| How The Blazers Keep On Smokin' Authored by Christopher Reina - December 18, 2007 - 5:23 pm
| Current Featured Columns | | Merry Christmas, Raptors Fans The Raptors might not be playing good basketball right now, but there are plenty of things for Toronto fans to be thankful for this holiday season.
A Melo Behind The SuperstarsCarmelo Anthony has never been one of the league's most efficient offensive players.
 |
Tying Your Hands
The timing of Golden State's decision to finally waive Speed Claxton and his expiring contract, which could have been used to procure talent via trade, was unquestionably frustrating.
|
 |
In The Homecourt Picture
Together as a unit, the Raptors have become close off the court and it has showed up when bench players have been given the opportunity to start when starters have gone down due to injury, and thus it has also showed up in the win column.
|
 |
It Was Time For Change
With or without Blake Griffin, the Clippers have too much talent to be so far under .500 and some Clippers weren't even aware they just went 2-6 on their eight-game road trip until RealGM informed them.
|
|
More from RealGM's Columnists
|
| |
Indisputably impressive and slightly stunning, but how are they winning these games by an average differential of 7.5 points?
Behind a frequent zone defense, the Blazers have held opponents to an average field goal percentage of 43.4 over the past eight games, a substantial differential of 5.7.
The Jazz average 105.2 points per game, but were held to 89 in Salt Lake City and 91 at the Rose Garden.
The Warriors average 108.8 points per game, but were held to 95 a night after dominating the Spurs.
The Hornets average 95.4 points per game, but were held to just 76 on Monday.
The zone defense has forced a reliance on outside shots, which fortuitously haven’t been falling for the Blazers, but it more significantly has kept opponents off the free throw line. Portland is averaging almost seven more free throw attempts per game during the winning streak than their opponents.
The field goal percentage differential and free throw discrepancy have been crucial, because Portland has been yielding almost 16 offensive rebounds per game during the streak, which is easily the worst in the NBA. Normally, allowing so many second chance opportunities would be devastating, but they’ve escaped unscathed because of the two points above and also because they’ve blocked 6.1 shots per game versus 4.3 of their own.
Brandon Roy has been incredibly consistent and more effective overall, averaging 24 points, 6.9 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game over the stretch, up from his season averages of 18.9/5.5/4.3.
Travis Outlaw has also blossomed into a scorer, averaging 18 points per game, up from his 12.3 for the season.
Finally, in the absence of LaMarcus Aldridge for five of those games, Joel Przybilla has been highly productive, averaging 8.2 points and 9.6 rebounds (3.6 offensive) per game. Przybilla can never duplicate what Aldridge gives Portland offensively, but Roy has picked up the slack there and the difference made on the glass is substantial as Aldridge averages 7.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game.
Giving Przybilla more floor time, even when Aldridge is healthy, is advantageous to the Blazers this season and actually gives them a nice glimpse to the look and feel of the kind of team they will field next season when Oden debuts. He surely will block shots as efficiently as Przybilla and also resolve those damaging second chance opportunities. |
