If only the Trail Blazers could stop turning the ball over
In some respects, the Portland Trail Blazers are a group of overachievers. Few expected them to be in the playoff hunt after the calendar turned to 2016, but here they are, a competitive bunch that can really score.
But in addition to having one of the worst defenses in the entire league, the one thing holding Portland back is its penchant for turnovers. Here's more on the Trail Blazers' fatal flaw, per The Washington Post:
For two guards who handle the ball a ton, C.J. McCollum and Damian Lillard actually don't turn it over all that often. But that hasn't kept Portland in the bottom 10 amongst all teams in turnover percentage.
It's an issue that's handcuffed to their youth and inexperience, but over time it should (hopefully) improve.
“We know we can score the ball and we are going to get points,” said point guard Damian Lillard. “It’s just a matter of how consistent we can be defensively. A lot of our wins and losses are based on turning the ball over or not taking care of the ball.” Portland’s turnover issues start before a play even begins — they have the second-highest turnover rate (17 percent) on possessions where the player is passing the ball in from the baseline under the opponents hoop. Only nine other teams are less effective (0.8 points per possession). The Trail Blazers have the fourth-highest turnover rate in transition, coughing up the ball 15.6 percent of the time.
