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Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins Boost Portland Trail Blazers confidence

PORTLAND, OR - OCTOBER 18: Zach Collins #33 and Jusuf Nurkic #27 of the Portland Trail Blazers high five against the Los Angeles Lakers on October 18, 2018 at the Moda Center Arena in Portland, Oregon. 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 Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OR - OCTOBER 18: Zach Collins #33 and Jusuf Nurkic #27 of the Portland Trail Blazers high five against the Los Angeles Lakers on October 18, 2018 at the Moda Center Arena in Portland, Oregon. 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 Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

Portland Trail Blazers Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins suffered injuries that kept them out for most of the season. How do their returns impact the team?

During the 2019-20 NBA season, the Portland Trail Blazers would suffer two huge losses, with two rising players having to miss most of the season due to injuries. Center Jusuf Nurkic and Power Forward Zach Collins would spend most of the season on the bench as they watched the team struggle and fight for a spot in the playoffs.

COVID-19 would change the plans, however, giving injured players time to recover and allowing them to come back and participate in the NBA’s new playoff. So why are Nurkic and Collins both a massive boost to the Portland Trail Blazers confidence for this year’s playoffs?

Jusuf Nurkic suffered a compound fracture to his tibia and fibula in a game against the Brooklyn Nets in 2019. He would post to his twitter that he would miss 2019 due to this injury, which meant the team would have to go forward with new center Hassan Whiteside. Whiteside and Collins would both share the responsibilities but didn’t match the number that Nurkic was putting up at the time.

However, Collins would suffer a shoulder injury against the Dallas Mavericks early on in the 2020 season, meaning, the Trail Blazers would have a shortage at the Power Forward and Center positions, later leading to the signing of NBA veteran free agent Carmelo Anthony.

With both Nurkic and Collins out, the Blazers had problems with rebounding, creating plays, and guarding the paint. In March, Jusuf Nurkic announced that he would make his return against the Memphis Grizzlies, while Collins had not made any announcement on his comeback. With the COVID-19 pandemic and the NBA suspending its season, it would give Nurkic and Collins time to recover and prepare to return with the team when the NBA restarts later this month in Orlando, Florida.

With Nurkic and Collins back, it will provide the team with interior scenarios that they can use to attack the paint. Nurkic will be able to produce plays that will open up the 3-point line for Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum, and Carmelo Anthony.

At the same time, Collins will be able to provide excellent interior defense and speed that can make fast break points an easy grab. With some of the teams that rely on their big men like Joel Embiid from the Philadelphia 76ers, these two will provide help to Whiteside and make it difficult for some of these big men to grab rebounds and get second-chance points.

The Portland Trail Blazers first game in Orlando is July 31st at 4:00 pm Eastern time against the Memphis Grizzles. Will Rip City make it to the play-in series, or will the magic fade in the end? We will have to wait and see.