Portland Trail Blazers: It can’t be Dame Time all the time
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This team needs other players on the roster to step up and take some of the load off Lillard’s shoulders. Help arrived this week when CJ McCollum returned from a two-month layoff due to a fractured foot. Center Jusuf Nurkic (fractured wrist – January 16) is about ten days away from a return. In the interim, Portland has a supporting cast of Gary Trent Jr., Anfernee Simons, Enes Kanter, Robert Covington, Carmelo Anthony, and Derrick Jones Jr.
Portland can’t expect Melo to play like his 20-year-old self. DJJ is mostly a defender, so counting him to be a double-digit scorer is also unrealistic. Kanter does Kanter things, but the game isn’t as big man-focused as it used to be.
The guys who need to step up their offensive production are GTJ, RoCo, and Simons. GTJ and Simons have made gains from their production last year. If they can kick it up it another level, that would be a great boost off the bench. RoCo hasn’t performed to his normal levels. He has to turn it around in the second half of the season.
All these Dame Times are great because the Portland Trail Blazers need every win they can get in the competitive Western Conference. At this time, so much Dame Time is a reminder that the Blazers aren’t as good as we think, or their opponents are better than their record.
GM Neil Olshey built this team with a lot of depth. The type of depth that should withstand some injuries and still play high-end basketball. That hasn’t been the case. Right now, the Blazers will only go as far as Lillard can take them.
What do you think about Damian Lillard carrying the Portland Trail Blazers so often? Let us know in the comments section below or on social media.