TUALATIN, Ore. — To understand how the Portland Trail Blazers have turned around their season, you have to look in the rearview mirror.
From the perspective of their opponents, at least.
Although the Blazers, from Neil Olshey on down the line, have emphasized the importance of the next 27 games and taking things one game at a time, a lot of their success has come in the form of forcing their opponents to look back.
Portland’s recent success started during their home-heavy January, which allowed them to step back and see where they were coming up short, which defensively, was quite a few places.
Before their 115-110 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Jan. 10 that sparked the Blazers on this stretch where they’ve won 14 of 17 games, the Blazers were 23rd in the league in defensive rating.
The Blazers’ pick-and-roll numbers at midseason, right after that Jan. 10 win, were dead last in points allowed per possession according to NBA.com.
Since then, the Blazers have worked their way out of the basement, which is progress if nothing else.
And collectively, their defense has been in the top-six in the league since Jan. 10, which combined with their already strong offense has resulted in the best net rating in the league this side of Golden State and San Antonio.
When they were just starting this stretch of success, Meyers Leonard referenced the work of their guards to get “rearview” contests, meaning that after getting screened, they would still be able to bother a shot.
The Blazers had emphasized it since training camp but had never really done a good job of it.
“Probably about a month ago, we just had to refocus on some of the principles of what we needed to do,” head coach Terry Stotts said. “There’s a responsibility. We were forcing midrange shots but we weren’t contesting at the rate that we needed to and that was one of our emphasis.”
Damian Lillard, noted shotmaker, discussed the difficulties those types of defensive plays, even if it looks like it’s too late to the naked eye.
“It bothers you, you come off a pick-and-roll and you don’t know where your man is all the time especially if they’re not touching you,” Lillard said. “So it’s uncomfortable when you don’t hear a guy behind you and his hand just comes out of nowhere. It’s disruptive. That’s something that we’ve emphasized, if it is late, just contest it. All of our perimeter guys we’ve done a much better job of it lately. That’s also part of why we improved.”
After Portland’s blowout of the defending champion Warriors last Friday, Stotts praised the team’s focus as of late.
That focus has extended to Portland’s understanding of personnel and execution of game-to-game tweaks, such as not even bothering to guard limited offensive players like Rudy Gobert and Andrew Bogut.
It’s also a major key in getting in opponents rearview mirrors.
“It’s focus paying attention, understanding the numbers, understanding the impact it can have on an offensive player,” Lillard said. “The hard part is doing it every possession. Sometimes it’s guys get into here and you feel like you’re a little bit out of the play and still making yourself do it.”
The Blazers have set out on a goal to be a top-15 defensive team by season’s end, something that looks more doable by the day as they’re currently 18th in the league.
Coaches by nature are never satisfied and messages of focus and playing with urgency are part of every coach’s game plan.
And from game to game, the Blazers have played with that focus and urgency more and more.
“I think we’re getting better,” Stotts said. “In general, particularly at the defensive end, the veteran teams not only have experience, they understand the moment. They see things a little bit better. And that understanding takes time to develop.”
