Portland Trail Blazers: 6 Things Joel Przybilla Brings to This Year's Team

Before Joel Przybilla even entered the game Thursday, he couldn't help but crack a smile as the crowd erupted when his familiar face emerged on the big screen in Portland.

Simply put, the return of a fan favorite gives Rip City something to cheer about.

In his 2011-12 debut with the Portland Trail Blazers, Przybilla posted a respectable four points, six rebounds and two blocks, but couldn't cool down the streaking Miami Heat.

While he may not be a stat-filler night in and night out, Przybilla should be able to step in and fill his role nicely, as the team looks to make a playoff push throughout the second half of the NBA season.

Toughness

It's easy to say that Przybilla is going to bring toughness to the Trail Blazers, but what does that really mean?

At 7'1", 245 pounds, Przybilla—the tallest player on the current roster—is going to be an enforcer around the rim.

An irritant on the court, he has a tendency to get inside the heads of opponents, and he's going to bring an attitude to Portland that fans love to see from their team.

Blocking shots, disrupting plays and committing hard fouls are going to become staples of the big man in his 12th NBA season; but tough physical screens are what's going to keep Przybilla involved on both sides of the court, despite his offensive inefficiencies. 

Rebounding

Starting center Marcus Camby remains one of the league's elite rebounders, averaging 9.2 boards per contest in just 23.5 minutes per game—a league-leading 18.8 rebounds per 48 minutes.

Playing such a short number of minutes, though, has left Portland looking for productivity off the bench that isn't always there.

With no backup averaging more than 3.6 rebounds this season, Przybilla is likely going to come in and become one of the best rebounding reserves on the team.

For a Trail Blazers team that currently ranks 22nd in the league in rebounding, the addition of Przybilla should make a big difference against some of the league's best frontcourts.

Depth

The Trail Blazers can never have too much depth at center.

Having lost Greg Oden again this season, and currently without Kurt Thomas because of a concussion, the Blazers are shallow once again at the center position.

Marcus Camby is playing less than 24 minutes a game. Thomas, the league's oldest player, is averaging just 16 minutes when healthy, and Craig Smith appears to be sitting more and more as the season progresses.

Having already watched Przybilla suffer a knee injury last season, the team must remain cautious when it comes to the 32-year-old center's health.

If Przybilla can stay healthy during the second half of the season, however, his presence will be enough to make an impact and provide minutes to a frontcourt that has needed bolstering over the past few seasons.

Defense

One solid game can hardly be construed as a large sample size when it comes to predicting Przybilla's productivity down the stretch.

It's no coincidence, however, that he has already become the team's leader in block shots per game this season. 

While Marcus Camby is averaging 1.5 blocks so far—a relatively low number by his standards—two block shots in Przybilla's debut against the Heat tied for a game-high.

But what the box scores don't keep track of is how many times Przybilla will jump in and disrupt otherwise easy plays under the basket.

His first few possessions this season were prime examples of how he can affect shots without recording blocks. Surprisingly good at taking charges, he will surely stand his ground and sacrifice his body in order to make a play at any point during a game.

Already a top-10 team in blocks this season, adding the 7'1" center should help the Trail Blazers maintain the same defensive prowess, whether it's Camby or Przybilla occupying the paint in Portland.

Leadership

The Trail Blazers are no longer considered one of the youngest teams in the NBA, as this is a group that now has a number of experienced players on the roster.

Przybilla, 32, will be the youngest center on a team that features 37-year-old Marcus Camby and 39-year-old Kurt Thomas; but as a player who is very familiar with the Portland locker room, he will likely come in and become an instant leader for prospects and veterans alike.

His return to Portland as "a voice" for the Trail Blazers will provide a whole new level of leadership this season to a team that is currently struggling to sneak into the postseason picture.

Whether it be on the court, in the huddle or in the locker room, Przybilla surely won't be afraid to step up and push the team to their potential during the second-half stretch.

Familiarity

A few years ago, Trail Blazers fans expected to watch one of the NBA's most up-and-coming teams grow together and stay intact for years to come.

Instead, they've watched injuries and a retirement re-shape the face of the franchise and force one of the NBA's youngest squads to quickly transition into one of the league's oldest.

Before Thursday's game against the Miami Heat, it had been just over a year since Przybilla had last suited up in a Trail Blazers uniform. In that one year, Portland has seen a lot of change to the faces on their roster:

No Longer In Rotation	New to Rotation
Brandon Roy	Gerald Wallace
Rudy Fernandez	Raymond Felton
Andre Miller	Jamal Crawford
Armon Johnson	Craig Smith
Dante Cunningham	Kurt Thomas
	Elliot Williams
	Nolan Smith

With just four major rotation players remaining from 12 months back—LaMarcus Aldridge, Wesley Matthews, Nicolas Batum and Marcus Camby— it seems as if the Trail Blazers have entered a phase of near-constant change from year to year.

While this season has been inconsistent and frustrating at times, inserting a fan favorite back into the rotation will give the Portland faithful something extra to cheer about as the team makes a push to get back into the playoffs come April.