Portland Trail Blazers: 3 Pros and 3 Cons after a dozen games
Twelve games into the 2021-22 season, the Portland Trail Blazers are 5-7 and in 10th place. We look at some of the pros and cons so far.
After losing two straight, the Portland Trail Blazers find themselves in tenth place after a dozen games. So far, their uneven performances are not what most Blazers’ fans expected from the team at this point. We look at some of the pros and cons that surfaced over the first month of the 2021-22 season.
Pro #1: Anfernee Simons is becoming a legit sixth man
Any lingering offseason questions about whether or not Anfernee Simons can develop into a legit sixth-man contender are answered by his hot start. Simons averages 12.3 points on 45.2 percent shooting, including 39.2 percent from three-point range.
His ball-handling has improved, and the 22-year-old added some muscle to his 6-3 frame in the offseason. Simons still appears to be more of a shooting guard or shoot-first point guard, and he’s excelling in that role.
Con #1: Damian Lillard’s cold shooting
Whether it’s the new Wilson basketballs, the new offensive system by Chauncey Billups, or the “core” injury that Damian Lillard suffered over the summer, and he has not looked like himself. The team’s best player is shooting 35.1 percent from the field, and 24.7 percent from the arc. that’s not going to get it done most nights.
This is likely the big reason why Portland is 5-1 at home and 0-6 on the road. Role players typically play better at home than they do on the road, and without Dame Dolla lighting it up away from the Moda Center, it’s been too much for the team to overcome.