Award-winning journalist. Artist. Indie author under a different name. Former NBA beats: Rockets, USA Today SMG | Blazers, SB Nation.
Portland, Oregon
Joined November 2012
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Good morning, Rip City.
The Portland Trail Blazers have the best record in the West (6-1) and the best road record in the NBA (5-0) after defeating the Phoenix Suns last night. Damian Lillard (25), Donovan Clingan (24), and Deni Avdija (21) combined for 70 points.
Feels good.
Donovan Clingan is special.
No. 1 in total rebound percentage (23.6)
No. 3 in offensive rebounds per game (4.0)
No. 4 in shots blocked per game (2.2)
No. 7 in total rebounds per game (10.3)
No. 29 in 3PT% (46.2)
No. 30 in FG% (52.2)
*No. 150 in minutes per game (24.0)
He is 22.
Six days ago, someone on here asked me what happened to Donovan Clingan's ability to block shots. Weird criticism after three games tbh. He's now averaging 2.2 blocks per game, which puts him at No. 4 league-wide and marks the highest clip of his career.
All of the injuries are messing with my predictions for this NBA season, but I don't feel bad about what I put down for awards. Might hit on two or three of these, anyway. We'll see. It's only been, like, two weeks.
David MacKay retweeted
A lot of fans don’t understand that coaches have set rotations and minutes cadence that’s been discussed and established with the team and staff. And coaches try to stick with that unless a player is in foul trouble or someone gets hurt. Especially early in the season. When you switch up rotations without notice, it can throw off team chemistry and player trust with the coach. So no a coach is not dumb for taking out a player at the time he takes out that player every game.
David MacKay retweeted
Blazers win in Utah, and you win at home, cause Tim and Gary just dropped another episode of the @BustedBucket Podcast
#RipCity
youtu.be/XOIUGwa8qmw
I am not even a little worried about Scoot Henderson. He is not going to shoot 33.3% from the field and 8.3% from deep all season. He'll find his groove. His overall production could be limited by his role in a crowded backcourt, but that efficiency will come up.
Portland Trail Blazers through three games:
No. 1 in points per game (129.3)
No. 9 in rebounds per game (46.3)
No. 2 in assists per gam (30.7)
No. 2 in field goal percentage (51.1)
No. 6 in three-point percentage (38.9)
No. 29 in turnovers per game (13.7)
Incredibly hot start.
These numbers will come down in time, but it's fun that six Blazers are shooting 40%+ from deep through their first three games.
Clingan: 66.7% (4-6)
Camara: 59.1% (13-22)
Hansen: 50.0% (1-2)
Morant: 44.4% (4-9)
Avdija 43.8% (7-16)
Lillard 42.9% (12-28)
Combined: 49.4% (41-83)
The Portland Trail Blazers (3-0) are also one of only four teams that remain undefeated so far, joining the Oklahoma City Thunder (4-0), the Houston Rockets (4-0), and the Memphis Grizzlies (4-0).
Damian Lillard, Deni Avdija, and Ja Morant have combined for 15+ assists in each of the Portland Trail Blazers' games so far. The offense is humming. Portland is currently 2nd in assists per game, after finishing at 24th last season. This team is going to be a lot of fun.