Blazers: 5 goals for Zach Collins to achieve in the 2018-2019 season

3 of 6

LAS VEAGS, NV – JULY 8: Zach Collins #33 of the Portland Trail Blazers goes to the basket against the Atlanta Hawks during the 2018 Las Vegas Summer League on July 8, 2018 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Under the basket shooting

As a rookie, Collins struggled to score from within five feet of the hoop – he made 55.9% of his shots from that close, ahead of five other Blazers players (the team’s three undersized guards, Caleb Swanigan and Georgios Papagiannis).

Until he’s bulked up to the point of other NBA-level centers, Collins will need to get creative with his shots tight around the rim. Flashy poster dunks and bully-ball won’t work for the wiry seven-footer, but that doesn’t mean he can’t operate down low.

From watching his Mar. 3 game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Collins showed off one effective shot type for after setting screens. Here’s how the play went:

Collins ran up to screen Paul George, causing Steven Adams to step out onto the perimeter and contain CJ McCollum. He was able to slip into the paint and get a nifty pass from McCollum, but then saw two Thunder defenders collapsing on him from the wings. He let a flick shot go – ironically against Adams who is notorious for this type of shot – and avoided the defense’s pressure for an easy bucket.

Shots like this are high percentage because they don’t allow the defense to contest, plus they prevent Collins from having to use his body to create space in the paint.