What Marquese Chriss could bring to the Portland Trail Blazers
By Andy Quach
What Marquese Chriss can provide for the Portland Trail Blazers: Vertical spacing
Even if Nurk and Zeller are available for every game next year, Chriss still has an element in his game that neither of them can provide: vertical spacing.
In the Damian Lillard-era, the Portland Trail Blazers have lacked a center that can space the floor, either to the 3-point line or be a threat to catch and throw down lobs. Meyers Leonard was used very sparingly for his shooting and Hassan Whiteside had a quiet stint with the team, but neither was an optimal version of a floor-stretching big.
Having a center who can score above the rim will suck defenders into the paint, even when the roller doesn’t have the ball. It will also provide more space for ballhandlers like Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum to operate in the pick-and-roll as the opponent will have to decide whether to allow an open lane for the driver or leave Chriss as he rumbles into the lane for a potential alley-oop.
In this play, Chriss receives a pass at the free-throw line and touches it over to Ky Bowman at the top of the key. Then, the Warriors big man sets a quick screen on LeBron James before diving to the rim. James is impeded by the pick which puts JaVale McGee between the ballhandler and Chriss rolling next to him. McGee tries to stop Bowman’s drive but by the time he makes a decision, Chriss has already skied to the rim for an easy two points.
In this game alone, he scored 12 points off of lobs against a very good Los Angeles Lakers defense.
Imagine if he was setting screens for Dame or CJ instead of Ky Bowman. Adding a vertical spacing element would do wonders for the Portland offense.