wizenheimer
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We don’t choke those leads with Nurk. Look at the impact Gasol is making rn for Toronto defensively and GS doesn’t have anyone who can defend players with a shred of post ability.
Nurkic was healthy and playing when Portland got swept by the Pelicans. He wasn't when Portland got swept by the Warriors this year, and Plumlee was healthy when Portland got swept 2 years ago
the common denominator in those games was opposing defenses selling out to take Lillard out of the Blazer offense. It's worked 4 years in a row in the playoffs. Nurkic in the high post might have reduced a little pressure on Dame this year, but it sure didn't against the Pels and AD. Portland needs somebody, besides Dame, who can handle the ball and run the offense when a team is defending Dame the way they do; somebody who is a threat to score well or pass well. They don't have that player, and until they do, opponents know they get a two-fer with their Dame defense: they limit Portland's #1 scoring option as well as the only guy who can consistently run the offense. The payoff for that defensive strategy is obvious and the template is established
Nurkic might have made a difference but, IMO, he wouldn't have been enough to turn 0-4 into 4-2. That's just not a realistic expectation



