Portland Trail Blazers: Turning into the 2004 Detroit Pistons

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Feb 25, 2022
Portland Trail Blazers
Chauncey Billups, Portland Trail Blazers.

The Guards

So, let’s get the easy ones out of the way. First, Lillard is the Billups comparison. Then, you have Dame Time and Mr. Big Shot. I mean, both are clutch late in the game, especially with the game’s outcome hanging in the balance. Billups also was a very steady, consistent player, as is Lillard.

Next up is Anfernee Simons in the Richard Hamilton role. Like Simons is developing before our eyes, it also took Hamilton some time to develop. Now, Simons is developing a little quicker than Hamilton, and Simons is already a better three-point shooter than Hamilton was at this stage in their careers. Hamilton offered a little more defense than Simons does, but Simons takes better care of the ball. Needless to say, they have their pros and cons.

Finally, we get to Lindsey Hunter and Mike James. Quick side note, James didn’t get a lot of minutes as Detroit mostly ran with a three-guard rotation, and Hunter was the third guard. Most likely, CJ Elleby will be the James comparison even though Elleby could end up getting more run than James ever did. As of now, that is just speculation.

The best comparison to Hunter is the newest member of the Portland Trail Blazers, Josh Hart. Both players are known for their stout defense and ability to score. Hart is an elite rebounder for a guard. However, we can’t look directly at their stats for this comparison. As a Blazer, Hart is severely exceeding his expected offensive output. It is unlikely to maintain throughout the rest of the year and even more so once Lillard returns.

Next: Page 3 – The Three and Five

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