Portland Trail Blazers 2020-21 season eve roundtable – Wins, Finals, & Dame Time
Q2. Aside from the dynamic duo, who is Blazers most important player?
Ed Stein
This is a tough question. You could make a good case for several players. For regular season game-to-game success, I’ll go with Zach Collins. He plays well with Jusuf Nurkic and gives the Trail Blazers two legit bigs for other teams to defend. Long term, as in going on a deep playoff run, it’s Anfernee Simons / Gary Trent Jr. The more rest Dame and CJ McCollum can get during the regular season, the more spring they’ll have in the postseason.
Chris Phillips
It’s Robert Covington. For what the Portland Trail Blazers gave up to acquire him, he HAS to be the third guy. Some might say Nurkic, but he’s just a piece. RoCo will be the man asked to make open shots and defend a multitude of positions.
Teresa Powe
In my opinion, the most important player after the “dynamic duo” is Jusef Nurkic. Last season the Blazers signed Hassan Whiteside because Nurkic was injured. Whiteside now plays for the Phoenix Suns. Nurkic is what the team needs because he makes everyone else better. He is their anchor. From his center position, Nurkic scores points, rebounds on both sides of the floor, and with his passing, makes sure his teammates can also score.
Chip Clark
Nurkic is by far the most important other than the dynamic duo. His ability to control the paint and rebound brings another dimension to the Portland Trail Blazers. When Nurk plays well, the team plays well. As long as he’s healthy, the big man helps amplify everyone else’s game.