Plenty of the preseason talk around Portland centered on the guard room, especially after the addition of Ja Morant. But through the first two games, the Trail Blazers have shown that the real story may be how well they’re handling the glass.
It’s still a tiny sample, but the early numbers are loud. Portland is averaging 50.5 rebounds per game, which ranks sixth in the NBA.
Even more eye-catching, the Blazers sit first in overall rebound percentage at 57.5 percent. They’re also second in both offensive rebound percentage at 40.6 percent and defensive rebound percentage at 74.5 percent.
The results have shown up in the box score, too. Portland outworked Phoenix on the boards 56-39 and edged Sacramento 45-42.
That extra effort has created real value on the offensive end. The Blazers are averaging 21 second-chance points per game, tied for fourth best in the league.
A lot of that work is coming from Donovan Clingan, Robert Williams and Deni Avdija. Clingan leads the group at 8.5 rebounds per game, while Avdija and Williams are both pulling down eight a night through two games.
Clingan and Williams were supposed to help there, but Avdija is already beating his career average of 6.3 rebounds per game.
The guard contribution is what really changes the feel of it. Damian Lillard and Morant are each averaging four rebounds per game, and Sidy Cissoko is at 5.5. That kind of help takes pressure off the bigs and lets Portland both extend possessions and shut opponents down after one shot.
The short version is that the Blazers have looked strong on the boards because they have a true one-two punch at center in Clingan and Williams, while the downhill game from Avdija and Morant feeds into the rebounding effort.
There may still be room for more. Toumani Camara has not grabbed many rebounds through two games, and he could take on more of that load as the season develops.
At the center of it all is the same thing rebounding always comes back to: heart and hustle. Portland has shown plenty of both since the start of last season, and right now that effort is turning a supposed weakness into something that looks like a strength.
In Other News...
Blazers Sent A Message By Outmuscling Luka And The Lakers
Portland did not just outscore the Lakers on Monday night, it outworked them in ways that tend to show up when games get tight and physical. Even with Luka Doncic pouring in 41 points and Austin Reaves adding 26, the Trail Blazers found an edge in efficiency, free throws and on the glass, turning a high-scoring contest into a win that said plenty about their willingness to match a star-driven opponent possession for possession.
The Lakers had enough offense to stay in striking distance, with bench contributions from Sandro Mamukelashvili and Ziaire Williams helping keep the pressure on, but Portland kept answering. In a game that swung on more than shotmaking, the Blazers' balance and physicality became the difference, a useful reminder that even against elite shot creation, the margins often come down to who controls the harder parts of the night. [Read more 🡒]
Blazers Exposed A Big Lakers Problem Even On Lukas Night
Luka Doncic delivered the sort of scoring night that usually papers over a lot of issues, piling up 40 points against the Trail Blazers and reaching his 20th career 40-point game with the Lakers. That moved him into sixth place on the franchises all-time list in that category, ahead of LeBron James, who has 18, but it still wasnt enough to keep Los Angeles from leaving with a loss in Portland.
For the Blazers, the more interesting part was what the box score could not hide. Even with Doncic carrying the offense, the Lakers still allowed 136 points in a game that exposed how much pressure Portlands pace and shot-making can put on an opponent. It was the kind of result that adds a little extra sting to a milestone night, because the headline belonged to Doncic but the outcome belonged to the Trail Blazers. [Read more 🡒]
Blazers Closed Out A Marquee Win But One Late Issue Took Over
The Blazers got the kind of marquee win that can set a tone, leaning on a balanced scoring night and production from six players in double figures to get past the Lakers in a tight game. Ja Morant and Damian Lillard were part of the mix as Portland held up in a contest that stayed physical throughout, with both teams trading blows deep into the fourth quarter.
What ended up taking center stage, though, was the whistle. The game featured multiple technical fouls for flopping in the closing period, and the officiating crew spent the night trying to enforce the NBAs latest point of emphasis. With 52 fouls and 71 free throw attempts between the teams, the basketball never lost its edge, but the late-game attention shifted from the score to the way it was being played. [Read more 🡒]