Portland Trail Blazers: Which players will lead each statistical category?
Blocks per game – Jusuf Nurkic
Jusuf Nurkic isn’t a massive blocks per game defender, but don’t mistake blocks for game as being more important than rim protection. Hassan Whiteside led the league in blocks, but the Blazers’ defense was still abysmal.
Nurkic will anchor the Blazers’ defense while likely still leading the Blazers in blocks though. Though blocks per game don’t equate to good defense, Nurkic still has the size and timing to average around two blocks a game while playing defense that will impact the team.
Nurkic is still one of the better shot blockers in the league though, his block percentage has been in the 80th percentile every year he has been in the NBA. His low minutes per game total mean that 1.3 blocks per game is actually a great mark.
As far as other players competing for this mark on the Blazers, only Covington will record one block per game or more. Covington will be playing more four than five probably so he could record more than 1 block per game, but it may only be a slight uptick.
Nurkic is the likely leader for this stat – his new shape in 2021 may mean an increased shot-blocking presence.