This is a Portland Trail Blazers team that wants to win the possession battle. That hasn't gone perfectly to plan because they have major playmaking problems of their own, with their 17.4 turnovers per game leading the league by a wide margin.
However, what often gets overlooked when discussing maximizing possessions is the rebounding aspect, where Portland gets its true advantage. Their 14.1 offensive rebounds per game rank second in the association, behind only the Houston Rockets. That's largely due to Donovan Clingan's arrival.
The UConn product is averaging 11.7 rebounds per game, 4.6 of which come on the offensive end. Clingan's offensive rebounding is tied for second in the NBA with Walker Kessler and just 0.1 per game behind Steven Adams.
Donovan Clingan is saving the Blazers from their own flaws
Clingan's ability to create extra possessions on the offensive end is a key piece in Portland's formula. This is a team that ranks dead last in turnovers and tied with the Sacramento Kings for last in three-point shooting percentage. If I told you they were still .500, you'd likely assume their defense was doing the heavy lifting. However, the Blazers' elite individual defensive weapons haven't really translated to team success on that end, as their 113.6 defensive ranking is middle of the pack.
So, how is this team managing to win every other game on average? The answer lies in the extremes.
Cronin has coveted length and athleticism throughout this entire rebuild. That unique roster construction has created extremes on both ends. We've seen that with their shooting and turnovers. Their strengths, though, are elite.
The Blazers' biggest strength is their offensive rebounding. It's helped mitigate their lack of playmaking and floor spacing on offense. Despite the turnover problem, this team ranks fourth in the league in total possessions. That offensive rebounding helps offset the turnovers, and the shooting woes sting less knowing that Clingan is there to help clean up at least some of those misses.
It's not an ideal formula by any means, and it's actually impressive that they've been at .500 despite these glaring weaknesses. But that's a testament not only to Clingan's ascension but also to his perfect fit in Portland.
Their big man is the reason this flawed formula has worked up until this point. If the Blazers can address those weaknesses in the offseason while maintaining their strengths under Clingan, they'll be in great shape going forward.