The Portland Trail Blazers open their season against the Utah Jazz. Who are four players to watch for in this opening game?
The Portland Trail Blazers will begin the 2021 NBA season against Western Conference opponents the Utah Jazz on the second day of the NBA season.
Both teams sit near the top of the Western Conference when it comes to pre-season expectations. The Los Angeles Lakers and LA Clippers are probably one and two, but then another bunch of West teams are next, including the Jazz and Blazers.
The Jazz had a quiet off-season in terms of free agency, just re-signing key players and making their draft pick, but they have been one of the more consistent teams in the NBA over the last ten years.
They will matchup against a Blazers team though, that had arguably the best offseason in the NBA.
Here are four players to watch out for in this opening game for both teams
Jusuf Nurkic
Bosnian center Jusuf Nurkic will play his first non-NBA-bubble game since March 2019. The seven-foot big man is a key member of this Blazers team, and will be called on to have his biggest NBA season yet in a stacked Western Conference.
He will have his work cut out on offense as he matches up with one of the best defensive big men in the NBA in Rudy Gobert. Nurkic’s passing will be key as key ball handlers him, Damian Lillard, and CJ McCollum look to involve the Blazers’ new squad members.
Nurkic’s ability to pass from the perimeter alongside his developing shooting, will also be key, as they try to draw Gobert out of the paint.
Donovan Mitchell
Utah Jazz franchise cornerstone Donovan Mitchell has recently inked a massive maximum contract extension that will see him in a Jazz uniform for the next six years.
Mitchell had an epic duel with another young star in Jamal Murray in last year’s playoffs. Though they weren’t able to win the series, Mitchell averaged a league-leading 36 points per game as he elevated his game to another level.
Mitchell’s new max contract will come with expectations that he brings a similar level to what everyone saw in the playoffs.
He will have a battle on his hands-on opening night as he goes against Lillard and McCollum.
Derrick Jones Jr.
The newest free agent signing for the Blazers is Derrick Jones Jr., who went to the Finals in 2020 with the Miami Heat.
Jones Jr is unlike any free agent that has signed with the Blazers recently. He is a defensive ace and one of the most athletic players in the NBA. The Blazers gave him a two-year contract worth $19 million with their mid-level exception.
Jones has just one hole in his game, his shooting. He has been shooting it well in the pre-season, but he needs to show he can stretch the floor consistently during the regular season.
Jones electric help defense and transition prowess give this team an athletic presence they probably haven’t had since the 2000s.
Harry Giles
Newly signed big man Harry Giles has a chip on his shoulder and a point to prove in 2021. As we touched on this week, Giles was cut by the Kings after just over 100 games with them.
He is just 22, and the six-foot-eleven big man who was once the number one ranked recruit in the USA, wants to show that he is deserving of a spot in this league.
Giles is a do it all type of player who has shown in the pre-season that he has raw skills on both ends. If he can defend at a decent level and finish well around the rim, he could displace Enes Kanter as the backup big.
Giles does have nice shooting form in knocking down midrange shots, but he hasn’t had the opportunity to showcase this in his limited games with the Kings. With Zach Collins out to start the season, Giles will have a chance to secure some bench minutes.
In a shortened NBA season, every game is key for both of these West teams. In one of the most competitive Western Conferences in years, both teams will be looking to start their campaigns off with a bang.