Blazers Power Rankings: Rating Every Player Near Season's Halfway Point
With the halfway point of the 2014-15 NBA season approaching, the Portland Trail Blazers are enjoying another hot start with a 27-8 record. LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard are leading the way, but the team as a whole has stepped up in an effort to improve upon last year's success.
One area where the roster has improved is the bench. It still has its issues, but internal growth and additions through free agency have given this group hope for postseason success.
Aldridge and Lillard are leading the way, but contributions from Wesley Matthews, Robin Lopez and the rest of the roster are keeping this team alive. Portland is a contender, and the fact that most of the roster is contributing is making the biggest difference with the early part of the season behind us.
No. 11-15
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No. 15: Victor Claver
Victor Claver's season has been virtually non-existent. He's played in just three contests, and he's the only guy on the roster not to hit the double-digit mark in that category. There's even been controversy about whether he wants to be in Portland, leaving the 26-year-old in a tough spot.
No. 14: Dorell Wright
What in the world has become of Dorell Wright? The three-point specialist is knocking down 41.4 percent of his attempts from downtown (he takes 1.8 attempts per game), but his field-goal percentage of 35.4 percent is the lowest on the team. He's played in just 16 games, and it's going to take some serious shooting for him to get back into the regular rotation.
No. 13: Meyers Leonard
Meyers Leonard has shown flashes of greatness—or at least respectable play. The problem is that he's seen just 13 games of action (the second-fewest on the roster), and he's giving up an average player efficiency rating of 18.4 (per 48 minutes) to his opponents, per 82games.com.
No. 12: Will Barton
During last season's exit interviews, head coach Terry Stotts said the following about Will Barton, via BlazersEdge.com's Sagar Trika: "I don't know if I've seen a player make that big of a jump from one season to the next." Unfortunately, that growth has only led to 9.9 minutes per game (the least on the roster), and it's only making fans more curious about how high the ceiling goes for the former Memphis Tiger.
No. 11: Thomas Robinson
Like Leonard, Thomas Robinson has shown flashes of productive play. Unlike Leonard, Blazers management chose to decline the youngster's option for next season. That's a problem considering the big man is now playing for a contract with averages of 3.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per game with a PER of just 7.9.
No. 10: Allen Crabbe
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In Allen Crabbe's defense, he probably deserves a higher spot on this list based on expectations alone. The second-year player was supposed to be a bottom-of-the-bench presence this season, yet he's stepped up and performed when the Blazers needed it.
Having started six games, Crabbe has done more than what was expected for him. He's established himself as a threat from the three-point line, and more importantly, he's done it without making many mistakes.
For those who have watched the 22-year-old closely, you've seen a few poor rotations—something to be expected of a sophomore. You've also seen him pass on open jumpers, as many young players do.
Looking past those mistakes, the bigger issue is his 42.5 percent field-goal shooting. He needs to improve that number, but with averages of 14.8 minutes and 3.5 points per game, anything he provides is better than what we thought he'd give to start the year.
No. 9: C.J. McCollum
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C.J. McCollum has the potential to be the Trail Blazers' sixth man. He has the ability to be the leading scorer off the bench; we just haven't seen it yet.
Part of McCollum's struggles is due to health. In fact, a lot of his struggles have come from health.
After sitting the early part of last season with a foot injury, he did the same thing in 2014-15 with a broken finger.
Now, the young guard is getting a chance to prove his worth slowly.
On Dec. 22 against the Houston Rockets, McCollum scored 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting. He's not putting up those numbers consistently, but he's a threat to do so, which is all the Blazers can ask for at this point.
No. 8: Joel Freeland
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Joel Freeland has been a consistent source of consistency this season.
Let me explain.
Meyers Leonard and Thomas Robinson have high ceilings because of their athleticism. They can run the floor like gazelles, and they can make highlight reels because of their physical ability.
The problem is that both players make mistakes. In fact, they make so many mistakes that both lottery picks have shaky futures in a league that emphasizes athleticism in raw prospects.
Freeland, conversely, has played better because he doesn't make mistakes. You know he's not going to average a double-double, but you also know he's going to stand tall defensively and do so without committing silly fouls.
Freeland deserves more credit than he gets, but he's currently out with a strained shoulder, according to ESPN.com. A healthy return could result in a higher ranking on this list once the playoffs arrive.
No. 7: Steve Blake
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Steve Blake will not stick out to stat gurus across the NBA. He's started zero games and is averaging just 4.7 points per contest. His PER is an unimposing 8.89 at this juncture.
All that said, the 34-year-old veteran is making a name for himself (again) in Portland because of his reliable play.
Despite shooting just 34.6 percent from long range, Blake has hit numerous crucial three-pointers in fourth quarters throughout the 2014-15 season. He's finding teammates to the tune of four assists per game, and he's another one of those players who rarely make mistakes when it counts.
Although Blake is in his third stint with the Blazers, this seems like his most natural role. He's playing backup point guard better than anyone has in Portland for quite some time, and he's doing it while giving Damian Lillard the rest he needs.
No. 6: Nicolas Batum
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Nicolas Batum could be further down this list based on expectations. He's shooting an abysmal 40.5 percent from the field, and his three-point shooting is down to an atrocious 26.9 percent on 4.6 attempts per game.
So why does Batum, who is scoring just 9.4 points per contest, get a spot just outside the top five? Because he's a threat to do it all.
Despite not scoring, he is a Swiss army knife. Although his averages are lower than in the past couple of seasons, he's accumulating 4.9 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game—as well as a career-high 1.3 steals per contest.
Can Batum get better? You bet he can. Unfortunately, it starts with health and ends with a more aggressive mentality.
The 26-year-old has played just 29 games this season, but his overall aggressiveness will make a difference late in the year.
No. 5: Chris Kaman
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Chris Kaman has been a breath of fresh air for the Trail Blazers. Not only is he not the player he was last season, but he's someone who has taken pressure off Robin Lopez.
In 2013-14, the Blazers struggled to find any kind of continuity when Lopez went to the bench. What would they get from Thomas Robinson? Was Joel Freeland healthy?
Could Meyers Leonard step up?
This season, they have a former All-Star to spell Lopez. There is still the concern that the injury bug will hit, but a low-post presence with a decent mid-range jumper is exactly what this team needed.
The fact that he can block shots is only a plus. Portland has its backup center, and the team is better than last year as a result.
No. 4: Robin Lopez
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Robin Lopez is out with a broken hand, according to ESPN.com. He's been out since Dec. 16, and yet he's still No. 5 on this list.
That says something about how important he is to the success of this franchise.
Although you could chalk up the center's success to being in a contract year, we saw what the former Stanford product did in 2013-14. He did the dirty work, and he's doing it again.
Alongside LaMarcus Aldridge, Lopez is grabbing rebounds and blocking shots. More specifically, he's boxing out big men and rotating well on the defensive side of the floor.
That kind of commitment doesn't always hit the stat sheets—especially when Aldridge is collecting big numbers.
Lopez has found his place in Portland, and the team appreciates him. He even has a game-winning shot to his credit, but he's giving the Blazers an edge in more than just last-second scenarios.
No. 3: Wesley Matthews
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Wesley Matthews has made more three-pointers than anyone in the NBA this season. He's knocking down three per game, and he's shooting 39.6 percent in the process.
The best news of all? This prolific long-range shooter doesn't consider this his specialty.
According to The Oregonian's Joe Freeman, Matthews has stated this season, "I don't see myself as a three-point shooter...I never have, and I still don't. I can shoot it. It's one of my offensive weapons. But I would much rather attack the basket or post up."
More than ever, Matthews has become a jack of all trades. His long-range shooting has helped him become a consistent third scoring option (16.6 PPG), while his low-post consistency and defensive prowess make him an all-around threat.
No. 2: LaMarcus Aldridge
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LaMarcus Aldridge is a virtual lock for his fourth straight All-Star Game. As of Jan. 1, the big man is just sixth in Western Conference frontcourt votes, but his stats alone make him an easy choice for coaches once fan voting comes to a close.
At this point in the season, Aldridge is leading the Blazers in scoring with 23 points per contest. He's also pulling down 10.6 rebounds, making him a top-10 league-wide performer in both categories.
Defensively, he is blocking 1.3 shots per game. He's also holding his opponents to a PER of just 12.3 (per 48 minutes), according to 82games.com.
What makes Aldridge special is that he's in his prime yet continuing to advance his game. In years past, it's been his low-post presence that he's enhanced. However, in 2014-15, we're watching him shoot 48.5 percent from the three-point line on 1.1 attempts per game.
In a league that values highlight reels, Aldridge often flies under the radar. That, however, is unfortunate, as the power forward is one of the best at his position.
No. 1: Damian Lillard
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When Damian Lillard first arrived in Portland, one thing was clear: This was still Aldridge's team. Lillard was the point guard of the future, but Aldridge was the undisputed leader of the organization.
Two-and-a-half years into Lillard's career, the hierarchy in Rip City is less clear. He and Aldridge are constantly competing with each other (in a good way) for the top spot on the roster, but with 2014-15 nearly half gone, the youngster has the slight advantage.
As of Jan. 7, Lillard is second on the roster in points (22.2 PPG), first in assists (6.4 APG), first in steals (1.5 SPG) and first in PER (23.43). He's had numerous memorable showings this season, but his Dec. 23 contest against the Oklahoma City Thunder (40 points, 11 assists, six rebounds, 69.6 percent from two, 66.7 percent from three) is listed as ESPN.com's third-best performance of the year.
Not only is Lillard getting it done from game to game, but he's making a name for himself when it counts the most. He's leading the NBA in fourth-quarter scoring, per NBA.com, and he's doing it while hitting clutch shots on a regular basis.
As well as he has played, he's the first to recognize he can't do it alone. As transcribed by Bleacher Report's Kevin Ding, Lillard recently stated, "If I feel like I've got a good look, and I'm comfortable and in a rhythm, I'm going to take the shot."
He continued, "If two guys come to me, I'm going to make the next pass."
The Blazers need Lillard, Aldridge and the rest of the crew to play well if a championship is going to be realistic this season. It just so happens that Lillard is leading the way, and that's a good sign for a franchise with a bright future.
Player efficiency rating (PER) stats, unless otherwise noted, are courtesy of ESPN.com.
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