The Portland Trail Blazers embark on their 2026-27 campaign tonight as they take on the Phoenix Suns at 7:00 PM, Pacific at the Moda Center. By now you’re probably familiar with the new personnel and likely rotation. In addition to celebrating the return of Damian Lillard, the arrival of Ja Morant, and the greatness of Deni Avdija, here are some of the things you’ll probably see from the Blazers this year under new head coach Micah Nori.
Guard Penetration
If the preseason was any indication, the Blazers don’t want
their guards lofting three-pointers off the dribble as a first option. That makes sense, since many of them aren’t good at it. But plenty of Portland guards can get to the rim. Ja Morant is a magician with the ball in his hands. Scoot Henderson looks healthy and quick. His drives are intimidating. Even Damian Lillard—a three-point aficionado—had a little bit of a nose for the lane in exhibition games.
The secret to the scheme is the guards going fairly quickly to the dribble drive. This isn’t the old days—or even the Avdija-led halfcourt offense—where six dribbles and a lot of looking precede penetration. Portland is bringing the ball up the court and scanning for an easy look. If they don’t see one, they create one nearly instantly. Guards going inside opens the possibility of layups or fouls. It also collapses the defense, leaving forwards Avdija and Toumani Camara open for three-point shots. How well that duo hits catch-and-shoot threes this season could go a long way towards establishing the credibility of the scheme.
Either way, the offense looks dynamic and, at least half the time, guard-led. It’s a sure bet that the backcourt will be more prominent this year than in any seasons since Lillard and CJ McCollum held court in Portland.
If you see guards in the lane and forwards hitting threes, you know the game plan is working. If the ball stalls or distance shots miss, it’s woe time for the Blazers.
Secondary Action
The Blazers aren’t gumming up their guards’ vision with a lot of screen plays. They might set a simple pick up top, but it doesn’t look like they’re bringing multiple players into vicinity of the ball, creating two-man action. The better way to describe their approach would be all-man action, all the time.
When Portland’s system is in full swing, the ball is moving nearly constantly. They’re trying to take advantage of the passing ability of nearly every player in their Top Eight rotation…especially all of those point guards. (Lillard, Morant, Henderson, Jrue Holiday, and sometimes Avdija.) You’re going to see a dribbler draw attention, then pass to an open player, who will then make a move and pass to a third scorer, either right at the rim or wide open on the perimeter. Unlike star-based teams, the initial pass isn’t going to be as decisive as that second one.
Another by-product of the new philosophy is the return of the lob. Moving the ball inside and then back out causes the defense to follow, taking inside defenders out to the edges of the court. That leaves open space inside. Instead of cutting again into that space, the Blazers are likely to bring Donovan Clingan, Camara, or Morant down the lane or baseline, freeing them up for a catch and dunk.
Unlike in past years, when halfcourt slams were as rare as Tom Dundon authorizing expense accounts, you’re going to be able to measure the health of Portland’s offense by the number of dunks they get outside of fast break opportunities.
Mobile Defense
Portland is fielding a smaller team this year. They have a couple of 7-foot centers, but everyone else runs between 6’3 and 6’9. They’re going to want to play multiple-guard lineups. Their “power” forwards will be short on power, long on range. The defense is shifting accordingly.
Gone are the days when the center drops into the lane and everyone else tries to channel people into him. The “ice” scheme appears to have melted. You’re going to see Clingan—and just as prominently, Robert Williams III—out on the perimeter. Accompanying the bigs will be all of those athletic wings, shifting around to varying positions depending on where the ball goes.
No lie, the Blazers might be in trouble in one-on-one guarding situations, especially against premium scorers. They have Toumani Camara, but even he draws half of his defensive reputation from his help defense. That should be underlined for everyone else. What happens at the point of attack on-ball may not determine Portland’s effectiveness. You’ll want to watch what happens right after: Henderson cutting diagonally for a hound-and-steal, Camara drawing a charge, Clingan going for the block, or Holiday getting his feet in just the right position to deflect the drive and make the shot harder.
It goes without saying that close-outs to the three-point arc will be a major test for the Blazers this season. Everything we said above about Portland drawing the opposing defense in and out can also be done to the Blazers themselves. They should be quick and athletic enough to bother shooters when the ball inevitably gets swung out to the arc. If they’re not persistent and dedicated enough to, though, that’s going to be trouble. The Blazers aren’t likely to outshoot opponents, save on lucky nights. They have to provide first, second, and third efforts on defense to counteract that, making opponents miss as well. If they only get one good stab at defending then get beat, the season will be long.
Rebounding
An emphasis on defensive rebounding was clear throughout the preseason. The Blazers have been a great offensive rebounding team in recent years. Now it appears they want to dominate both ends. Clingan has been impressive, but no more so than the physical guards and forwards who gang-tackle the glass.
Board work closes the loop on the defense, turning effort and ability on the defensive end into an actual change of possession. The Blazers will probably force their share of turnovers this year. That won’t sustain them in the long run. They need stellar rebounding in order to prosper. They appear to know it. Let’s see if they can do it.
Now you’re prepped to watch the Phoenix game and the early part of the season. Don’t forget to check out our Game Day Thread opening this evening for discussion during the action. Enjoy the season opener and Go Blazers!
