The Trail Blazers did not have a game in the first two days of December. While the team collectively celebrated Zhou Si becoming the best athlete of the year, they also did not forget to summarize the previous period!

Although they have won all 20 previous games and have the best record in the league, they are not without problems.

For this reason, the Blazers' coaching staff also specially developed a rating for various aspects of the team.

Overall: A+

Before the start of this season, the coaching staff and countless Blazers fans were worried about some issues, such as:

The answer to the Blazers' three position;

The team’s ability to protect the rim has declined;

Oladipo’s arrival will not affect the team’s chemistry;

Will Courtney Lee feel uncomfortable or even conflicted as a substitute?

How does the Blazers' offensive basketball fit with Oladipo's defensive style, etc.

The Trail Blazers have responded to all of the above issues with their excellent record and performance.

After Zhou Si moved to the fourth position, the Blazers' ability to protect the frame increased instead of falling;

Oladipo has perfectly integrated into the Trail Blazers team. Not only on the court, this devilish muscular man who comes to Portland to train every summer has a tacit understanding with other players off the court;

Not only does Courtney Lee have no grudges when playing as the sixth man, his three-point shooting percentage has even increased to a career high of 48.3%, and his scoring average has also risen to 17.2 points. If he continues to play like this, he is very hopeful that he will be the best sixth man this year.

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If Uncle Pi and Nick Young at the third position were not often exposed against those super small forwards, the Blazers coaching staff felt that this rating could even be given to S!

Small forward response: B

Since trading Oladipo strengthened their previous weakest perimeter defense, the Blazers had to make sacrifices at the fourth position!

The problem for the Trail Blazers in the new season is how to minimize such losses.

After Zhou Si took over the fourth position, the Blazers' defense in the penalty area was impregnable, but it also made the defense at the third position weak.

Pierce and Nick Young have never been the wing defenders that Zhou Si was, but they can both help the team on the offensive end!

At the beginning of the season, many experts said that without Millsap and Zhou Si at the fourth position, the Warriors' wing protection is no longer what it used to be.

Although the Trail Blazers' number of blocks this season has not decreased but increased, this is also a sign of the decline in their wing defense!

If Zhou Si defended the third position last season, many teams would simply give up attacking from the third position. Even if they attack from the third position, as long as Zhou Si disagrees, they will basically not be able to enter the penalty area!

Next, the coaching staff decided to send Summers on the court during a certain period of time that required defense.

This mad dog-like player who devotes his life to defense is much better defensively than Uncle Pi and Nick Young!

Attack:S

Before the start of the season, many media were optimistic that the Warriors or Cavaliers would have the best offensive efficiency in the league, but after a quarter of the season, the media felt like they had been slapped in the face.

Because it is their Blazers who lead the league in offense!

The average scoring average ranks first in history, with a shocking 125.4 points. He often scores more than 135 points, which many media would not dare to think about before!

Zhou Si, Lillard, Jokic, Pierce/Nick Young!

The Trail Blazers not only have a team offense, but their individual singles strength this year is also unprecedentedly strong, making other teams jealous!

In addition, the Blazers' offensive efficiency is not only the first in the league, but also has a huge advantage over the second place. The gap between them and the second Warriors is the same as the gap between the Warriors and the seventh Bulls!

Bench:A

Although the Warriors' second lineup cannot guarantee to beat the opponent every night, their strength has been unanimously recognized by many media and coaching staff.

Jokic's introduction to the starting lineup made the Blazers' bench less crazy, but Courtney Lee's presence gave the bench a backbone.

Moreover, there are also some gratifying situations on the Trail Blazers' bench. For example, demon forward Siakam, although he is a rookie, has shown enough maturity and can even be a starting starter sometimes;

Leonard also had a few good offensive performances;

Jerebko’s three-point shooting and defense are as solid as ever;

Big nephew and Bai Zhanji are still indispensable puzzle pieces for the team.

Next, the coaching staff decided that Siakam and Summers still need to play more games in the stalemate stage to practice;

We will also examine whether Felton and Josh Richardson can provide backcourt support.

At present, it seems that the Trail Blazers' bench players can still give the coaching staff enough confidence.

After resting, the pioneers start their journey again!

On December 3, the Trail Blazers faced their first opponent this month, the Timberwolves!

At noon that day, Zeller, who had given Ye Qin a few boxes of Minnesota specialty American ginseng during the Sijia meal last week, ignored Oladipo’s contemptuous eyes after the meal and made his most cowardly request in the most ruthless tone:

"Zhou, you should play the third position today."

Zhou Si nodded and agreed. For Siakam, it would be good to use Zeller, a small boss, to gain experience.

This season Rubio successfully recovered from his injury and led the wolves to continue their rampage. Although he failed to achieve the dark horse results of last season, it was already good!

What's more important is that Zeller has risen strongly this season and has the momentum of the Wolf King!

Moreover, it is not a young wolf king, but a mature wolf king!

In the previous nineteen games, Zeller averaged 21.4 points, 13.2 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.8 rebounds per game!

While people's attention is attracted by thick eyebrows, Zeller has quietly risen!

This season, because of him, Minnesota is no longer dark.

The Wolf King reappears!

12 wins and 7 losses, fifth in the Eastern Conference, Zeller is good enough!

After the game started, although Zhou Si did not play the fourth position, the Trail Blazers still relied on their strong strength to suppress the Timberwolves.

In the first quarter, the Trail Blazers took a 9-point lead.

Subsequently, the rest of the Trail Blazers became more and more courageous, and once extended their lead to more than 30 points. The Timberwolves tried their best and failed to effectively narrow the point difference.

In the end, the Trail Blazers deliberately let the situation slip in the fourth quarter, and the Trail Blazers narrowly defeated the Timberwolves 120:106 at home by 14 points.

For the Trail Blazers, Lillard had 37 points and 9 assists, Jokic had 24 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists, Oladipo had 12 points, 7 rebounds and 3 steals, Courtney Lee had 15 points, and Siakam had 8 points and 7 rebounds.

For the Timberwolves, Rubio had 24 points, 7 rebounds and 12 assists, Barnes had 12 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists, Payne had 8 points, 2 steals and 3 blocks, and Bjelica had 8 points and 4 rebounds.

Zeller played 38 minutes in this game, making 13 of 18 shots, 2 of 4 three-pointers, and scored 32 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 blocks.

In this game against the immature Siakam, Zeller gave everything he asked and showed his talents to the fullest. He did not hesitate to use eighteen kinds of martial arts such as mid-range, long-range three-point shooting, inside footwork, support, and inside gate-like defense.

Use it!

The new wolf king howls to the sky!
Chapter completed!