth pointing out that Leonard has also averaged exactly one three per game over these 11 games, a rare talent for a seven-footer.
Prorated to 36 minutes, this would be equivalent to 13.4 points and 10.3 rebounds a game. Leonard has not started any of these games, so a decent bit of his work has come against backups, but in most cases, averaging a double double per 36 minutes is a noteworthy accomplishment.
What has been most noticeable to me personally, though, has been how Leonard has looked throughout this recent stretch. The eye test can be a finicky benchmark, but in this case, Leonard has truly looked confident on the offensive end. If the threes are there, he has been taking them (and making them at a high percentage), and his 1.9 two-point shots a game have come on a myriad of jumpers, post ups, and even a floater or two. Just look at his shot chart from this stretch, it’s quite the beauty:
Meyers Leonard’s shot chart over the past 11 games
Certainly his generally low usage rate is contributing to the excellent shooting, but points are points, and Leonard has been doing his part to chip in on offense. This isn’t to undersell his rebounding contributions, either, as his boxing out has looked more consistent and effective (which he actually mentioned to David a couple weeks ago).
His play on the defensive side of the ball has been a pleasant surprise as well. To put it into one word, Leonard has simply looked more aware, something that had been lacking to an extent before. Being a big man in the NBA is hard – you’re the last line of defense, much like a safety in football. You have the pleasure of covering for everyone else, and their mistakes often fall on your shoulders. Awareness is essential.
Blazers fans are seeing a third-year player do what third-year players often do: develop. Going from college to the NBA is quite a transition, perhaps more so for big men. They have the aforementioned defensive responsibilities, and often bear the brunt of the game’s physicality. There is a lot to learn, and it looks like Leonard may be turning this corner. As the Blazers’ recent injuries have shown, depth is always a valuable commodity in the league, so it is great to see Leonard turn into a helpful asset for the team.