Portland’s defense is terrible, but they need to at least defend the perimeter
It seems like every time I write about the Trail Blazers, I am complaining about how bad they are defensively, but that’s just the truth… They are one of the worst defensive teams in the history of the NBA! I am sure somebody will dig up a stat to prove I am wrong in saying this, but my eyes tell me that Portland is terrible defensively and so should your eyes!
This team gives 1% effort on defense, which is why they are currently down 3-2 in this series and likely to lose this series to the Nuggets at this point. Nikola Jokic has been great, but they are letting Austin Rivers, Monte Morris, Facundo Campazzo and Aaron Gordon beat them in a playoff series!
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Austin Rivers was a free agent through April, Monte Morris did not have much time before the playoffs to get hus “feet under him” after missing nearly a month with a hamstring injury, Facundo Campazzo is 5’11” and averaging more rebounds per game in this series than 6’4” Norman Powell and Aaron Gordon is scoring with ease after struggling with his new team late in the season.
There are no excuses to be made for Portland in this series defensively because they just simply stink! Letting Nikola Jokic and Michael Porter Jr. beat you is one thing, but there is no excuse for guys like Rivers and Morris scoring a combined 46 points in Game 5.
From Damian Lillard to C.J. McCollum to Norman Powell to Carmelo Anthony, everybody on this Trail Blazers team needs to at least defend the perimeter in Game 6 otherwise they are going to lose this series on their home court. Portland’s biggest advantage over other teams in the league is their ability to score and knock down three-point shots, but if they are allowing Denver to make 20 three-pointers like they did in Game 5, there is no way the Blazers win this series!
Defending the perimeter to prevent guys like Austin Rivers and Monte Morris from knocking down huge three-point shots for Denver needs to happen on Portland’s end of things, otherwise their season will be coming to an end in Game 6.
