The Portland Trail Blazers made it to the Western Conference Finals this season, and although they were swept by the Golden State Warriors, they still had an impressive playoff run. One of the players who were vital in their success in the postseason was Enes Kanter.
After being waived by the Knicks, Kanter chose to sign with the Blazers over the Los Angeles Lakers and the Oklahoma City Thunder. It turns out he made the right choice, as he became a vital part of the team's rotation, especially when starting center Jusuf Nurkic went down with a season-ending leg injury.
One of the things that Kanter wasn't known for was his defense, but during his brief stint with the Blazers, he showed the entire league that he can be a decent rim protector when focused. In his interview with The Oklahoman's Erik Horne, the Turkish big gave credit to Blazers coach Terry Stotts for his improvement on the defensive end.
“I remember the first two or three games … I would never really get a compliment about my defense, but he (Stotts) was like ‘that’s good defense.’ I was like ‘Oh, that feels weird. You’re complimenting my defense.’ I just feel more confident and comfortable.”
Kanter has often looked happy since joining the Blazers, and it didn't take long for him to adapt to their system. Moreover, the confidence that he receives from his coaches and teammates inspired him to play better on both ends of the floor.
It is unclear if the Blazers will be bringing back Kanter next season, but based on how well he played in the playoffs, they would be wise to do so.
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