How The Trail Blazers Created An Elite Defense
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14 Comments
Bulls vs Portland 2026 finals 😤
Blazers mention = I’m subscribing
To each their own but Billups ain’t the coach this team needs, he’s one dimensional and fairly uncreative….new ownership will send him packing if winning at the highest level is their long term goal.
That's great and all, but what good is an NBA defense when the real war is on the STREETS of Portland?
Houston was the 2nd seed basically based on their defensive identity alone, also a lil above mid offense too. Portland has a literal full defensive death lineup with Jrue/Tisse/Tou or Grant/Deni or Rob/Clingan or Hansen (both future Wemby stoppers). They basically can guard any position they want. Scoot + Shae should be taking leaps in their offense and 3pt shooting, and I genuinely expect potentially like a more athletic Harden-like player out of Shae. At their media day, Tou was talking about that he's expanding his offense and decision making and Clingan has also been working on his 3/he's ready to play 30mpg+. Everyone on the team has also said Hansen is basically ready to make an impact, he just needs help conditioning similar to Clingan last year. People shouldn't sleep on Rupert either, he's had many nice flashes and Portland could keep him for a bargain bc people heavily sleep on him. Portland is for real a sleeper team, like genuinely might be a lock for like a 5 seed if they stay healthy, and I don't think I'm being ridiculous saying that. 😂😂 I think they're actually very much more balanced than people think, like their type of defense will transition to some great offense. They are 100% built for some peak transition offense. This is gonna be such a fun team to watch, man.
I love seeing Donovan Clingan get attention, but I would like to see more discussion about center depth. We lost Ayton, who, love him or hate him, was sometimes our best player on the floor last year. If he could ever stay locked-in, it would have been great, but he couldn't. Now, we have Clingan, RWIII (who is an absolute beast when he's healthy), Yang Hansen (unproven, but he definitely looked like the real deal in Summer League), and Duop Reath, a serviceable 5 who isn't going to turn heads, but can still body smaller big men.
Were getting litty in ripcity
RIP CITY 4 LIFE!!!
I think Portland finishes around .500 this year, and fights for a play-in spot. And then next season, '26-'27, is when they make the jump OKC style, and finish as a top 4 seed. I am an almost 32 year old, lifelong Blazers fan, and I haven't had this much faith in a Blazers core since Dame was a rookie. This team has a legitimate chance to be special.
It's Deni. For the first time in years, their top player is a defensive minded player. Even if Tou's the best defender, it's different motivation when the top overall guy is an effort guy as well.
PG: Jrue
SG: Thybulle
SF: Camara
PF: Deni/Grant
C: Clingan/Timelord
Absolutely absurd and functional 7 man defence. Thybulle playing free safety is so nasty and should be possible given Jrue and Camara can be the main on ball defenders.
In a fantasy world you have Timelord sub in for games where Clingan is getting hunted in the PNR so you can switch everything and be the best defence the blazers have ever been.
Continuing the fantasy Sharpe has tools to be a good defender as does Scoot with his bulk and quickness. If those guys develop Dame might have to sit next year, Fun times!
Epic take ! Awesome! New subscriber. Dang…you nailed it but I hope the competition isn’t listening, makes all the usual Blazers assumptions, and yawns as they prepare to jump at the start of games home or away. They will be gettin a lesson in real hoop they won’t forget. Go Blazers!
Two other former Top Ten NBA defensive players are Matisse Thybulle and Robert Williams, both of whom had injury problems last year. Add them to Clingan and Yang Hasson (who has rim defensive presence as well) and Kris Murray and Jerami Grant, and this team is stacked.
Cant forget about matisse thybulle💯💯