Denver Nuggets: Where to attack the Portland Trail Blazers on offense

Where the Denver Nuggets can attack on offense: The Portland Trail Blazers as a team

This season, the Portland Trail Blazers have the 29th ranked adjusted defensive rating according to dunksandthrees.com, a metric that weights up a team’s points allowed per 100 possessions against the strength of opposing offenses.

The only team behind them is the Sacramento Kings. That’s bad.

Too niche of a metric? That’s alright, Cleaning the Glass ranks them 29th as well when taking our garbage time minutes. Still not convinced, pure counting stats from basketball-reference has them 29th as well.

I will concede, Jusuf Nurkic has only played 37 games for them and while he’s no world-beater, he’s the best defensive option at center for this team. When he’s on the court, the Trail Blazers jump up slightly over ten points per 100 possessions, a much more respectable number.

But how is a solid defender like Nurk bringing them up this much? Or is it moving in the other direction, is he the sole link holding together their defense like the world’s worst papier-mâché? Sidebar, did you know that’s how you spell it? Learn something every day.

When Nurk steps out, they obviously lose his rim protection, but you realize how much he’s covering for the poor defenders elsewhere. CJ McCollum is small for his size and can be easily bullied, Carmelo Anthony swings between disinterest and apathy, Derrick Jones Jr. has failed to grow from his smaller role in Miami, and Anfernee Simons might be the worst defender in the entire league.

I know what you’re thinking: “Wow, a lot of blanket statements there! Where’s the evidence?”

In this first-round matchup, the Denver Nuggets have the luxury of a tall, strong scorer in Michael Porter Jr. Now it might be hard to make out, but try and get a shot of his mouth every time one of those players gets switched onto him, he might literally lick his lips.