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Portland Trail Blazers: D–
First-Half Record: 18-23 | Current Record: 20-27
Off. Rating: 13 | Def. Rating: 27 | Net: 21
A good number of analysts expected the Blazers to struggle a bit under the weight of inflated expectations following a fluky first-round series victory over the Clippers and a summer spending spree. But not many predicted this season’s flat start to be so embarrassing and identity-shaking. The top culprit is obviously a defense that has regressed badly, one that lacks sufficient size on the perimeter and ranks at or near the bottom in opponent FG% from mid-range and beyond the arc. A short-term injury to stopper Al-Farouq Aminu helped reveal Portland’s shallow defensive talent pool and further expose its many redundant wing pieces. GM Neil Olshey managed to hand out well over $300 million to five players this summer, including an extension for CJ McCollum, and yet somehow failed to address his team’s glaring needs defensively.
Other minor regressions have added up. Damian Lillard’s three-point shooting and clutch play have both left something to be desired. Mason Plumlee hasn’t performed like a quality starting center on either end. Aminu’s ugly perimeter shooting has returned after a career year. Evan Turner has been a predictably awkward fit. Festus Ezeli turned out to be completely damaged goods. More teams around the league are playing smaller lineups and therefore have better match-up answers for Portland’s go-to spread look. Taken together, these developments have forced well-respected coach Terry Stotts to juggle his lineups in search of solutions that probably aren’t there. Olshey should search high and wide at the deadline, but that may prove fruitless too. While the Blazers are still alive in the West’s weak race for the No. 8 seed, the ceiling has seemingly collapsed on one of the league’s most expensive rosters. Barring a dramatic second-half turnaround, major player personnel changes—and perhaps more—should be in order.
http://www.si.com/nba/2017/01/26/nb...rs-thunder-clippers?xid=socialflow_twitter_si
First-Half Record: 18-23 | Current Record: 20-27
Off. Rating: 13 | Def. Rating: 27 | Net: 21
A good number of analysts expected the Blazers to struggle a bit under the weight of inflated expectations following a fluky first-round series victory over the Clippers and a summer spending spree. But not many predicted this season’s flat start to be so embarrassing and identity-shaking. The top culprit is obviously a defense that has regressed badly, one that lacks sufficient size on the perimeter and ranks at or near the bottom in opponent FG% from mid-range and beyond the arc. A short-term injury to stopper Al-Farouq Aminu helped reveal Portland’s shallow defensive talent pool and further expose its many redundant wing pieces. GM Neil Olshey managed to hand out well over $300 million to five players this summer, including an extension for CJ McCollum, and yet somehow failed to address his team’s glaring needs defensively.
Other minor regressions have added up. Damian Lillard’s three-point shooting and clutch play have both left something to be desired. Mason Plumlee hasn’t performed like a quality starting center on either end. Aminu’s ugly perimeter shooting has returned after a career year. Evan Turner has been a predictably awkward fit. Festus Ezeli turned out to be completely damaged goods. More teams around the league are playing smaller lineups and therefore have better match-up answers for Portland’s go-to spread look. Taken together, these developments have forced well-respected coach Terry Stotts to juggle his lineups in search of solutions that probably aren’t there. Olshey should search high and wide at the deadline, but that may prove fruitless too. While the Blazers are still alive in the West’s weak race for the No. 8 seed, the ceiling has seemingly collapsed on one of the league’s most expensive rosters. Barring a dramatic second-half turnaround, major player personnel changes—and perhaps more—should be in order.
http://www.si.com/nba/2017/01/26/nb...rs-thunder-clippers?xid=socialflow_twitter_si
