Wow, what an opening week. The Portland Trail Blazers are 3-0 and tied atop the Western Conference (with the Utah Jazz of all teams). The past three games alone have made up for the mediocrity that we were subjected to last year. There have been plenty of storylines already. For example, Lillard was questioned and critiqued after opening night, and promptly shut everyone up with back to back 41 point performances.
I don't think anyone thought Portland would be 3-0 through 3 games, and I know for a fact people didn't think Portland would be doing it with defense and hustle. Obviously, there are things the Blazers need to clean up. After all, we've had three nail-biters -- Portland could easily be 0-3 or 1-2. But on the other hand, I could give compliments to virtually anyone on the roster. I can only give out so many compliments a week, so honorable mentions go to Shaedon Sharpe, Josh Hart, and Justice Winslow. Now, let's get to our weekly "Compliments and Complaints" review.
Compliments to...
Damian Lillard
- Let's start with the Letter O. This guy is something else. When national pundits, media members, and fans questioned his burst and athleticism following the opening game, we should of known what was coming next. And honestly, his opening game wasn't even bad. He had 20 and 8, which is really solid for any player. But he's Damian Lillard, and expectations are sky-high for him. So what does he do? He drops 41 in back to back games and effectively carries his team to two comeback wins. He's 10th in the league in minutes per game and 7th in the league in usage rate. This week, he averaged 34.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists. Oh, and he leads the league in clutch points so far. In other words, he's carrying this Blazer team once again. Lillard deserves every compliment possible for his opening week performance.
Jerami Grant
- The prized acquisition of the offseason came through in the opening week. Grant averaged 15.7 pts and made 75% of his threes! Obviously, 75% is not sustainable, but it's refreshing having a wing who can actually shoot the three. Grant's offensive skillset has been vital and contains variety -- he can spot up on the perimeter, go get his own shot, and get hustle buckets off put backs and transition opportunities. A perfect example is his go-ahead bucket against the Lakers: he gets the ball on the wing and promptly drives past LeBron and finishes over interior pressure with the left hand. Talk about a huge play. Grant's defensive versatility and pressure has been key as well. His length allows him to disrupt passing lanes and his agility and motor allows him to stay in front of guys. He's been a key part in the Blazers being 5th in the league in defensive rating. Shout out to Jerami for a great week.
Trust
Ah, yes. Trust. Let's talk about it. This is what Lillard said following the win against Phoenix: "It's crazy that we've been able to win both these games just with our trust." In addition, following the Lakers game, he stated that "that's what our season is gonna be about all year. It's gonna be about trust." Look, sometimes the word "trust" can be a buzzword in team sports -- players say it to the media all the time. But it's one thing to say it and another to actually do it. And this Blazer team is talking the talk and walking the walk. Let's take the last few games: yes, Lillard had 41 each game, but who scored the critical go-ahead bucket in each game? Anfernee Simons and Jerami Grant. The Blazers are trusting each other and it's reaping immense benefits in crunch time. In the Lillard-McCollum era, it was one of Dame or CJ trying to play hero ball in the 4th. Now, the squad is a bunch of dudes who compete for each other and trust one another. A huge compliment goes out to trust-- it's one of the main reasons this team is 3-0.
Complaints to...
Turnovers
The Blazers need to cut down on the TOs. They are turning the ball over 17 times per game, which is tied for 3rd worst in the league. Turnovers were the reason that Phoenix jumped out to an early lead and the Lakers were able to somewhat pull away in the 2nd half. You could argue the high turnover rate is because of a lack of familiarity with each other, but a lot of the turnovers have been lazy passes, Dame included. Against LA, he had 6 turnovers. If the Blazers continue to gift teams easy buckets and extra possessions, these close games will start to become L's rather than W's.
That's it for Compliments and Complains Week 1 Edition! And yes, I only had 1 complaint to 3 compliments. This team is playing too well right now outside turnovers -- I mean, I could have easily had 5 compliments, but I restrained myself.
Let me know in the comments your thoughts on the opening week of the season!
Comments