Kevin C. Cox / Associated Press
The Lakers would obviously be the betting favorite, but Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers, who create the exceptionally rare 8v1 surprise, would not breathtaking.
Lillard has the ability to take control of entire games in a way that only competes with a healthy Stephen Curry. If you even give him a hint of space coming from a ball umbrella, either right on the three-point line or five feet behind, he’ll likely make you pay.
On Thursday, he lit the Denver Nuggets in the 13-of-21 shoot for 45 points. He also distributed 12 templates and was outrageous 11 of 18 from deep.
According to StatMuseHe was only the second player in league history to have had a game with at least 10 threes and 10 assists (James Harden is the other).
Dame looks determined to take his team into the postseason. There he has the opportunity to push the Lakers in a way that no other player identified here can.
However, he is not alone. After a season in which the blazers were decimated by injuries, the break helped some contributors to recover.
Zach Collins has tracks in which he looks like a legitimate 3-D pest that is ready to do most of the dirty work that a guard-heavy team needs.
Jusuf Nurkic, however, is the more important return. Last season, Portland had 10.1 points per 100 possessions when it shared the floor with Lillard and CJ McCollum. His consistent positional defense, low-post play, and mid-point skills made him one of the most effective players in the league in 2018-19.
After missing most of this season after recovering from a broken leg, Nurkic hasn’t missed a punch since he returned. In four bubble games, he averages 22.0 points (second after Lillards 31.3), 11.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 3.0 blocks.
Gary Trent Jr. was also a revelation. For the past two years, Anfernee Simons has been largely seen as the more promising young blazer. Trent, a coarse-grained, multi-position defender and Deadeye shooter, has definitely grabbed him. After beating seven threes against the nuggets, he averages 20.3 points and 5.5 threes in Orlando.
Then of course there is McCollum. On the rare nights Lillard doesn’t make it, thanks to McCollum’s elite middle class game, the blazers still have a chance to steal games.
Overall, the trail blazers look more and more like the team that made it into the Western Conference Finale last season.
Again, they probably wouldn’t beat the Lakers in a seven-game series. Few duos in NBA history had as much talent as LeBron and AD. But the blazers can get a bit messy with Lillard’s captivating hot streaks and a rejuvenated back cast.
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