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Trail Blazers Regular Season Opener: Three Things to Watch

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Portland Trail Blazers forward Noah Vonleh (21). Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

The Trail Blazers tip-off their 2016-17 campaign tonight against the Utah Jazz. RCP breaks down the matchup and gives you three things to watch for.

The Trail Blazers will begin their quest to exceed expectations once again tonight. This season will present a tougher hurdle than last year, as this team won’t be sneaking up on anyone. The Jazz visit the Moda Center for the second time this month, and they present an immediate threat to the Trail Blazers’ hopes of clinching the Northwest Division.

Winning games at home will be crucial for Terry Stotts’ squad at the start of the season. Next month’s schedule isn’t kind to the Trail Blazers, so picking up victories in front of the home crowd will be even more important than usual. After tonight’s contest, two of the next three games against the Jazz will take place in Salt Lake City.

These are just a few examples of storylines that will be discussed during tonight’s game. We would now like to dive into three specific topics in further detail before the action gets underway.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0). Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

Lillard’s MVP Season Could Start Tonight

The last few days of media coverage have been extremely kind to Damian Lillard‘s NBA profile. Steve Kerr picked him to win the MVP, and it seems like everyone is ready to erase his atrocious All-Star snub from last year. Unfortunately, the award isn’t given out at the beginning of the season, so Lillard will have to come out firing in his first outing.

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Lillard’s play in the preseason suggest that his march to the MVP Award could be a legitimate one. The Weber State product has surpassed twenty-five points in two of his last five outings, and he didn’t cross the thirty minutes of playing time threshold in either contest. If he can continue his blistering hot field goal percentage, tonight could be a very special way to start the season (.493 FG% in last five games).

One thing is clear, Lillard isn’t afraid of the spotlight. Look for Portland’s unquestioned leader to use the added pressure to his advantage. Opening the season with a victory and an impressive individual outing could set the tone for the entire 2016-17 season.

Gordon Hayward (20). Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports

Take Advantage of Utah’s Injury Troubles

Tonight’s matchup features two of the deepest teams in the Western Conference. Fortunately for the Trail Blazers, the Jazz will be without two of their starters. It appears that Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors will both sit out in the regular season opener, so it is imperative that Stotts’ crew takes advantage of this.

Expect the Trail Blazers to go to their bench early and often, as keeping fresh legs on the court could pay major dividends. Favors’ absence will also favor Portland’s smaller lineup that features Al-Farouq Aminu at the power forward spot. Getting out on the break and spreading the floor is the best way to exploit a team that has a shallow bench, so playing an up-tempo style should be a given.

Each game against the Jazz will be crucial in the final standings, so using every available advantage is imperative. It is time for the Trail Blazers to put their expensive reserve unit to good use.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Evan Turner (1). Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

Meaningful Debuts

We have all seen how the Trail Blazers’ new additions have fared in the preseason, but now it is time to see how they perform when it matters. Festus Ezeli is still recovering, which places the emphasis on Evan Turner‘s debut. Neil Olshey (GM) handed out a truck-load of cash to bring on the the former second overall pick, so now it is Turner’s time to make good on that investment.

Turner has adjusted fairly well since arriving in Portland, especially when you consider the niche skills that he brings to the table. With Maurice Harkless resuming control of the starting small forward spot, it will be be up to the former Ohio State product to lead the Trail Blazers’ second unit.

Shabazz Napier was everyone’s darling in the preseason, but there is no guarantee that it bought him any regular season playing time. Tonight will give everyone a glimpse at what his role might be moving forward for coach Stotts.

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