The Raptors will need their best perimeter defense to defeat Portland and its excellent guards.
Game Two of the Toronto Raptors’ six-game home stand tips off tonight against the resurgent Portland Trail Blazers. Although I dislike the idea of quick rebuilds in any sport, the visitors may be an exception. While it’s too soon to tell if they are no more than a one-year wonder, the early returns are most positive on a team I thought destined for 50 losses. At one point this season, they were 11-20. Despite getting their tails kicked in Boston on Wednesday, the Blazers are now an impressive 33-29.
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Like the Raptors, the Blazers rely heavily on their young and highly talented backcourt. The performance of Damian Lillard certainly doesn’t surprise; he’s been a dandy player since his rookie year of 2012-13. This summer, Lillard was invited by GM Neil Olshey to make Portland his team, following the departure of lead dog LaMarcus Aldridge (and a host of other front-line talents). Lillard accepted the role and has been stellar (he’s averaging over 25 points per game but wasn’t an All-Star? c’mon Western coaches!), but so has C.J. McCollum. If I were to compile a list of players whose scoring leaped 14 points PG from one season to the next, I wouldn’t have many names – but I would have McCollum’s. In the backcourt-oriented NBA of today, their guards provide a strong platform on which Portland can build.
Also like the Raptors, the Blazers’ frontcourt is unstable. Their starters are quite likely to play fewer minutes than the bench guys, but we’ll take them as listed. Al-Farouq Aminu barely rates the label of “journeyman” at power forward; Portland will need to find a better option if they plan to challenge the Western Conference big boys. Noah Vonleh is barely old enough to order a drink, though this is his second season. He won’t play 20 minutes. Vonleh is a project player, the Blazers’ Bruno. At the moment he’s an athletic freak, but little more. The centre is Mason Plumlee, who turns 26 on Saturday. While a decent player, mobile and tough, he isn’t the beast they need.
Off the bench comes Allen Crabbe, another pleasant surprise in the backcourt. This 2013 second-round pick out of California shoots well, and is a pesky defender. Ed Davis chips in with rebounds and the occasional bucket. Gerald Henderson always seems to play well against the Raptors. Meyers Leonard provided size and some degree of rim protection to the rotation.
Portland’s coach, Terry Stotts, is one of those rare bench bosses able to coax solid performances out of normally ordinary, or worse, players.
How do the Raptors punch out the Blazers for the second time in a month? They need to…:
- …get some secondary scoring. Can someone other than our guards figure out how to put the ball in the hoop?
- …not “lose” Lilliard or McCollum. If they toss the ball inside to a big man, stay at home. Portland wants to play inside-out; they rank fourth in 3-pointers attempted and fifth in percentage made at 36.2. Don’t help them. Cory Joseph, you need to avoid early fouls.
- …expect long rebounds on the defensive boards. Portland manages to pull down enough offensive rebounds to rank third in the NBA, which is highly anomalous for a 3-ball shooting team. The Raptors have given up a distressing number of second-chances opportunities lately. Wake up – everybody has to crash the boards.
A tight game with a bunch of lead changes is in the cards. Toronto 113-Portland 108.