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Blazers: 5 goals for Nik Stauskas in his lone season with Portland

By Nate Mann

Portland Trail Blazers Nik Stauskas Seth Curry (Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)
Portland Trail Blazers Nik Stauskas Seth Curry (Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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BOSTON, MA – APRIL 11: Abdel Nader #28 of the Boston Celtics shoots the ball over Nik Stauskas #2 of the Brooklyn Nets during a game at TD Garden on April 11, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – APRIL 11: Abdel Nader #28 of the Boston Celtics shoots the ball over Nik Stauskas #2 of the Brooklyn Nets during a game at TD Garden on April 11, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) /

Defensive awareness

Stauskas was selected at pick No. 8 in the 2014 NBA Draft for his shooting skills. Teams soon realized that he was a defensive liability, and his offense wasn’t making up for it.

In Brett Brown’s first season coaching a fully healthy Philadelphia 76ers roster, his eye for defense became apparent. After finishing in the bottom half of the league in defensive rating two years ago, Brown led the 76ers to the third best defensive rating in 2017-2018.

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Back when Stauskas played consistent minutes for Philadelphia in 2015, Brown realized the guard’s defense wasn’t up to standards. He went from averaging 25.4 minutes in November to 7.2 minutes over a five-matchup span in December.

The head coach said that Stauskas would earn his minutes back when he improves defensively. His playing time slowly crept back to its early season level, but to the consequence of Philadelphia’s defense.

The primary criticism of the fifth-year guard’s defense is his awareness of what’s going on. Stauskas frequently lost his matchup and scrambled to find an open man to guard. This threw off teammates trying to defend their assignment while addressing a wide open shooting guard hidden in the corner.

Portland’s bench doesn’t have a defensive captain. He’ll likely be playing alongside two young forwards in Collins and Swanigan, a new signing in Curry, and veteran in Evan Turner. Unless Turner can keep Stauskas focused on his matchup and not hurting the team’s collective defense, the new guard won’t keep his rotation spot.

There is hope, though. Last season, the Brooklyn Nets had a defensive rating of 108.7 with Stauskas off the court, but it improved to 106.9 with him on the court.