Despite the Blazers struggling shooting the basketball last night, they moved the ball very well. They were willing to make the extra pass and usually ended their possessions on open looks. In fact, McCollum missed at least two three-point attempts last night where he had at least 10 feet of separation between himself and the defense.
They only posted 20 assists as a team, which was equal to the Lakers total. However, the Blazers matched the Lakers assist total, despite shooting 10% less from the field.
Stauskas, in particular, stood out. He made back to back passes in the lane that led to open dunks for Zach Collins.
Portland finished dead last in assists last season, and they are on pace to finish 27th this season. Even though the offense did struggle yesterday, it was a welcome sight to see everyone willing to make the extra pass. The Blazers have skilled passers on their roster (Lillard, McCollum, Evan Turner), and being able to move the ball more effectively will further open up the team’s offense.