SG: CJ McCollum v James Harden
Hear me out. Sure, anytime Mr. Westbrook and Mr. Lillard share the court, their fierce supposedly purely professional rivalry is sure to attract attention. However, it is the shooting guard matchup of CJ McCollum and James Harden that may have a more profound impact when the Blazers play the Rockets on August 4.
Portland went 2-1 against Houston this season, despite consistently impressive showings from Westbrook. In his three games against Portland, Russ earned two triple-doubles and outscored Dame in each outing. Meanwhile, Harden only had one 20+ game against Portland this season, with McCollum outscoring and arguably outplaying him in both of Portland’s victories.
While Westbrook has certainly added layers to Houston’s offensive threat, Harden undoubtedly remains their X factor. McCollum has never been known as an elite defender, and that doesn’t seem to be changing any time soon. Still, he’s quick-footed and athletic enough to keep up with Harden for a full game.
Defensively, McCollum will need to avoid getting into foul trouble while also trying to keep Harden from going on the near-lethal hot streaks he is capable of. Offensively, it’s difficult to say what will be needed of McCollum.
While he is almost always expected to be the Blazer’s second-leading scorer, recent changes to Houston’s lineup may lead to more facilitation from Portland’s backcourt. Following Clint Capela’s trade to Atlanta, the Rockets have been experimenting with several starting lineups, almost none of which have included a true center or a player over 6’8”.
This could be a massive plus for Portland, as players like Hassan Whiteside, Zach Collins, Carmelo Anthony, and Jusuf Nurkic will likely have height advantages against their respective opponents. At 4.3 assists per game, McCollum is not known for his passing. However, this is mainly due to his full-time transition to shooting guard three seasons ago.
Should the game require it of him, McCollum has the on-court vision needed to operate as a point guard. None of this is to say the team will not need classic “Crafty CJ” play from the mid-range maestro. Even if he does not have to produce crazy numbers on the night, Portland will need his unpredictable offensive style to keep Houston’s athletic lineup on its toes.