Why are the Blazers so bad on the road?

[Further]

I know most teams are better at home, but the Blazers really seem to be two different teams. At home so far this season, the Blazers have won 80% of their home games, but only 30% of away games. Why such a huge gap?

 

[PapaG]

I know most teams are better at home, but the Blazers really seem to be two different teams. At home so far this season, the Blazers have won 80% of their home games, but only 30% of away games. Why such a huge gap?

Because there is no proven consistent offensive perimeter player to demand that the defense adjust to him on every possession. When Roy was healthy, the Blazers were a very good team at closing out close games because Brandon could dictate what the defense would do. As it is now, LMA is the only player that needs to be help defended by the other team, so the defense is dictating what the Blazers do initially.

On the road, a team needs an elite perimeter player also to force the refs to make decisions when the elite player beats his defender and is fouled.