Zach Collins and Jusuf Nurkic add skill and scoring punch to the Portland front line!
Let’s talk about what Charles Barkley statements about the main reason that he’s excited about Portland on “Get Up”.
"“The one team in the Western Conference, if they get Nurkic back and Zach Collins, nobody’s going to want to see the Portland Trail Blazers. Whiteside’s been playing pretty good all year. But if they get Nurkic and Zach Collins back, nobody’s going to want to see the Portland Trail Blazers.”"
Jusuf Nurkic was coming into his own last year putting up 15.6 points and 10.4 rebounds a game last season before he suffered one of the worst leg injuries in recent memory. He has a close bond with Damian Lillard and will be someone to be reckoned with down low.
Zach Collins was believed to make his leap in his third year, scoring 9.0 points and 4 rebounds a game before he had a shoulder injury that was supposed to sideline him for the season. At 6’11 and being athletic, the Blazers had high hopes for him. With these two players, they can match up with the Lakers’ front line.
Will they stop Anthony Davis? No. But they don’t need to match him stats-wise with a team geared for the backcourt to carry the scoring load. But they are skilled enough to get the Lakers big men in foul trouble. Plus these two can hit their free throws.
The x-factor on the Portland Trail Blazers’ front line is Hassan Whiteside. Like Barkley said he has played okay this season. Here’s the caveat. It’s a contract year for Whiteside. When engaged and motivated, Hassan Whiteside can be a rim-protecting machine. Money is on the line here. Remember how well he played before his big contract in Miami?
Think Lake Show Life is kidding? Hassan Whiteside leads the NBA in blocks by almost 40 blocks over second-place Brook Lopez. Anthony Davis is third.
With Portland being a bigger team with their two centers back, it puts LeBron’s old friend to his natural position.