Zach Collins and Ed Davis pairing leading bench unit to success

The pairing of Zach Collins and Ed Davis has been crucial to Portland’s league-leading nine-game win streak.

With a double-digit victory last night against the Golden State Warriors, the Blazers own the NBA’s longest win streak at nine in a row. Damian Lillard‘s classic post-All-Star break explosion is certainly the leading contributor to Portland’s success. At the same time, the reserves have been arguably as important, especially Zach Collins and Ed Davis.

Zach Collins started picking up play time in December. He was missing shots, often in foul trouble and lost on both sides of the floor, though.

As any team hopes with its rookie, more minutes meant improvement to all attributes for Collins. The mentorship of Ed Davis also factored in to the youngster’s quick development.

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Collins showcased his matured style of play most notably against the OKC Thunder and Golden State Warriors in the past week.

Versus Oklahoma City, he turned the ball over on a nonchalant pass into the post. Clearly upset at himself, the rookie made up for the turnover by swatting Paul George the ensuing possession, maintaining Portland’s tight lead and stopping an OKC run.

This composure is earning he and Davis minutes down the stretch. Just yesterday, the tandem closed out the Blazers ninth straight victory. Ed was especially spectacular, thwarting a potential Warriors comeback with consecutive offensive rebounds resulting in extra chances for Portland.

Zach Collins with Ed Davis on floor

We frequently see Davis pointing Collins where to go or instructing him during a dead ball. This mentorship accelerated the rookie’s progress, which he is grateful for, “He’s been a great vet. He’s been teaching me a lot out on the court.”

The leadership also benefits the team as a whole. Per NBA.com, Zach has an offensive rating of 112.4 with Ed on the court, compared to 100.0 with him on the bench. Same goes on the other end: Collins has a 104.8 defensive rating alongside his veteran, but 108.2 alone.

Zach Collins shoots better in the presence of Ed Davis, rebounds better and turns the ball over less – the improvement is noticeable across the board. As expected, the stat upgrade applies to Davis when Collins is on the court with him too.

Most significant, their success wears off on the other reserves. Over the last nine games, the bench is posting 28 points per game.

Other bench units score more than this, especially those with a scoring sixth-man. 28 per contest for the Blazers is more impressive than it looks though; Portland’s bench plays with either Lillard or CJ McCollum due to Terry Stotts’ staggered lineups. The offense therefore runs through these two while the true reserves play smaller roles.

In the nine-game win streak, Dame and CJ consistently provide the Blazers with early leads. Unlike in seasons past, the bench can now hold its own before handing the reins back to the starters.

Next: Who is Portland's biggest threat to the 3rd seed?

The Zach Collins-Ed Davis tandem is as vital to the current win streak as any other player (except maybe Dame). Neither posts flashy stats, but their offensive and defensive ratings when playing together shows the importance of the two. Plus, Stotts clearly trusts the pair by playing them down stretch in big games (see: yesterday versus Golden State).

Portland has developed a winning culture since the All-Star break. Collins and Davis continue to benefit from each other and improve an essential bench unit.