Knicks handed Trail Blazers the blueprint to take down Victor Wembanyama

The New York Knicks have been successful in containing superstar Victor Wembanyama through their first two games of the NBA Finals. That blueprint should be good news for the Portland Trail Blazers going forward, given their somewhat similar roster construction on the defensive end.

Portland has two defensive-minded bigs to throw at Wembanyama in Donovan Clingan and Robert Williams III. They also have versatile perimeter defenders capable of holding their own, most notably Toumani Camara and Jrue Holiday.

However, what makes Wembanyama such a special talent and gives him a case as the best player in the world at just 22 years old is his defensive impact. The difference between Portland's quick first-round exit against San Antonio and New York being on the brink of hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy lies in how effectively they attack the Spurs' elite defense anchored by Wembanyama.

Knicks showed why the Blazers must add shooting this summer

Against the Blazers, the unanimous Defensive Player of the Year played to his strengths as a historic rim protector. Portland ranked in the bottom three in three-point efficiency this season and didn't have enough floor spacing options to keep Wembanyama scrambling. It felt like Portland was playing 7-on-5 because he could sag off without any consequences.

The Knicks have been much better at keeping Wembanyama guessing and moving his feet, generating open looks. Just looking at this one possession, you can tell the importance of having a five-out lineup as a counter against Wembanyama:

With this unit of Jalen Brunson, Landry Shamet, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Karl-Anthony Towns, even a single player finished the season as at least a 37 percent three-point shooter. The Knicks are leading the postseason with a red-hot 39.3 percent from beyond the arc, and it's made all the difference in the world.

This is the offensive formula Portland is missing in general, but especially against Wembanyama. It's virtually the only way you can defeat them in a seven-game series. The Blazers need to solve this problem, considering they are on a similar timeline in the same Western Conference and have to deal with this 7-foot-4 alien for the next decade.

Damian Lillard's return will certainly help in the shooting department, but it's more so about having a well-balanced team of floor spacers with no weak links on the court.

After the Spurs' series win against the Blazers, Wembanyama said Portland's offense was "pretty straightforward," adding that he was more excited to be challenged by the tactical side of basketball. The offense was far too predictable and overly reliant on Deni Avdija's downhill game, only for him to kick out to non-shooters.

The Blazers had sub-30 percent shooters see the court in the series against the Spurs, which allowed for Wembanyama to help off and roam as a rim protector. They need to get rid of these non-shooters sooner rather than later to implement the "blender" style of play the Knicks have successfully figured out.

Portland may have the blueprint for defending Wembanyama, but until they have a roster full of shooters and can play five-out like the Knicks, it's going to be an uphill battle to come out of the Western Conference.

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