Trail Blazers Grant-ed A First Win
The Portland Trail Blazers faced off against the New Orleans Pelicans in two games over the the weekend, and after a crunch time loss on Friday Portland bounced back with a blowout win over the Pelicans on Sunday.
The Blazers 1-2 and had a legit chance to be 2-1 on the young season save for an ugly final four minutes on Friday night where the offense stalled out due to poor execution and a general lack of creativity.
If we’ve learned anything in the first three games of the season it’s that Jerami Grant is good. Okay maybe that isn’t much of a revelation. Grant has scored 20+ points and shot over 40% from three-point range in each of his first two seasons in Portland. He’s been good. But through the first two games the Blazers have used Grant in more effective ways and it bodes well for his third season in Rip City.
The box score numbers are pretty: 34 points and a career-high eight made three-points on Friday night. Followed by 28 points and and four blocks Sunday’s 125-103 win over the Pelicans. But the “how” is even more important than the production itself. Portland has ditched the heavy diet of Grant-isolation possessions that bogged down the offense at times last year and moved Grant into a role where he’s attacking quickly off the catch as a shooter and a driver. Grant took 17 three-pointers on Friday and then when New Orleans tried to chase him off the arc on Sunday, he attacked the paint, finished at the rim and got to the free throw line.
Less iso-heavy Grant and more quick decisions making by leveraging the threat of his shooting skill is the best path forward for Grant and the Blazers. He played a similar role alongside Damian Lillard in his first season in Portland. Grant attacking quickly and bombing away from three is still the best use of his skillset even if he’s the best player on the roster. He can be threat even as an opportunistic attacker and not a pounding-the-rock focal point.
Through three games, this is welcomed development for Portland’s most veteran presence.
For more insights and a deeper dive into the Blazers’ strategies and performances, tune into the Locked On Blazers podcast for this and much more.
Other Topics in Today’s Locked On Blazers Podcast:
- Analysis of Anfernee Simons’ performance and his role in the team’s strategy
- Deandre Ayton’s impact on the boards and defensive contributions
- Donovan Clingan’s defensive prowess and potential for increased playing time
- Scoot Henderson’s early season ups and downs
