How would Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins come to the Blazers rescue?
Zach Collins:
Do not sleep on Collins as an old-school stretch-four. He can knock down the pick-and-pop mid-range with ease.
The pick-and-pop mitigates a double-team as the first pass becomes an immediate threat to score. There has to be an extra rotation on a trap. Even if Collins only plays the four, this will force Anthony Davis to take one extra step to rotate on contesting drives. That matters when everyone will be more out of sync than usual with defensive timing and rotations.
Jusuf Nurkic:
The Blazers would adjust to the Lakers trapping defense by running the offense through Nurkic from the top of the key.
The Lakers would obviously not double-team in this instance. Handoffs to Lillard and McCollum have the same benefits as a pick-and-roll, except it also frees them up to attack the basket on the move, as opposed to having to blow by their man each time.
The Blazers average 10 isolations per game, second in the NBA behind James Harden at 14.5. It is exhausting to play isolation basketball all the time, hence why James Harden does not play aggressive defense. Getting their individual scorers on the move will save some energy for defense.
Which they need. Look below if you dare.
Blazers Defensive Stats:
- 5th worst in points allowed
- 4th worst in defensive rebounding percentage and points allowed per possession
- dead last in giving up 2nd chance points
- 5th worst in fast-break points allowed
- Carmelo Anthony rated the 2nd best defender on the team
Hassan Whiteside has plugged many, many holes with his rim protection and rebounding. The Blazers are middle in the pack in points allowed in the paint and second in blocks per game only because of him, but it is quite remarkable to think Nurkic’s offense will be more important than Whiteside’s defense in this series. The Blazers have a slim chance to win if they cannot integrate Nurkic successfully into the lineup.
Rumor has it they might play together. It might make sense on offense, but can this lineup stop the Lakers? No! But their regular lineup averaged giving up 128 points against the Lakers in the regular season. The conventional route got them nowhere! Try something new!
Portland has something to prove. This might be their last chance. Carmelo Anthony is nearing the end and Damian Lillard’s sheer brilliance can only last so long. Hassan Whiteside is a free agent. They cannot afford re-signing both him and keeping Nurkic.
Speaking of which, Nurkic is coming back from a broken leg. Big men with broken legs usually do not last very long.
The sense of urgency may win the Blazers the first game. The Blazers whole team might get hot and win a shootout. The Lakers will likely have an off night. I say all three happen. I say this series would go the distance.
Nevertheless, the Lakers will ultimately prevail. Charles Barkley’s prediction does not come to pass. I say this is just like their matchup in 2000: the Lakers come back from a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter to win Game 7 in dramatic fashion.
Prediction: Lakers win 4-3 (coming back from a 3-1 deficit)