Opponent Scouting: Portland Trailblazers. (10-11)
This is going to be quick. I was going to do this right out of work but some people got covid so I had to get a test and such (thankfully I’m negative) also remember no recap of tonight or next game as I get up for work about 4:00am so I ain’t staying up for this.
Tonight at 10:00pm EST the Pistons continue their west coast swing in Portland to face the Trailblazers. The Pistons are on one night of rest after losing to the Lakers on Sunday while the Blazers are on the second night of a back to back after losing to the Jazz.
The Them:
The Blazers are who we thought they were. They come into the game with the 4th best offense in the league and the 29th(!!!) ranked defense. Tonight superstar Damian Lillard is out.
Without Lillard, CJ McCollum will lead the charge, McCollum can score from all levels and is shooting the ball very well. Jusef Nurkic is very large and has offensive skills on the interior, Robert Covington is a three and D player, Pistons legend Tony Snell has been in the rotation some and started last night. Anfernee Simmons is a spark-plug off the bench.
Nassir Little defends off the bench, Larry Nance is athletic. Cody Zeller does basic center stuff but not much more. With Lillard out we might see some of another Pistons legend in Dennis Smith Jr.
This team has offensive fire-power with the Lillard/McCollum combo but most everything else is kind of a mess. My money would still be on them to figure stuff out and be better by the end of the season because they always seem to do just that, but the defense is a total mess right now. Actual Pistons legend Chauncey Billups has his work cut out for him.
Matchups to watch:
Pistons vs. Offense: This is very broad but there is no other way to put this at this point. The Pistons are shooting historically bad on the offensive end.
Jerami Grant vs. Continuing to roll: He’s had several good games lately, if he can keep it up it’d be nice. Perhaps is finding a comfort zone in the team.
Hamidou Diallo vs. The Verve: Dude has been playing with so much focused, concerted, energy. Not just wild energy, the type of energy that actually results in positive plays.
Pistons vs. Idk winning maybe: yeah….