The Trail Blazers are suddenly rolling again. They have won three of their recent games, while their offense has started to take shape nicely. Their starting line-up has pieced together nicely, and they now seem to have ironed out their shorter term health issues.
This Trail Blazers team can be the best offense in the league, maybe not the best defensively but this game is about outscoring the opposition. What have they done well the last few weeks that bodes well for the rest of the season?
After the return of Damian Lillard and the addition of Carmelo Anthony, this team has the sixth ranked offense in the league. For the last two weeks they have been even better, ranking fifth.
Obviously the health of Lillard and Whiteside has been key. When these two have been added to a more focussed Hassan Whiteside and a consistent Rodney Hood, the offense has quickly turned around.
To rise all the way to the top, here’s what they need to continue doing offensively.
Take care of the ball
So far this season this Blazers team has held onto the ball at the third best rate in the league. Only turning the ball over on 13 percent of possessions, they have valued possession every trip down the floor.
The keys to this have been CJ McCollum, Lillard and Hood taking care of the ball. When your three highest usage players take care of the ball, not only does it equal a more efficient offense, it sets an example for the rest of the team to follow.
Zig when the rest of the league zags
The ‘ Morey ball ‘ explanation for the three-point shot being worth more than a two point shot is great in theory, that is when you don’t have great mid range shooters on your team.
When the rest of the league is taking threes and lay-ups only, and defenses are even inviting you to shoot mid range shots, then with shooters like Melo, McCollum and Lillard on the team you take the shots given to you. The 43 percent that this team is shooting is good enough for third in the league. Though the analytics movement may see these are bad shots, McCollum and Melo have made careers out of making these shots. If NBA defences are actively scheming to give you this shot then they need to keep knocking them down.
Don’t stop now guys!
Keep shooting threes
Fifteenth in volume and eighth in accuracy, this Blazers team continues to fire away from three. McCollum’s continued resurgence in addition to Melo’s 37 percent from three means this team has dead eye shooters up and down the starting five.
Hood’s 52 percent from three is a career high, he keeps getting better and has shown the maturity this season in his shot selection that may get him a big payday this summer.
Amazingly, Dame is only shooting 36 percent from three this season. If, and when this improves opposition teams will struggle to cover all the scorers in the starting five.
These three strengths combine to make this Blazers team a massive threat offensively, though their wins have come against some weaker opposition, Melo continues to get better each game and the core personnel have integrated him well into the line-up.
This team can be the best offense in the league. If it happens, you heard it here first!