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Portland Trail Blazers: 5 takeaways from the first 5 games

By Stevie Cozens

Aug 22, 2020; Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum (3) celebrates after scoring a three pointer against the Los Angeles Lakers in the first half in game three of the first round of the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 22, 2020; Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum (3) celebrates after scoring a three pointer against the Los Angeles Lakers in the first half in game three of the first round of the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Portland Trail Blazers have played five games and are soon to play their sixth. What are five takeaways from those first five games?

The Portland Trail Blazers have started the season with a three and two record. Though they haven’t been perfect through the first five games, they have shown enough in certain spots to give fans some excitement in the new year.

What can we take away from the first five games of the season?

Derrick Jones Jr was a great signing

The signing of Derrick Jones Jr is probably the best move the Blazers made in the off-season. Though their defense hasn’t been great on a league level, Jones has made opposition teams work on and off the ball with some great defense.

He hasn’t found his feet in the offense just yet, but his timely cuts and opportunistic three-point shooting has helped make plays down the stretch. Though it’s on a small sample of just 14 shots, he has made 36 percent of his threes.

His defense though, is what has stood out the most. He has taken on NBA legends Stephen Curry and LeBron James in consecutive games and made them work for their points. No defender will ever shut down guys like Curry and LeBron, but Jones took away some of their strengths, thus helping the Blazers get their wins.

Jones Jr was an excellent signing, and he is now the Blazers’ best on-ball defender. When he starts fitting into the offense better, he will be one of the Blazers’ best players.